Ancient Romans: Horatius at the Bridge!

"With weeping and with laughter
Still is the story told,
How well Horatius kept the bridge
In the brave days of old." - Thomas Babbington Macaulay


The story of Horatius Cocles (one-eyed) at the Pons Sublicius bridge (across Tiber River to Rome) is a great one, and Macaulay's Horatius from The Lays of Ancient Rome should be recited aloud (with feeling of course!) after the story read.

There are several versions of Horatius at the Baldwin Project site, but we like this Horatius story best. While most of the men at the bridge fled at the site of the advancing Etruscans, Horatius held his ground and fought courageously, allowing the Romans enough time to destroy all the bridges, saving the city. He lost an eye in the process and dove into the Tiber River. Livy reports he survived and was able to enjoy a statue in his honor from his grateful city.



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