"Lo, I will stand at thy cht han 1, And keep the bride with thee."

And cut spik strongmalus;

Of Titian bloc 1 was he:

"I will abide on y le. side,

And keep the bridge with thee."

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.

XXXII.

Then none was for a party;

Then all were for the state:

Then the great man helped the poor,

And the poor man loved the great: Then lands were fairly portioned:

Then spoils were fairly sold: The Romans were like brothers

In the brave days of old.

XXXIII.

Now Roman is to Roman

More hateful than a foe,

And the Tribunes beard the high,
And the Fathers grind the low.

As we wax hot in faction,

In battle we wax cold:

Wherefore men fight not as they fought

In the brave days of old.

XXXIV.

Now while the Three were tightening Their harness on their backs,

The Consul was the foremost man

To take in hand an axe:

And Fathers mixed with Commons

Seized hatchet, bar, and crow, And smote upon the planks above, And loosed the props below.

XXXV.

Meanwhile the Tuscan army,

Right glorious to behold,

Came flashing back the noonday light Rank behind rank, like surges bright

Of a broad sea of gold.

Four hundred trumpets sounded

A peal of warlike glee,

As that great host, with measured tread, And spears advanced, and ensigns spread, Rolled slowly towards the bridge's head,

Where stood the dauntless Three.