按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
with shouts and clapping； And noise of weeping loud； He enters
through the River…Gate Borne by the joyous crowd。
LXV
They gave him of the corn…land； That was of public right； As
much as two strong oxen Could plough from morn till night； And
they made a molten image； And set it up on high； And there is
stands unto this day To witness if I lie。
LXVI
It stands in the Comitium Plain for all folk to see； Horatius in
his harness； Halting upon one knee： And underneath is written；
In letters all of gold； How valiantly he kept the bridge In the brave
days of old。
LXVII
And still his name sounds stirring Unto the men of Rome； As
31
… Page 32…
Lays of Ancient Rome
the trumpet…blast that cries to them To charge the Volscian home；
And wives still pray to Juno For boys with hearts as bold As his
who kept the bridge so well In the brave days of old。
LXVIII
And in the nights of winter； When the cold north winds blow；
And the long howling of the wolves Is heard amidst the snow；
When round the lonely cottage Roars loud the tempest's din； And
the good logs of Algidus Roar louder yet within；
LXIX
When the oldest cask is opened； And the largest lamp is lit；
When the chestnuts glow in the embers； And the kid turns on the
spit； When young and old in circle Around the firebrands close；
When the girls are weaving baskets； And the lads are shaping bows；
LXX
When the goodman mends his armor； And trims his helmet's
plume； When the goodwife's shuttle merrily Goes flashing through
the loom； With weeping and with laughter Still is the story told；
How well Horatius kept the bridge In the brave days of old。
32
… Page 33…
Lays of Ancient Rome
The Battle of the Lake Regillus
The following poem is supposed to have been produced about ninety
years after the lay of Horatius。 Some persons mentioned in the lay of
Horatius make their appearance again； and some appellations and epithets
used in the lay of Horatius have been purposely repeated： for； in an age of
ballad…poetry； it scarcely ever fails to happen； that certain phrases come to
be appropriated to certain men and things； and are regularly applied to
those men and things by every minstrel。 Thus we find； both in the
Homeric poems and in Hesiod； ＇several examples of common phrases； in
Greek＇。 Thus； too； in our own national songs； Douglas is almost always
the doughty Douglas； England is merry England； all the gold is red； and
all the ladies are gay。
The principal distinction between the lay of Horatius and the lay of the
Lake Regillus is that the former is meant to be purely Roman； while the
latter； though national in its general spirit； has a slight tincture of Greek
learning and of Greek superstition。 The story of the Tarquins； as it has
come down to us； appears to have been compiled from the works of
several popular poets； and one； at least； of those poets appears to have
visited the Greek colonies in Italy； if not Greece itself； and to have had
some acquaintance with the works of Homer and Herodotus。 Many of the
most striking adventures of the House of Tarquin； before Lucretia makes
her appearance； have a Greek character。 The Tarquins themselves are
represented as Corinthian nobles of the great House of the Bacchiad*；
driven from their country by the tyranny of that Cypselus； the tale of
whose strange escape Herodotus has related with incomparable simplicity
and liveliness。 Livy and Dionysius tell us that； when Tarquin the Proud
was asked what was the best mode of governing a conquered city； he
replied only by beating down with his staff all the tallest poppies in his
garden。 This is exactly what Herodotus； in the passage to which reference
has already been made； relates of the counsel given to Periander； the son
of Cypselus。 The stratagem by which the town of Gabii is brought under
the power of the Tarquins is； again； obviously copied from Herodotus。 The
embassy of the young Tarquins to the oracle at Delphi is just such a story
33
… Page 34…
Lays of Ancient Rome
as would be told by a poet whose head was full of the Greek mythology；
and the ambiguous answer returned by Apollo is in the exact style of the
prophecies which； according to Herodotus； lured Croesus to destruction。
Then the character of the narrative changes。 From the first mention of
Lucretia to the retreat of Porsena nothing seems to be borrowed from
foreign sources。 The villainy of Sextus； the suicide of his victim； the
revolution； the death of the sons of Brutus； the defence of the bridge；
Musius burning his hand； Cloelia swimming through Tiber； seem to be all
strictly Roman。 But when we have done with the Tuscan wars； and enter
upon the war with the Latines； we are again struck by the Greek air of the
story。 The Battle of the Lake Regillus is in all respects a Homeric battle；
except that the combatants ride astride on their horses； instead of driving
chariots。 The mass of fighting men is hardly mentioned。 The leaders single
each other out； and engage hand to hand。 The great object of the warriors
on both sides is； as in the Iliad； to obtain possession of the spoils and
bodies of the slain； and several circumstances are related which forcibly
remind us of the great slaughter round the corpses of Sarpedon and
Patroclus。
But there is one circumstance which deserv