@BreadOfLife
I must say I admire you.
I have a mental picture of you standing on a bridge ( above the river Tiber) dressed in roman armour..sword in hand. :) ( in the poem it started with three brave soldiers against the army.)
We had to learn the pages of the long, long poem of- " How Horatius kept the Bridge" ( based on fact? Can't remember. )
At the end he stood alone, in the middle of the bridge which was now breaking up with the swell of the great river...and defended it..forgot for how long.
That is my picture of you...when we all "jump on your case" :)
At the very end of the fight ( Poem) ...both sides friend and foes... cheered his bravery...
Last few verses....
LIX
‘Oh, Tiber! father Tiber!
To whom the Romans pray,
A Roman’s life, a Roman’s arms,
Take thou in charge this day!’
So he spake, and speaking sheathed
The good sword by his side,
And with his harness on his back,
Plunged headlong in the tide.
LX
No sound of joy or sorrow
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.
( last verse)
LXX
When the goodman mends his armour,
And trims their helmet’s plume;
When the goodwife’s shuttle merrily
Goes flashing through the loom;
With weeping and with laughter
Still is the story told,
How well Horatius kept the bridge
In the brave days of old."
Horatius, by Thomas Babington Macaulay
