§2.40.1tum matronae ad Veturiam, matrem Coriolani, Volumniamque uxorem frequentes coeunt.
Then the matrons gathered in large numbers at the house of Veturia, the mother of Coriolanus, and Volumnia, his wife.
id publicum consilium an muliebris timor fuerit, parum convenit; §2.40.2pervicere certe, ut et Veturia, magno natu mulier, et Volumnia duos parvos ex Marcio ferens filios secum in castra hostium irent, et, quoniam armis viri defendere urbem non possent, mulieres precibus lacrimisque defenderent.
Whether this was a public decision or female fear, is not sufficiently agreed upon; at all events, they succeeded in ensuring that both Veturia, a woman of advanced age, and Volumnia, carrying her two small sons by Marcius, should go with them into the enemy's camp, and that, since the men could not defend the city with arms, the women should defend it with prayers and tears.
§2.40.3ubi ad castra ventum est nuntiatumque Coriolano est adesse ingens mulierum agmen, primo, ut qui nec publica maiestate in legatis nec in sacerdotibus tanta offusa oculis animoque religione motus esset, multo obstinatior adversus lacrimas muliebres erat.
When they had arrived at the camp and it was announced to Coriolanus that a huge train of women was present, at first, as one who had been moved neither by the public majesty in the envoys nor by such great religious awe cast before his eyes and mind in the priests, he was much more obstinate against female tears.
§2.40.4dein familiarium quidam, qui insignem maestitia inter ceteras cognoverat Veturiam inter nurum nepotesque stantem, “nisi me frustrantur” inquit “oculi, mater tibi coniunxque et liberi adsunt. ” §2.40.5Coriolanus prope ut amens consternatus ab sede sua cum ferret matri obviae complexum, mulier in iram ex precibus versa “sine, priusquam complexum accipio, sciam” inquit, “ad hostem an ad filium venerim, captiva materne in castris tuis sim.
Then one of his familiars, who had recognized Veturia standing between her daughter-in-law and grandsons, distinguished among the others by her sadness, said, "Unless my eyes deceive me, your mother, wife, and children are here." Coriolanus, threw himself from his seat almost like a madman, and as he was bearing an embrace to meet his mother, the woman, turning from prayers to anger, said, "Before I receive your embrace, let me know, I pray, whether I have come to an enemy or to a son, and whether I am a captive or a mother in your camp.
§2.40.6in hoc me longa vita et infelix senecta traxit, ut exulem te, deinde hostem viderem? potuisti populari hanc terram, quae te genuit atque aluit?
Has a long life and unhappy old age dragged me to this, that I should see you an exile, and then an enemy? Could you ravage this land which begot and nourished you?
§2.40.7non tibi quamvis infesto animo et minaci ingredienti fines ira cecidit? non, cum in conspectu Roma fuit, succurrit “intra illa moenia domus ac penates mei sunt, §2.40.8mater, coniunx liberique?” ergo ego nisi peperissem, Roma non oppugnaretur; nisi filium haberem, libera in libera patria mortua essem.
Did not your anger fall from you, however hostile and threatening your mind was as you entered the borders? Did it not occur to you, when Rome was in sight, 'Within those walls are my home and household gods, my mother, wife, and children?' Therefore, had I not given birth, Rome would not now be besieged; had I not a son, I should have died free in a free country.
sed ego nihil iam pati nec tibi turpius nec mihi miserius possum nec, ut sim miserrima, diu futura sum; §2.40.9de his videris, quos, si pergis, aut inmatura mors aut longa servitus manet. ” uxor deinde ac liberi amplexi, fletusque ab omni turba mulierum ortus et conploratio sui patriaeque fregere tandem virum.
But I can now suffer nothing that is either more shameful for you or more miserable for me, nor, though I be most miserable, shall I be so for long; look to these, whom, if you go on, either an untimely death or long servitude awaits." Then his wife and children embraced him, and the weeping that arose from the whole crowd of women and their lamentation for themselves and their country finally broke the man.
§2.40.10complexus inde suos dimittit; ipse retro ab urbe castra movit.
Thereupon he dismissed his kindred from his embrace; he himself moved his camp back from the city.
abductis deinde legionibus ex agro Romano invidia rei oppressum perisse tradunt alii alio leto.
Then, after the legions had been led away from the Roman territory, some say he perished, overwhelmed by the hatred of the deed, by one death, others by another.
apud Fabium, longe antiquissimum auctorem, usque ad senectutem vixisse eundem invenio; §2.40.11refert certe hanc saepe eum exacta aetate usurpasse vocem, multo miserius seni exilium esse.
In Fabius, by far the most ancient authority, I find that the same man lived even to old age; at least he reports that he often used this expression in his advanced years: that exile was much more miserable for an old man.
non inviderunt laude sua mulieribus viri Romani — adeo sine obtrectatione gloriae alienae vivebatur — §2.40.12, monumentoque quod esset, templum Fortunae muliebri aedificatum dedicatumque est.
The Roman men did not grudge the women their praise—so free from detraction of another's glory did people live then— and as a monument of this, the temple of Female Fortune was built and dedicated.
rediere deinde Volsci adiunctis Aequis in agrum Romanum, sed Aequi Attium Tullium haud ultra tulere ducem.
Afterwards the Volscians returned into the Roman territory with the Aequi joined to them, but the Aequi would tolerate Attius Tullius as leader no longer.
§2.40.13hinc ex certamine, Volsci Aequine imperatorem coniuncto exercitui darent, seditio, deinde atrox proelium ortum.
From this, out of a dispute as to whether the Volscians or the Aequi should give a commander to the combined army, a sedition and then a fierce battle arose.
ibi fortuna populi Romani duos hostium exercitus haud minus pernicioso quam pertinaci certamine confecit.
There the good fortune of the Roman people destroyed the two armies of the enemy in a contest no less destructive than stubborn.
§2.40.14consules T. Sicinius et C. Aquilius.
The consuls were Titus Sicinius and Gaius Aquilius.
Sicinio Volsci, Aquilio Hernici — nam ii quoque in armis erant — provincia evenit.
To Sicinius the Volscians, to Aquilius the Hernici—for they too were in arms—fell as their province.
eo anno Hernici devicti; cum Volscis aequo Marte discessum est.
In that year the Hernici were thoroughly defeated; with the Volscians, the battle ended on equal terms.