an's life, a Roman's arms,
Take thou in charge this day!" 20
So he spake, and speaking, sheathed
The good sword by his side,
And with his harness on his back,
Plunged headlong in the tide.

No sound of joy or sorrow 25
Was heard from either bank;
But friends and foes, in dumb surprise,
With parted lips and straining eyes,
Stood gazing where he sank;

And when above the surges
They saw his crest appear,
All Rome sent forth a rapturous cry,
And even the ranks of Tuscany
Could scarce forbear to cheer. 5

"Curse on him!" quoth false Sextus;
"Will not the villain drown?
But for this stay, ere close of day
We should have sacked the town!"
"Heaven help him!" quoth Lars Porsena, 10
"And bring him safe to shore;
For such a gallant feat of arms
Was never seen before."

And now the ground he touches,
Now on dry earth he stands; 15
Now round him throng the Fathers,
To press his gory hands;
And now, with shouts and clapping,
And noise of weeping loud,
He enters through the River Gate, 20
Borne by the joyous crowd.

--_Horatius._

1. This is one of the famous legends of Roman
history, and it loses nothing in Macaulay's
brilliant telling. Lord Macaulay (1800-1859) was an
English statesman, essayist, historian, and poet.
He reveled in the romance of history. Read and
report on his life.

2. What was the situation when this extract takes
up the tale? How many soldiers had Porsena?

3. Imagine yourself in Horatius's place. Read aloud
his brave speech in the first and second stanzas.

4. If you were dramatizing this whole situation,
what scenes would you have? What would be the
climax?

_PIONEER DAYS_

_In these days of the automobile, the swift express
train, the telephone, the telegraph, and the
airplane, it is hard for us to realize that our
country did not always possess the conveniences and
comforts we now enjoy. We are too apt to forget the