Horatius at the Bridge

No commentary this time, just an excerpt from the poem itself. Great works don't need my rambling. 

This poem can be found in its entirety at: Project Gutenberg

The famous part:

Then out spoke brave Horatius, the Captain of the Gate:

"To every man upon this earth, death cometh soon or late;

And how can man die better than facing fearful odds,

For the ashes of his fathers, and the temples of his Gods,

And for the tender mother who dandled him to rest,

And for the wife who nurses his baby at her breast,

And for the holy maidens who feed the eternal flame,

To save them from false Sextus, that wrought the deed of shame?

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:

Now, who will stand on either hand and keep the bridge with me?'

Then out spake Spurius 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.

For Romans in Rome's quarrel spared neither land nor gold,

Nor son nor wife, nor limb nor life, in the brave days of old.

To summarize (spoiler alert!) the Dauntless Three in fact hold the bridge, keeping the invaders at bay until the bridge is felled, then retreating safely across the Tiber, to the cheers of even the hordes of Lars Porcina for their unparalleled act of gallantry.