French fiction -- Translations into English; Italian fiction -- Translations into English
conditions the prices of victuals should be abated, the fathers might
remoue the aucthoritie of the Tribunes and disanul all those lawes,
which against their wills were ratefied and confirmed.” This sentence
seemed cruel to the fathers, and almost had set the people together by
the eares, whoe woulde haue torne him in peeces, had not the Tribunes
appointed a day for his appearance. Whervpon their furie for that time
was appeased, Coriolanus seinge the peoples rage to encrease, and
consideringe that they should be his Iudge, when the day of his
apparance was come, he absented himselfe, and therfore was condempned.
Then he fled to the Volscians, of whom he was gently interteigned: and
lodged in the house of Accius Tullius, the chiefe of that citie, and a
deadly enemie to the Romaynes. Vpon daily conference and consultation
had betwene them, they consulted by what sleight or pollicie, they might
comence a quarrell against the Romaines. And because they doubted, that
the Volscians would not easely be perswaded thereunto, beinge so oft
vanquished and ill intreated, they excogitated some other newe occasion.
In the meane time T. Latinius one of the plebeian sorte, perceyuing that
the Romaynes went about to institute great pastimes, conceiued a dreame,
wherein hee sawe Iuppiter to speake vnto him, and said that he liked not
the towardnes of those games, and in case the same were not celebrated,
with great royaltie and magnificens, they would ingender perill to the
citie, which dreame he declared to the Consuls. Then the Senate gaue
order, that the same shoulde be addressed with great pompe and triumphe:
whereunto through th’instigacion of Accius, a greate nomber of the
Volscians resorted. But before the plaies begunne, Tullius according to
the compact agreed vpon, betwene him and Coriolanus, secretely repaired
to the Consuls, and taking them a syde, declared that he had to say vnto
them a matter touching the publique wealth of their citie, in these
words. “I am forced against my will to signifie vnto you a matter, that
toucheth the condition of mine owne subiects and countrie men. I come
not to accuse them, as thoughe they had already admitted any thinge, but
I come to giue you a premonition, lest they should perpetrate some
occasion, contrary to the order of your Citie. The disposition of my
countrie men, is more inconstant then I would wish: which we haue felt,
to our great losse and decaie. The cause of oure security at this
present, is rather suffered by your pacience, then by our desert. Here
be at this instant a great multitude of Volscians: Here be games
prepared, and the citie throughlye bent to behold them. I do remember
what was done vpon like occasion in this citie by the Romain youth: I
tremble to thincke, what may be rashly attempted, wherfore I thought
good both for your owne sakes and for auoyding of mutual displeasure, to
foretel you of these things. And for mine owne part I purpose
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