coriolanus-第6部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


silence；　but　they　recounted　to　Tullus；　being　then　at　supper；　the
strangeness　of　this　accident。　He　immediately　rose　from　table　and
came　in；　and　asked　who　he　was　and　for　what　business　be　came　thither；
and　then　Marcius；　unmuffling　himself；　and　pausing　awhile；　〃If；〃　said
he；　〃you　cannot　call　me　to　mind；　Tullus；　or　do　not　believe　your　eyes
concerning　me；　I　must　of　necessity　be　my　own　accuser。　I　am　Caius
Marcius；　the　author　of　so　much　mischief　to　the　Volscians；　of　which；
were　I　seeking　to　deny　it；　the　surname　of　Coriolanus　I　now　bear
would　be　a　sufficient　evidence　against　me。　The　one　recompense　I　have
received　for　all　the　hardships　and　perils　I　have　gone　through　was
the　title　that　proclaims　my　enmity　to　your　nation；　and　this　is　the
only　thing　which　is　still　left　me。　Of　all　other　advantages；　I　have
been　stripped　and　deprived　by　the　envy　and　outrage　of　the　Roman
people；　and　the　cowardice　and　treachery　of　the　magistrates　and　those
of　my　own　order。　I　am　driven　out　as　an　exile；　and　become　an　humble
suppliant　at　your　hearth；　not　so　much　for　safety　and　protection
（should　I　have　come　hither；　had　I　been　afraid　to　die？）　as　to　seek
vengeance　against　those　that　expelled　me；　which；　methinks；　I　have
already　obtained；　by　putting　myself　into　your　hands。　If；　therefore；
you　have　really　a　mind　to　attack　your　enemies；　come　then；　make　use
of　that　affliction　you　see　me　in　to　assist　the　enterprise；　and　convert
my　personal　infelicity　into　a　common　blessing　to　the　Volscians；　as；
indeed；　I　am　likely　to　be　more　serviceable　in　fighting　for　than
against　you；　with　the　advantage　which　I　now　possess；　of　knowing　all
the　secrets　of　the　enemy　that　I　am　attacking。　But　if　you　decline　to
make　any　further　attempts　I　am　neither　desirous　to　live　myself；　nor
will　it　be　well　in　you　to　preserve　a　person　who　has　been　your　rival
and　adversary　of　old；　and　now；　when　he　offers　you　his　service；　appears
unprofitable　and　useless　to　you。〃
　　Tullus；　on　hearing　this；　was　extremely　rejoiced；　and　giving　him
his　right　hand；　exclaimed；　〃Rise；　Marcius；　and　be　of　good　courage；
it　is　a　great　happiness　you　bring　to　Antium；　in　the　present　use　you
make　of　yourself；　expect　everything　that　is　good　from　the
Volscians。〃　He　then　proceeded　to　feast　and　entertain　him　with　every
display　of　kindness；　and　for　several　days　after　they　were　in　close
deliberation　together　on　the　prospects　of　a　war。
　　While　this　design　was　forming；　there　were　great　troubles　and
commotions　at　Rome；　from　the　animosity　of　the　senators　against　the
people；　heightened　just　now　by　the　late　condemnation　of　Marcius。
Besides　that　their　soothsayers　and　priests；　and　even　private
persons；　reported　signs　and　prodigies　not　to　be　neglected；　one　of
which　is　stated　to　have　occurred　as　follows：　Titus　Latinus；　a　man　of
ordinary　condition；　but　of　a　quiet　and　virtuous　character；　free　from
all　superstitious　fancies；　and　yet　more　from　vanity　and
exaggeration；　had　an　apparition　in　his　sleep；　as　if　Jupiter　came　and
bade　him　tell　the　senate；　that　it　was　with　a　bad　and　unacceptable
dancer　that　they　had　headed　his　procession。　Having　beheld　the
vision；　he　said；　he　did　not　much　attend　to　it　at　the　first　appearance；
but　after　he　had　seen　and　slighted　it　a　second　and　third　time；　he
had　lost　a　hopeful　son；　and　was　himself　struck　with　a　palsy。　He　was
brought　into　the　senate　on　a　litter　to　tell　this；　and　the　story　goes
