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Veturia was a Roman matron, the mother of Coriolanus. Her son, Gnaeus Marcius Coriolanus was descended from a patrician family which encouraged his involvement in Roman politics. As the story is told, he was expelled from Rome because he demanded the abolition of the people's tribunate in return for distributing state grain bought from Sicily to the starving plebeians of Rome. He settled with the Volscians, while formulating his revenge.
[edit] The Story of the Volscians
In the late fifth century BC, her son betrayed Rome by allying with the Volscians, a people hostile to Rome. He gathered the Volscian army, then under the leadership of Attius Tullius. They make Coriolanus their general and marched to the Cluilian trenches of Rome's gates, about five miles outside the city. Because Rome didn't have the military power to stop he Volscians, the Volscians had little trouble reducing the Roman forces to a critical state. The Romans then dispatched ambassadors to Coriolanus and sued for peace on fair terms. Immediately Coriolanus replied with unfavorable terms. Again representatives of the Roman forces were sent to Coriolanus, but they were not welcomed to negotiate peace. A third attempt was made by priests dressed in their official garb and badges of office - but were sent away again!
With Rome being in a state of confusion, a few consuls and an embassy of Roman matrons gathered to offer their assistance to the state. They decided to visit Veturia's house to attempt to convince her to help them stop her son. While she was skeptical of her influence, she agreed to help. Veturia set out to enlist more help, Coriolanus' wife. She found her in hiding along with his children. The whole family, accompanied by the Roman matrons set out for Coriolanus' camp. When he saw his mother was there, he ran up to her and embraced her. Once there, Coriolanus begs his mother, wife, and sons to stay with him in the camp and offers them a portion of his fortunes as a reward for their loyalty. Veturia refused on behalf of all the women and convinced Coriolanus to cease his crusade against Rome, throwing herself at his feet and threatening to inflict pain on herself if he did not retreat. Her son obliged, peacefully marching his troops back into their own territory. Once at home, the angry and frustrated Volscians put him to death.
[edit] Her Contribution
By contrast, the Romans exalted Veturia for her courage and patriotism. In a crisis, she displayed uncharacteristic courage and strength, considering the usual passiveness of Roman women. Veturia was able to defuse the situation when every man before her failed. She soon became a model of Roman feminine virtue.
The Senate decreed that any favor or honor Veturia, along with the other matrons, requested should be granted. They were offered many honors, but politely refused them. The women's only request being that a temple be built, as a monument of Female Fortune.
Excerpt from Plutarch's Lives
"The senate, much commending their public spirit, caused the temple to be built and a statue set up in it at the public charge; they, however, made up a sum among themselves, for a second image of Fortune, which the Romans say uttered, as it was putting up, words to this effect, “Blessed of the gods, O women, is your gift.”"
[edit] References
- Beam, Jacob N. (1918), Hermann Kirchner's Coriolanus. PMLA 33:269-301.
- Legasse, Paul,The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th edition. New York: Columbia University Press, 2000. 407
- Plutarch (2000), The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans.Canada: Random House of Canada.
- Plutarch Lives: "Coriolanus" translated by John Dryden and revised by Arthur Hugh Clough.
- Virginia Brown's translation of Giovanni Boccaccio’s Famous Women, pp. 110-114; Harvard University Press 2001; ISBN 0-674-01130-9
- Smethurst, S.E. (June 1950), "Women in Livy's 'History'". Greece and Rome 19:80-87
- This article incorporates text from the public domain 1907 edition of The Nuttall Encyclopædia.
[Category:Ancient Roman women]]
