Liv. 2.10.1Cum hostēs adessent, prō sē quisque in urbem ex agrīs dēmigrant, urbem ipsam saepiunt praesidiīs.When the enemy were at hand, everyone for himself moves from the fields into the city, and they surround the city itself with garrisons. Liv. 2.10.1Alia mūrīs, alia Tiberī obiectō vidēbantur tūta;Some parts seemed safe because of the walls, others because of the barrier of the Tiber; Liv. 2.10.2pōns sublicius iter paene hostibus dedit, nī ūnus vir fuisset, Horātius Cocles;the Sublician bridge almost gave the enemy a way in, had there not been one man, Horatius Cocles; Liv. 2.10.2id mūnīmentum illō diē fortūna urbis Rōmānae habuit.that was the bulwark which the fortune of the city of Rome had on that day. Liv. 2.10.3Quī positus forte in statiōne pontis, cum captum repentīnō impetū Iāniculum atque inde citātōs dēcurrere hostēs vīdisset trepidamque turbam suōrum arma ōrdinēsque relinquere, reprehēnsāns singulōs, obsistēns obtestānsque deum et hominum fidem testābātur nēquīquam dēsertō praesidiō eōs fugere;He, posted by chance on guard at the bridge, when he saw the Janiculum taken by a sudden assault and the enemy running down from there at full speed, and the panic-stricken crowd of his own men abandoning their weapons and ranks, catching hold of them one by one, standing in their way and appealing to the faith of gods and men, declared that it was useless for them to flee, deserting their post; Liv. 2.10.4sī trānsitum pontem ā tergō relīquissent, iam plūs hostium in Palātiō Capitōliōque quam in Iāniculō fore.if they left the bridge behind them for the enemy to cross, there would soon be more of the enemy on the Palatine and the Capitol than on the Janiculum.
Liv. 2.10.4Itaque monēre, praedīcere, ut pontem ferrō, ignī, quācumque vī possint, interrumpant;So he urged and charged them to break down the bridge with steel, with fire, by whatever force they could; Liv. 2.10.4sē impetum hostium, quantum corpore ūnō posset obsistī, exceptūrum.he himself would receive the enemy's attack, as far as it could be withstood by a single body. Liv. 2.10.5Vādit inde in prīmum aditum pontis, īnsignisque inter cōnspecta cēdentium pugnae terga obversīs comminus ad ineundum proelium armīs ipsō mīrāculō audāciae obstupefēcit hostīs.Then he strides to the head of the bridge, and, conspicuous among the backs of those he could see retreating from the fight, turning his weapons to engage hand to hand, he stunned the enemy by the very marvel of his daring. Liv. 2.10.6Duōs tamen cum eō pudor tenuit, Sp. Larcium ac T. Herminium, ambōs clārōs genere factīsque.Two men, however, a sense of shame kept with him, Spurius Larcius and Titus Herminius, both distinguished in birth and deeds. Liv. 2.10.7Cum hīs prīmam perīculī procellam et quod tumultuōsissimum pugnae erat parumper sustinuit;With them he withstood for a short while the first storm of danger and the most turbulent part of the fight; Liv. 2.10.7deinde eōs quoque ipsōs exiguā parte pontis relictā, revocantibus quī rescindēbant, cēdere in tūtum coēgit.then, when only a small part of the bridge was left, and those who were cutting it down were calling them back, he forced them too to withdraw to safety.
Liv. 2.10.8Circumferēns inde trucēs mināciter oculōs ad procerēs Etrūscōrum nunc singulōs prōvocāre, nunc increpāre omnēs: servitia rēgum superbōrum, suae lībertātis inmemorēs aliēnam oppugnātum venīre.Then, casting his fierce eyes menacingly round at the Etruscan nobles, he now challenged them one by one, now taunted them all: slaves of proud kings, forgetful of their own liberty, they were coming to attack another's. Liv. 2.10.9Cūnctātī aliquamdiū sunt, dum alius alium, ut proelium incipiant, circumspectant.They hesitated for some time, while each looked round at the others to begin the fight. Liv. 2.10.9Pudor deinde commōvit aciem, et clamōre sublātō undique in ūnum hostem tēla coniciunt.Then shame stirred their line, and raising a shout they hurl their spears from all sides at their single enemy. Liv. 2.10.10Quae cum in obiectō cūncta scūtō haesissent, neque ille minus obstinātus ingentī pontem obtinēret gradū, iam impetū cōnābantur dētrūdere virum, cum simul fragor ruptī pontis, simul clamor Rōmānōrum alacritāte perfectī operis sublātus, pavōre subitō impetum sustinuit.When all of these had stuck in the shield he held before him, and he, no less stubborn, was holding the bridge with a mighty stride, they were now trying to thrust him off by a charge, when at one and the same moment the crash of the broken bridge and the shout of the Romans, raised in joy at the completion of their work, checked their charge with sudden panic.
Liv. 2.10.11Tum Cocles "Tiberīne pater" inquit, "tē sāncte precor, haec arma et hunc mīlitem propitiō flūmine accipiās."Then Cocles said, 'Father Tiber, I solemnly pray you, receive these arms and this soldier with a kindly stream.' Liv. 2.10.11Ita sīcut erat armātus in Tiberim dēsiluit multīsque superincidentibus tēlīs incolumis ad suōs trānāvit rem ausus plūs fāmae habitūram ad posterōs quam fideī.So, armed as he was, he leapt down into the Tiber and, though many spears fell upon him, swam across unhurt to his own men, having dared a deed which would find more fame than belief with posterity. Liv. 2.10.11Grāta ergā tantam virtūtem cīvitās fuit: statua in comitiō posita;The state was grateful for such great courage: a statue was set up in the Comitium; Liv. 2.10.12agrī quantum ūnō diē circumarāvit datum.he was given as much land as he could plough round in a single day. Liv. 2.10.12Prīvāta quoque inter pūblicōs honōrēs studia ēminēbant;Private zeal, too, stood out amid the public honours; Liv. 2.10.13nam in magnā inopiā prō domesticīs cōpiīs ūnusquisque aliquid fraudāns sē ipse vīctū suō contulit.for in the great scarcity each man, in proportion to his household means, brought him something, depriving himself of his own food.