for war; Attius Tullius urged this course upon
them all, but the people showed lack of enthusiasm. So when the nobles
neither by advice nor by intimidation could prevail upon them to take
up arms, they concocted the following scheme. The Romans were
conducting a horse-race, and the Volsci among other neighboring
peoples had gathered in a large body to behold the spectacle. Tullius,
as a pretended friend of the Romans, persuaded the Roman praetors that
they should keep watch on the Volsci, since the latter had made ready
to attack them unexpectedly in the midst of the horse-race. The
praetors, after communicating the information to the others, made
proclamation at once, before the contest, that all the Volsci must
retire. The Volsci, indignant because they alone of all the spectators
had been expelled, put themselves in readiness for battle. Setting at
their head Coriolanus and Tullius, and with numbers swollen by the
accession of the Latins, they advanced against Rome. The Romans, when
informed of it, instead of making a vigorous use of arms fell into
mutual recriminations, the popular party censuring the patricians
because Coriolanus, who was campaigning against his country, happened
to belong to their number, and the other party the populace because
they had been unjust in expelling him and making him an enemy. Because
of this contention they would have incurred some great injury, had not
the women come to their aid. For when the senate voted restoration to
Coriolanus and envoys had been despatched to him to this end, he
demanded that the land of which the Volsci had been deprived in the
previous wars be given back to them. But the people would not
relinquish the land. Consequence: a second embassy. [Sidenote: FRAG.
17^8] AND HE WAS EXCEEDINGLY ANGRY THAT THEY, WHO WERE IN DANGER OF
LOSING THEIR OWN COUNTRY, WOULD NOT EVEN UNDER THESE CONDITIONS
WITHDRAW FROM THE POSSESSIONS OF OTHERS. WHEN THIS SITUATION WAS
REPORTED TO THE DISPUTANTS, THEY STILL REFUSED TO BUDGE, NOR DID THE
DANGERS CAUSE THE MEN, AT LEAST, TO DESIST FROM QUARRELING. BUT THE
WOMEN, VOLUMNIA THE WIFE OF CORIOLANUS AND VETURIA[7] HIS MOTHER,
GATHERING A COMPANY OF THE REMAINING MOST EMINENT LADIES VISITED HIM
IN CAMP AND TOOK HIS CHILDREN ALONG WITH THEM. WHILE THE REST WEPT
WITHOUT SPEAKING VETURIA BEGAN: "WE ARE NOT DESERTERS, MY SON, BUT THE
COUNTRY HAS SENT US TO YOU TO BE, IF YOU SHOULD YIELD, YOUR MOTHER,
WIFE AND CHILDREN, BUT OTHERWISE YOUR SPO