ABSTRACT
Plutarch's Lives of Noble Grecians and Romanes 519 offended with the people, dyd accompt the shame of this refusall, rather to redownd to them selves, then to Martius1 : but Martius tooke it in farre worse parte then the Senate, and was out of all pacience. For he was a man to full of passion and choller, and to muche geven to over selfe will and opinion, as one of a highe min de and great corage, that lacked the gravity, and affabilitie that is gotten with judgment of learning and reason, which only is to be looked for in a governour of state: and that remembred not how wilfulnes is the thing of the world, which a governour of a common wealth for pleasing should shonne, being that which Plato called solitarines. As in the ende, all men that are wilfully geven to a selfe opinion and obstinate minde, and who will never yeld to others reason, but to their owne: remaine without companie, and forsaken of all men.2 For a man that will live in the world, must nedes have patience, which lusty bloudes make but a mocke at. So Martius being a stowte man of nature, that never yelded in any respect, as one thincking that to overcome allwayes, and to have the upper hande in all matters, was a token of magnanimitie, and of no base and fainte corage, which spitteth out anger from the most weake and passioned parte of the harte, much like the matter of an impostume: went home to his house, full fraighted with spite and malice against the people, being accompanied with all the lustiest young gentlemen, whose mindes were nobly bent, as those that came of noble race, and commonly used for to followe and honour him.3 But then specially they floct about him, and kept him companie, to his muche harme: for they dyd but kyndle and inflame his choller more and more,4 being sorie with him for the injurie the people offred him, bicause he was their captaine and leader to the warres, that taught them all marshall discipline, and stirred up in them a noble emulation of honour and valliantnes, and yet without envie, praising them that deserved best. In the meane season, there came great plenty of corne to Rome,5 that had bene bought, parte in Italie, and parte was sent out of Sicile, as geven by Gelon the tyranne of Syracusa: so that many stoode in great hope, that the dearthe of vittells being holpen, the civill dissention would also cease. The Senate sate in counsell upon it immediatly, the common people stoode also about the palice where the counsell was kept, gaping what resolution would fall out: persuading them selves, that the corne they had bought should be solde good cheape, and that which was geven,
520 Coriolanus should be devided by the polle, without paying any pennie, and the rather, bicause certaine of the Senatours amongest them dyd so wishe and persuade the same. But Martius standing up on his feete, dyd somewhat sharpely take up those, who went about to gratifie the people therein: and called them people pleasers, and traitours to the nobilitie.1 'Moreover he sayed they nourrished against them 'selves, the naughty seede and cockle, of insolencie and sedition, 'which had bene sowed and scattered abroade emongest he people, 'whom they should have cut of, if they had bene wise, and have 'prevented their greatnes: and not to their owne destruction to have 'suffered the people, to stablishe a magistrate for them selves, of so 'great power and authoritie, as that man had, to whom they had 'graunted it. 2 Who was also to be feared, bicause he obtained what 'he would, and dyd nothing but what he listed, neither passed for 'any obedience to the Consuls, but lived in all libertie, acknow-'ledging no superiour to commaund him, saving the only heades 'and authours of their faction, whom he called his magistrates. 'Therefore sayed he, they that gave counsell, and persuaded that 'the corne should be geven out to the common people gratis, as they 'used to doe in citties of Grrece, where the people had more absolute 'power: dyd but only nourishe their disobedience, which would 'breake out in the ende, to the utter ruine and overthrowe of the 'whole state.3 For they will not thincke it is done in recompense of 'their service past, sithence they know well enough they have so ofte 'refused to goe to the waITes, when they were commaunded: neither 'for their mutinies when they went with us, whereby they have 'rebelled and forsaken their countrie: neither for their accusations 'which their flatterers have preferred unto them, and they have 'receyved, and made good against the Senate: but they will rather 'judge we geve and graunt them this, as abasing our selves, and 'standing in feare of them, and glad to flatter them every waye. By 'this meanes, their disobedience will still growe worse and worse: 'and they will never leave to practise newe sedition, and uprores.4 'Therefore it were a great follie for us, me thinckes to doe it: yea, 'shall I saye more? we should if we were wise, take from them their 'Tribuneshippe, which most manifestly is the embasing of the 'Consulshippe, and the cause of the division of the cittie.:; The state 'whereof as it standeth, is not now as it was wont to be, but be com-'meth dismembred in two factions, which mainteines allwayes civill 'dissention and discorde betwene us, and will never suffer us againe
