More than two thousand years ago Rome was ruled over by some kings
called the Tarquins. As they were wicked men, the Roman people rose up
against them, and drove them out of the city. The banished kings then
went to Tuscany, where Lars Porsena took up their cause, and gathering
an army together, went to help them force an entrance into Rome again.
The city could only be entered by crossing the river Tiber, and there
was but one wooden bridge over which the army could pass. Then the
leader of the Romans, who was called the Consul, cried out to his
followers to destroy the bridge.
"But," he added sadly, "I fear they will be upon us before we have time
to hew it down."
At this a Roman called Horatius came forward and offered to stand at the
farther end of the bridge, to keep the Tuscans at bay while it was being
destroyed.
"The pathway is so narrow," said he, "that if two others will help me,
we can stop the whole army from advancing. So who will keep the bridge
with me?"
Two other brave Romans, called Spurius Lartius and Titus Herminius, at
once answered the call of their comrade, and these three gallant men
went to defend the passage, while the rest hastened to destroy the
bridge.
When the Tuscans saw the three men standing ready to meet the whole
army, they laughed aloud in scorn. But their laughter was soon changed
to wrath and despair, as one after the other they and their chiefs were
quickly laid low at the feet of the dauntless Romans.
Meanwhile the supports of the bridge were destroyed. The Consul shouted
to the three heroes to hasten across before the ruin fell into the water
beneath. Lartius and Herminius just succeeded in getting safely to the
farther bank, but Horatius remained facing the foe until the last beam
fell. Then with a cry he leapt into the foaming stream, and although
badly wounded and heavy with his armour, he managed to rejoin his
comrades on dry land, to the joy of the whole city. During his gallant
fight, a dart from an enemy's arrow had put out one eye, and because of
this he was given the surname of Cocles, which means one-eyed.
[Illustration: HORATIUS AT THE BRIDGE]