scheme.  The Romans were conducting a horse-race, and the Volsci among other neighboring peoples had gathered in a large body to behold the spectacle.  Tullius, as a pretended friend of the Romans, persuaded the Roman praetors that they should keep watch on the Volsci, since the latter had made ready to attack them unexpectedly in the midst of the horse-race.  The praetors, after communicating the information to the others, made proclamation at once, before the contest, that all the Volsci must retire.  The Volsci, indignant because they alone of all the spectators had been expelled, put themselves in readiness for battle.  Setting at their head Coriolanus and Tullius, and with numbers swollen by the accession of the Latins, they advanced against Rome.  The Romans, when informed of it, instead of making a vigorous use of arms fell into mutual recriminations, the popular party censuring the patricians because Coriolanus, who was campaigning against his country, happened to belong to their number, and the other party the populace because they had been unjust in expelling him and making him an enemy.  Because of this contention they would have incurred some great injury, had not the women come to their aid.  For when the senate voted restoration to Coriolanus and envoys had been despatched to him to this end, he demanded that the land of which the Volsci had been deprived in the previous wars be given back to them.  But the people would not relinquish the land.  Consequence:  a second embassy. [Sidenote:  FRAG. 17^8] AND HE WAS EXCEEDINGLY ANGRY THAT THEY, WHO WERE IN DANGER OF LOSING THEIR OWN COUNTRY, WOULD NOT EVEN UNDER THESE CONDITIONS WITHDRAW FROM THE POSSESSIONS OF OTHERS.  WHEN THIS SITUATION WAS REPORTED TO THE DISPUTANTS, THEY STILL REFUSED TO BUDGE, NOR DID THE DANGERS CAUSE THE MEN, AT LEAST, TO DESIST FROM QUARRELING.  BUT THE WOMEN, VOLUMNIA THE WIFE OF CORIOLANUS AND VETURIA[7] HIS MOTHER, GATHERING A COMPANY OF THE REMAINING MOST EMINENT LADIES VISITED HIM IN CAMP AND TOOK HIS CHILDREN ALONG WITH THEM.  WHILE THE REST WEPT WITHOUT SPEAKING VETURIA BEGAN:  “WE ARE NOT DESERTERS, MY SON, BUT THE COUNTRY HAS SENT US TO YOU TO BE, IF YOU SHOULD YIELD, YOUR MOTHER, WIFE AND CHILDREN, BUT OTHERWISE YOUR SPOIL.  AND IF EVEN NOW YOU STILL
ARE ANGRY, KILL US THE FIRST. BE RECONCILED AND HOLD NO LONGER YOUR
ANGER AGAINST YOUR CITIZENS, FRIENDS, TEMPLES, TOMBS; DO NOT TAKE BY
STORM YOUR NATIVE LAND IN WHICH YOU WERE BORN, WERE REARED, AND BECAME
CORIOLANUS, BEARER OF THIS GREAT NAME.  SEND ME NOT HENCE WITHOUT
RESULT, UNLESS YOU WOULD BEHOLD ME DEAD BY MY OWN HAND.”  THEREUPON SHE
SIGHED ALOUD AND SHOWED HER BREASTS AND TOUCHED HER ABDOMEN,
EXCLAIMING:  “THIS BROUGHT YOU FORTH, MY CHILD, THESE REARED YOU UP.” 
SHE, THEN, SAID THIS, AND HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN AND THE REST OF THE
WOMEN JOINED IN THE LAMENT, SO THAT HE TOO WAS MOVED TO GRIEF.  RECOVERING HIMSELF WITH DIFFICULTY HE ENFOLDED HIS MOTHER IN HIS ARMS AND AT THE SAME