orioli. He next himself master of Lavinium, and then took in
succession Corbio, Vitellia, Trebia, Labici, and Pedum.[47]

Lastly he marched from Pedum toward Rome, and having pitched his camp
at the Cluilian trenches five miles from the city, he openly ravaged
the Roman territory, guards being sent among the devastators to
preserve the lands of the patricians uninjured, whether it was that he
was chiefly incensed against the plebeians, or whether his object was
that dissension might arise between the senators and the people. And
it certainly would have arisen--so powerfully did the tribunes, by
inveighing against the leading men of the state, incite the plebeians,
already exasperated in themselves--had not apprehension of danger
from abroad, the strongest bond of union, united their minds, though
distrustful and mutually hostile. The only matter in which they were
not agreed was this: that, while the senate and consuls rested their
hopes on nothing else but arms, the plebeians preferred anything to
war. Spurius Nautius and Sextus Furius were now consuls. While they
were reviewing the legions, posting guards along the walls and other
places where they had determined that there should be outposts and
watches, a vast multitude of persons demanding peace terrified them
first by their seditious clamouring, and then compelled them to
convene the senate, to consider the question of sending ambassadors to
Gnaeus Marcius. The senate approved the proposal, when it was evident
that the spirits of the plebeians were giving way, ambassadors, sent
to Marcius to treat concerning peace, brought back the haughty answer:
If their lands were restored to the Volscians, the question of peace
might then be considered; if they were minded to enjoy the plunder of
war at their ease, he, remembering both the injurious treatment of his
countrymen, as well as the kindness of strangers, would do his utmost
to make it appear that his spirit was irritated by exile, not crushed.
The same envoys, being sent a second time, were not admitted into the
camp. It is recorded that the priests also, arrayed in the vestments
of their office, went as suppliants to the enemy's camp, but that they
did not influence his mind any more than the ambassadors.

Then the matrons assembled in a body around Veturia, the mother of
Coriolanus, and his wife, Volumnia: whether that was the result of
public counsel, or of women's fear, I can not clearly ascertain.
Anyhow, they