Prorsus Retrorsus (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1892 edition. Excerpt: ...in thy words the mother of heroes, And thy kinship is traced not in the lines of descent, But in the spirit, more truly kindred than blood or the body, Stamping its seal on the act, clearer to read than the print. Deep is thy rapture to image thyself the mother of Great Men Born to rule the whole world, as from Olympus the Gods. Yes, thyself thou hast named, hereafter hold fast to thy title, Young Cornelia of Kome, mother of possible sons Like the old Romans, men of the mightiest will and of action: Thy great son, may he make Italy great as of yore 6. Tiber and Arethusa. Swollen and angry seems always the brow of the God of the Tiber; He has a right to his wrath if we but think of his lot; All the drains of the earth and streams that wash alien countries Have been gathered by time into the torrent of Rome, To be sent down her channel afar to the limitless ocean, Which doth lave every land round the new shores of the world. But now behold this fountain of joy that runs through the city Greek Arethusa has flowed under the sea into Rome. Where the Greek rivulet pours its transparency into the river, The stern frown of the God drops into dimples of joy; Thither I love to saunter at random along the bright border, Till the clear waters be lost, lost in the turbulent wave. 7. The Two Muses. Two fair daughters were born to the ages, Camena and Musa; Giantess grew up the one, swaying all men to her will, While the sweet sister has always remained a blooming young maiden, Sixteen summers she has; 'tis the old story of love. 8. The Two Streams. Clear are thy fountains, O Hellas, as out of the hillsides they gurgle, And in a crystalline stream flow through the valley and mead; Small are thy rills, oft leaping along in channels of marble, Often...