Part 31 (1/2)

Then out spake Spurius Lartius; a Raht hand, and keep the bridge with thee”

And out spake strong Herminius; of titian blood was he: ”I will abide on thy left side, and keep the bridge with thee”

”Horatius,” quoth the Consul, ”as thou sayest, so let it be”

And straight against that great array forth went the dauntless Three

For Roold, Nor son nor wife, nor limb nor life, in the brave days of old

Then none was for a party; then all were for the state; Then the great reat: Then lands were fairly portion'd; then spoils were fairly sold: The Romans were like brothers in the brave days of old

Now Roman is to Roh, and the Fathers grind the low

As ax hot in faction, in battle ax cold: Wherefore ht in the brave days of old

Nohile the Three were tightening their harness on their backs, The Consul was the foremost man to take in hand an axe: And Fathers mix'd with Commons seized hatchet, bar, and crow, And smote upon the planks above, and loosed the props below

Meanwhile the Tuscan ar back the noonday light, rank behind rank, like surges bright Of a broad sea of gold

Four hundred trureat host, with ns spread, Roll'd slowly towards the bridge's head, where stood the dauntless Three

The Three stood calreat shout of laughter fro before that deep array; To earth they sprang, their swords they drew, and lifted high their shi+elds, and flein the narroay; Aunus froreen Tifernuht hundred slaves sicken in Ilva'sto Clusiuht his Uirt with towers, The fortress of Nequinum lowers o'er the pale waves of Nar

Stout Lartius hurled down Aunus into the stream beneath: Herminius struck at Seius, and clove him to the teeth: At Picus brave Horatius darted one fiery thrust; And the proud Uilded arms clash'd in the bloody dust

Then Ocnus of Falerii rush'd on the Roo, the rover of the sea; And Aruns of Volsiniureat wild boar that had his den ahter'dAlbinia's shore

Herht to the heart of Lausulus Horatius sent a blow

”Lie there,” he cried, ”fell pirate! no hast and pale, From Ostia's walls the crowd shallbark

No more Campania's hinds shall fly to woods and caverns when they spy

Thy thrice accursed sail”

But now no sound of laughter was heard a the foes

A wild and wrathful claths from the entrance halted that deep array, And for a space no man came forth to win the narroay

But hark! the cry is Astur: and lo! the ranks divide; And the great Lord of Luna comes with his stately stride

Upon his as loud the four-fold shi+eld, And in his hand he shakes the brand which none but he can wield

He sh; He eyed the flinching Tuscans, and scorn was in his eye

Quoth he, ”The she-wolf's litter stand savagely at bay: But will ye dare to follow, if Astur clears the way?”

Then, whirling up his broadsith both hands to the height, He rush'd against Horatius, and sht

With shi+eld and blade Horatius right deftly turn'd the blow

The blow, though turn'd, cah: The Tuscans raised a joyful cry to see the red blood flow

He reel'd, and on Her-space; Then, like a wild-cat h teeth, and skull, and helood sword stood a hand-breadth out behind the Tuscan's head

And the great Lord of Luna fell at that deadly stroke, As falls on Mount Alvernus a thunder-siant araze on the blasted head

On Astur's throat Horatius right fir'd amain, ere he wrench'd out the steel

”And see,” he cried, ”the welcouests, that waits you here!

What noble Lucuhty challenge a sullenthat glittering van

There lack'd not men of prowess, nor men of lordly race; For all Etruria's noblest were round the fatal place

But all Etruria's noblest felt their hearts sink to see On the earth the bloody corpses, in the path the dauntless Three: And, frohastly entrance where those bold Ro the woods to start a hare, Co low, a fierce old bear Lies amidst bones and blood

Was none ould be foremost to lead such dire attack: But those behind cried ”Forward!” and those before cried ”Back!”