Far to left and far to right,

In broken gleams of dark-blue light,
The long array of helmets bright,

The long array of spears.

XXII.

And plainly and more plainly,
Above that glimmering line,
Now might ye see the banners
Of twelve fair cities shine;
But the banner of proud Clusium
Was highest of them all,
The terror of the Umbrian,

The terror of the Gaul.

XXIII.

And plainly and more plainly

Now might the burghers know,
By port and vest, by horse and crest.
Each warlike Lucumo.

There Cilnius of Arretium

On his fleet roan was seen;

And Astur of the four-fold shield,

Girt with the brand none else may wield,

Tolumnius with the belt of gold,

And dark Verbenna from the hold

By reedy Thrasymene.

XXIV.

Fast by the royal standard,

O'erlooking all the war,

Lars Porsena of Clusium

Sat in his ivory car.

By the right wheel rode Mamilius, Prince of the Latian name;

And by the left false Sextus,

That wrought the deed of shame.

XXV.

But when the face of Sextus

Was seen among the foes,
A yell that rent the firmament
From all the town arose.

On the house-tops was no woman
But spat towards him and hissed;
No child but screamed out curses,

And shook its little fist.

XXVI.

But the Consul's brow was sad,

And the Consul's speech was low,

XXIX.

"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?"

H