Part 29 (2/2)

Four hundred trumpets sounded A peal of warlike glee, As that great host, with measured tread, And spears advanced, and ensigns spread, Rolled slowly toward the bridge's head, Where stood the dauntless Three.

The Three stood calm and silent, And looked upon the foes, And a great shout of laughter From all the vanguard rose: And forth three chiefs came spurring Before that deep array; To earth they sprang, their swords they drew, And lifted high their s.h.i.+elds, and flew To win the narrow way;

Aunus from green Tifernum, Lord of the Hill of Vines; And Seius, whose eight hundred slaves Sicken in Ilva's mines; And Picus, long to Clusium Va.s.sal in peace and war, Who led to fight his Umbrian powers From that gray crag where, girt 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 Umbrian's gilded arms Clashed in the b.l.o.o.d.y dust.

Then Ocnus of Falerii Rushed on the Roman Three; And Lausulus of Urgo, The rover of the sea; And Aruns of Volsinium, Who slew the great wild boar, The great wild boar that had his den Amid the reeds of Cosa's fen.

And wasted fields and slaughtered men Along Albinia's sh.o.r.e.

Herminius smote down Aruns; Lartius laid Ocnus low; Right to the heart of Lausulus Horatius sent a blow.

”Lie there,” he cried, ”fell pirate!

No more, aghast and pale, From Ostia's walls the crowd shall mark The tracks of thy destroying bark, 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 among the foes.

A wild and wrathful clamour From all the vanguard rose.

Six spears' length from the entrance Halted that deep array, And for a s.p.a.ce no man came forth To win the narrow way.

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 s.h.i.+eld, And in his hand he shakes the brand Which none but he can wield.

He smiled on those bold Romans, A smile serene and high; 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 broadsword With both hands to the height, He rushed against Horatius, And smote with all his might.

With s.h.i.+eld and blade Horatius 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.

He reeled, and on Herminius He leaned one breathing s.p.a.ce; Then, like a wildcat 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 handbreadth out Behind the Tuscan's head.

And the great Lord of Luna Fell at the deadly stroke, As falls on Mount Alvernus A thunder-smitten oak.

Far o'er the cras.h.i.+ng forest The giant arms lie spread; And the pale augurs, muttering low, Gaze on the blasted head.

On Astur's throat Horatius Right firmly pressed his heel, And thrice and four times tugged amain Ere he wrenched out the steel.

”And see,” he cried, ”the welcome, Fair guests, that waits you here!

What n.o.ble Luc.u.mo comes next To taste our Roman cheer?”

But at his haughty challenge A sullen murmur ran, Mingled of wrath, and shame, and dread, Along that glittering van.

There lacked not men of prowess, Nor men of lordly race; For all Etruria's n.o.blest Were round the fatal place.

But all Etruria's n.o.blest Felt their hearts sink to see On the earth the b.l.o.o.d.y 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 amid bones and blood.

Was none who would be foremost To lead such dire attack?

But those behind cried ”Forward!”

And those before cried ”Back!”

And backward now and forward Wavers the deep array; And on the tossing sea of steel To and fro the standards reel; And the victorious trumpet peal Dies fitfully away.

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