coriolanus-第5节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


took；　ran　out　into　the　crowd　with　exclamations；　calling　on　the
plebeians　to　stand　together；　and　come　in　to　their　assistance。　The
assembly　met；　and　soon　became　tumultuous。　The　sum　of　what　Marcius
had　spoken；　having　been　reported　to　the　people；　excited　them　to　such
fury；　that　they　were　ready　to　break　in　upon　the　senate。　The　tribunes
prevented　this；　by　laying　all　the　blame　on　Coriolanus；　whom；
therefore；　they　cited　by　their　messengers　to　come　before　them　and
defend　himself。　And　when　he　contemptuously　repulsed　the　officers　who
brought　him　the　summons；　they　came　themselves；　with　the　Aediles；　or
overseers　of　the　market；　proposing　to　carry　him　away　by　force；　and；
accordingly；　began　to　lay　hold　on　his　person。　The　patricians；　however；
coming　to　his　rescue；　not　only　thrust　off　the　tribunes；　but　also
beat　the　Aediles；　that　were　their　seconds　in　the　quarrel；　night
approaching；　put　an　end　to　the　contest。　But；　as　soon　as　it　was　day；
the　consuls；　observing　the　people　to　be　highly　exasperated；　and　that
they　ran　from　all　quarters　and　gathered　in　the　forum；　were　afraid
for　the　whole　city；　so　that；　convening　the　senate　afresh；　they　desired
them　to　advise　how　they　might　best　compose　and　pacify　the　incensed
multitude　by　equitable　language　and　indulgent　decrees；　since；　if
they　wisely　considered　the　state　of　things；　they　would　find　that　it
was　no　time　to　stand　upon　terms　of　honour　and　a　mere　point　of　glory；
such　a　critical　conjuncture　called　for　gentle　methods；　and　for
temperate　and　humane　counsels。　The　majority；　therefore；　of　the
senators　giving　way；　the　consuls　proceeded　to　pacify　the　people　in　the
best　manner　they　were　able；　answering　gently　to　such　imputations　and
charges　as　had　been　cast　upon　the　senate；　and　using　much　tenderness
and　moderation　in　the　admonitions　and　reproofs　they　gave　them。　On
the　point　of　the　price　of　provisions；　they　said　there　should　be　no
difference　at　all　between　them。　When　a　great　part　of　the　commonalty
was　grown　cool；　and　it　appeared　from　their　orderly　and　peaceful
behaviour　that　they　had　been　very　much　appeased　by　what　they　had
heard；　the　tribunes；　standing　up；　declared；　in　the　name　of　the　people；
that　since　the　senate　was　pleased　to　act　soberly　and　do　them　reason；
they；　likewise；　should　be　ready　to　yield　in　all　that　was　fair　and
equitable　on　their　side；　they　must　insist；　however；　that　Marcius
should　give　in　his　answer　to　the　several　charges　as　follows：　first；
could　he　deny　that　he　instigated　the　senate　to　overthrow　the
government　and　annul　the　privileges　of　the　people？　and；　in　the　next
place；　when　called　to　account　for　it；　did　he　not　disobey　the
summons？　and；　lastly；　by　the　blows　and　other　public　affronts　to　the
Aediles；　had　he　not　done　all　he　could　to　commence　a　civil　war？
　　These　articles　were　brought　in　against　him；　with　a　design　either
to　humble　Marcius；　and　show　his　submission；　if；　contrary　to　his
nature；　he　should　now　court　and　sue　the　people；　or；　if　he　should
follow　his　natural　disposition；　which　they　rather　expected　from
their　judgment　of　his　character；　then　that　he　might　thus　make　the
breach　final　between　himself　and　the　people。
　　He　came；　therefore；　as　it　were；　to　make　his　apology；　and　clear
himself；　in　which　belief　the　people　kept　silence；　and　gave　him　a　quiet
hearing。　But　when；　instead　of　the　submissive　and　deprecatory
language　expected　from　him；　he　began　to　use　not　only　an　offensive　kind
of　freedom；　seeming　rather　to　accuse　than　apologize；　but；　as　well　by
the　tone　of　his　voice　as　the　air　of　his　countenance；　displayed　a
security　that　was　not　far　from　disdain　and　contempt　of　them；　the　whole
multitude　then　became　angry；　and　gave　evident　signs　of　impatience
and　disgust；　and　Sicinnius；　the　most　violent　of　the　tribunes；　after
a　little　private　conference　with　his　colleagues；　proceeded　solemnly　to
pronounce　before　them　all；　that　Marcius　was　condemned　to　die　by　the
tribunes　of　the　people；　and　bid　the　Aediles　take　him　to　the　Tarpeian
rock；　and　without　delay　throw　him　headlong　from　the　precipice。　When
they；　however；　in　compliance　with　the　order；　came　to　seize　upon　his
body；　many；　even　of　the　plebeian　party；　felt　it　to　be　a　horrible　and
extravagant　act；　the　patricians；　meantime；　wholly　beside　themselves
with　distress　and　horror；　hurried　up　with　cries　to　the　rescue；　and
while　some　made　actual　use　of　their　hands　to　hinder　the　arrest；　and
surrounding　Marcius；　got　him　in　among　them；　others；　as　in　so　great　a
tumult　no　good　could　be　done　by　words；　stretched　out　theirs；
beseeching　the　multitude　that　they　would　not　proceed　to　such　furious
