XVI. Now, from the rock Tarpeian, Red in the midnight sky. The Fathers of the City, They sat all night and day, For every hour some horseman came XVII. To eastward and to westward Hath wasted all the plain; And the stout guards are slain. XVIII. I wis, in all the Senate, There was no heart so bold, But sore it ached, and fast it beat, In haste they girded up their gowns, XIX. They held a council standing Before the River-Gate; Short time was there, ye well may guess, For musing or debate. Out spake the Consul roundly: "The bridge must straight go down; For, since Janiculum is lost, Nought else can save the town." XX. 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, XXI. And nearer fast and nearer Doth the red whirlwind come; And louder still and still more loud, 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 spears. XXII. And plainly and more plainly, The terror of the Gaul. XXIII. And plainly and more plainly Now might the burghers know, By port and vest, by horse and crest, Each warlike Lucumo. There Cilnius of Arretium On his fleet roan was seen; And Astur of the four-fold shield, And dark Verbenna from the hold By reedy Thrasymene. XXIV. Fast by the royal standard, Lars Porsena of Clusium Sat in his ivory car. By the right wheel rode Mamilius, And by the left false Sextus, That wrought the deed of shame. XXV. But when the face of Sextus Was seen among the foes, On the house-tops was no woman XXVI. 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, XXVII. Then out spake brave Horatius, The Captain of the Gate: "To every man upon this earth Death cometh soon or late. XXXII. Then none was for a party; 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. XXXIII Now Roman is to Roman More hateful than a foe, And the Tribunes beard the high, As we wax hot in faction, In battle we wax cold: Wherefore men fight not as they fought In the brave days of old. XXXIV. Now while the three were tightening The Consul was the foremost man To take in hand an axe : And Fathers mixed with Commons Seized hatchet, bar, and crow, And smote upon the planks above, And loosed the props below. XXXV. Meanwhile the Tuscan army, Right glorious to behold, Came flashing back the noonday light, Of a broad sea of gold. Four hundred trumpets sounded A peal of warlike glee, As that great host, with measured tread, And spears advanced, and ensigns spread, Rolled slowly towards the bridge's head, Where stood the dauntless Three. |