Lays of Ancient Rome - 18

Horatius at the Bridge
by Thomas B. Macaulay

XXXV

Meanwhile the Tuscan army,
       
Right glorious to behold,
Come flashing back the noonday light,
Rank behind rank, like surges bright
       
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.

XXXVI

The Three stood calm and silent,
       
And looked upon the foes,
And a great shout of laughter
       
From all the vanguard rose:
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 narrrow way;

---

Continued next week. Tomorrow's installment from the great Arab book Thousand and One Nights.

More About This Book

This poem celebrates one of the great heroic legends of history. Horatius saves Rome from the Etruscan invaders in 642 BC. Scottish poet Macaulay published this in 1842.

Illustration: Horatio at the Bridge from the first edition.

More information here:

Literature Daily

More of this Series