Horatius Cocles was an officer in the army of the early Roman Republic who famously defended the Pons Sublicius from the invading army of Etruscan king Lars Porsena of Clusium in the late 6th century BC, during the war between Rome and Clusium. By defending the narrow end of the bridge, he and his companions were able to hold off the attacking army long enough to allow other Romans to destroy the bridge behind him, blocking the Etruscans' advance and saving the city. This fanciful engraving of Cocles was produced in 1586 by the German-born Dutch printmaker Hendrick Goltzius. The full-length portrait shows him holding a raised sword in his right hand and a shield in his left. In the lower right of the background, Cocles takes on an army by himself.
Thanks for being so nice to me when I was down and managing to find a compliment to pay me after I'd just made a whole host of mistakes. Harland1 (t/c) 14:33, 15 April 2008
The Hidden Page Barnstar
I award you one for finding Trekphiler's page for people who always think that "new message" bar is real. Aren't you glad you checked your mail? TREKphilerhit me ♠ 08:42, 14 July 2008
The Random Acts of Kindness Barnstar
Thank you very much for you intervention and encouragemt in a contentious episode I had with a particularly malevolent user in June. This editor continued in his ways and has this week seen them lead him into an unpleasant corner; he has been indefinitely blocked for persistant warring with others and, for now, has vowed to leave Wikipedia. It is always encouraging to see collaboration and good manners prevail. Nick Lantana11 (talk) 21:14, 22 July 2008 (UTC)