Definition of Inauspiciously

  A Roman slave appeared one day
  Before the Augur.  'Tell me, pray,
  If --' here the Augur, smiling, made
  A checking gesture and displayed
  His open palm, which plainly itched,
  For visibly its surface twitched.
  A denarius (the Latin nickel)
  Successfully allayed the tickle,
  And then the slave proceeded:  'Please
  Inform me whether Fate decrees
  Success or failure in what I
  To-night (if it be dark) shall try.
  Its nature?  Never mind -- I think
  'Tis writ on this' -- and with a wink
  Which darkened half the earth, he drew
  Another denarius to view,
  Its shining face attentive scanned,
  Then slipped it into the good man's hand,
  Who with great gravity said:  'Wait
  While I retire to question Fate.'
  That holy person then withdrew
  His scared clay and, passing through
  The temple's rearward gate, cried 'Shoo!'
  Waving his robe of office.  Straight
  Each sacred peacock and its mate
  (Maintained for Juno's favor) fled
  With clamor from the trees o'erhead,
  Where they were perching for the night.
  The temple's roof received their flight,
  For thither they would always go,
  When danger threatened them below.
  Back to the slave the Augur went:
  'My son, forecasting the event
  By flight of birds, I must confess
  The auspices deny success.'
  That slave retired, a sadder man,
  Abandoning his secret plan --
  Which was (as well the craft seer
  Had from the first divined) to clear
  The wall and fraudulently seize
  On Juno's poultry in the trees.

G.J.