Page:The Palace of Pleasure, Volume 1 (1890).djvu/132

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MARTIUS CARIOLANUS.

ordained ? for what confideration (hall I suffer my selfe to be fubiugate vnder the authoritie of Sicinius, as though I were con- uerfaunte amonges theeues ? Shal I abide these injuries any longer to continue, then is neceffarie ? I that could not suffer Tarqui- nius the king, fhal I be pacient with Sicinius ? Let Sicinius depart if he will, let him draw the people after him : the way yet is open to the facred hill, and to the other mountaines. Let them rob vs of our come which they toke away from our owne land, as they did three yeares paste, let them enioy the victuals which in their furie they did gather. I dare be bold to faye thus much, that being warned and tamed, by this pre- sent penurie, they had rather plow and til the land, then they would suffer the fame to be vncultured, by withdrawing them- selues to armure. It is not so eafy to be spoken, as I thincke it may with facilitie be brought to paffe, that vpon conditions the prices of victuals mould be abated, the fathers might remoue the aucthoritie of the Tribunes and difanul all those lawes, which against their wills were ratefied and confirmed." This fentence feemed cruel to the fathers, and almost had fet the people toge ther by the eares, whoe woulde haue tome him in peeces, had not the Tribunes appointed a day for his appearance. Whervpon their furie for that time was appeafed, Coriolanus feinge the peoples rage to encreafe, and conlideringe that they mould be his Judge, when the day of his apparance was come, he absented him- selfe, and thersore was condempned. Then he fled to the Volfcians, of whom he was gently interteigned : and lodged in the houfe of Accius Tullius, the chiefe of that citie, and a deadly enemie to the Romaynes. Vpon daily conference and confultation had betwene them, they confulted by what Height or pollicie, they might com- ence a quarrell against the Romanies. And because they doubted, that the Volfcians would not eafely be perfwaded thereunto, be- inge so oft vanquifhed and ill intreated, they excogitated some other newe occalion. In the meane time T. Latinius one of the plebeian sorte, perceyuing that the Romaynes went about to infti- tute great pastimes, conceiued a dreame, wherein hee fawe lup- piter to fpeake vnto him, and said that he liked not the towardnes of those games, and in cafe the fame were not celebrated, with


MARTIUS