I pleaded for mercy on behalf of the ungrateful, I sided with the foes of Coriolan. Yet, while victory was certainly his, despite his readiness for vengeance on those who had exiled him, and to shackle those who had once insulted him, his great heart that none was able to move was finally touched by his mother. I curbed his desire to conquer Rome and achieved what I sought. All of this you know as well as I do, Volumnia, I only rehearse these things to heighten my grief. I can still hear Coriolan's voice! Throwing down his arms to rush to embrace me, he exclaimed with a sigh: "Mother, what have you done? It’s certainly a glorious victory for you and a fortunate one for your country, but a most unhappy one for your son." Alas, Volumnia, this sigh was all too true! The same arms he threw down to rush to me were used against him. The Volscians seized daggers; they pierced his heart. I myself am responsible for this fate; I betrayed my son, leaving him defenseless at the hands of his enemies, after I thwarted their invasion and retribution against the Romans. 
          
But what could I have imagined it would go otherwise? Would I have hoped that I was the mother of all Volscians to believe they would renounce victory they were about to grasp, out of love for me? By what right, could I have asked them for Rome's freedom, their enemy? I should have known they would revenge their loss on my son. 

Yes, Volumnia, I should have considered all these things. Even if Coriolan could not return to Rome, at least, I should have been his companion in his misery. As he overcame his resentment for Rome for my sake, I should have left my homeland out of love for him. But you and I, Volumnia, we didn't behave accordingly. I let Coriolan go, surrounded by those who would end his life, and I returned to Rome victorious, enjoying the fruits of this grim victory. When the Senate asked us upon our return, Volumnia, what we wanted as a reward for our endeavor, we should have demanded Coriolan's return, not the permission to erect a temple to Fortuna. It seems that this deity didn't approve of our zeal because she didn’t make us enjoy her blessings.  Perhaps, the gods would have preferred our gratitude towards Coriolan. This temple that has been built is a sign of our vanity, not our gratitude.

 We sought our own glory, not that of our saviour. Yet, he deserved it more than we did. We should have raised altars to my son's goodness, not ours. He who managed to conquer his resentment, save his country, relinquishing the win to his mother's tears, ought to deserve a more honorable treatment than we received. His devotion deserved a more favorable response from the heavens. Even if there are Romans unjust enough to say that Coriolan should have laid down his arms only out of regard for Rome, not for me, and that in this way, there is more weakness in his action than generosity, I don’t agree with them, hoping that posterity will be on my side.
 
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