And they made a molten image, And there it stands unto this day lxvi It stands in the Comitium, Halting upon one knee: How valiantly he kept the bridge lxvii And still his name sounds stirring Unto the men of Rome, As the trumpet-blast that cries to them To charge the Volscian home; And wives still pray to Juno For boys with hearts as bold As his who kept the bridge so well lxviii And in the nights of winter, When the cold north winds blow, And the good logs of Algidus Roar louder yet within; 550 560 570 lxix When the oldest cask is opened, When the chestnuts glow in the embers, When the girls are weaving baskets, lxx When the goodman mends his armour, Goes flashing through the loom; How well Horatius kept the bridge 580 THE BATTLE OF THE LAKE REGILLUS A LAY SUNG AT THE FEAST OF CASTOR AND POLLUX, ON THE IDES OF QUINTILUS, IN THE YEAR OF THE CITY CCCCLI i Ho, trumpets, sound a war-note! Ho, lictors, clear the way! The Knights will ride, in all their pride, To Mars without the wall. With olive each is crowned; The proud Ides of Quintilis Shall have such honour still. December's Nones are gay: But the proud Ides, when the squadron rides, ii Unto the Great Twin Brethren We keep this silent feast. Swift, swift, the Great Twin Brethren O'er Cirrha's dome, o'er Adria's foam, O'er purple Apennine, From where with flutes and dances Their ancient mansion rings, In lordly Lacedæmon, iii Now on the place of slaughter Are cots and sheepfolds seen, And rows of vines, and fields of wheat, And apple-orchards green; The swine crush the big acorns That fall from Corne's oaks. Upon the turf by the Fair Fount The reaper's pottage smokes. The fisher baits his angle; The hunter twangs his bow; Little they think on those strong limbs That moulder deep below. Little they think how sternly That day the trumpets pealed; How in the slippery swamp of blood Warrior and war-horse reeled; How wolves came with fierce gallop, And crows on eager wings, 30 40 50 To tear the flesh of captains, And peck the eyes of kings; Bubbled with crimson foam, What time the Thirty Cities Came forth to war with Rome. iv But, Roman, when thou standest Upon that holy ground, Look thou with heed on the dark rock That made so strange a dint: V Since last the Great Twin Brethren Of mortal eyes were seen, Have years gone by an hundred And fourscore and thirteen. That summer a Virginius Was Consul first in place; The second was stout Aulus, Of the Posthumian race. 60 70 80 |