A LAY OF ANCIENT ROME.

Manawatu Times, Volume V, Issue 163, 28 September 1881, Page 2

A LAY OF ANCIENT ROME.

The noble rnlera of 'the' land within the Se* nate sat, Patricias the Pheniciau (m vulgar term*. called Pat). . Majoriaa Alkiusonias, the money changS^* true With Wattina and Hallius and Teddies, -.Timaro ;.'; .'..■.... Batroniua Brandius Oheapius, who ha^* from Caversham, And Dictioß Tompsi (who it commonly > called Tarn), The people's triJ3une,Gj'ey.cus, i and Andrew* madras ttont, ' I Alltw'ongia* (surnataed Am) who is known to twist' about ;' ;. BratJddnrus the Patrician, and Russeta* Jaysee, And Sha ot ins the Southern (the fsiend of 1 . - strong Fee Bee). , : Ballanciua tb,e mighty scribe (a maa ofr prints aiid pai-s); ' And Georgii "Fiddling, whose fame was won, m Pannic wars ; '■ ■ Patricians and Plobians npon that day did meet, The ! raator, proud Seym,orioaß, sat m th* judgment sett i . * And floods of fiiiy eloquence ftew rounds the iofty- dome ;.: : ,'"l~ Oh! this was m the golden prime of glory and of Rome. *; ■ Thea up rose great Vincentius, a tribune. true and tried, , And glaring at false Spurius Seddonins, hs- . cried j-t; ! [ " By all the gods, the great nine godß,.thoil, art a Tablet vile, ....... (And, as he epa,ke, Yincentins put on hit - helmettile),. Thou.artavarlet vile, IsvreaPj for ihott didst give thy pledge Ta Eollestonius thie stout, and now, slave,, ■^^ ; ( hoii wouldat hedge 'i'~'. '- Oh Boine .!• where, is thins honor now j Oh 1 day of dark despair ; A rotten appla we have here, and not & rott»n|»«in"J . .__

Then-Spuritis Seddonius .look'd black as da&ky night, — ('Twas m. the sad September, the month of wail and fight) And jumping to his feet, he roared, and snook bis furious fist, " Thon art a sanguinary slave and caitiff too, I wist ;"— • '•'•• Peace-varlet " roared Vincemtias (and under breath he swors), " These arms of mine are Augurs that were ; tEat were made for such; a bow, Come outside to the Forum, ".—and he went before him out, " Come outsiJe to the Foirnn ;"— still did the hero shout. But Spurius Sedd tnius sat silently and smole A. sickly smile, and then he wank » wink at stately Tole ; Thtn Hirstius the valiant chief, m soothing accents; Said :— ' " Pray do come out and let my friend Vincentius punch yoarhead." - And proudly through the Forum the brave Vincentius strode, But base Keddohius _ only cried.— "Go oat? — I'll see jrbu blow'd, Before I fight Yincentim, just cay it's not for Joe," Then all the pjroud Patricians and Plebeians cried ♦' Oil ! oh t" PADDY MURPHY.