Page:Metamorphoses (Ovid, 1567).djvu/413

 To tell of things as then to comme. The Tyrrhenes did him call By name of Tages. He did teach the Tuskanes first of all To gesse by searching bulks of beastes what after should befall. Or like as did king Romulus when soodeinly he found His lawnce on mountayne Palatine fast rooted in the ground, And bearing leaves, no longer now a weapon but a tree, Which shadowed such as woondringly came thither for to see. Or else as Cippus when he in the ronning brooke had seene His homes. For why he saw them, and supposing there had beene No credit to bee given unto the glauncing image, hee Put oft his fingers to his head, and felt it so to bee. And blaming now no more his eyes, in comming from the chase With conquest of his foes, he stayd. And lifting up his face And with his face, his homes to heaven, he sayd: What ever thing Is by this woonder meant, O Goddes, if joyfull newes it bring I pray yee let it joyfull to my folk and countrye bee: But if it threaten evill, let the evill light on mee. In saying so, an altar greene of clowwers he did frame, And offred fuming frankincence in fyre uppon the same, And powred boawles of wyne theron, and searched therwithall The quivering inwards of a sheepe to know what should befall. A Tyrrhene wizard having sought the bowelles, saw therin Great chaunges and attempts of things then readye to begin, Which were not playnly manifest. But when that he at last His eyes from inwards of the beast on Cippus homes had cast, Hayle king (he sayd). For untoo thee, O Cippus, unto thee, And to thy homes shall this same place and Rome obedyent bee. Abridge delay: and make thou haste to enter at the gates Which tarrye open for thee. So commaund the soothfast fates. Thou shalt bee king assoone as thou hast entred once the towne, And thou and thyne for evermore shalt weare the royall crowne. With that he stepping back his foote, did turne his frowning face From Romeward, saying: Farre, O farre, the Goddes such handsel chace. More ryght it were I all my lyfe a bannisht man should bee, Than that the holy Capitoll mee reigning there should see. Thus much he sayd: and by and by toogither he did call The people and the Senators. But yit he first of all