As Greece of old acclaimed thee God and man,
⁠ So, Death, our tongue acclaims thee: yet wast thou
⁠ Hailed of old Rome as Romans hail thee now,
Goddess and woman. Since the sands first ran
That told when first man's life and death began,
⁠ The shadows round thy blind ambiguous brow
⁠ Have mocked the votive plea, the pleading vow
That sought thee sorrowing, fain to bless or ban.

But stronger than a father's love is thine,
⁠ And gentler than a mother's. Lord and God,
⁠ Thy staff is surer than the wizard rod
That Hermes bare as priest before thy shrine
⁠ And herald of thy mercies. We could give
⁠ Nought, when we would have given: thou bidst him live.