P. Ovidius Naso, Metamorphoses
Arthur Golding, Ed.

The straungenesse of the thing did make the nymphes astonyed: and
The Ladye of Amazons sonne amaazd therat did stand,
As when the Tyrrhene Tilman sawe in earing of his land
The fatall clod first stirre alone without the help of hand,
And by and by forgoing quyght the earthly shape of clod,
To take the seemely shape of man, and shortly like a God
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
Did hyde his homes with Lawrell leaves: and then without the wall
He standing on a mount the which his men had made of soddes,
And having after auncient guyse made prayer to the Goddes
Sayd: Heere is one that shall (onlesse yee bannish him your townc
Immediatly) bee king of Rome and weare a royall crowne.
What man it is, I will by signe, but not by name bewray.
He hath uppon his brow two homes. The wizard heere dooth say,
That if he enter Rome, you shall lyke servants him obey.
He myght have entred at your gates which open for him lay,
But I did stay him thence. And yit there is not unto mee
A neerer freend in all the world. Howbee't forbid him yee
O Romanes, that he comme not once within your walles. Or if
He have deserved, bynd him fast in fetters like a theef.
Or in this fatall Tyrants death, of feare dispatch your mynd.
Such noyse as Pynetrees make what tyme the heady easterne wynde
Dooth whiz amongst them, or as from the sea dooth farre rebound:
Even such among the folk of Rome that present was the sound.
Howbee't in that confused roare of fearefull folk, did fall
Out one voyce asking, Whoo is hee? And staring therewithall
Uppon theyr foreheads, they did seeke the foresayd homes. Agen
(Quoth Cippus) Lo, yee have the man for whom yee seeke. And then
He pulld (ageinst his peoples will) his garlond from his head,
And shewed them the two fayre homes that on his browes were spred.
At that the people dassheth downe theyr lookes and syghing is
Ryght sorye (whoo would think it trew?) to see that head of his,
Most famous for his good deserts. Yit did they not forget
The honour of his personage, but willingly did set
The Lawrell garlond on his head ageine. And by and by
The Senate sayd: Well Cippus, sith untill the tyme thou dye
Thou mayst not come within theis walles, wee give thee as much ground
In honour of thee, as a teeme of steeres can plough thee round,
Betweene the dawning of the day, and shetting in of nyght.
Moreover on the brazen gate at which this Cippus myght
Have entred Rome, a payre of homes were gravde to represent
His woondrous shape, as of his deede an endlesse monument.