NOVEMBER 41 Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee; In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me. No sky no dusk no earthly view No distance looking blue No roadno street-no "t'other side the way" No end to any Row No indications where the crescents go No top to any steeple No recognitions of familiar people 10 No news from any foreign coast No park -no ring no afternoon gentility - 20 No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease, No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees, No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds 5 November! THOMAS B. MACAULAY ENGLAND, 1800-1859 Horatius at the Bridge The consul's brow was sad, and the consul's speech was low, And darkly looked he at the wall, and darkly at the foe. "Their van will be upon us before the bridge goes down; And if they once may win the bridge, what hope to save the town?" Then out spoke brave Horatius, the captain of the 10 gate: "To every man upon this earth death cometh, soon or late. Hew down the bridge, Sir Consul, with all the speed ye may; I, with two more to help me, will hold the foe in play. In yon strait path a thousand may well be stopped by three. HORATIUS AT THE BRIDGE 43 Now who will stand on either hand, and keep the bridge with me?" Then out spake Spurious Lartius — a Ramnian proud was he "Lo! I will stand at 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, and keep the bridge with thee." "Horatius," quoth the consul, "as thou sayest, so let it be." And straight against that great array, forth went the dauntless three. Soon 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, The bravest shrank like boys who rouse an old bear in the wood. 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: 10 "Back, Lartius! back, Herminius! back, ere the ruin fall!" Back darted Spurious 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 5 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 10 rein, The furious river struggled hard, and tossed his tawny mane, And burst the curb, and bounded, rejoicing to be free, And battlement, and plank, and pier whirled headlong to the sea. Alone stood brave Horatius, but constant still in mind; HORATIUS AT THE BRIDGE 45 Thrice thirty thousand foes before, and the broad flood behind. "Down with him!" cried false Sextus, 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; Nought spake he to Lars Porsena, to Sextus nought spake he; But he saw on Palatinus the white porch of his home, And he spoke to the noble river that rolls by the towers of Rome: "O Tiber! pray, Father Tiber! to whom the Romans 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. No sound of joy or sorrow was heard from either bank; But friends and foes, in dumb surprise, stood gazing where he sank, And when above the surges they saw his crest appear, 10 |