coriolanus-第9节

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that　common　reason　leads　to　are　continually　ascribed　to　our　own　direct
agency。　He　certainly　says　frequently　enough…

　　　　　　　　〃But　I　consulted　with　my　own　great　soul；〃

or；　as　in　another　passage…

　　　　　　　　〃He　spoke。　Achilles；　with　quick　pain　possessed；
　　　　　　　　　Resolved　two　purposes　in　his　strong　breast；

and　in　a　third

　　　　　　　　〃…Yet　never　to　her　wishes　won
　　　　　　　　　The　just　mind　of　the　brave　Bellerophon。〃

　　But　where　the　act　is　something　out　of　the　way　and　extraordinary；　and
seems　in　a　manner　to　demand　some　impulse　of　divine　possession　and
sudden　inspiration　to　account　for　it；　here　he　does　introduce　divine
agency；　not　to　destroy；　but　to　prompt　the　human　will；　not　to　create　in
us　another　agency；　but　offering　images　to　stimulate　our　own；　images
that　in　no　sort　or　kind　make　our　action　involuntary；　but　give　occasion
rather　to　spontaneous　action；　aided　and　sustained　by　feelings　of
confidence　and　hope。　For　either　we　must　totally　dismiss　and　exclude
divine　influences　from　every　kind　of　causality　and　origination　in　what
we　do；　or　else　what　other　way　can　we　conceive　in　which　divine　aid
and　cooperation　can　act？　Certainly　we　cannot　suppose　that　the　divine
beings　actually　and　literally　turn　our　bodies　and　direct　our　hands　and
our　feet　this　way　or　that；　to　do　what　is　right：　it　is　obvious　that
they　must　actuate　the　practical　and　elective　element　of　our　nature；　by
certain　initial　occasions；　by　images　presented　to　the　imagination；　and
thoughts　suggested　to　the　mind；　such　either　as　to　excite　it　to；　or
avert　and　withhold　it　from；　any　particular　course。
　　In　the　perplexity　which　I　have　described；　the　Roman　women　went；　some
to　other　temples；　but　the　greater　part；　and　the　ladies　of　highest
rank；　to　the　altar　of　Jupiter　Capitolinus。　Among　these　suppliants
was　Valeria；　sister　to　the　great　Poplicola；　who　did　the　Romans　eminent
service　both　in　peace　and　war。　Poplicola　himself　was　now　deceased；
as　is　told　in　the　history　of　his　life；　but　Valeria　lived　still；　and
enjoyed　great　respect　and　honour　at　Rome；　her　life　and　conduct　no
way　disparaging　her　birth。　She；　suddenly　seized　with　the　sort　of
instinct　or　emotion　of　mind　which　I　have　described；　and　happily
lighting；　not　without　divine　guidance；　on　the　right　expedient；　both
rose　herself；　and　bade　the　others　rise；　and　went　directly　with　them　to
the　house　of　Volumnia；　the　mother　of　Marcius。　And　coming　in　and
finding　her　sitting　with　her　daughter…in…law；　and　with　her　little
grandchildren　on　her　lap；　Valeria；　then　surrounded　by　her　female
companions；　spoke　in　the　name　of　them　all：…
　　〃We　that　now　make　our　appearance；　O　Volumnia；　and　you；　Vergilia；　are
come　as　mere　women　to　women；　not　by　direction　of　the　senate；　or　an
order　from　the　consuls；　or　the　appointment　of　any　other　magistrate；
but　the　divine　being　himself；　as　I　conceive；　moved　to　compassion　by
our　prayers；　prompted　us　to　visit　you　in　a　body；　and　request　a　thing
on　which　our　own　and　the　common　safety　depends；　and　which；　if　you
consent　to　it；　will　raise　your　glory　above　that　of　the　daughters　of
the　Sabines；　who　won　over　their　fathers　and　their　husbands　from　mortal
enmity　to　peace　and　friendship。　Arise　and　come　with　us　to　Marcius；
join　in　our　supplication；　and　bear　for　your　country　this　true　and　just
testimony　on　her　behalf；　that；　notwithstanding　the　many　mischiefs　that
have　been　done　her；　yet　she　has　never　outraged　you；　nor　so　much　as
thought　of　treating　you　ill；　in　all　her　resentment；　but　does　now
restore　you　safe　into　his　hands；　though　there　be　small　likelihood
she　should　obtain　from　him　any　equitable　terms。〃
　　The　words　of　Valeria　were　seconded　by　the　acclamations　of　the
other　women；　to　which　Volumnia　made　answer：…
　　〃I　and　Vergilia；　my　country…women；　have　an　equal　share　with　you
all　in　the　common　miseries；　and　we　have　the　additional　sorrow；　which
is　wholly　ours；　that　we　have　lost　the　merit　and　good　fame　of
Marcius；　and　see　his　person　confined；　rather　than　protected；　by　the
arms　of　the　enemy。　Yet　I　account　this　the　greatest　of　all　misfortunes；
if　indeed　the　affairs　of　Rome　be　sunk　to　so　feeble　a　state　as　to
have　their　last　dependence　upon　us。　For　it　is　hardly　imaginable　he
should　have　any　consideration　left　for　us；　when　he　has　no　regard　for
the　country　which　he　was　wont　to　prefer　before　his　mother　and　wife　and
children。　Make　use；　however；　of　our　service；　and　lead　us；　if　you
please；　to　him；　we　are　able；　if　nothing　more；　at　least　to　spend　our
last　breath　in　making　suit　to　him　for　our　country。〃
　　Having　spoken　thus；　she　took　Vergilia　by　the　hand；　and　the　young
children；　and　so　accompanied　them　to　the　Volscian　camp。　So