that　he　had　no　sooner　delivered　his　message　there；　but　he　at　once　felt
his　strength　return　and　got　upon　his　legs；　and　went　home　alone　without
need　of　any　support。　The　senators；　in　wonder　and　surprise；　made　a
diligent　search　into　the　matter。　That　which　his　dream　alluded　to　was
this：　some　citizen　had；　for　some　heinous　offence；　given　up　a　servant
of　his　to　the　rest　of　his　fellows　with　charge　to　whip　him　first
through　the　market；　and　then　to　kill　him；　and　while　they　were
executing　this　command；　and　scourging　the　wretch；　who　screwed　and
turned　himself　into　all　manner　of　shapes　and　unseemly　motions；　through
the　pain　he　was　in；　the　solemn　procession　in　honour　of　Jupiter　chanced
to　follow　at　their　heels。　Several　of　the　attendants　on　which　were；
indeed；　scandalized　at　the　sight；　yet　no　one　of　them　interfered；　or
acted　further　in　the　matter　than　merely　to　utter　some　common
reproaches　and　execrations　on　a　master　who　inflicted　so　cruel　a
punishment。　For　the　Romans　treated　their　slaves　with　great　humanity　in
these　times；　when；　working　and　labouring　themselves；　and　living
together　among　them；　they　naturally　were　more　gentle　and　familiar　with
them。　It　was　one　of　the　severest　punishments　for　a　slave　who　had
committed　a　fault　to　have　to　take　the　piece　of　wood　which　supports　the
pole　of　a　wagon；　and　carry　it　about　through　the　neighbourhood；　a　slave
who　had　once　undergone　the　shame　of　this；　and　been　thus　seen　by　the
household　and　the　neighbours；　had　no　longer　any　trust　or　credit
among　them；　and　had　the　name　of　furcifer；　furca　being　the　Latin　word
for　a　prop；　or　support。
　　When；　therefore；　Latinus　had　related　his　dream；　and　the　senators
were　considering　who　this　disagreeable　and　ungainly　dancer　could　be；
some　of　the　company；　having　been　struck　with　the　strangeness　of　the
punishment；　called　to　mind　and　mentioned　the　miserable　slave　who　was
lashed　through　the　streets　and　afterwards　put　to　death。　The　priests；
when　consulted；　confirmed　the　conjecture；　the　master　was　punished；　and
orders　given　for　a　new　celebration　of　the　procession　and　the
spectacles　in　honour　of　the　god。　Numa；　in　other　respects　also　a　wise
arranger　of　religious　offices；　would　seem　to　have　been　especially
judicious　in　his　direction；　with　a　view　to　the　attentiveness　of　the
people；　that；　when　the　magistrates　or　priests　performed　any　divine
worship；　a　herald　should　go　before；　and　proclaim　with　a　loud　voice；
Hoc　age；　Do　this　you　are　about；　and　so　warn　them　to　mind　whatever
sacred　action　they　were　engaged　in；　and　not　suffer　any　business　or
worldly　avocation　to　disturb　and　interrupt　it；　most　of　the　things
which　men　do　of　this　kind　being　in　manner　forced　from　them；　and
effected　by　constraint。　It　is　usual　with　the　Romans　to　recommence
their　sacrifices　and　processions　and　spectacles；　not　only　upon　such
a　cause　as　this；　but　for　any　slighter　reason。　If　but　one　of　the　horses
which　drew　the　chariots　called　Tensae；　upon　which　the　images　of
their　gods　were　placed；　happened　to　fail　and　falter；　or　if　the
driver　took　hold　of　the　reins　with　his　left　hand；　they　would　decree
that　the　whole　operation　should　commence　anew；　and；　in　latter　ages；
one　and　the　same　sacrifice　was　performed　thirty　times　over；　because　of
the　occurrence　of　some　defect　or　mistake　or　accident　in　the　service。
Such　was　the　Roman　reverence　and　caution　in　religious　matters。
　　Marcius　and　Tullus　were　now　secretly　discoursing　of　their　project
