The tribunes and ὁι πολλοι are all making up their books,
Or drawing for a lion "sweep," with eager turfish looks.
The den is opened, horror reigns, no soul is heard to speak;
Androcles strikes an attitude, like Keller's Poses Plastiques;
When Nero, darting from his cage, no longer fierce and wild,
Takes up the doomed one in his arms as though he were a child;
And roars and dances gaily on his hind legs loud and long,
As we have seen the Nigger when he sings the Banjo song.
The criminal is innocent!—he need no longer stay;
And with the lion arm-in-arm he bows and walks away.—