lamentable　a　sight　much　affected　the　enemies　themselves；　who　viewed
them　in　respectful　silence。　Marcius　was　then　sitting　in　his　place；
with　his　chief　officers　about　him；　and；　seeing　the　party　of　women
advance　toward　them；　wondered　what　should　be　the　matter；　but
perceiving　at　length　that　his　mother　was　at　the　head　of　them；　he　would
fain　have　hardened　himself　in　his　former　inexorable　temper；　but；
overcome　by　his　feelings；　and　confounded　at　what　he　saw；　he　did　not
endure　they　should　approach　him　sitting　in　state；　but　came　down
hastily　to　meet　them；　saluting　his　mother　first；　and　embracing　her　a
long　time；　and　then　his　wife　and　children；　sparing　neither　tears　nor
caresses；　but　suffering　himself　to　be　borne　away　and　carried　headlong；
as　it　were；　by　the　impetuous　violence　of　his　passion。
　　When　he　had　satisfied　himself；　and　observed　that　his　mother　Volumnia
was　desirous　to　say　something；　the　Volscian　council　being　first　called
in；　he　heard　her　to　the　following　effect：　〃Our　dress　and　our　very
persons；　my　son；　might　tell　you；　though　we　should　say　nothing
ourselves；　in　how　forlorn　a　condition　we　have　lived　at　home　since　your
banishment　and　absence　from　us；　and　now　consider　with　yourself；
whether　we　may　not　pass　for　the　most　unfortunate　of　all　women；　to　have
that　sight；　which　should　be　the　sweetest　that　we　could　see；　converted；
through　I　know　not　what　fatality；　to　one　of　all　others　the　most
formidable　and　dreadful；…　Volumnia　to　behold　her　son；　and　Vergilia　her
husband；　in　arms　against　the　walls　of　Rome。　Even　prayer　itself；　whence
others　gain　comfort　and　relief　in　all　manner　of　misfortunes；　is　that
which　most　adds　to　our　confusion　and　distress；　since　our　best　wishes
are　inconsistent　with　themselves；　nor　can　we　at　the　same　time　petition
the　gods　for　Rome's　victory　and　your　preservation；　but　what　the
worst　of　our　enemies　would　imprecate　as　a　curse；　is　the　very　object　of
our　vows。　Your　wife　and　children　are　under　the　sad　necessity；　that
they　must　either　be　deprived　of　you　or　of　their　native　soil。　As　for
myself；　I　am　resolved　not　to　wait　till　war　shall　determine　this
alternative　for　me；　but　if　I　cannot　prevail　with　you　to　prefer　amity
and　concord　to　quarrel　and　hostility；　and　to　be　the　benefactor　to　both
parties　rather　than　the　destroyer　of　one　of　them；　be　assured　of　this
from　me；　and　reckon　steadfastly　upon　it；　that　you　shall　not　be　able　to
reach　your　country；　unless　you　trample　first　upon　the　corpse　of　her
that　brought　you　into　life。　For　it　will　be　ill　in　me　to　wait　and
loiter　in　the　world　till　the　day　wherein　I　shall　see　a　child　of
mine；　either　led　in　triumph　by　his　own　countrymen；　or　triumphing
over　them。　Did　I　require　you　to　save　your　country　by　ruining　the
Volscians；　then；　I　confess；　my　son；　the　case　would　be　hard　for　you
to　solve。　It　is　base　to　bring　destitution　on　our　fellow…citizens；　it
is　unjust　to　betray　those　who　have　placed　their　confidence　in　us。　But；
as　it　is；　we　do　but　desire　a　deliverance　equally　expedient　for　them
and　us；　only　more　glorious　and　honourable　on　the　Volscian　side；　who；
as　superior　in　arms；　will　be　thought　freely　to　bestow　the　two　greatest
of　blessings；　peace　and　friendship；　even　when　they　themselves
receive　the　same。　If　we　obtain　these；　the　common　thanks　will　be
chiefly　due　to　you　as　the　principal　cause；　but　if　they　be　not　granted；
you　alone　must　expect　to　bear　the　blame　from　both　nations。　The
chance　of　all　war　is　uncertain；　yet　thus　much　is　certain　in　the
present；　that　you；　by　conquering　Rome；　will　only　get　the　reputation　of
having　undone　your　country；　but　if　the　Volscians　happen　to　be　defeated
under　your　conduct；　then　the　world　will　say；　that；　to　satisfy　a
revengeful　humour；　you　brought　misery　on　your　friends　and　patrons。〃
　　Marcius　listened　to　his　mother　while　she　spoke　without　answering　her
a　word；　and　Volumnia；　seeing　him　stand　mute　also　for　a　long　time　after
she　had　ceased；　resumed：　〃O　my　son；〃　said　she；　〃what　is　the　meaning　of
this　silence？　Is　it　a　duty　to　postpone　everything　to　a　sense　of
injuries；　and　wrong　to　gratify　a　mother　in　a　request　like　this？　Is
it　the　characteristic　of　a　great　man　to　remember　wrongs　that　have　been
done　him；　and　not　the　part　of　a　great　and　good　man　to　remember
benefits　such　as　those　that　children　receive　from　parents；　and　to
requite　them　with　honour　and　respect？　You；　methinks；　who　are　so
relentless　in　the　punishment　of　the　ungrateful；　should　not　be　more
careless　than　others　to　be　grateful　yourself。　You　have　punished　your
country　already；　you　have　not　yet　paid　your　debt　to　me。　Nature　and
religion；　surely　unattended　by　any　constraint；　should　have　won　your
consen