A Lay Sung at the Feast (28)

    All round them paused the battle, While met in mortal fray¹ The Roman and the Tusculan, The horses black and gray. Herminius smote² Mamilius Through breast-plate and through breast, And fast flowed out the purple blood Over the purple vest. Mamilius smote Herminius Through head-piece and through head, And side by side those chiefs of pride, Together fell down dead. Down fell they dead together In a great lake of gore³； And still stood all who saw them fall While men might count a score.