A fearful sight it was to see 14. For aged folk on crutches, And women great with child, And mothers sobbing over babes That clung to them and smiled, And sick men borne in litters High on the necks of slaves, And troops of sun-burned husbandmen With reaping-hooks and staves, 15. And droves of mules and asses Laden with skins of wine,. And endless flocks of goats and sheep, That creaked beneath their weight Of corn-sacks and of household goods, Choked every roaring gate. 16. Now, from the rock Tarpeian, The line of blazing villages They sat all night and day, For every hour some horseman came With tidings of dismay. 17. To eastward and to westward Have spread the Tuscan bands; Nor house, nor fence, nor dovecote, In Crustumerium stands. Verbenna down to Ostia Hath wasted all the plain; Astur hath stormed Janiculum, And the stout guards are slain. 18. I wis, in all the Senate, There was no heart so bold, In haste they girded up their gowns, 19. They held a council standing Short time was there, ye well may guess, Out spoke the Consul roundly: "The bridge must straight go down; For, since Janiculum is lost, Naught else can gave the town.” 20. Just then a scout came flying, All wild with haste and fear: "To arms! to arms! Sir Consul; Lars Porsena is here." On the low hills to westward The Consul fixed his eye, And saw the swarthy storm of dust Bise fast along the sky. 21. And nearer fast and nearer Doth the red whirlwind come; And louder still and still more lond, From underneath that rolling cloud, Is heard the trumpet's war-note proud, The trampling and the hum. And plainly and more plainly Now through the gloom appears, Far to left and far to right, In broken gleams of dark-blue light, The long array of helmets bright, The long array of spears. 22. And plainly and more plainly, Of twelve fair cities shine; 23. And plainly and more plainly Now might the burghers know, There Cilnius of Arretium On his fleet roan was seen; And Astur of the fourfold shield, Girt with the brand none else may wield, Tolumnius with the belt of gold, And dark Verbenna from the hold By reedy Thrasymene. 21. Fast by the royal standard, By the right wheel rode Mamilius, And by the left false Sextus, That wrought the deed of shame. 25. But when the face of Sextus Was seen among the foes, A yell that rent the firmament From all the town arose. On the house-tops was no woman But spate towards him and hissed; No child but screamed out curses, And shook its little fist. 26. But the Consul's brow was sad, Before the bridge goes down; 27. Then out spake brave Horatius, The Captain of the gate: "To every man upon this earth Death cometh soon or late. And how can man die better Than facing fearful odds, For the ashes of his fathers, And the temples of his Gods, 28. "And for the tender mother Who feed the eternal flame, 29. "Hew down the bridge, Sir Consul, With all the speed ye may; I, with two more to help me, Will hold the foe in play. In yon strait path a thousand May well be stopped by three. Now, who will stand on either hand, And keep the bridge with me?" 30. Then out spake Spurius Lartius, 31. "Horatius," quoth the Consul, "As thou sayest, so let it be." And straight against that great array Forth went the dauntless Three. For Romans in Rome's quarrel Spared neither land nor gold, Nor son nor wife, nor limb nor life, In the brave days of old. 32. Then none was for a party; Then all were for the state; Then the great man helped the poor, And the poor man loved the great: Then lands were fairly portioned; Then spoils were fairly sold: The Romans were like brothers In the brave days of old. 33. Now Roman is to Roman More hateful than a foe, And the Tribunes beard the high, And the Fathers grind the low. As we wax hot in faction, In battle we wax cold; Wherefore inen fight not as they fought In the brave days of old. 34. Now, while the Three were tightening From Ostia's walls the crowd shall mark 41. But now no sound of laughter From all the vanguard rose. And for a space no man came forth To win the narrow pass. 42. But hark! the cry is Astur: And lo! the ranks divide; And the great Lord of Luna -Comes with his stately stride. Upon his ample shoulders Clangs loud the fourfold shield, And in his hand he shakes the brand Which none but he can wield. 43. He smiled on those bold Romans If Astur clears the way?" Then, whirling up his broadsword And smote with all his might. Right deftly turned the blow. The blow, though turned, came yet too nigh; It missed his helm, but gashed his thigh: The Tuscans raised a joyful cry To see the red blood flow. 45. He reeled, and on Herminius He leaned one breathing-space; Then, like a wild cat mad with wounds, Sprang right at Astur's face. Through teeth, and skull, and helmet, So fierce a thrust he sped, The good sword stood a hand-breadth out Behind the Tuscan's head. 46. And the great Lord of Luna The giant arms lie spread; 47. Du Astur's throat Horatius Right firmly ussed his heel, And thrice and four times tugged amair, Ere he wrenched out the steel. "And see," he cried "the welcome, Fair guests, that waits you here! What noble Lucumo comes next To taste our Roman cheer?" 48. But at his haughty challenge Mingled of wrath, and shame, and dread, There lacked not men of prowess, For all Etruria's noblest 49. But all Etruria's noblest Felt their hearts sink to see On the earth the bloody corpses, In the path the dauntless Three: And, from the ghastly entrance Where those bold Romans stood, All shrank, like boys who unaware, Ranging the woods to start a hare, Come to the mouth of the dark lair Where, growling low, a fierce old bear Lies amidst bones and blood. 50. Was none who would be foremost Wavers the deep array; 51. Yet one man for one moment Strode out before the crowd; Well known was he to all the Three, And they gave him greeting loud, "Now welcome, welcome, Sextus! Now welcome to thy home! Why dost thou stay, and turn away! Here lies the road to Rome." 52. Thrice looked he on the city: Thrice looked he on the dead. And thrice came on in fury, And thrice turned back in dread; And, white with fear and hatred, Scowled at the narrow way Where, wallowing in a pool of blood The bravest Tuscans lay. 53. But meanwhile axe and lever "Come back, come back, Horatius !" 54. Back darted Spurius Lartius; And, as they passed, beneath their feet They would have crossed once more. 55. But with a crash like thunder Fell every loosened beam, And, like a dam, the mighty wreck Lay right athwart the stream: And a long shout of triumph Rose from the walls of Rome, As to the highest turret-tops Was splashed the yellow foam. 56. And like a horse unbroken When first he feels the rein, The furious river struggled hard, And tossed his tawny mane; And burst the curb, and bounded, Rejoicing to be free; And whirling down, in fierce career, Battlement, and plank, and pier, Rushed headlong to the sea. 57. Alone stood brave Horatius, "Now yield thee," cried Lars Porsena, "Now yield thee to our grace." 58. Round turned he, as not deigning Those craven ranks to see; Naught spake he to Lars Porsena, To Sextus naught spake he;1 But he saw on Palatinus The white porch of his home; And he spake to the noble river That rolls by the towers of Rome. 59. "Oh, Tiber! father Tiber! To whom the Romans pray, No sound of joy or sorrow Was heard from either bank; But friends and foes in dumb surprise, They saw his crest appear, All Rome sent forth a rapturous cry, Could scarce forbear to cheer. |