8. 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 spat toward him and hissed;
No child but screamed out curses,
And shook its little fist.

9. But the Consul's brow was sad,

And the Consul's speech was low, And darkly looked he at the wall, And darkly at the foe.

"Their van will be upon us

Before the bridge goes down;
And if they once may win the bridge,
What hope to save the town?"

10. 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?

11. "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 straight path a thousand

May well be stopped by three.
Now who will stand on either hand,
And keep the bridge with me?"

12. Then out spake Spurius Lartius; A Ramnian proud was he :

"Lo, I will stand at thy right 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."

13. "Horatius," quoth the Consul,
"As thou sayest, so let it be."
And straight against that great array
Went forth the dauntless Three.

14. 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 shields, and flew

To win the narrow way.

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 track of thy destroying bark.
No more Campania's hinds shall fly
To woods and caverns when they spy
Thy thrice accursed' sail."

BUT

OUT now no sound of laughter
Was heard among the foes.

A wild and wrathful clamor

From all the vanguard rose.
Six spears' length from the entrance
Halted that deep array,

And for a space no man came forth
To win the narrow way.

2. Yet one man for a 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."

3. But meanwhile ax and lever

Have manfully been plied,

And now the bridge hangs tottering
Above the boiling tide.

"Come back, come back, Horatius !"

་་

Loud cried the Fathers all.

Back, Lartius! back, Herminius!
Back, ere the ruin fall."

4. Back darted Spurius Lartius;

Herminius darted back:

And, as they passed, beneath their feet
They felt the timbers crack.
But when they turned their faces,

And on the farther shore

Saw brave Horatius stand alone,

They would have crossed once more.

5. 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.

6. Alone stood brave Horatius,
But constant still in mind;
Thrice thirty thousand foes before,
And the broad flood behind,
"Down with him!" cried false Sextus,

With a smile on his pale face.
"Now yield thee," cries Lars Porsena,
"Now yield thee to our grace."

7. Round turned he, as not deigning
Those craven ranks to see;
Naught spake he to Lars Porsena,
To Sextus naught spake he:

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.