76 A BOOK OF MORTALS 



gently gave the infants sucke, that Faustulus, the head Reeve and overseer of 

 the kings cattell, found her licking them with her tongue ; who brought them 

 to his homestall, and gave them to his wife Laurentia to be fostered. 



The Roman Historie by 7. Livius of Padua. 



They were doomed by a bloody king ; 

 They were doomed by a lying priest : 

 They were cast on the raging flood 

 They were tracked by the raging beast. 



The troubled river knew them 

 And smoothed his yellow foam 

 And gently rocked the cradle 

 That bore the fate of Rome. 



The ravening she-wolf knew them 

 And licked them o'er and o'er 

 And gave them of her own fierce milk 

 Rich with raw flesh and gore. 



At the hallgate sat Capys 



Capys the sightless seer 



From head to foot he trembled 



As Romulus drew near, 



And up stood stiff his thin white hair 



And his blind eyes flashed fire, 



" Hail ! foster child of the wondrous nurse 



Hail ! son of the wondrous sire ! 



Leave gold and myrrh and jewels 

 Rich table and soft bed 

 To them who of man's seed were born 

 Whom woman's milk hath fed — 



Thou wast not made for lucre 



For pleasure nor for rest. 

 Thou that art sprung from the War God's loins 

 And hast tugged at the she-wolf's breast. 



