guard
at the bridge, when he saw the Janiculum taken by a sudden assault, and
that the enemy were pouring down from thence in full speed, and that his
own party, in terror and confusion, were abandoning their arms and
ranks, laying hold of them one by one, standing in their way, and
appealing to the faith of gods and men, he declared, "That their flight
would avail them nothing if they deserted their post; if they passed the
bridge and left it behind them, there would soon be more of the enemy in
the Palatium and Capitol than in the Janiculum; for that reason he
advised and charged them to demolish the bridge, by their sword, by
fire, or by any means whatever; that he would stand the shock of the
enemy as far as could be done by one man." He then advances to the first
entrance of the bridge, and being easily distinguished among those who
showed their backs in retreating from the fight, facing about to engage
the foe hand to hand, by his surprising bravery he terrified the enemy.
Two indeed a sense of shame kept with him, Sp. Lartius and T. Herminius,
men eminent for their birth, and renowned for their gallant exploits.
With them he for a short time stood the first storm of the danger, and
the severest brunt of the battle. But as they who demolished the bridge
called upon them to retire, he obliged them also to withdraw to a place
of safety on a small portion of the bridge still left. Then casting his
stern eyes round all the officers of the Etrurians in a threatening
manner, he sometimes challenged them singly, sometimes reproached them
all; "the slaves of haughty tyrants, who, regardless of their own
freedom, came to oppress the liberty of others." They hesitated for a
considerable time, looking round one at the other, to commence the
fight; shame then put the army in motion, and a shout being raised, they
hurl their weapons from all sides on their single adversary; and when
they all stuck in the shield held before him, and he with no less
obstinacy kept possession of the bridge with firm step, they now
endeavoured to thrust him down from it by one push, when at once the
crash of the falling bridge, at the same time a shout of the Romans
raised for joy at having completed their purpose, checked their ardour
with sudden panic. Then Cocles says, "Holy father Tiberinus, I pray that
thou wouldst receive these arms, and this thy soldier, in thy propitious
stream." Armed as he was, he leaped into the Tiber, and amid showers of