XVI

  Now, from the rock Tarpeian,[23]
    Could the wan burghers spy
  The line of blazing villages
    Red in the midnight sky. 125
  The Fathers[24] of the City,
    They sat all night and day,
  For every hour some horseman came
    With tidings of dismay.

  XVII

  To eastward and to westward 130
    Have spread the Tuscan bands;
  Nor house nor fence nor dovecote
    In Crustumerium[25] stands. 
  Verbenna down to Ostia[26]
    Hath wasted all the plain; 135
  Astur hath stormed Janiculum,[27]
    And the stout guards are slain.

  XVIII

  I wis,[28] in all the Senate,
    There was no heart so bold,
  But sore it ached, and fast it beat; 140
    When that ill news was told. 
  Forthwith up rose the Consul,
    Up rose the Fathers all;
  In haste they girded up their gowns,
    And hied them to the wall. 145

  XIX

  They held a council standing
    Before the River-Gate[30];
  Short time was there, ye well may guess,
    For musing or debate. 
  Out spake the Consul roundly:  150
    “The bridge[31] must straight go down;
  For, since Janiculum is lost,
    Naught else can save the town.”

  XX

  Just then a scout came flying,
    All wild with haste and fear; 155
  “To arms! to arms!  Sir Consul: 
    Lars Porsena is here.” 
  On the low hills to westward
    The Consul fixed his eye,
  And saw the swarthy storm of dust 160
    Rise fast along the sky.

  XXI

  And nearer fast and nearer
    Doth the red whirlwind come;
  And louder still and still more loud,
  From underneath that rolling cloud, 165
  Is heard the trumpet’s war-note proud,
    The trampling, and the hum. 
  And plainly and more plainly
    Now through the gloom appears,
  Far to left and far to right, 170
  In broken gleams of dark-blue light,
  The long array of helmets bright,
    The long array of spears.

  XXII

  And plainly, and more plainly
    Above that glimmering line, 175
  Now might ye see the banners
    Of twelve fair cities[32] shine;
  But the banner of proud Clusium
    Was highest of them all,
  The terror of the Umbrian,[33] 180
    The terror of the Gaul.[34]

  XXIII

  And plainly and more plainly
    Now might the burghers know,
  By port and vest,[35] by horse and crest,
    Each warlike Lucumo.[36] 185
  There Cilnius of Arretium
    On his fleet roan[37] was seen;
  And Astur of the fourfold shield,[38]
  Girt with the brand none else may wield;
  Tolumnius with the belt of gold, 190
  And dark Verbenna from the hold
    By reedy Thrasymene.[39]