1. Ho, trumpets, sound a war-note! The Knights will ride, in all their pr To Mars without the wall. A gallant war-horse under each Shall have such honour still. Gay are the Martian Kalends: December's Nones are gay: But the proud Ides, when the squadron rides, Shall be Rome's whitest day. 2. Unto the Great Twin Brethren Swift, swift, the Great Twin Brethren Tossing in waves of pine, O'er Cirrha's dome, o'er Adria's foam, O'er purple Apennine, From where with flutes and dances Their ancient mansion rings, In lordly Lacedæmon, The City of two kings, To where, by Lake Regillus, All in the lands of Tusculum, Was fought the glorious fight. 3. Now on the place of slaughter Are cots and sheepfolds seen, That moulder deep below. Little they think how sternly That day the trumpets pealed; How in the slippery swamp of blood Warrior and war-horse reeled; How wolves came with fierce gallop, And crows on eager wings, To tear the flesh of captains, And peck the eyes of kings; How thick the dead lay scattered How through the gates of Tusculum And how the Lake Regillus Bubbled with crimson foam, N What time the Thirty Cities Came forth to war with Rome. 4. But, Roman, when thou standest Upon that holy ground, Look thou with heed on the dark rock Stamped deep into the flint: 5. Since last the Great Twin Brethren Of mortal eyes were seen, Have years gone by an hundred And fourscore and thirteen. That summer a Virginius Was Consul first in place; The second was stout Aulus, Of the Posthumian race. |