194 MACAULAY
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 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
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.
Yet one man for one moment Strode out before the crowd;
Well known was he to all the Three, And they gave him greeting loud.
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