extremities；　and　at　length；　the　friends　and　acquaintance　of　the
tribunes；　wisely　perceiving　how　impossible　it　would　be　to　carry　off
Marcius　to　punishment　without　much　bloodshed　and　slaughter　of　the
nobility；　persuaded　them　to　forbear　everything　unusual　and　odious；　not
to　despatch　him　by　any　sudden　violence；　or　without　regular　process；
but　refer　the　cause　to　the　general　suffrage　of　the　people。　Sicinnius
then；　after　a　little　pause；　turning　to　the　patricians；　demanded　what
their　meaning　was；　thus　forcibly　to　rescue　Marcius　out　of　the　people's
hands；　as　they　were　going　to　punish　him；　when　it　was　replied　by
them；　on　the　other　side；　and　the　question　put；　〃Rather；　how　came　it
into　your　minds；　and　what　is　it　you　design；　thus　to　drag　one　of　the
worthiest　men　of　Rome；　without　trial；　to　a　barbarous　and　illegal
execution？〃　〃Very　well；〃　said　Sicinnius；　〃you　shall　have　no　ground
in　this　respect　for　quarrel　or　complaint　against　the　people。　The
people　grant　your　request；　and　your　partisan　shall　be　tried。　We
appoint　you；　Marcius；〃　directing　his　speech　to　him；　〃the　third
market…day　ensuing；　to　appear　and　defend　yourself；　and　to　try　if　you
can　satisfy　the　Roman　citizens　of　your　innocence；　who　will　then
judge　your　case　by　vote。〃　The　patricians　were　content　with　such　a
truce　and　respite　for　that　time；　and　gladly　returned　home；　having
for　the　present　brought　off　Marcius　in　safety。
　　During　the　interval　before　the　appointed　time　（for　the　Romans　hold
their　sessions　every　ninth　day；　which　from　that　cause　are　called
mundinoe　in　Latin）；　a　war　fell　out　with　the　Antiates；　likely　to　be
of　some　continuance；　which　gave　them　hope　they　might　one　way　or
other　elude　the　judgment。　The　people；　they　presumed；　would　become
tractable；　and　their　indignation　lessen　and　languish　by　degrees　in
so　long　a　space；　if　occupation　and　war　did　not　wholly　put　it　out　of
their　mind。　But　when；　contrary　to　expectation；　they　made　a　speedy
agreement　with　the　people　of　Antium。　and　the　army　came　back　to　Rome；
the　patricians　were　again　in　great　perplexity；　and　had　frequent
meetings　to　consider　how　things　might　be　arranged；　without　either
abandoning　Marcius；　or　yet　giving　occasion　to　the　popular　orators　to
create　new　disorders。　Appius　Claudius；　whom　they　counted　among　the
senators　most　averse　to　the　popular　interest；　made　a　solemn
declaration；　and　told　them　beforehand；　that　the　senate　would　utterly
destroy　itself　and　betray　the　government；　if　they　should　once　suffer
the　people　to　assume　the　authority　of　pronouncing　sentence　upon　any　of
the　patricians；　but　the　oldest　senators　and　most　favourable　to　the
people　maintained；　on　the　other　side；　that　the　people　would　not　be
so　harsh　and　severe　upon　them；　as　some　were　pleased　to　imagine；　but
rather　become　more　gentle　and　humane　upon　the　concession　of　that
power；　since　it　was　not　contempt　of　the　senate；　but　the　impression
of　being　contemned　by　it；　which　made　them　pretend　to　such　a
prerogative。　Let　that　he　once　allowed　them　as　a　mark　of　respect　and
kind　feeling；　and　the　mere　possession　of　this　power　of　voting　would　at
once　dispossess　them　of　their　animosity。
　　When；　therefore；　Marcius　saw　that　the　senate　was　in　pain　and
suspense　upon　his　account；　divided；　as　it　were；　betwixt　their　kindness
for　him　and　their　apprehensions　from　the　people；　he　desired　to　know　of
the　tribunes　what　the　crimes　were　they　intended　to　charge　him　with；
and　what　the　heads　of　the　indictment　they　would　oblige　him　to　plead　to
before　the　people；　and　being　told　by　them　that　he　was　to　be
impeached　for　attempting　usurpation；　and　that　they　would　prove　him
guilty　of　designing　to　establish　arbitrary　government；　stepping
forth　upon　this；　〃Let　me　go　then；〃　he　said；　〃to　clear　myself　from　that
imputation　before　an　assembly　of　them；　I　freely　offer　myself　to　any
sort　of　trial；　nor　do　I　refuse　any　kind　of　punishment　whatsoever；
only；〃　he　continued；　〃let　what　you　now　mention　be　really　made　my
accusation；　and　do　not　you　play　false　with　the　senate。〃　On　their
consenting　to　these　terms；　he　came　to　his　trial。　But　when　the　people
met　together；　the　tribunes；　contrary　to　all　former　practice；
extorted　first；　that　votes　should　be　taken；　not　by　centuries；　but
tribes；　a　change；　by　which　the　indigent　and　factious　rabble；　that
had　no　respect　for　honesty　and　justice；　would　be　sure　to　carry　it
against　those　who　were　rich　and　well　known；　and　accustomed　to　serve
the　state　in　war。　In　the　next　place；　whereas　they　had　engaged　to
prosecute　Marcius　upon　no　other　head　but　that　of　tyranny；　which
could　never　be　made　out　against　him；　they　relinquished　this　plea；
and　urged　instead；　his　language　in　the　senate　against　an　abasement
of　the　price　of　corn；　and　for　the