day; and afterwards they went forth into the
space that lay between the two armies. And these sat and watched them
before their camps, being quit indeed of the peril of battle, but full
of care how the matter should end, seeing that so great things, even
sovereignty and freedom, should be decided by the valour and good luck
of so few men. Then, the signal of battle being given, the three met the
three with such courage and fierceness as though there were a whole army
on either side. And as their swords rang against each other and flashed,
all men trembled to see, and could scarcely speak or breathe for fear
of what should happen. And for a while, in so narrow a space did the men
fight, nought could be seen but how they swayed to and fro, and how the
blood ran down upon the ground. But afterwards it was plain to see that
of the three Romans two were fallen dead upon the ground, and that of
the three champions of Alba each man was wounded.

[Illustration: Death of the Horatti and Curiattii 056]

At this sight the Alban host shouted for joy, but the men of Rome had
no more any hope but only fear, to think what should befall their one
champion that had now three enemies against him. Now, by good luck, it
had so fallen out that this one had received no wound, so that, though
he was no match for the three together, he did not doubt but that he
should prevail over them severally one by one. Wherefore, that he might
so meet them, dividing them the one from the other, he made a feint to
fly, thinking that they would follow him each as quickly as his wound
might suffer him. And so it fell out. For when he had fled now no
small space from the ground where they had fought at the first, he
saw, looking behind him, that the three were following him at a great
distance one from the other, and that one was very near to himself. Then
he turned himself and ran fiercely upon the man; and behold even while
the men of Alba cried aloud to the two that they should help their
brother, he had slain him, and was now running towards the second. And
when the men of Rome saw what had befallen, they set up a great shout,
as men are wont when they have good luck beyond their hopes; and their
champion made such haste to do his part that or ever the third of the
Alban three could come up, though indeed he was close at hand, he had
slain the second also. And now, seeing that there remained one only on
either side, there was in some sort an equality, yet