le they delayed, looking each
man to his neighbour, who should first deal with this champion of the
Romans. Then, for very shame, they all ran forward, and raising a great
shout, threw their javelins at him. These all he took upon his shield,
nor stood the the less firmly in his place on the bridge, from which
when they would have thrust him by force, of a sudden the men of Rome
raised a great shout, for the bridge was now altogether broken down, and
fell with a great crash into the river. And as the enemy stayed a while
for fear, Horatius turned him to the river and said, "O Father Tiber, I
beseech thee this day with all reverence that thou kindly receive this
soldier and his arms." And as he spake he leapt with all his arms into
the river and swam across to his own people, and though many javelins of
the enemy fell about him, he was not one whit hurt.

[Illustration: Horatius on the Bridge 126]

Nor did such valour fail to receive due honour from the city. For the
citizens set up a statue of Horatius in the market-place; and they gave
him of the public land so much as he could plough about in one day. Also
there was this honour paid him, that each citizen took somewhat of his
own store and gave it to him, for food was scarce in the city by reason
of the siege.

After these things King Porsenna thought not any more to take the city
by assault, but rather to shut it up. To this end he held Janiculum with
a garrison, and pitched his own camp on the plain ground by the river;
and the river he kept with ships, lest food should be brought into the
city by water. Thus it came to pass in no long time that the famine in
the city was scarcely to be endured, so that the King had good hopes
that the Romans would surrender themselves to him. But being in these
straits, they were delivered by the boldness of a noble youth, whose
name was Caius Mucius. This man at the first purposed with himself to
make his way into the camp of the enemy without the knowledge of any;
but fearing lest if he should go without bidding from the Consuls, no
man knowing his purpose, he might haply be taken by the sentinels and
carried back to the city as one that sought to desert to the enemy--Rome
being in so evil a plight that such an accusation would be readily
believed--he sought audience of the Senate. And being admitted he said,
"Fathers, I purpose to cross the Tiber, and to enter, if I shall be
able, the camp of the enemy; plunder I seek not, but