Story Hour Readings: Seventh Year - E. C. Hartwell

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In yon strait path a thousand 5

       May well be stopped by three.

       Now, who will stand on either hand,

       And keep the bridge with me?"

       Then out spake Spurius Lartius—

       A Ramnian proud was he: 10

       "Lo, I will stand on thy right hand,

       And keep the bridge with thee."

       And out spake strong Herminius—

       Of Titian blood was he:

       "I will abide on thy left side, 15

       And keep the bridge with thee."

       "Horatius," quoth the Consul,

       "As thou say'st, so let it be."

       And straight against that great array

       Forth went the dauntless three. 20

       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.

       The three stood calm and silent, 25

       And looked upon the foes,

       And a great shout of laughter

       From all the vanguard rose. …

       But soon Etruria's noblest

       Felt their hearts sink to see

       On the earth the bloody corpses,

       In the path the dauntless three!

       Meanwhile the ax and lever 5

       Have manfully been plied;

       And now the bridge hangs tottering

       Above the boiling tide.

       "Come back, come back, Horatius!"

       Loud cried the Fathers all; 10

       "Back, Lartius! back, Herminius!

       Back, ere the ruin fall!"

       Back darted Spurius Lartius;

       Herminius darted back;

       And, as they passed, beneath their feet 15

       They felt the timbers crack.

       But when they turned their faces,

       And on the farther shore

       Saw brave Horatius stand alone,

       They would have crossed once more. 20

       But, with a crash like thunder,

       Fell every loosened beam,

       And, like a dam, the mighty wreck

       Lay right athwart the stream;

       And a long shout of triumph 25

       Rose from the walls of Rome,

       As to the highest turret tops

       Was splashed the yellow foam.

       Alone stood brave Horatius,

       But constant still in mind;

       Thrice thirty thousand foes before,

       And the broad flood behind.

       "Down with him!" cried false Sextus, 5

       With a smile on his pale face.

       "Now yield thee!" cried Lars Porsena,

       "Now yield thee to our grace."

       Round turned he, as not deigning

       Those craven ranks to see; 10

       Naught spake he to Lars Porsena,

       To Sextus naught spake he;

       But he saw on Palatinus

       The white porch of his home;

       And he spake to the noble river 15

       That rolls by the towers of Rome:

       "O Tiber! Father Tiber!

       To whom the Romans pray!

       A Roman's life, a Roman's arms,

       Take thou in charge this day!" 20

       So he spake, and speaking, sheathed

       The good sword by his side,

       And with his harness on his back,

       Plunged headlong in the tide.

       No sound of joy or sorrow 25

       Was heard from either bank;

       But friends and foes, in dumb surprise,

       With parted lips and straining eyes,

       Stood gazing where he sank;

       And when above the surges

       They saw his crest appear,

       All Rome sent forth a rapturous cry,

       And even the ranks of Tuscany

       Could scarce forbear to cheer. 5

       "Curse on him!" quoth false Sextus;

       "Will not the villain drown?

       But for this stay, ere close of day

       We should have sacked the town!"

       "Heaven help him!" quoth Lars Porsena, 10

       "And bring him safe to shore;

       For such a gallant feat of arms

       Was never seen before."

       And now the ground he touches,

       Now on dry earth he stands; 15

       Now round him throng the Fathers,

       To press his gory hands;

       And now, with shouts and clapping,

       And noise of weeping loud,

       He enters through the River Gate, 20

       Borne by the joyous crowd.

       —Horatius.

      1. This is one of the famous legends of Roman history, and it loses nothing in Macaulay's brilliant telling. Lord Macaulay (1800–1859) was an English statesman, essayist, historian, and poet. He reveled in the romance of history. Read and report on his life.

      2. What was the situation when this extract takes up the tale? How many soldiers had Porsena?

      3. Imagine yourself in Horatius's place. Read aloud his brave speech in the first and second stanzas.

      4. If you were dramatizing this whole situation, what scenes would you have? What would be the climax?

      PIONEER DAYS

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       In these days of the automobile, the swift express train, the telephone, the telegraph, and the airplane, it is hard for us to realize that our country did not always possess the conveniences and comforts we now enjoy. We are too apt to forget the struggles the pioneer fathers of our nation had in their frontier life. To them we owe a debt of gratitude not only for what we have and are, but also for the deeds of heroism they have bequeathed us as a part of our national heritage.

      Molly Pitcher Salutes Washington Molly Pitcher Salutes Washington (See following page)

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