same terms as with Latium. Dionysius relates that the conclusion of the league was preceded by a war and a victory over the Hernicans.' This is not at all likely to have been the real course of events. If the Hernicans had been conquered, they would not have been allowed to join the Roman alliance on an equal footing as an independent nation. But it was a usual practice with the Roman annalists (a practice with which we shall become sufficiently acquainted as we proceed) to suppose that it was beneath the dignity of Rome to conclude a treaty of peace and amity except after a preceding victory. As regards the Hernicans, the story goes on to relate that two thirds of their territory were taken from them. This statement is a palpable perversion or misunderstanding of a stipulation of the treaty between the Romans, Latins, and Hernicans, by which each of the three nations was to receive one third of the booty made in war, and therefore also of the conquered land. 2 CHAP. III. of the The league of the three peoples existed as long as any Duration serious danger threatened on the side of the Volscians league. and Equians. When this danger disappeared, and Rome had grown strong, it was transformed into the acknowledged dominion of Rome. ' Dionysius fills several chapters (viii. 64–69) with a detailed account of this war. Livy (ii. 40) refers to it with two words, Hernici devicti.' 2 Livy, ii. 41. CHAPTER IV. THE WARS WITH THE VOLSCIANS. BOOK The early wars of the Romans. Constant raids and their results. THE foreign history of Rome in the first century of the republic is one unbroken series of wars with the neighbouring peoples on the north, east, and south of Latium.' The descriptions of these wars which we read in Livy and Dionysius bear the stamp of unscrupulous fiction to such an extent that a critical examination of them would be hardly profitable. They are full of reports of the most heroic victories, of evident and palpable repetitions and inventions, of mendacious boasting, and of attempts to conceal the reverses which Rome and her allies had to suffer. If we may trust the stories of the annalists, as far as they describe the general features of these wars, we come to the conclusion, that, for the most part, they consisted of a succession of plundering excursions, in laying waste the open country, and in similar enterprises, which the unpaid citizen soldiers could accomplish at that time in the course of a few weeks of summer. But the effect of such annual warfare, even on a small scale, must have been very harassing and ruinous. It is evident, even from the fragmentary and partial reports of the Roman annalists, that the Equians, and still more the Volscians, gradually gained ground and conquered several of the towns of the Roman allies; that the war on several occasions visited the immediate neighbourhood of Rome; and that, finally, after the complete dissolution of the Latin league, a great portion of Latium was re-conquered by, and thus became dependent on, Rome. See Schwegler, Röm. Gesch., ii. 716 ff. CHAP. IV. stories of The memory of these wars was preserved among the Roman people by several legends, which the annalists endeavoured to transform into history, and to bring into The harmony with their narratives. The most celebrated are those of Coriolanus and Cincinnatus. They show clearly and Cinwhat degree of belief the Roman history of this time cinnatus. deserves, and for this reason we select them for a more detailed examination. Coriolanus Roman people suf grievous The legend of Coriolanus runs as follows:-In the year How the after the secession of the plebs (492 B.C.) there was a famine in Rome; for, during the civil contention, the fered from plebeians had not cultivated their own lands, and they dearth. had laid waste the fields of their adversaries. There was therefore great distress among the poor plebeians, and they would have fallen victims to hunger if the consuls had not bought corn in Etruria at the cost of the state, and distributed it to the starving people. But even this was not sufficient, and the people suffered great want, till corn arrived from Sicily, which Dionysius, the Lord of Syracuse, sent as a present to the Romans. Coriolanus sought to crush the plebs. There was at that time in Rome a brave patrician, whose How name was Caius Marcius. He had conquered the town of Corioli in the preceding year, when the Romans were carrying on war with the Volscians, and for this reason his fellow-soldiers had given him the surname Coriolanus. This man set himself stoutly against the plebeians, for he hated them because they had won the tribuneship from the senate. He, therefore, now advised that the corn should not be divided, unless the plebeians would surrender their newly acquired right and abolish the office of the tribunes. defied the tribunes and was banished. When the plebeians heard this, they were enraged How he against him, and wanted to kill him. But the tribunes protected him from the fury of the crowd, and accused him before the assembly of the people of having broken the peace which had been sworn between the classes, and of having violated the sacred laws. But Coriolanus mocked the people and the tribunes, and showed haughty defiance BOOK II. How he with Attius Tullius to stir and presumptuous pride. Therefore, as he did not appear before the people assembled to try his case, he was condemned, and left Rome as an exile, swearing that he would be revenged on his enemies. As the Volscians were then living in peace and in friendconspired ship with Rome, Coriolanus went to Antium, and lived there as the guest of Attius Tullius, the most respected and the most influential man among the Volscians. And the two men consulted together how they might excite the Volscians to make war on the Romans. At this time the great games were celebrated in Rome, in honour of Jupiter; and a great number of Volscians came to Rome to see the games. Then Attius Tullius went secretly to the consuls, and advised them to take care that his countrymen did not break the peace during the festivities. When the consuls heard this, they sent heralds through the town, and caused it to be proclaimed that all Volscians should leave the town before night. Astonished at this unexpected order, and exasperated at the outrage to their nation, the Volscians proceeded in a body to return home by the Latin road. This road led past the spring of Ferentina, where at one time the Latins used to hold their councils. Here Attius was waiting for his countrymen, and excited them against Rome, saying that they had been shut out unjustly from sharing in the sacred festivities, as if they had been guilty of sacrilege, or were not worthy to be treated as allies and friends by the Roman people. Thus the war with Rome was decided on, and as commanders the Volscians chose Attius Tullius and C. Marcius Coriolanus. These set out with a large army, and conquered in one campaign Circeii, Satricum, Longula, Polusca, Corioli, Lavinium (the holy city of the Penates), Corbio, Vitellia, Trebium, Lavici, and Pedum. No Roman army offered any resistance in the field. How the Volscians marched towards Rome. Thus the Volscians at last advanced to Rome, and encamping near the Fossa Cluilia, five miles from the town, they laid waste the lands of the plebeians round about. Then the Romans were seized with despair, and scarcely retaining courage to defend the walls of the town, did not arms. CHAP. IV. women conquered nus. Now when the procession of Roman matrons approached How the the Volscian camp, and Coriolanus recognised his mother, his wife, and his little children, his heart softened, and he Coriolaheard the entreaties of the matrons, fell on the neck of his mother and of his beloved wife, and granted their request. He immediately led the army of the Volscians away from Rome, and gave back all the conquered towns. But he never returned to Rome, because he had been banished by the people, and he closed his life in exile among the Volscians. Critical Examination of the Story of Coriolanus. gether un historical. If we examine the particulars of the foregoing narrative, This narwe find that no single feature of it can be considered rative altohistorical, and that it consists altogether of baseless fictions of a later period, which betray a great want of skill in the invention of a probable narrative, and even ignorance of the institutions and manners of the Roman |