All the pictures of butterflies being eaten had a spider in them. Eww!

Volumnia's response is perfectly in line with the classical view of feminine responsibilities. Remember that famous line from Plutarch, supposedly said by Spartan mothers as their sons went off to war? "Come back with your shield or on it!"

Sure, she's a tad overweening in her pride, and a damned sight more bloodthirsty than my own mother, but can you blame her for being a Roman woman in a Roman (inspired) play about a Roman general fighting in Roman wars? Even in Shakespeare's own time, bravery in battle was considered an important, if not the most important, trait that a man could have. We are reminded of this in Macbeth, when Seward is told that his son "died like a man" with his wounds in the front, rather than as a coward in flight, with wounds in his back. The same theme crops up in both the Iliad and the Aeneid, in particular this line from Homer: "It is entirely seemly for a young man killed in battle to lie mangled by the bronze spear. In his death all things appear fair."

That said, eating butterflies is just about the least badass thing a young man can do. Getting into fights? Badass. Winning fights? More badass. Eating butterflies? Umm... might wanna get that kid checked out.