all loss therefrom."

Thus it was brought to pass that all the Volscians joined together
to make war against Rome. First they chose for leaders Attius and
Coriolanus, in whom indeed they trusted the more of the two. And indeed
they trusted rightly, as was proved in the end, so that it became
manifest that Rome had prevailed rather through the skilfulness of
leaders than the courage of armies. First Coriolanus came to Circeii,
that is hard by the sea, and drave out thence the Roman colonists, and
gave over the city to the Romans. After this he took many cities of the
Latins, and at the last pitched his camp five miles from Rome, sending
out thence those who might spoil the lands of the Romans. Only he gave
commandment that they should not spoil the lands of the nobles. And this
he did, either because he hated the Commons more than the nobles, or
that he would sow dissension between the two. This, indeed, he did
not, for a common fear bound them together. Yet there was so much of
disagreement that the nobles would have had recourse to war to rid them
of the enemy, but the Commons were urgent that they should rather
seek for conditions of peace. And this opinion prevailed. Ambassadors
therefore were sent to Coriolanus, to whom he gave this answer only:
"When ye shall have given back all their lands to the Volscians, then
may ye talk of peace. But if ye seek to enjoy in peace that which ye
took for yourselves by war, ye shall see that I forget neither what
wrong I suffered from my own people, nor what kindness I have received
from my hosts." And when the ambassadors were sent a second time he
would not suffer them to enter the camp. After them came the priests,
bearing the emblems of their office; nor did these prevail more than
the ambassadors. Then a great company of the women came to Veturia, the
mother of Coriolanus, and to Volumnia, that was his wife. But whether
they did this by consent of the rulers, or by prompting of their own
fear, cannot be affirmed for certain. These women then prevailed with
Veturia, though she was now well stricken in years, and with Volumnia,
that they should go to the camp to Coriolanus; and Volumnia carried with
her the two sons that she had borne to Coriolanus. These having come,
it was told the man that a great company of women was arrived. At the
first, indeed, he was not minded to yield to their tears that which
he had steadfastly refused to the ambassadors. But afterwards, when
a certa