Page:The story of Rome, from the earliest times to the death of Augustus, told to boys and girls (IA storyofromefrome00macg).pdf/83

 be defended until the Roman soldiers on the other side of the river had cut through the beams that supported it.

Then, as the enemy drew near and ever nearer to the bank of the river, a brave Roman, named Horatius Cocles, or Horatius the One-Eyed, whose country was dearer to him than life itself, cried to the Consul right manfully:—

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

There were not lacking Romans to answer the brave challenge:—

'"Lo, I will stand at thy right hand, And keep the bridge with thee,"'

cried Spurius Lartius, one of Rome's strongest warriors, while the voice of another brave soldier, named Herminius, rang out clear above the noise of arms:—

'"I will abide on thy left side, And keep the bridge with thee," For Romans in Rome's quarrel Spared neither land nor gold, Nor son, nor wife, nor limb, nor life, In the brave days of old.'

Fully armed, the three brave men sprang to the end of the bridge farthest from the city, and flung defiance at Lars Porsenna and his great army.

The king and his army, seeing but three stalwart warriors, laughed them to scorn, yet ere long their scorn gave way to amazement.

Before the missiles hurled upon them, before the fiercest sword-thrusts, Horatius and his comrades stood dauntless