POEMS OLD AND NEW
But at his haughty challenge
A sullen murmur ran.
Mingled of wrath, and shame, and dreada
Along that glittering van.
There lacked not men of prowess,
Nor men of lordly race ;
For all Etruria's noblest
Were round the fatal place.
But all Etruria's noblest
Felt their hearts sink to see i<
On the earth the bloody corpses,
In the path the dauntless Three :
And, from the ghastly entrance,
Where those bold Romans stood,
All shrank, like boys who unaware,
Ranging the woods to start a hare,
Come to the mouth of the dark lair
Where, growling low, a fierce old bear
Lies amidst bones and blood.
Was none who would be foremost 20
To lead such dire attack :
But those behind cried " Forward ! "
And those before cried " Back ! "
And backward now and forward
Wavers the deep array :
And on the tossing sea of steel,
To and fro the standards reel ;
And the victorious trumpet-peal
Dies fitfully away.
But meanwhile axe and lever 30
Have manfully been plied ;
And now the bridge hangs tottering
Above the boiling tide.
20