Horatius at the Bridge

Cum hostes adessent, pro se quisque in urbem ex agris demigrant; urbem ipsam saepiunt praesidiis.

When the enemy arrived, every person on his own leaves the city from the fields; they protect the city itself with blockades.

Alia muris, alia Tiberi obiecto uidebantur tuta; pons sublicius iter paene hostibus dedit, ni unus uir fuisset, Horatius Cocles; id munimentum illo die fortuna urbis Romanae habient.

Some places seemed safe with walls, and other walls seemed safe with the Tiber; the stacked bridge almost gave passage to the enemy, except one man was there, Horatius Cocles; that was the fortification on that day that the fortune of the Roman city had.

Qui positus forte in statione pontis cum captum repentino impetu Ianiculum atque inde citatos decurrere hostes uidisset trepidamque turbam suorum arma ordinesque relinquere, reprehensans singulos, obsistens obtestunsque deum et hominem fidem testabatur ne

And he was placed by chance on guard at his post, the bridge, when the Janiculum was captured by a sudden attack and thence he saw the enemies quickly hurry down, and he saw the alarmed crowd of his own men leaving behind arms and the ranks; rebuking each

Itaque monere, praedicere ut pontem ferro, igni, quacumque ui possint, interrumpant: se impetum hostium, quantum corpore uno posset obsisti, excepturum.

And so, he advises them and preaches that they guard the bridge with swords, fire, and whatever force they can muster, and he says that he will take up the attack of the enemy, as much as possible to resist with one body.

Uadit inde in primum aditum pontis, insignisque inter conspecta cedentium pugna terga obuersis comminus ad ineundem proelium armis, ipso miraculo audaciae obstupefecit hostes.

He struts from there onto the first point on the bridge, noteworthy among the spectacle of people running away from the fight with their backs, with his weapons turned back around for hand-to-hand combat to enter the battle, by that very spectacle of bold

duos tamen cum eo pudor tenuit, Sp. Larcium ac T. Herminium, ambos claros genere factisque.

But nevertheless shame held with him Spurius Larcius and Titus Herminius, both of them famous because of their deeds and their families.

Cum his primam periculi procellam et quod tumultuosissimum pugnae erat parumper sustinuit; deinde eos quoque ipsos exigua parte pontis relicta revocantibus qui rescindebant cedere in tutum coegit.

With these men, he held off the first onslaught of danger and that which is the most intense of the fight for a little while; and then those men, with only a small part of the bridge left, calling back those who were cutting down into safety, he compelled

Circumfereus inde truces mindaciter oculos ad proceres Etruscorum nunc singulos prouocare, nunc increpare omnes: servitia regem superborum, suae libertatis immemores alienam oppugnatum venire.

Thence turning around threateningly, he carried his harsh eyes towards the leading men of the Etruscans now, now chiding everyone: that of proud kings, forgetful of their own freedom, are coming to attack another freedom.

Cunctati aliquamdiu sunt, dum alius alium, ut proelium incipiant, circumspectant; pudor deinde commouit aciem, et clamore sublato undique in unum hostem tela coniciunt.

They hesitated for some time, one looks around at another, and they began to go to the battle; shame from then on roused the battle line, with a shout lifted up from all sides they threw their spears to one enemy.

Quae cum in obiecto cuncta scuto haesissent, neque ille minus obstinatus ingenti pontem obtineret grandu, iam impetu conabantur detrudere birum, cum simul fragor rupti pontis, simul clamor Romanorum, alacritate perfecti operis sublatus, pauore subito impe

And when the spears struck altogether in his shield in between, and no less immovable, he holds down the bridge with one big step, and now with an attack they try to off the man, when at the same time there is a noise of the broken bridge, and now there i

tum Cocles "Tiberine pater," inquit, "te sancte precor, haec arma et hunc militem propitio flumine accipias.

Then Cocles says "Father Holy Tiber, I pray to you, that you accept these weapons and this soldier with an agreeable river.

Ita sic armatus in Tiberim desiluit multisque superincidentibus telis incolumis ad suos trahavit, rem ausus plus famae habituram ad posteros quam fidei.

And so armed he jumped down into the Tiber and with many spears coming down from above, he swam to his people safe and sound, he dared something that is considered more famous than what is believed among later generations.

Grata erga tantam virtutem civitas fuit; statua in comitio posita; agri quantum uno die circumaravit, datum.

The state was grateful for such courage; a statue was put in an assembly place; the statue went around. as much as one field, that he could plow around he was given.

Privata quoque inter publicos honores studia eminebant; nam in magna inopia pro domesticis copiis unusquisque ei aliquid, fraudans se ipse victu suo, contulit.

Private devotions were evident among high public esteem as well; because in great want and in proportion to their household supplies each and everyone brought something, themselves swindled out of their own food.