HORATIUS AT THE BRIDGE

Once there was a war between the Roman people and the E-trus'cans who

lived in the towns on the other side of the Ti-ber River. Por'se-na,

the King of the E-trus-cans, 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 t ey kept themselves inside of their walls, and set guards

to watch the roads.



One morning the army of Por-se-na 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

Ho-ra'ti-us. 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 Ho-ra-ti-us

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 back-ward 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

fore-most 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 half-way 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 Co'cles, 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 laugh-ter,

Still was the story told,

How well Horatius kept the bridge

In the brave days of old."