HORATIUS COCLES, a legendary hero of ancient Rome. With two companions he defended the Sublician bridge against Lars Porsena and the whole army of the Etruscans, while the Romans cut down the bridge behind. Then Horatius threw him self into the Tiber and swam in safety to the shore. A statue was erected in his honour in the temple of Vulcan, and he re ceived as much land as he could plough round in a single day. According to another version, Horatius alone defended the bridge, and was drowned in the Tiber.
E. Pais finds the origin of the story in the worship of Vulcan, and identifies Cocles (the "one-eyed") with one of the Cyclopes. He concludes that the supposed statue of Cocles was really that of Vulcan. He suggests that the legend arose from some religious ceremony, possibly that of throwing the stuffed figures called Argei into the Tiber from the Pons Sublicius on the ides of May. The Horatian family were connected with the worship of Vulcan.