As for myself, 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, 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 loiter in the
world till the day com wherein I shall see a child of mine, either
led in triumph by his own countrymen, or triumphing over them."
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, what is the meaning
of this silence? Is it wrong to gratify a mother in a request like
this? You have punished your country already; you have not yet
paid your debt to me." Having said this, she threw herself down at
his feet, as did also his wife and children; upon which Marcius,
crying out, "O mother! what is it you have done to me?" raised her
from the ground, and pressing her right hand with more than
ordinary vehemence said, "You have gained a victory, fortunate
enough for the Romans, but destructive to your son; whom you,
though none else, have defeated.
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