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- HORATIUS AT THE BRIDGE
- ONCE there was a war between the Roman people and the Etruscans
- who lived in the towns on the other side of the Tiber River. Porsena, the
- King of the Etruscans, raised a great army, and marched toward Rome.
- The city had never been in so great danger.
- The Romans did not have very many fighting men at that time, and they
- knew that they were not strong enough to meet the Etruscans in open
- battle. So they kept themselves inside of their walls, and set guards to
- watch the roads.
- One morning the army of Porsena was seen coming over the hills from
- the north. There were thousands of horsemen and footmen, and they
- were marching straight toward the wooden bridge which spanned the
- river at Rome.
- "What shall we do?" said the white-haired Fathers who made the laws for
- the Roman people. "If they once gain the bridge, we cannot hinder them
- from crossing; and then what hope will there be for the town?"
- Now, among the guards at the bridge, there was a brave man named
- Horatius. He was on the farther side of the river, and when he saw that
- the Etruscans were so near, he called out to the Romans who were
- behind him.
- "Hew down the bridge with all the speed that you can!" he cried. "I, with
- the two men who stand by me, will keep the foe at bay."
- Then, with their shields before them, and their long spears in their
- hands, the three brave men stood in the road, and kept back the
- horsemen whom Porsena had sent to take the bridge.
- On the bridge the Romans hewed away at the beams and posts. Their
- axes rang, the chips flew fast; and soon it trembled, and was ready to fall.
- "Come back! come back, and save your lives!" they cried to Horatius and
- the two who were with him.
- But just then Porsena's horsemen dashed toward them again.
- "Run for your lives!" said Horatius to his friends. "I will keep the road."
- They turned, and ran back across the bridge. They had hardly reached
- the other side when there was a crashing of beams and timbers. The
- bridge toppled over to one side, and then fell with a great splash into the
- water.
- When Horatius heard the sound, he knew that the city was safe. With his
- face still toward Porsena's men, he moved slowly backward till he stood
- on the river's bank. A dart thrown by one of Porsena's soldiers put out
- his left eye; but he did not falter. He cast his spear at the foremost
- horseman, and then he turned quickly around. He saw the white porch of
- his own home among the trees on the other side of the stream;
- "And he spake to the noble river
- That rolls by the walls of Rome:
- 'O Tiber! father Tiber!
- To whom the Romans pray,
- A Roman's life, a Roman's arms,
- Take thou in charge to-day.' "
- He leaped into the deep, swift stream. He still had his heavy armor on;
- and when he sank out of sight, no one thought that he would ever be
- seen again. But he was a strong man, and the best swimmer in Rome.
- The next minute he rose. He was halfway across the river, and safe from
- the spears and darts which Porsena's soldiers hurled after him.
- Soon he reached the farther side, where his friends stood ready to help
- him. Shout after shout greeted him as he climbed upon the bank. Then
- Porsena's men shouted also, for they had never seen a man so brave and
- strong as Horatius. He had kept them out of Rome, but he had done a
- deed which they could not help but praise.
- As for the Romans, they were very grateful to Horatius for having saved
- their city. They called him Horatius Cocles, which meant the "one-eyed
- Horatius," because he had lost an eye in defending the bridge; they
- caused a fine statue of brass to be made in his honor; and they gave him
- as much land as he could plow around in a day. And for hundreds of years
- afterwards—
- "With weeping and with laughter,
- Still was the story told,
- How well Horatius kept the bridge
- In the brave days of old."
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