Narrative and Lyric Poems (first series) for use in the Lower School | Page 4

bright?Of a broad sea of gold. 285?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, 290?Where stood the dauntless Three.
XXXVI
The Three stood calm and silent,?And looked upon the foes,?And a great shout of laughter?From all the vanguard rose; 295?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; 300
XXXVII
Aunus from green Tifernum,[47]?Lord of the Hill of Vines;?And Seius, whose eight hundred slaves?Sicken in Ilva's[48] mines;?And Picus, long to Clusium 305?Vassal in peace and war,?Who led to fight his Umbrian powers?From that gray crag where, girt with towers,?The fortress of Nequinum[49] lowers?O'er the pale waves of Nar. 310
XXXVIII
Stout Lartius hurled down Aunus?Into the stream beneath:?Herminius struck at Seius,?And clove him to the teeth:?At Picus brave Horatius 315?Darted one fiery thrust;?And the proud Umbrian's gilded arms?Clashed in the bloody dust.
XXXIX
Then Ocnus of Palerii[50]?Rushed on the Roman Three; 320?And Lausulus of Urgo,[51]?The rover of the sea;[52]?And Aruns of Volsinium,?Who slew the great wild boar,?The great wild boar that had his den 325?Amidst the reeds of Cosa's[53] fen?And wasted fields, and slaughtered men,?Along Albinia's[54] shore.
XL
Herminius smote down Aruns:?Lartius laid Ocnus low: 330?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 335?The track of thy destroying bark.?No more Campania's[55] hinds[56] shall fly?To woods and caverns when they spy?Thy thrice accursed sail."
XLI
But now no sound of laughter 340?Was heard among the foes.?A wild and wrathful clamor?From all the vanguard rose.?Six spears' lengths from the entrance?Halted that deep array, 345?And for a space no man came forth?To win the narrow way.
XLII
But hark! the cry is Astur:?And lo! the ranks divide;?And the great Lord of Luna?Comes with his stately stride. 350?Upon his ample shoulders?Clangs loud the fourfold shield,?And in his hand he shakes the brand?Which none but he can wield. 355
XLIII
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[57] 360?Stand savagely at bay:?But will ye dare to follow,?If Astur clears the way?"
XLIV
Then, whirling up his broadsword?With both hands to the height, 365?He rushed against Horatius,?And smote with all his might.?With shield and blade Horatius,?Right deftly turned the blow.?The blow, though turned, came yet too nigh: 370?It missed his helm, but gashed his thigh:?The Tuscans raised a joyful cry?To see the red blood flow.
XLV
He reeled, and on Herminius?He leaned one breathing-space; 375?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 380?Behind the Tuscan's head.
XLVI
And the great Lord of Luna?Fell at that deadly stroke,?As falls on Mount Alvernus?A thunder-smitten oak. 385?Far o'er the crashing forest?The giant arms lie spread;?And the pale augurs, muttering low,?Gaze on the blasted head.
XLVII
On Astur's throat Horatius 390?Right firmly pressed his heel;?And thrice and four times tugged amain,?Ere be wrenched out the steel.?"And see," he cried, "the welcome,?Fair guests, that waits you here! 395?What noble Lucumo comes next?To taste our Roman cheer?"
XLVI
But at his haughty challenge?A sullen murmur ran,?Mingled of wrath, and shame, and dread, 400?Along that glittering van.?There lacked not men of prowess,?Nor men of lordly race,?For all Etruria's noblest?Were round the fatal place. 405
XLIX
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 410?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 415?Lies amidst bones and blood.
L
Was none who would be foremost?To lead such dire attack;?But those behind cried, "Forward!"?And those before cried, "Back!" 420?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 425?Dies fitfully away.
LI
Yet one man for one moment?Stood out before the crowd;?Well known was he to all the Three,?And they gave him greeting loud. 430?"Now welcome, welcome, Sextus!?Now welcome to thy home!?Why dost thou stay, and turn away??Here lies the road to Rome."
LII
Thrice looked he at the city; 435?Thrice looked he at 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 440?Where, wallowing in a pool of blood,?The bravest Tuscans lay.
LIII
But meanwhile axe and lever?Have manfully been plied;?And now the bridge hangs tottering 445?Above the boiling tide.?"Come back, come back, Horatius!"?Loud cried the Fathers all.?"Back, Lartius! back, Herminius!?Back, ere the ruin fall!" 450
LIV
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, 455?And on the farther shore?Saw brave Horatius stand alone,?They would have crossed