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" I am a man , " he said ; " but no man has ever befriended me . This poor lion alone has been kind to me ; and we love each other as brothers . " The people were not so bad that they could be cruel to the poor slave now . " Live and be free ! " they cried . " Live and be free ! " Others cried , " Let the lion go free too ! Give both of them their liberty ! " And so Androclus was set free , and the lion was given to him for his own . And they lived together in Rome for many years . HORATIUS AT THE BRIDGE . Once there was a war between the Roman people and the Etruscans who lived in the towns on the other side of the Tiber River . Porsena , the King of the Etruscans , raised a great army , and marched toward Rome . The city had never been in so great danger . The Romans did not have very many fighting men at that time , and they knew that they were not strong enough to meet the Etruscans in open battle . So they kept themselves inside of their walls , and set guards to watch the roads . One morning the army of Porsena was seen coming over the hills from the north . There were thousands of horsemen and footmen , and they were marching straight toward the wooden bridge which spanned the river at Rome . " What shall we do ? " said the white - haired Fathers who made the laws for the Roman people . " If they once gain the bridge , we cannot hinder them from crossing ; and then what hope will there be for the town ? " Now , among the guards at the bridge , there was a brave man named Horatius . He was on the farther side of the river , and when he saw that the Etruscans were so near , he called out to the Romans who were behind him . " Hew down the bridge with all the speed that you can ! " he cried . " I , with the two men who stand by me , will keep the foe at bay . " 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 whom Porsena had sent to take the bridge . On the bridge the Romans hewed away at the beams and posts . Their axes rang , the chips flew fast ; and soon it trembled , and was ready to fall . " Come back ! come back , and save your lives ! " they cried to Horatius and the two who were with him . But just then Porsena's horsemen dashed toward them again . " Run for your lives ! " said Horatius to his friends . " I will keep the road . " They turned , and ran back across the bridge . They had hardly reached the other side when there was a crashing of beams and timbers . The bridge toppled over to one side , and then fell with a great splash into the water . When Horatius heard the sound , he knew that the city was safe . With his face still toward Porsena's men , he moved slowly backward till he stood on the river's bank . A dart thrown by one of Porsena's soldiers put out his left eye ; but he did not falter . He cast his spear at the foremost horseman , and then he turned quickly around . He saw the white porch of his own home among the trees on the other side of the stream ;
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