Among them was Tullus himself, not for any wrong done him
personally by Marcius, but through the weakness incident to human
nature. He could not help feeling mortified to find his own glory
totally obscured, and himself overlooked and neglected now by the
Volscians, who had so great an opinion of their new leader. Yet
Marcius spent no part of the time idly, but attacked the
confederates of the enemy, ravaged their land, and took from them
seven great and populous cities in that interval. The Romans, in
the meanwhile, durst not venture out to their relief; but were
utterly fearful, and showed no more disposition or capacity for
action, than if their bodies had been struck with a palsy, and
become destitute of sense and motion. But when the thirty days
were expired, and Marcius appeared again with his whole army, they
sent another embassy to beseech him that he would moderate his
displeasure, and would withdraw the Volscian army, and then make
any proposals he thought best for both parties, but if it were his
opinion that the Volscians ought to have any favor shown them,
upon laying down their arms they might obtain all they could in
reason desire.
The reply of Marcius was, that he should make no answer to this as
a general of the Volscians, but in the quality still for a roman
citizen, he would advise them to return to him before three days
were at an end, with a ratification of his previous demands.
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