And heavy with his armor,

And spent with changing blows: And oft they thought him sinking, But still again he rose.

62

Never, I ween, did swimmer,
In such an evil case,

Struggle through such a raging flood
Safe to the landing-place;

But his limbs were borne up bravely

By the brave heart within; And our good father Tiber Bore bravely up his chin.

63

"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,

"And bring him safe to shore;

For such a gallant feat of arms

Was never seen before.”

64

And now he feels the bottom;

Now on dry earth he stands;

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

In the brave days of old.

68

And in the nights of winter,
When the cold north winds blow,
And the long howling of the wolves
Is heard amidst the snow;
When round the lonely cottage
Roars loud the tempest's din,
And the good logs of Algidus
Roar louder yet within;

69

When the oldest cask is opened,
And the largest lamp is lit;

When the chestnuts glow in the embers,
And the kid turns on the spit;
When young and old in circle

Around the firebrands close;

When the girls are weaving baskets,
And the lads are shaping bows;

70

When the goodman mends his armor,
And trims his helmet's plume;

Notes and Questions. Why was Lars Porsena making war on Rome? What was "the great house of Tarquin" (stanza 1)? Locate Rome, the Tiber, and Tuscany on your map. The "rock Tarpeian" (stanza 16) was a peak of the Capitoline hill. It received its name from Tarpeia who betrayed the fortress to the Sabines. Ostia (stanza 17) was at the mouth of the Tiber. What commander stormed Janiculum? The Consul (stanza 18) was the chief officer in the republic; the Fathers or elders made up the senate. What was the situation in Rome after the fall of Janiculum? In what words did Horatius offer to defend the bridge? Explain "the ashes of his fathers" (stanza 27).

In stanza 30, the Ramnians and the Titians were two of the original tribes of Rome. How are "the brave days of old" described? Does the description make a good model for the present time? How did the Tuscan army greet the "dauntless Three"? What three Tuscan warriors rushed to the attack? How did they fare? Who next attacked? Where have you heard of him before? "The she-wolf's litter" (stanza 43) refers to Romulus and Remus, founders of Rome, who had been nursed by a wolf, according to the legend. Describe the combat between Astur and Horatius. Augurs (stanza 46) were the Roman officers who interpreted omens and portents, such as a lightning stroke. Lucumo (stanza 47) was the Tuscan title for the chief of a city.

Who was Sextus (stanza 51)? How did the dauntless three save the city? With what is the river compared in stanza 56? After the fall of the bridge how was Horatius greeted by Sextus? by Lars Porsena? Palatinus (stanza 58) was one of the hills of Rome. To whom does Horatius pray in stanza 59? What rewards did Horatius receive? Algidus (stanza 68) was a mountain. Compare Horatius with other patriots of whose deeds you have read; with David; with Arnold of Winkelried.

Proper Names: Horatius (hō-ra'shi-us), Tarquin (tar'kwin), Tuscany (tus'ka-ni), Janiculum (ja-nik'u-lum), Lars Porsena (por'se-na), Clusium (kloo'shi-um), Etruscan (e-trus'ken), Sutrium (soo'tri-um), Crustumerium (krus-tu-mēr'i-um), Spurius Lartius (spū'ri-us lär'shi-us), Herminius (her-min'i-us), Ocnus (ok'nus), Falerii (fa-lē'ri-i), Lausulus (low'shu-lus), Urgo (ûr'go), Aruns (â'runs), Volsinium (vol-sin'i-um), Algidus (al'jf-dus), Astur (as'tur).

For Study with the Glossary: trysting, champaign, wan burghers, wis (think), hied (hastened), swarthy storm, athwart (across), ween (think, believe), surges, hinds, spit.

THOMAS BABINGTON MACAULAY was born in 1800. He was a precocious child and before he had graduated from the university had shown astonishing powers of conversation and memory. Some of the stories of his memory seem incredible, but he could repeat Paradise Lost and Pilgrim's Progress, and a single reading was almost sufficient to enable him to memorize an ordinary page. At twenty-five he won fame from his article on Milton in the Edinburgh Review, and henceforth he was the mainstay of that journal. At thirty he entered the House of Commons and made a brilliant reputation as an orator. On account of his father's loss of property Macaulay gave up Parliament and developed a lucrative post in India. On his return to England Macaulay again entered Parliament but his interests turned more and more to literature. In 1842 he published the Lays of Ancient Rome from which "Horatius" is taken. This book of poems at once attained great popularity, as did his collected essays, published the following year. Some of these essays are on historical subjects, as those on Warren Hastings and Lord Clive; others