Hereupon the city being grown again to good quiet and unity, the people went to the wars, showing that they had a good will to do better than ever. Marcius also, though it liked him nothing to see the greatness of the people thus increased, did persuade the Patricians to show themselves no less forward to fight for their country than the common people were, and to let them know by their deeds, that they did not so much pass the people in power and riches as in true nobility and valiantness. In the country of the Volsces, with whom the Romans were then at war, there was a principal city called Corioli, against which the Consul Cominius did lay siege. Wherefore the other Volsces, fearing lest the city should be taken by assault, came from all parts of the country to save it, intending to make an onset on them in two several places. The Consul, understanding this, divided his army into two parts, and, taking one part with himself, marched towards them that were drawing to the city out of the country; and the other part he left in the camp with Titus Lartius, to resist those that would make any sally out of the city upon them. So the Volsces, making small account of them that lay before the city, made a sally upon them, in which at the first they had the better, and drave the Romans back into their trenches. But Marcius, running out of the camp with a few men, slew the first enemies he met withal, and made the rest of them stay upon the sudden, crying out to the Romans that had turned their backs, and calling them again to fight, with a loud voice. Then there flocked about him a great number of Romans, so that the enemies presently gave back: but he, not staying so, did chase them to the gates; and there, perceiving that the Romans retired, for the great number of darts and arrows which flew about their ears from the walls of the city; and that there was not one man amongst them that durst venture to follow the flying enemies; he did encourage his fellows with words and deeds, crying out to them that fortune had opened the gates more for the followers than the fliers. Notwithstanding, few had the hearts to follow him.

Howbeit, he thrust himself into the gates of the city amongst them that fled, not one of them daring at the first to turn upon him, or offer to stay him. But he, seeing that he was in the city with very few men to help him, and that his enemies gathered about him to set upon him, did things, as it is written, wonderful and incredible, as well for the force of his hand as also for the agility of his body, making a lane through the midst of them, and overthrowing those he layed at; that some he made run to the farthest part of the city, and others he made yield themselves and let fall their weapons before him. By this means he got out, and had some leisure to bring the Romans with more safety into the city.

The city being thus taken, most of the soldiers forthwith went to looking after spoils; whereupon Marcius, being very angry, cried out to them that they should leave spoiling, and wind themselves out of peril: howbeit, say to them what he could, very few would hearken to him. Wherefore, taking those that willingly offered themselves, he went out of the city toward that part where the rest of the army was, exhorting them by the way not to be faint-hearted; and, oft holding up his hands to heaven, he besought the gods to be gracious unto him, that he might come in a good hour to hazard his life in defense of his countrymen. Now the Romans, when put in battle array, had a custom to make their wills at that instant, without any manner of writing, only naming their heir in the presence of three or four witnesses. Marcius came just while the soldiers were doing after that sort, and the enemies were approached so near as one stood in view of the other. When they saw him all bloody and in a sweat, with few men following him, some began to be afraid; but, soon after, seeing him run with a lively cheer to the Consul and take him by the hand, then they all began to call upon the Consul to give charge upon the enemy. Marcius asked him how the order of the enemies' battle was, and on which side they had placed their best fighting men. The Consul made answer, that he thought the bands in their

vanward were the Antiates, whom they esteemed their warlikest men. Then prayed Marcius to be set directly against them; which the Consul granted, greatly praising his courage. When both armies came almost to join, Marcius advanced a good space before his company, and went so fiercely to give charge on the vanward, that they could no longer stand in his hands. But the two wings turned one to the other, to compass him in between; which the Consul perceiving sent thither of the best soldiers he had about him. So the battle was marvelous bloody about Marcius, and in a short space many were slain in the place: but in the end the Romans were so strong that they distressed the enemies, broke their array, and made them fly. Then they prayed Marcius that he would retire into the camp, because they saw he was able to do no more, he was already so wearied with the pains he had taken, and so faint with the great wounds he had on him. But he answered, that it was not for conquerors to yield, nor to be faint-hearted; and thereupon began afresh to chase those that fled, until such time as the army of the enemies was utterly overthrown.

