Cnæus Marcius was in the camp before Corioli when the Volscians came from Antium to relieve it. While the two armies were fighting, the garrison made a sally: Marcius attackt them, routed them, rusht through the gates with them, and took the place. The cries of the defenseless captives, and the flames that rose from the town, announced the result to the armies; and the Antiates retreated from the bootless conflict. Thus Rome was indebted for two victories in one day to Coriolanus; which surname was supposed in afterages to have been derived from that conquest. Henceforward he was greatly looked up to by the senate and burgesses; but his haughty bearing offended the commonalty. On one occasion, when the tribunes prevented the consuls from levying troops, he called his clients together, and invited volunteers to join him: with this body he made an inroad into the territory of the Antiates, carried off much booty, and divided it among his followers. Hence the plebeians dreaded him, and refused him the consulship: this inflamed him with implacable anger.

After this it came to pass that there was a famine in the city: many of the commonalty sold themselves along with their children; others threw themselves into the river; not a few went into forein lands: the patricians did not suffer, and took care to provide for their clients.