with　the　chief　men　of　Antium；　advising　them　to　invade　the　Romans　while
they　were　at　variance　among　themselves。　And　when　shame　appeared　to
hinder　them　from　embracing　the　motion；　as　they　had　sworn　to　a　truce
and　cessation　of　arms　for　the　space　of　two　years；　the　Romans
themselves　soon　furnished　them　with　a　pretence；　by　making
proclamation；　out　of　some　jealousy　or　slanderous　report；　in　the
midst　of　the　spectacles；　that　all　the　Volscians　who　had　come　to　see
them　should　depart　the　city　before　sunset。　Some　affirm　that　this　was　a
contrivance　of　Marcius；　who　sent　a　man　privately　to　the　consuls；
falsely　to　accuse　the　Volscians　of　intending　to　fall　upon　the　Romans
during　the　games；　and　to　set　the　city　on　fire。　This　public　affront
roused　and　inflamed　their　hostility　to　the　Romans；　and　Tullus；
perceiving　it；　made　his　advantage　of　it；　aggravating　the　fact；　and
working　on　their　indignation；　till　he　persuaded　them；　at　last；　to
despatch　ambassadors　to　Rome；　requiring　the　Romans　to　restore　that
part　of　their　country　and　those　towns　which　they　had　taken　from　the
Volscians　in　the　late　war。　When　the　Romans　heard　the　message；　they
indignantly　replied　that　the　Volscians　were　the　first　that　took　up
arms；　but　the　Romans　would　be　the　last　to　lay　them　down。　This　answer
being　brought　back；　Tullus　called　a　general　assembly　of　the　Volscians；
and　the　vote　passing　for　a　war；　he　then　proposed　that　they　should　call
in　Marcius；　laying　aside　the　remembrance　of　former　grudges；　and
assuring　themselves　that　the　services　they　should　now　receive　from　him
as　a　friend　and　associate　would　abundantly　outweigh　any　harm　or　damage
he　had　done　them　when　he　was　their　enemy。　Marcius　was　accordingly
summoned；　and　having　made　his　entrance；　and　spoken　to　the　people；
won　their　good　opinion　of　his　capacity；　his　skill；　counsel；　and
boldness；　not　less　by　his　present　words　than　by　his　past　actions。　They
joined　him　in　commission　with　Tullus；　to　have　full　power　as　the
general　of　their　forces　in　all　that　related　to　the　war。　And　he；
fearing　lest　the　time　that　would　be　requisite　to　bring　all　the
Volscians　together　in　full　preparation　might　be　so　long　as　to　lose　him
the　opportunity　of　action；　left　order　with　the　chief　persons　and
magistrates　of　the　city　to　provide　other　things；　while　he　himself；
prevailing　upon　the　most　forward　to　assemble　and　march　out　with　him　as
volunteers　without　staying　to　be　enrolled；　made　a　sudden　inroad　into
the　Roman　confines；　when　nobody　expected　him；　and　possessed　himself　of
so　much　booty；　that　the　Volscians　found　they　had　more　than　they
could　either　carry　away　or　use　in　the　camp。　The　abundance　of　provision
which　he　gained；　and　the　waste　and　havoc　of　the　country　which　he　made；
were；　however；　of　themselves　and　in　his　account；　the　smallest
results　of　that　invasion；　the　great　mischief　he　intended；　and　his
special　object　in　all；　was　to　increase　at　Rome　the　suspicions
entertained　of　the　patricians；　and　to　make　them　upon　worse　terms
with　the　people。　With　this　view；　while　spoiling　all　the　fields　and
destroying　the　property　of　other　men；　he　took　special　care　to　preserve
their　farms　and　lands　untouched；　and　would　not　allow　his　soldiers　to
ravage　there；　or　seize　upon　anything　which　belonged　to　them。　From
hence　their　invectives　and　quarrels　against　one　another　broke　out
afresh；　and　rose　to　a　greater　height　than　ever；　the　senators
reproaching　those　of　the　commonalty　with　their　late　injustice　to
Marcius；　while　the　plebeians；　on　their　sid