The next morning, Marcius went to the Consul, and the other Romans with him. There the Consul, going up to his chair of state, in the presence of the whole army gave thanks to the gods for so great and glorious a victory; then spake to Marcius, whose valiantness he commended beyond the moon, and willed him that he should choose out of all the horses and all the goods, they had taken, ten of every sort which he liked best, before any distribution should be made to the others. Besides this, he gave him testimony that he had won the prize of prowess above all others, a goodly horse, with a caparison and all furniture to him; which the whole army beholding did marvelously commend. But Marcius, stepping forth, told the Consul he most thankfully accepted the gift of his horse, and was a glad man besides, that his service had deserved his general's commendation; and as for his other offer, which was rather a mercenary reward than an honorable recompense,

he would none of it, but was contented to have his equal part with the other soldiers. Then the soldiers, hearing his words, made a marvelous great shout among them; and there were more that wondered at his abstinence, than there were that highly extolled his valiantness. After the noise was somewhat appeased, the Consul began to speak in this sort: "We cannot compel Marcius to take these gifts we offer him, but we will give him such a reward as he cannot refuse. Therefore we do order and decree, that henceforth he be called CORIOLANUS, unless his valiant acts have won him that name before our nomination." And so, ever since, he still bare the third name of Coriolanus.

When this war was ended, the flatterers of the people began to stir up sedition again, without any new occasion or just matter of complaint. For they did ground this second insurrection upon the people's misery and misfortune, that could not but fall out, by reason of the former sedition; and because most of the arable land had become heathy and barren for lack of plowing, by reason of their wars. Now those busy prattlers, perceiving that there was great scarcity of corn in the city, and that though there had been plenty, the common people had no money to buy it, spread abroad false tales against Nobility, that they, in revenge of the people, had procured the extreme dearth among them. The people being set on a broil by these words, Marcius, who was now grown to great credit with the noblest men of Rome, rose up and openly spake against these flattering Tribunes. Then, taking his friends, and such as he could intreat to go with him, he did run certain forays into the dominion of the Antiates, where he met with great plenty of corn, and had a marvelous great spoil, which he brought away, and reserved nothing to himself. Afterwards, the home-tarriers and house-doves began to repent that it was not their hap to go with him, and so envied them that had sped so well, and also, of malice to Marcius, spited to see his credit increase more and more, because they accounted him a great hinderer of the people.

Shortly after this, Marcius stood for the Consulship; and the common people favored his suit, thinking it would be a shame to deny and refuse the chiefest man of noble blood, and especially him that had done so great service to the commonwealth. The custom of Rome was, at that time, that such as did sue for any office should for certain days before be in the market-place, with a poor gown on their backs, to pray the citizens to remember them at the election. Now, Marcius, following this custom, showed many wounds and cuts upon his body, which he had received in seventeen years' service at the wars: so that there was not a man among the people but was ashamed to refuse so valiant a man; and one said to another, we must needs choose him, there is no remedy. But when the day of election was come, and Marcius came to the marketplace, accompanied with all the Senate and Nobility, who sought to make him Consul with the greatest entreaty they ever attempted for any man; then the love and good will of the common people turned to hate and envy toward him, fearing to put this office into his hands, as one they might doubt would take away altogether the liberty from the people. Wherefore they refused him in the end, and made two others Consuls. The Senate did account the shame of this refusal rather to redound to themselves than to Marcius; but he took it in far worse part than the Senate, and was out of all patience.

Meanwhile there came great plenty of corn to Rome, part of it being bought in Italy, the rest given by Gelon tyrant of Syracuse; so that many stood in great hope that, the dearth being holpen, the civil dissension would cease. The Senate sat in counsel upon it immediately; the common people also stood about the palace, gaping what would fall out, persuading themselves that the corn they had bought should be sold good cheap, and that which had been given should be divided by the poll, without paying a penny; and the rather, because certain of the Senators did wish the same. But Marcius did somewhat sharply take up those who went about to gratify the people therein,