The Romans were now at war with the Volscian nation, whose principal city was Corioli, when, therefore, Cominius the consul had invested [besieged] this important place, the rest of the Volscians, fearing it would be taken, mustered up whatever force they could from all parts, to relieve it, designing to give the romans battle before the city, and so attack them on both sides. Cominius, to avoid this inconvenience divided his army, marching himself with one body to encounter the Volscians on their approach from without and leaving Titus Lartius, one of the bravest Romans of his time, to command the other and continue the siege. Those within Corioli, despising now the smallness of their number, made a sally upon them, and prevailed at first, and pursued the Romans into their trenches.
Here it was that Marcius, flying out with a slender company, and cutting those in pieces that first engaged him, obliged the other assailants to slacken their speed; and then, with loud cries, called upon the Romans to renew the battle. For he had, what Cato thought a great point in a soldier, not only strength of hand and stroke, but also a voice and look that of themselves were a terror to an enemy. Divers of his own party now rallying and making up to him, the enemies soon retreated; but Marcius, not content to see them draw off and retire, pressed hard upon the rear, and drove them, as they fled away in haste, to the very gates of their city; where, perceiving the Romans to fall back from their pursuit, beaten off by the multitude of darts poured in upon them from the walls, and that none of his followers had the hardiness to think of falling pell-mell among the fugitives and so entering a city full of enemies in arms, he, nevertheless, stood and urged them to the attempt, crying out, that fortune had now set open Corioli, not so much to shelter the vanquished, as to receive the conquerors.
Seconded only by a few that were willing to venture with him, he bore along through the crown, made good his passage, and thrust himself into the gate through the midst of them, nobody at first daring to resist him. But when the citizens on looking about saw that a very small number had entered, they now took courage, and came up and attacked them. A combat ensued of the most extraordinary description, in which Marcius, by strength of hand, and swiftness of foot, and daring of soul, overpowering every one that he assailed, succeeded in driving the enemy to seek refuge, for the most part, in the interior of the town, while those remaining submitted, and threw down their arms; thus affording Lartius abundant opportunity to bring in the rest of the Romans with ease and safety.
Corioli being thus surprised and taken, the greater part of the soldiers employed themselves in spoiling and pillaging it, while Marcius indignantly reproached them, and exclaimed that it was a dishonourable and unworthy thing, when the consul and their fellow-citizens had now perhaps encountered the other Volsians, and were hazarding their lives in battle, basely to misspend the time in running up and down for booty, and, under a pretense of enriching themselves, keep out of danger.
tl;dr:
The Romans besiege the city of Corioli, then receive word that a hostile force is approaching them. The consul takes half of the siege force and marches off to meet them. The citizens of Corioli see the Romans as weakened by this move and sally out to attack them. The Romans might have lost if not for Marcius, who forces the enemy to rout. He takes the city with a small group by routing with the enemy and just sort of… running into the doors as they take in the defenders. He and his group make short work of the defenders, open the gates, and the Romans take the town. Then he guilt-trips his fellow soldiers for plundering the town while the other half of the army is off risking their lives in battle somewhere else. TA DA!
Source:
Plutarch, John Dryden, and Arthur Hugh Clough. "Coriolanus." Plutarch's Lives. New York: Modern Library, 2001. 295-96. Print.
Further Reading:
No comments, yet...