Madeleine de Scudéry’s Femmes Illustres – Volumnia

Volumnia was a noblewoman and the mother of the Roman general and rebel Gaius Marcius Coriolanus. According to Titus Livius, she disapproved of her son’s rebellion against Rome and was ultimately successful, aided by her daughter-in-law Volumnia, in visiting her son’s camp and convincing him to desist in his will to launch an attack against Rome.

Volumnia became a symbol of strength and diplomacy: she asked for no favours but requested that the Senate would build a temple to the Goddess Fortuna, to honour her and the other women who were successful in the diplomatic effort. In telling her tale, Titus Livius always calls her Veturia. Because he’s one of the worst historians ever.

She is one of the central characters in Shakespeare’s play Coriolanus, where she’s called Volumnia following Plutarch. In Titus Livius, Volumnia is Coriolanus’ wife, while Shakespeare gives her the name Virgilia.
Mademoiselle De Scudery follows Shakespeare’s names: Volumnia, the mother, is writing to Virgilia, the daughter-in-law. She’s writing to Virgil.

Among the paintings that depict her, Henry Singleton’s Volumnia and Virgilia pleading before Coriolanus.