But at his haughty challenge
      A sullen murmur ran,
    Mingled of wrath, and shame, and dread,
      Along that glittering van. 
    There lacked not men of prowess,
      Nor men of lordly race;
    For all Etruria’s noblest
      Were round the fatal place.

    But all Etruria’s noblest
      Felt their hearts sink to see
    On the earth the bloody corpses,
      In the path the dauntless Three: 
    And, from the ghastly entrance
      Where those bold Romans stood,
    All shrank, like boys who unaware,
    Ranging the woods to start a hare,
    Come to the mouth of the dark lair
    Where, growling low, a fierce old bear
      Lies amid bones and blood.

    Was none who would be foremost
      To lead such dire attack? 
    But those behind cried “Forward!”
      And those before cried “Back!”
    And backward now and forward
      Wavers the deep array;
    And on the tossing sea of steel
    To and fro the standards reel;
    And the victorious trumpet peal
      Dies fitfully away.

    Yet one man for one moment
      Strode out before the crowd;
    Well known was he to all the Three,
      And they gave him greeting loud: 
   “Now welcome, welcome, Sextus! 
      Now welcome to thy home! 
    Why dost thou stay, and turn away? 
      Here lies the road to Rome.”

    Thrice looked he at the city;
      Thrice looked he at the dead;
    And thrice came on in fury,
      And thrice turned back in dread: 
    And, white with fear and hatred,
      Scowled at the narrow way
    Where, wallowing in a pool of blood,
      The bravest Tuscans lay.

    But meanwhile ax and lever
      Have manfully been plied,
    And now the bridge hangs tottering
      Above the boiling tide. 
   “Come back, come back, Horatius!”
      Loud cried the Fathers all. 
   “Back, Lartius!  Back, Herminius! 
      Back, ere the ruin fall!”

    Back darted Spurius Lartius;
      Herminius darted back: 
    And, as they passed, beneath their feet
      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.

    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
      Rose from the walls of Rome,
    As to the highest turret tops
      Was splashed the yellow foam.

    And, like a horse unbroken
      When first he feels the rein,
    The furious river struggled hard,
      And tossed his tawny mane;
    And burst the curb, and bounded,
      Rejoicing to be free,
    And whirling down, in fierce career,
    Battlement, and plank, and pier,
      Rushed headlong to the sea.