1. HORATIUS AT THE BRIDGE
Once a great army came marching toward a bridge which led into the city of Rome across the river Tiber. “If they cross the bridge, Rome is lost!” cried the white-haired Fathers who made the laws, for the Roman soldiers were too few to meet so great an army. But brave Horatius, one of the men who guarded the bridge, stood forth and shouted, “Tear down the bridge quickly while I and the two men with me keep the enemy back!” Then with their shields before them and their long spears in their hands the three brave men stood in the road and kept back the horsemen who had been sent to take the bridge. The Romans hewed away the beams and posts and soon the bridge trembled and was ready to fall. Horatius sent back his two friends, who had no sooner reached the other side in safety than crash went the bridge, falling into the river with a great splash. Then Horatius knew that Rome was safe. With his face still toward the foe, he moved slowly backward till he stood on the river’s brink. A dart thrown by one of the soldiers struck his left eye and put it out. But, not with a curse, but a prayer on his lips, he leaped into the deep, swift stream. He had his heavy armor on, and when he sank beneath the water no one thought he would ever be seen again. But he was strong, and the best swimmer in Rome. The next minute he arose and swam to the other side amid the shower of darts and javelins from the enemy. At last when his friends pulled him up on the bank, shout after shout went up, not only from the Romans, but also from the enemy on the other bank, for they had never seen a soldier so strong and brave before.
The Romans, in gratitude, gave him as much land as he could plow around in a day, raised a statue in his honor in the public market-place, and ever after to the Roman children,
With weeping and with laughter
Still was the story told,
How well Horatius kept the bridge
In the brave days of yore.
2. DAMON AND PYTHIAS
Once a young man who had done something that displeased the King, was dragged to prison, and the day set for his death. His home was far away. “Let me go and bid good-bye to my father and mother and friends,” he said to the King, “and I will return and die.” The King laughed and said, “Ah! ah! he wishes to save himself! He would never return!” A young man stepped forward from the crowd, and said: “O King, put me in prison until he returns. I know he will do as he has promised, for he is a man who has never broken his word. If he does not return, I will die for him.”
The King, surprised at such an offer of friendship, agreed. So Pythias went to bid his friends good-bye, and Damon was put in prison. Many days passed. By and by the day arrived for the death of Pythias, and he had not returned. Damon said, “I know something has prevented, or he would be here to keep his word. I am ready to die for him!” The jailer led him out, and was just about to put him to death, when suddenly, far away on the distant road, a cloud of dust was seen growing larger and larger. It was Pythias running, swift as the wind, to keep his promise. He told them how he had been hindered by storm and shipwreck. He thanked his friend again and again for his faith in him. And then giving himself for death into the hands of the jailer, he was led out for execution. “Stop! Stop!” cried the King, “such friends must not suffer unjustly. Pythias shall be free! And I could give all that I possess to have one such true friend!”