Plutarch, Lives: Caius Martius Coriolanus: Julius Caesar: Marcus Brutus: Marcus Antonius: Octavius Caesar Augustus: Theseus: Alcibiades (ed. Thomas North)

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The Life of Caius Martius Coriolanus

• 1. Family of the MARTIANS, and character of CAIUS MARTIUS.
• 2. He goes to the wars and is crowned with a garland of oaken boughs.
• 3. The Roman populace complain of the extremity of usury, and encamp on the holy hill.
• 4. MENENIUS AGRIPPA, by his fable of the belly and the members, pacifies the populace; tribunes of the people are chosen for the first time.
• 5. Siege of CORIOLI, and successful valour of CAIUS MARTIUS.
• 6. The people offer him the tenth part of the enemies' goods, which he refuses.
• 7. He is surnamed CORIOLANUS.
• 8. Seditions at Rome, by reason of famine.
• 9. CORIOLANUS offends the people.
• 10. Much corn brought to ROME; Speech of CORIOLANUS.
• 11. SICINIUS, the tribune, pronounces sentence of death upon CORIOLANUS, who defends himself.
• 12. He is sentenced to perpetual banishment.
• 13. Ge goes in disguise to ANTIUM, a city of the Volsces.
• 14. Vision of TITUS LATINUS. Origins of the word furcifer.
• 15. CORIOLANUS chosen general of the Volsces, jointly with TULLUS AUFIDIUS, against the Romans.
• 16. Successes of MARTIUS.
• 17. The Romans send to him to treat of peace.
• 18. Second embassy of the ROMANS to CORIOLANUS.
• 19. VOLUMNIA, his mother expostulates with CORIOLANUS, who withdraws his army from ROME.
• 20. Building of the temple of FORTUNA.
• 21. TULLUS AUFIDIUS seeks to kill CORIOLANUS, who is murdered in the city of ANTIUM.
• 22. TULLUS AUFIDIUS is slain in battle.

I.

The Family of the Martians.

The house of the Martians at Rome was of the number of the Patricians, out of the which have sprung many noble personages, whereof Ancus Martius was one, King Numa's daughter's son, who was King of Rome after Tullus Hostilius.

Publius and Quintius Martius brought the water by conduits to Rome.

Of the same house were Publius and Quintus, who brought to Rome their best water they had, by conduits. Censorinus also came of that family, that was so surnamed, because the people had chosen him Censor twice.

Censorinus' law.

Through whose persuasion they made a law, that no man from thenceforth might require ¹ or enjoy the Censorship twice. Caius Martius, whose life we intend now to write, being left an orphan by his father, was brought up under his mother a widow; who taught us by experience, that orphanage bringeth many discommodities ² to a child, but doth [p. 2] not hinder him to become an honest man, and to excel in virtue above the common sort: as they that are meanly born wrongfully do complain, that it is the occasion of their casting away, for that no man in their youth taketh any care of them to see them well brought up, and taught that were meet ³ . This man also is a good proof to confirm some men's opinions: That a rare and excellent wit, untaught, cloth bring forth many good and evil things together: as a fat soil that lieth unmanured bringeth forth both herbs and weeds. For this Martius' natural wit and great heart did marvellously stir up his courage to do and attempt notable acts. But on the other side, for lack of education, he was so choleric and impatient, that he would yield to no living creature: which made him churlish, uncivil, and altogether unfit for any man's conversation ⁴ . Yet men marvelling much at his constancy, that he was never overcome with pleasure nor money, and how he would endure easily all manner of pains and travails ⁵ : thereupon they well liked and commended his stoutness and temperancy ⁶ But for all that they could not be acquainted with him, as one citizen useth to be with another in the city: his behaviour was so unpleasant to them by reason of a certain insolent and stern manner he had, which, because he was too lordly, was disliked.

The benefit of learning.

And to say truly, the greatest benefit that learning bringeth unto men is this: that it teacheth men that be rude and rough of nature, by compass ⁷ and rule of reason, to be civil and courteous, and to like better the mean state than the higher. Now in those days, valiantness was honoured in Rome above all other virtues. which they call virtus, by the name of virtue itself, as including in that general name all other special virtues besides.

What this word Virtus signifieth.

So that virtus in the Latin was as much as valiantness.

¹ ask for, be candidate for.

² disadvantages.

³ whatever is fitting.

⁴ company

⁵ labours

⁶ moderation

⁷ restraint

This text is based on the following book(s):
Plutarch. Rev. Walter W. Skeat. Shakespeare's Plutarch: being a selection from the lives in North's Plutarch which illustrate Shakespeare's plays. Macmillan and Co. 1875. London.