[7,21] Τούτων ἦν τῶν ὀλιγαρχικῶν καὶ ὁ Μάρκιος ἐκεῖνος ὁ Κοριολάνος ἐπικληθείς, οὐχ ὥσπερ οἱ λοιποὶ κρύφα καὶ δι´ εὐλαβείας τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γνώμην ἀποφαινόμενος, ἀλλ´ ἄντικρυς καὶ θρασέως, ὥστε πολλοὺς ἀκοῦσαι καὶ τῶν δημοτικῶν. εἶχε γάρ τινας ἔξω τῶν κοινῶν ἐγκλημάτων καὶ ἰδίας προφάσεις νεωστὶ γενομένας, ἐξ ὧν εἰκότως ἐδόκει μισεῖν τοὺς δημοτικούς. ὑπατείαν γὰρ αὐτῷ μετιόντι ταῖς ἔγγιστα γενομέναις ἀρχαιρεσίαις καὶ τοὺς πατρικίους ἔχοντι συναγωνιζομένους ὁ δῆμος ἐναντιωθεὶς οὐκ εἴασε δοῦναι τὴν ἀρχὴν τήν τε λαμπρότητα τοῦ ἀνδρὸς καὶ τὴν τόλμαν δι´ εὐλαβείας ἔχων, μή τι διὰ ταῦτα νεωτερίσῃ περὶ τὴν τῶν δημάρχων κατάλυσιν, καὶ μάλιστα δεδιώς, ὅτι συνελάμβανεν αὐτῷ πάσῃ προθυμίᾳ τὸ τῶν πατρικίων πλῆθος ὡς οὐδενὶ τῶν πρότερον. ταύτης τ´ οὖν τῆς ὕβρεως ὀργῇ ἐπαρθεὶς ὁ ἀνὴρ καὶ τὴν μεταβολὴν τοῦ πολιτεύματος εἰς τὸν ἐξ ἀρχῆς κόσμον ἀποκαταστῆσαι προθυμούμενος αὐτός τ´ ἀναφανδόν, ὥσπερ καὶ πρότερον ἔφην, ἔπραττε τὴν τοῦ δήμου κατάλυσιν, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἐνῆγεν. ἦν δὲ περὶ αὐτὸν ἑταιρία μεγάλη νέων εὐγενῶν, οἷς ἦν τὰ μέγιστα τιμήματα βίων καὶ πελάται συχνοὶ συνεστηκότες ἐπὶ ταῖς ἐκ τῶν πολέμων ὠφελείαις· οἷς ἐπαιρόμενος ἐφρυάττετο καὶ λαμπρὸς ἦν καὶ προῆλθεν ἐπὶ μήκιστον ἐπιφανείας. οὐ μὴν εὐτυχοῦς γε διὰ ταῦτα καταστροφῆς ἔτυχε· συναχθείσης γὰρ ὑπὲρ τούτων βουλῆς καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων, ὡς ἔθος ἦν αὐτοῖς, πρώτων ἀποφηναμένων τὰς ἑαυτῶν διανοίας, ἐν οἷς οὐ πολλοί τινες ἦσαν οἱ τὰς κατὰ τοῦ δήμου γνώμας ἄντικρυς ἀγορεύσαντες, ἐπειδὴ καθῆκεν εἰς τοὺς νεωτέρους ὁ λόγος, αἰτησάμενος ἐξουσίαν παρὰ τῶν ὑπάτων εἰπεῖν ὅσα βούλεται, καὶ τυχὼν ἐπισημασίας τε μεγάλης καὶ προσοχῆς λόγον διεξῆλθε κατὰ τοῦ δήμου τοιόνδε.

[7,21] One of this oligarchic party was that Marcius, surnamed Coriolanus, who did not, like the rest, deliver his opinion with secrecy and caution, but with so much openness and boldness that many even of the plebeians heard him. It seems that, besides the general grievance against them which he shared with the others, he had lately received some private provocations that seemed to justify his hatred of the plebeians. For when he had stood for the consulship at the last election, in which he had been supported by the patricians, the people had opposed him and would not permit that magistracy to be conferred on him, since his brilliant reputation and daring inclined them to caution, lest he might make some move to overthrow the tribuneship, and they were particularly apprehensive because the whole body of the patricians promoted his interest with a zeal they had never before shown for any other candidate. Marcius, therefore, being exasperated at this humiliation, and at the same time desirous of restoring the government to its ancient form, not only worked openly himself, as I have already said, to overthrow the power of the people, but also urged his associates on to the same end. He had about him a large faction of young men of noble birth and of the greatest fortunes, as well as many clients who had attached themselves to him for the sake of the booty to be gained in the wars. Elated by these advantages, he assumed a haughty air, became conspicuous, and attained to the greatest distinction. And yet, for all this, he did not come to a fortunate end, as shall now be related. The senate having been (p211) assembled to consider the matters I have mentioned, and the older senators, according to custom, having delivered their opinions first, only a few of them declaring openly against the populace, when it came to the turn of the younger senators to speak, Marcius asked leave of the consuls to say what he wished; and meeting with loud acclaim and strict attention, he delivered the following harangue against the populace: