s: For other nature, thus the soul and mind,


s: Whilst, as through pores, to all the frame there pass


s: This nature of mind, now ruler of our body,


s: Born from that soul which perished, when divided


s: Along the frame. Wherefore it seems that soul


s: Besides are seeds of soul there left behind


s: In the breathless body, or not? If there they are,


s: Since, shorn of some parts lost, 'thas gone away:


s: But if, borne off with members uncorrupt,


s: Behind in body, whence do cadavers, then,


s: From out their putrid flesh exhale the worms,


s: And whence does such a mass of living things,


s: Boneless and bloodless, o'er the bloated frame


s: Bubble and swarm? But if perchance thou thinkest


s: That souls from outward into worms can wind,


s: And reckonest not why many thousand souls


s: Here is a point, in sooth, that seems to need


s: Whether the souls go on a hunt for seeds


s: Of worms wherewith to build their dwelling places,


s: But why themselves they thus should do and toil


s: 'Tis hard to say, since, being free of body,


s: They flit around, harassed by no disease,


s: Nor cold nor famine; for the body labours


s: By more of kinship to these flaws of life,


s: And mind by contact with that body suffers


s: To which to enter in, 'tis plain they can't.


s: Then, souls for self no frames nor bodies make,


s: Nor is there how they once might enter in


s: And there'll be formed no interplay of sense


s: Impetuous rage with lion's breed morose,


s: And cunning with foxes, and to deer why given


s: The ancestral fear and tendency to flee,


s: And why in short do all the rest of traits


s: Because one certain power of mind that came


s: From its own seed and breed waxes the same


s: Immortal, were it wont to change its bodies,


s: How topsy-turvy would earth's creatures act!


s: The Hyrcan hound would flee the onset oft


s: Of antlered stag, the scurrying hawk would quake


s: Along the winds of air at the coming dove,


s: And men would dote, and savage beasts be wise;


s: For false the reasoning of those that say


s: Immortal mind is changed by change of body--


s: For what is changed dissolves, and therefore dies.


s: For parts are re-disposed and leave their order;


s: Of dissolution through the frame at last,


s: But should some say that always souls of men


s: And why is never a child's a prudent soul?


s: And the mare's filly why not trained so well


s: As sturdy strength of steed? We may be sure


s: They'll take their refuge in the thought that mind


s: The soul but mortal, since, so altered now


s: Throughout the frame, it loses the life and sense


s: It had before. Or how can mind wax strong


s: Or what's the purport of its going forth


s: From aged limbs?--fears it, perhaps, to stay,


s: Pent in a crumbled body? Or lest its house,


s: And at the rites of Love, that souls should stand


s: Immortals waiting for their mortal limbs


s: In numbers innumerable, contending madly


s: Which shall be first and chief to enter in!--


s: Unless perchance among the souls there be


s: Such treaties stablished that the first to come


s: And that they make no rivalries of strength!


s: Nor clouds in ocean deeps, nor in the fields


s: Can fishes live, nor blood in timber be,


s: Where everything may grow and have its place.


s: From thews and blood. But if 'twere possible,


s: Much rather might this very power of mind


s: Be in the head, the shoulders or the heels,


s: In the same man, in the same vessel abide.


s: Where soul and mind can each exist and grow,


s: Deny we must the more that they can have


s: Duration and birth, wholly outside the frame.


s: With the eternal, and to feign they feel


s: Together, and can function each with each,


s: Is but to dote: for what can be conceived


s: Of more unlike, discrepant, ill-assorted,


s: Either repel all strokes, because 'tis made


s: Of aught with power to sunder from within


s: The parts compact--as are those seeds of stuff


s: For this: because they are from blows exempt,


s: As is the void, the which abides untouched,


s: There is no room around, whereto things can,


s: Without or place beyond whereto things may


s: And thus dissolve them by the blows of might.


s: But if perchance the soul's to be adjudged


s: Immortal, mainly on ground 'tis kept secure


s: In vital forces--either because there come


s: Never at all things hostile to its weal,


s: Or else because what come somehow retire,


s: Repelled or ere we feel the harm they work,


s: For, lo, besides that, when the frame's diseased,


s: Soul sickens too, there cometh, many a time,


s: That which torments it with the things to be,


s: Keeps it in dread, and wearies it with cares;


s: And even when evil acts are of the past,


s: Still gnaw the old transgressions bitterly.


s: Add, too, that frenzy, peculiar to the mind,


s: And that oblivion of the things that were;


s: Is nothing, nor concerns us in the least,


s: Since nature of mind is mortal evermore.


s: We felt no touch of ill, when all sides round


s: And the times, shaken by tumultuous war,


s: Shuddered and trembled, and all humankind


s: By land and sea, thus when we are no more,


s: When comes that sundering of our body and soul


s: Through which we're fashioned to a single state,


s: Can come to pass, naught move our senses then--


s: No, not if earth confounded were with sea,


s: And sea with heaven. But if indeed do feel


s: After their severance from this body of ours,


s: Through which we're fashioned to a single state.


s: To us the light of life were given, O yet


s: That process too would not concern us aught,


s: When once the self-succession of our sense


s: Has been asunder broken. And now and here,


s: Little enough we're busied with the selves


s: We were aforetime, nor, concerning them,


s: Suffer a sore distress. For shouldst thou gaze


s: The motions of matter are, then couldst thou well


s: (From which we are to-day) of old were set


s: Yet this we can't to consciousness recall


s: Through the remembering mind. For there hath been


s: Have all the motions wandered everywhere


s: From these our senses. For if woe and ail


s: Perchance are toward, then the man to whom


s: The bane can happen must himself be there


s: At that same time. But death precludeth this,


s: Forbidding life to him on whom might crowd


s: Such irk and care; and granted 'tis to know:


s: Nothing for us there is to dread in death,


s: The same estate as if ne'er born before,


s: When death immortal hath ta'en the mortal life.


s: Hence, where thou seest a man to grieve because


s: Or perishes in flames or jaws of beasts,


s: Know well: he rings not true, and that beneath


s: Still works an unseen sting upon his heart,


s: His shall be aught of feeling after death.


s: For he, I fancy, grants not what he says,


s: To pluck himself with all his roots from life


s: Feigning that some remainder's left behind.


s: For when in life one pictures to oneself


s: His body dead by beasts and vultures torn,


s: He pities his state, dividing not himself


s: His own sense, as he stands beside it: hence


s: He grieves that he is mortal born, nor marks


s: That in true death there is no second self


s: Alive and able to sorrow for self destroyed,


s: Or stand lamenting that the self lies there


s: Mangled or burning. For if it an evil is


s: Of the wild brutes, I see not why 'twere not


s: Bitter to lie on fires and roast in flames,


s: Grow stiff in cold, or sink with load of earth


s: The joyful house and best of wives shall welcome,


s: Nor little sons run up to snatch their kisses


s: And touch with silent happiness thy heart.


s: Thou shalt not speed in undertakings more,


s: Poor wretch," they say, "one hostile hour hath ta'en


s: Wretchedly from thee all life's many guerdons,"


s: If this they only well perceived with mind


s: And followed up with maxims, they would free


s: Their state of man from anguish and from fear.


s: "O even as here thou art, aslumber in death,


s: So shalt thou slumber down the rest of time,


s: Released from every harrying pang. But we,


s: Standing beside whilst on the awful pyre


s: Thou wert made ashes; and no day shall take


s: For us the eternal sorrow from the breast."


s: But ask the mourner what's the bitterness


s: That man should waste in an eternal grief,


s: If, after all, the thing's but sleep and rest?


s: For when the soul and frame together are sunk


s: In slumber, no one then demands his self


s: Or being. Well, this sleep may be forever,


s: Yet not at all do those primordial germs


s: Roam round our members, at that time, afar


s: From their own motions that produce our senses--


s: Since, when he's startled from his sleep, a man


s: Collects his senses. Death is, then, to us


s: Much less--if there can be a less than that


s: Which is itself a nothing: for there comes


s: Of the throng of matter, and no man wakes up


s: On whom once falls the icy pause of life.


s: This too, O often from the soul men say,


s: Along their couches holding of the cups,


s: With faces shaded by fresh wreaths awry:


s: "Brief is this fruit of joy to paltry man,


s: Soon, soon departed, and thereafter, no,


s: It may not be recalled."--As if, forsooth,


s: It were their prime of evils in great death


s: To parch, poor tongues, with thirst and arid drought,


s: "Mortal, what hast thou of such grave concern


s: That thou indulgest in too sickly plaints?


s: To thee was grateful, and not all thy good


s: Even like a banqueter, depart the halls,


s: Laden with life? why not with mind content


s: Take now, thou fool, thy unafflicted rest?


s: Lavished and lost, and life is now offence,


s: Why seekest more to add--which in its turn


s: Will perish foully and fall out in vain?


s: To pleasure thee is nothing: all things are


s: The same forever. Though not yet thy body


s: Wrinkles with years, nor yet the frame exhausts


s: Outworn, still things abide the same, even if


s: With length of days, yea, if thou never diest"--


s: What were our answer, but that Nature here


s: Urges just suit and in her words lays down


s: True cause of action? Yet should one complain,


s: Poor devil, his death more sorely than is fit,


s: Then would she not, with greater right, on him


s: Cry out, inveighing with a voice more shrill:


s: "Off with thy tears, and choke thy whines, buffoon!


s: Thou wrinklest--after thou hast had the sum


s: Of the guerdons of life; yet, since thou cravest ever


s: What's not at hand, contemning present good,


s: Or ere thou guessed it, death beside thy head


s: Stands--and before thou canst be going home


s: But now yield all that's alien to thine age,--


s: Up, with good grace! make room for sons: thou must."


s: Justly inveigh and gird: since ever the old


s: Outcrowded by the new gives way, and ever


s: The one thing from the others is repaired.


s: Of Tartarus, the black. For stuff must be,


s: Though these, their life completed, follow thee;


s: And thus like thee are generations all--


s: And in fee-simple life is given to none,


s: Of time the eternal, ere we had a birth.


s: Of time-to-be when we are dead and gone.


s: Here in this life. No Tantalus, benumbed


s: With baseless terror, as the fables tell,


s: Fears the huge boulder hanging in the air:


s: But, rather, in life an empty dread of Gods


s: Such fall of fortune as may chance to him.


s: Prostrate in Acheron, nor can they find,


s: Forsooth, throughout eternal ages, aught


s: To pry around for in that mighty breast.


s: Who hath for outspread limbs not acres nine,


s: But the whole earth--he shall not able be


s: Prostrate in love, whom anxious anguish eats,


s: Nor given at all--and ever in the search


s: To shove with shoulder up the hill a stone


s: Which yet comes rolling back from off the top,


s: And headlong makes for levels of the plain.


s: Then to be always feeding an ingrate mind,


s: Filling with good things, satisfying never--


s: When they return and bring their progenies


s: And varied charms, and we are never filled


s: With the fruits of life--O this, I fancy, 'tis


s: To pour, like those young virgins in the tale,


s: Cerberus and Furies, and that Lack of Light


s: Tartarus, out-belching from his mouth the surge


s: Of horrible heat--the which are nowhere, nor


s: From that dread rock of infamy, the stripes,


s: The iron plates, bitumen, and the torch.


s: And even though these are absent, yet the mind,


s: With a fore-fearing conscience, plies its goads


s: And burns beneath the lash, nor sees meanwhile


s: But grow more heavy after death. Of truth,


s: Repeat thou mayst: "Lo, even good Ancus left


s: The sunshine with his eyes, in divers things


s: A better man than thou, O worthless hind;


s: Thereafter have gone under, once who swayed


s: Who whilom paved a highway down the sea,


s: Along the deep, and taught them how to cross


s: The pools of brine afoot, and did contemn,


s: The bellowings of ocean--poured his soul


s: From dying body, as his light was ta'en.


s: And Scipio's son, the thunderbolt of war,


s: Horror of Carthage, gave his bones to earth,


s: Like to the lowliest villein in the house.


s: Among whom Homer, sceptered o'er them all,


s: Now lies in slumber sunken with the rest.


s: Of own accord offered his head to death.


s: Run out, the man in genius who o'er-topped


s: The human race, extinguishing all others,


s: Wilt thou, then, dally, thou complain to go?--


s: For whom already life's as good as dead,


s: Whilst yet thou livest and lookest?--who in sleep


s: Wastest thy life--time's major part, and snorest


s: The stuff of dreams, and bearest a mind beset


s: What's wrong with thee, when, like a sotted wretch,


s: Thou'rt jostled along by many crowding cares,


s: And wanderest reeling round, with mind aswim."


s: They feel the load that wearies with its weight,


s: Could also know the causes whence it comes,


s: And why so great the heap of ill on heart,


s: O not in this sort would they live their life,


s: What 'tis they want, and seeking ever and ever


s: A change of place, as if to drop the burden.


s: The man who sickens of his home goes out,


s: Forth from his splendid halls, and straight--returns,


s: He races, driving his Gallic ponies along,


s: To hurry help to a house afire.--At once


s: He yawns, as soon as foot has touched the threshold,


s: Each human flees himself--a self in sooth,


s: And willy-nilly he cleaves to it and loathes,


s: Sick, sick, and guessing not the cause of ail.


s: Yet should he see but that, O chiefly then,


s: The nature of things, since here is in debate


s: Subdues us to live, so dreadfully distraught


s: Death's not to shun, and we must go to meet.


s: Besides we're busied with the same devices,


s: And there's no new delight that may be forged


s: By living on. But whilst the thing we long for


s: Is lacking, that seems good above all else;


s: Thereafter, when we've touched it, something else


s: We long for; ever one equal thirst of life


s: Grips us agape. And doubtful 'tis what fortune


s: That chance may bring, or what the issue next


s: Take we the least away from death's own time,


s: Nor can we pluck one moment off, whereby


s: To minish the aeons of our state of death.


s: Eternal death shall there be waiting still;


s: Shall be no briefer time in death's No-more


s: Than he who perished months or years before.


s: I wander afield, thriving in sturdy thought,


s: Through unpathed haunts of the Pierides,


s: To drain them deep; I joy to pluck new flowers,


s: First, since I teach concerning mighty things,


s: And go right on to loose from round the mind


s: Next, since, concerning themes so dark, I frame


s: Song so pellucid, touching all throughout


s: Even with the Muses' charm--which, as 'twould seem,


s: For as physicians, when they seek to give


s: Young boys the nauseous wormwood, first do touch


s: The brim around the cup with the sweet juice


s: The thoughtless age of boyhood be cajoled


s: As far as the lips, and meanwhile swallow down


s: The wormwood's bitter draught, and, though befooled,


s: Be yet not merely duped, but rather thus


s: Grow strong again with recreated health:


s: So now I too (since this my doctrine seems


s: Who've had it not in hand, and since the crowd


s: Starts back from it in horror) have desired


s: To expound our doctrine unto thee in song


s: Soft-speaking and Pierian, and, as 'twere,


s: To touch it with sweet honey of the Muse--


s: The mind of thee upon these lines of ours,


s: Till thou dost learn the nature of all things


s: But since I've taught already of what sort


s: The seeds of all things are, and how distinct


s: In divers forms they flit of own accord,


s: And in what mode things be from them create,


s: And since I've taught what the mind's nature is,


s: And of what things 'tis with the body knit


s: And thrives in strength, and by what mode uptorn


s: One for these matters of supreme concern--


s: That there exist those somewhats which we call


s: The images of things: these, like to films


s: Scaled off the utmost outside of the things,


s: Flit hither and thither through the atmosphere,


s: When oft we peer at wonderful strange shapes


s: Which oft have horribly roused us when we lay


s: Suppose that souls get loose from Acheron,


s: Or shades go floating in among the living,


s: When body and mind, destroyed together, each


s: And tenuous shapes from off the things are sent,


s: From off the utmost outside of the things,


s: Which are like films or may be named a rind,


s: Because the image bears like look and form


s: With whatso body has shed it fluttering forth--


s: A fact thou mayst, however dull thy wits,


s: Well learn from this: mainly, because we see


s: That send forth bodies, loosely some diffused--


s: Like smoke from oaken logs and heat from fires--


s: And some more interwoven and condensed--


s: Put off their glossy tunics, or when calves


s: At birth drop membranes from their body's surface,


s: Or when, again, the slippery serpent doffs


s: Its vestments 'mongst the thorns--for oft we see


s: The breres augmented with their flying spoils:


s: Since such takes place, 'tis likewise certain too


s: That tenuous images from things are sent,


s: From off the utmost outside of the things.


s: For why those kinds should drop and part from things,


s: In the same order which they had before,


s: And with the figure of their form preserved,


s: Be thrown abroad, and much more swiftly too,


s: As few in number and placed along the front.


s: Their stuff at large, not only from their cores


s: But from their surfaces at times no less--


s: The awnings, saffron, red and dusky blue,


s: Upon their poles and cross-beams fluttering,


s: Have such an action quite; for there they dye


s: And make to undulate with their every hue


s: The circled throng below, and all the stage,


s: And ever the more the theatre's dark walls


s: Around them shut, the more all things within


s: Laugh in the bright suffusion of strange glints,


s: The daylight being withdrawn. And therefore, since


s: The canvas hangings thus discharge their dye


s: From off their surface, things in general must


s: Likewise their tenuous effigies discharge,


s: Because in either case they are off-thrown


s: From off the surface. So there are indeed


s: Such certain prints and vestiges of forms


s: Which flit around, of subtlest texture made,


s: Again, all odour, smoke, and heat, and such


s: Streams out of things diffusedly, because,


s: Whilst coming from the deeps of body forth


s: And rising out, along their bending path


s: They're torn asunder, nor have gateways straight


s: Wherethrough to mass themselves and struggle abroad.


s: But contrariwise, when such a tenuous film


s: Of outside colour is thrown off, there's naught


s: Can rend it, since 'tis placed along the front


s: Must be, since furnished with like look of things,


s: Fashioned from images of things sent out.


s: There are, then, tenuous effigies of forms,


s: When taken singly, which do yet give back,


s: When by continued and recurrent discharge


s: Expelled, a picture from the mirrors' plane.


s: Nor otherwise, it seems, can they be kept


s: So well conserved that thus be given back


s: And in the first place, since primordials be


s: So far beneath our senses, and much less


s: E'en than those objects which begin to grow


s: Too small for eyes to note, learn now in few


s: How nice are the beginnings of all things--


s: That this, too, I may yet confirm in proof:


s: First, living creatures are sometimes so small


s: That even their third part can nowise be seen;


s: Judge, then, the size of any inward organ--


s: What of their sphered heart, their eyes, their limbs,


s: And what besides of those first particles


s: Whence soul and mind must fashioned be?--Seest not


s: How nice and how minute? Besides, whatever


s: Exhales from out its body a sharp smell--


s: Strong southernwood, or bitter centaury--


s: If never so lightly with thy [fingers] twain


s: Flit hither and thither, many, in many modes,


s: Which come from objects are the sole that flit,


s: Begot, self-formed in earth's aery skies,


s: Are borne aloft, and, fluid as they are,


s: Cease not to change appearance and to turn


s: Into new outlines of all sorts of forms;


s: As we behold the clouds grow thick on high


s: And smirch the serene vision of the world,


s: Stroking the air with motions. For oft are seen


s: And trailing a spread of shadow; and at times


s: The mighty mountains and mountain-sundered rocks


s: Whereafter a monstrous beast dragging amain


s: Now [hear] how easy and how swift they be


s: From off all objects, since discharge they may;


s: And when this outside reaches other things,


s: As chiefly glass, it passes through; but where


s: It reaches the rough rocks or stuff of wood,


s: There 'tis so rent that it cannot give back


s: An image. But when gleaming objects dense,


s: As chiefly mirrors, have been set before it,


s: Nothing of this sort happens. For it can't


s: Go, as through glass, nor yet be rent--its safety,


s: By virtue of that smoothness, being sure.


s: 'Tis therefore that from them the images


s: Flow off thin textures and thin shapes of things.


s: Must send below, in little time, to earth


s: So many beams to keep all things so full


s: Of light incessant; thus, on grounds the same,


s: From things there must be borne, in many modes,


s: To every quarter round, upon the moment,


s: The mirror, things of form and hue the same


s: Respond. Besides, though but a moment since


s: That ye might think that round about all murk


s: Had parted forth from Acheron and filled


s: The mighty vaults of sky--so grievously,


s: As gathers thus the storm-clouds' gruesome night,


s: There's none to tell or reckon out in words.


s: Now come; with what swift motion they are borne,


s: These images, and what the speed assigned


s: To them across the breezes swimming on--


s: So that o'er lengths of space a little hour


s: Each with its divers impulse tends--I'll tell


s: Even as the swan's slight note is better far


s: Than that dispersed clamour of the cranes


s: Among the southwind's aery clouds. And first,


s: One oft may see that objects which are light


s: In which class is the sun's light and his heat,


s: Since made from small primordial elements


s: Which, as it were, are forward knocked along


s: To pass delay not, urged by blows behind;


s: For light by light is instantly supplied


s: And gleam by following gleam is spurred and driven.


s: Thus likewise must the images have power


s: Within a point of time,--first, since a cause


s: Exceeding small there is, which at their back


s: Far forward drives them and propels, where, too,


s: They're carried with such winged lightness on;


s: And, secondly, since furnished, when sent off,


s: With texture of such rareness that they can


s: And ooze, as 'twere, through intervening air.


s: Besides, if those fine particles of things


s: Which from so deep within are sent abroad,


s: As light and heat of sun, are seen to glide


s: And spread themselves through all the space of heaven


s: O'er sea and lands and flood the heaven, what then


s: Of those which on the outside stand prepared,


s: When they're hurled off with not a thing to check


s: Their going out? Dost thou not see indeed


s: How swifter and how farther must they go


s: And speed through manifold the length of space


s: In time the same that from the sun the rays


s: O'erspread the heaven? This also seems to be


s: Example chief and true with what swift speed


s: Is spread the shining water, all at once,


s: If stars be out in heaven, upgleam from earth,


s: Now seest thou not in what a point of time


s: Unto the shores of earth? Wherefore, again,


s: Bodies that strike the eyes, awaking sight.


s: From certain things flow odours evermore,


s: As cold from rivers, heat from sun, and spray


s: Around the coasts. Nor ever cease to flit


s: The varied voices, sounds athrough the air.


s: Then too there comes into the mouth at times


s: The wet of a salt taste, when by the sea


s: We roam about; and so, whene'er we watch


s: The wormword being mixed, its bitter stings.


s: To such degree from all things is each thing


s: To every region round; and nature grants


s: Nor rest nor respite of the onward flow,


s: And smell all things at hand, and hear them sound.


s: Besides, since shape examined by our hands


s: As that by eyes perceived within the light


s: And lustrous day, both touch and sight must be


s: By one like cause aroused. So, if we test


s: Within the dark, within the light what square


s: Can fall upon our sight, except a square


s: That images the things? Wherefore it seems


s: Nor without these can anything be viewed.


s: Now these same films I name are borne about


s: And tossed and scattered into regions all.


s: But since we do perceive alone through eyes,


s: Our sight, all things do strike against it there


s: With form and hue. And just how far from us


s: Each thing may be away, the image yields


s: To us the power to see and chance to tell:


s: For when 'tis sent, at once it shoves ahead


s: And drives along the air that's in the space


s: Betwixt it and our eyes. And thus this air


s: All glides athrough our eyeballs, and, as 'twere,


s: Brushes athrough our pupils and thuswise


s: Passes across. Therefore it comes we see


s: And the more air there be that's driven before,


s: And too the longer be the brushing breeze


s: Against our eyes, the farther off removed


s: Each thing is seen to be: forsooth, this work


s: In these affairs that, though the films which strike


s: The things themselves may be perceived. For thus


s: When the wind beats upon us stroke by stroke


s: And when the sharp cold streams, 'tis not our wont


s: Or of that cold, but rather all at once;


s: And so we see how blows affect our body,


s: As if one thing were beating on the same


s: But the rock's surface and the outer hue,


s: Nor feel that hue by contact--rather feel


s: Now come, and why beyond a looking-glass


s: An image may be seen, perceive. For seen


s: 'Tis the same sort as objects peered upon


s: Outside in their true shape, whene'er a door


s: Yields through itself an open peering-place,


s: Beyond the house. Also that sight is made


s: By a twofold twin air: for first is seen


s: The air inside the door-posts; next the doors,


s: The twain to left and right; and afterwards


s: A light beyond comes brushing through our eyes,


s: Then other air, then objects peered upon


s: Outside in their true shape. And thus, when first


s: As to our gaze it comes, it shoves ahead


s: And drives along the air that's in the space


s: Betwixt it and our eyes, and brings to pass


s: That we perceive the air ere yet the glass.


s: But when we've also seen the glass itself,


s: Forthwith that image which from us is borne


s: Reaches the glass, and there thrown back again


s: Comes back unto our eyes, and driving rolls


s: 'Tis this we see before itself, and thus


s: It looks so far removed behind the glass.


s: Wherefore again, again, there's naught for wonder


s: In those which render from the mirror's plane


s: A vision back, since each thing comes to pass


s: By means of the two airs. Now, in the glass


s: The right part of our members is observed


s: Upon the left, because, when comes the image


s: 'Tis not returned unshifted; but forced off


s: Backwards in line direct and not oblique,--


s: Should dash, before 'twere dry, on post or beam,


s: And it should straightway keep, at clinging there,


s: Its shape, reversed, facing him who threw,


s: And so remould the features it gives back:


s: It comes that now the right eye is the left,


s: Have thus been gendered. For whatever things


s: Shall hide back yonder in the house, the same,


s: May still be all brought forth through bending paths


s: Within the house, since nature so compels


s: All things to be borne backward and spring off


s: From mirror unto mirror; where 'twas left


s: It comes to be the right, and then again


s: Returns and changes round unto the left.


s: Again, those little sides of mirrors curved


s: Proportionate to the bulge of our own flank


s: Send back to us their idols with the right


s: From mirror unto mirror, and thereafter,


s: When twice dashed off, flies back unto ourselves;


s: Since the curved surface teaches it to turn


s: To usward. Further, thou might'st well believe


s: That these film-idols step along with us


s: And imitate our carriage, since from that


s: Part of a mirror whence thou hast withdrawn


s: Further, our eye-balls tend to flee the bright


s: And shun to gaze thereon; the sun even blinds,


s: If thou goest on to strain them unto him,


s: Because his strength is mighty, and the films


s: Through the pure ether and the viewless winds,


s: And strike the eyes, disordering their joints.


s: Which, working into eyes, engender pain.


s: Becomes wan-yellow, since from out their bodies


s: Flow many seeds wan-yellow forth to meet


s: The films of things, and many too are mixed


s: Within their eye, which by contagion paint


s: All things with sallowness. Again, we view


s: From dark recesses things that stand in light,


s: Because, when first has entered and possessed


s: Followeth in, which purges then the eyes


s: This air is nimbler, nicer, and more strong.


s: And soon as ever 'thas filled and oped with light


s: The pathways of the eyeballs, which before


s: Black air had blocked, there follow straightaway


s: Those films of things out-standing in the light,


s: From out the light with objects in the dark,


s: And thus blockades the pathways of the eyes


s: Rounded they seem,--on this account because


s: Arrives its stroke, since through such length of air


s: Makes blunt the idol of the angle's point


s: Have quite escaped the sense, the stones appear


s: As rubbed and rounded on a turner's wheel--


s: Yet not like objects near and truly round,


s: But with a semblance to them, shadowily.


s: And imitate our carriage--if thou thinkest


s: Air that is thus bereft of light can walk,


s: Following the gait and motion of mankind.


s: Is naught but air deprived of light. No marvel:


s: Because the earth from spot to spot is reft


s: Is filled with light again, on this account


s: It comes to pass that what was body's shadow


s: In one straight course. Since, evermore pour in


s: New lights of rays, and perish then the old,


s: Just like the wool that's drawn into the flame.


s: Therefore the earth is easily spoiled of light


s: That eyes be cheated. For their task it is


s: In what be shadow: whether or no the gleams


s: Be still the same, and whether the shadow which


s: Just now was here is that one passing thither,


s: Or whether the facts be what we said above,


s: That must decide; nor can our eyeballs know


s: Attach thou not this fault of mind to eyes,


s: Are tottering. The ship in which we sail


s: Is borne along, although it seems to stand;


s: The ship that bides in roadstead is supposed


s: There to be passing by. And hills and fields


s: Seem fleeing fast astern, past which we urge


s: The ship and fly under the bellying sails.


s: The stars, each one, do seem to pause, affixed


s: To the ethereal caverns, though they all


s: And thence revisiting their far descents


s: When they have measured with their bodies bright


s: The span of heaven. And likewise sun and moon


s: Seem biding in a roadstead,--objects which,


s: As plain fact proves, are really borne along.


s: From midst the whirl of waters open lies


s: When boys themselves have stopped their spinning round,


s: The halls still seem to whirl and posts to reel,


s: Until they now must almost think the roofs


s: And now, when nature begins to lift on high


s: The sun's red splendour and the tremulous fires,


s: And raise him o'er the mountain-tops, those mountains--


s: O'er which he seemeth then to thee to be,


s: Scarcely two thousand arrow-shots, indeed


s: Oft scarce five hundred courses of a dart;


s: Although between those mountains and the sun


s: Lie the huge plains of ocean spread beneath


s: The vasty shores of ether, and intervene


s: A thousand lands, possessed by many a folk


s: A pool of water of but a finger's depth,


s: Which lies between the stones along the pave,


s: As far, as from the earth o'erspread on high


s: The gulfs of heaven; that thus thou seemest to view


s: Clouds down below and heavenly bodies plunged


s: Then too, when in the middle of the stream


s: Sticks fast our dashing horse, and down we gaze


s: Into the river's rapid waves, some force


s: Seems then to bear the body of the horse,


s: Though standing still, reversely from his course,


s: And swiftly push up-stream. And wheresoe'er


s: We cast our eyes across, all objects seem


s: Albeit it stands well propped from end to end


s: When from one end the long, long whole is seen,--


s: Until, conjoining ceiling with the floor,


s: And the whole right side with the left, it draws


s: Together to a cone's nigh-viewless point.


s: From out the waves to rise, and in the waves


s: To set and bury his light--because indeed


s: They gaze on naught but water and the sky.


s: Vessels in port seem, as with broken poops,


s: For any portion of the oars that's raised


s: Above the briny spray is straight, and straight


s: The rudders from above. But other parts,


s: Those sunk, immersed below the water-line,


s: Sloping to upwards, and turned back to float


s: Almost atop the water. And when the winds


s: Carry the scattered drifts along the sky


s: In the night-time, then seem to glide along


s: The radiant constellations 'gainst the clouds


s: And there on high to take far other course


s: From that whereon in truth they're borne. And then,


s: If haply our hand be set beneath one eye


s: And press below thereon, then to our gaze


s: Each object which we gaze on seems to be,


s: By some sensation twain--then twain the lights


s: Of lampions burgeoning in flowers of flame,


s: And twain the furniture in all the house,


s: And twain their bodies. And again, when sleep


s: Has bound our members down in slumber soft


s: And move our members; and in night's blind gloom


s: We think to mark the daylight and the sun;


s: And, shut within a room, yet still we seem


s: To change our skies, our oceans, rivers, hills,


s: To cross the plains afoot, and hear new sounds,


s: Though still the austere silence of the night


s: Though voiceless. Other cases of the sort


s: Seek, so to say, to injure faith in sense--


s: In vain, because the largest part of these


s: Deceives through mere opinions of the mind,


s: Which we do add ourselves, feigning to see


s: Plain facts from dubious, which the mind forthwith


s: That naught is known, he knows not whether this


s: Confesses naught to know. Therefore with him


s: I waive discussion--who has set his head


s: Even where his feet should be. But let me grant


s: That this he knows,--I question: whence he knows


s: What 'tis to know and not-to-know in turn,


s: To differ from the certain?--since in things


s: He's heretofore seen naught of true. Thou'lt find


s: That from the senses first hath been create


s: Worthy of greater trust, which shall defeat


s: Through own authority the false by true;


s: What, then, than these our senses must there be


s: Worthy a greater trust? Shall reason, sprung


s: From some false sense, prevail to contradict


s: Those senses, sprung as reason wholly is


s: From out the senses?--For lest these be true,


s: Or shall the ears have power to blame the eyes,


s: Or yet the touch the ears? Again, shall taste


s: Accuse this touch or shall the nose confute


s: Or eyes defeat it? Methinks not so it is:


s: Its function quite apart, its power to each;


s: And thus we're still constrained to perceive


s: The soft, the cold, the hot apart, apart


s: All divers hues and whatso things there be


s: Conjoined with hues. Likewise the tasting tongue


s: Has its own power apart, and smells apart


s: And sounds apart are known. And thus it is


s: That no one sense can e'er convict another.


s: Nor shall one sense have power to blame itself,


s: Because it always must be deemed the same,


s: Worthy of equal trust. And therefore what


s: Why objects, which at hand were square, afar


s: Seemed rounded, yet it more availeth us,


s: From out our hands escape the obvious things


s: And injure primal faith in sense, and wreck


s: All those foundations upon which do rest


s: Our life and safety. For not only reason


s: Would topple down; but even our very life


s: Would straightaway collapse, unless we dared


s: From headlong heights and places to be shunned


s: Their opposites! Again, as in a building,


s: If the first plumb-line be askew, and if


s: The square deceiving swerve from lines exact,


s: In any part, the whole construction then


s: Must turn out faulty--shelving and askew,


s: That now some portions seem about to fall,


s: And falls the whole ere long--betrayed indeed


s: Must be askew and false, if sprung for thee


s: From senses false. So all that troop of words


s: Marshalled against the senses is quite vain.


s: And now remains to demonstrate with ease


s: How other senses each their things perceive.


s: Firstly, a sound and every voice is heard,


s: When, getting into ears, they strike the sense


s: With their own body. For confess we must


s: Because they're able on the sense to strike.


s: Besides voice often scrapes against the throat,


s: And screams in going out do make more rough


s: The wind-pipe--naturally enough, methinks,


s: In larger throng, these primal germs of voice


s: Have thus begun to issue forth. In sooth,


s: Also the door of the mouth is scraped against


s: And thus no doubt there is, that voice and words


s: With power to pain. Nor art thou unaware


s: How much from very thews and powers of men


s: May be withdrawn by steady talk, prolonged


s: Even from the rising splendour of the morn


s: If 't be outpoured with most exceeding shouts.


s: Since the long talker loses from his frame


s: Comes from the roughness in the primal germs,


s: As a smooth sound from smooth ones is create;


s: When the trump rumbles with a hollow roar,


s: Buzzes with raucous boomings, or when swans


s: With wailing voices raise their liquid dirge.


s: Thus, when from deep within our frame we force


s: These voices, and at mouth expel them forth,


s: By their formations share in shaping them.


s: Hence when the space is short from starting-point


s: To where that voice arrives, the very words


s: Must too be plainly heard, distinctly marked.


s: For then the voice conserves its own formation,


s: Conserves its shape. But if the space between


s: Be longer than is fit, the words must be


s: Through the much air confounded, and the voice


s: Disordered in its flight across the winds--


s: And so it haps, that thou canst sound perceive,


s: Yet not determine what the words may mean;


s: To such degree confounded and encumbered


s: The voice approaches us. Again, one word,


s: Sent from the crier's mouth, may rouse all ears


s: Since it divides itself for separate ears,


s: Imprinting form of word and a clear tone.


s: The ears themselves perishes, borne beyond,


s: Returns a sound; and sometimes mocks the ear


s: With a mere phantom of a word. When this


s: Thou well hast noted, thou canst render count


s: Give back like shapes of words in order like,


s: Call unto them, the scattered. I have seen


s: Spots that gave back even voices six or seven


s: For one thrown forth--for so the very hills,


s: Dashing them back against the hills, kept on


s: With their reverberations. And these spots


s: The neighbouring country-side doth feign to be


s: Haunts of the goat-foot satyrs and the nymphs;


s: And tells ye there be fauns, by whose night noise


s: And tones of strings are made and wailings sweet


s: Which the pipe, beat by players' finger-tips,


s: Pours out; and far and wide the farmer-race


s: Begins to hear, when, shaking the garmentings


s: Of pine upon his half-beast head, god-Pan


s: With puckered lip oft runneth o'er and o'er


s: The open reeds,--lest flute should cease to pour


s: And wonders of this ilk they love to tell,


s: Lest they be thought to dwell in lonely spots


s: They boast of marvels in their story-tellings;


s: That through those places (through which eyes cannot


s: View objects manifest) sounds yet may pass


s: And assail the ears. For often we observe


s: People conversing, though the doors be closed;


s: No marvel either, since all voice unharmed


s: Can wind through bended apertures of things,


s: While idol-films decline to--for they're rent,


s: Unless along straight apertures they swim,


s: Like those in glass, through which all images


s: Do fly across. And yet this voice itself,


s: In passing through shut chambers of a house,


s: And sound we seem to hear far more than words.


s: Moreover, a voice is into all directions


s: New voices are engendered, when one voice


s: Hath once leapt forth, outstarting into many--


s: As oft a spark of fire is wont to sprinkle


s: Astir with sound. But idol-films do tend,


s: As once sent forth, in straight directions all;


s: Wherefore one can inside a wall see naught,


s: Yet catch the voices from beyond the same.


s: Nor tongue and palate, whereby we flavour feel,


s: Present more problems for more work of thought.


s: Firstly, we feel a flavour in the mouth,


s: When forth we squeeze it, in chewing up our food,--


s: With hand and dry a sponge with water soaked.


s: Next, all which forth we squeeze is spread about


s: Of the loose-textured tongue. And so, when smooth


s: They treat all spots, around the wet and trickling


s: Enclosures of the tongue. And contrariwise,


s: They sting and pain the sense with their assault,


s: According as with roughness they're supplied.


s: Coming from flavour; for in truth when down


s: 'Thas plunged along the throat, no pleasure is,


s: Whilst into all the frame it spreads around;


s: Nor aught it matters with what food is fed


s: The body, if only what thou take thou canst


s: Now, how it is we see some food for some,


s: I will unfold, or wherefore what to some


s: Is foul and bitter, yet the same to others


s: So great the distance and the difference is


s: That what is food to one to some becomes


s: Fierce poison, as a certain snake there is


s: Which, touched by spittle of a man, will waste


s: To us, but puts the fat on goats and quails.


s: That thou mayst know by what devices this


s: Is brought about, in chief thou must recall


s: What we have said before, that seeds are kept


s: Commixed in things in divers modes. Again,


s: As all the breathing creatures which take food


s: And contour of their members bounds them round,


s: Each differing kind by kind, they thus consist


s: Of seeds of varying shape. And furthermore,


s: Since seeds do differ, divers too must be


s: The interstices and paths (which we do call


s: In mouth and palate too. Thus some must be


s: More small or yet more large, three-cornered some


s: And others squared, and many others round,


s: And motion of their divers shapes demand,


s: And paths must vary according to their walls


s: That bound them. Hence when what is sweet to some,


s: Becomes to others bitter, for him to whom


s: 'Tis sweet, the smoothest particles must needs


s: Have entered caressingly the palate's pores.


s: And, contrariwise, with those to whom that sweet


s: Is sour within the mouth, beyond a doubt


s: Now easy it is from these affairs to know


s: Indeed, where one from o'er-abundant bile


s: Is stricken with fever, or in other wise


s: Feels the roused violence of some malady,


s: There the whole frame is now upset, and there


s: All the positions of the seeds are changed,--


s: So that the bodies which before were fit


s: To cause the savour, now are fit no more,


s: And now more apt are others which be able


s: To get within the pores and gender sour.


s: Both sorts, in sooth, are intermixed in honey--


s: What oft we've proved above to thee before.


s: Impact of odour on the nostrils touches.


s: And first, 'tis needful there be many things


s: From whence the streaming flow of varied odours


s: May roll along, and we're constrained to think


s: They stream and dart and sprinkle themselves about


s: Impartially. But for some breathing creatures


s: One odour is more apt, to others another--


s: Because of differing forms of seeds and pores.


s: Of scent in dogs doth lead the hunter on


s: Whithersoever the splay-foot of wild beast


s: Hath hastened its career; and the white goose,


s: To his own food or makes him start aback


s: From loathsome poison, and in this wise are


s: Yet is this pungence not alone in odours


s: Or in the class of flavours; but, likewise,


s: The look of things and hues agree not all


s: More keen and painful. Lo, the raving lions,


s: They dare not face and gaze upon the cock


s: Who's wont with wings to flap away the night


s: From off the stage, and call the beaming morn


s: With clarion voice--and lions straightway thus


s: Bethink themselves of flight, because, ye see,


s: Some certain seeds, which, into lions' eyes


s: And yield such piercing pain they can't hold out


s: Against the cocks, however fierce they be--


s: Whilst yet these seeds can't hurt our gaze the least,


s: Or since they have free exit from the eyes


s: Whatever assail the nostrils, some can travel


s: However, 's borne so far as sound or voice--


s: As hit the eyesight and assail the vision.


s: For slowly on a wandering course it comes


s: And perishes sooner, by degrees absorbed


s: And first, because from deep inside the thing


s: It is discharged with labour (for the fact


s: That every object, when 'tis shivered, ground,


s: Or crumbled by the fire, will smell the stronger


s: From inner regions of the things). And next,


s: Of larger primal germs than voice, because


s: It enters not through stony walls, wherethrough


s: Unfailingly the voice and sound are borne;


s: Wherefore, besides, thou wilt observe 'tis not


s: The smelling object is. For, dallying on


s: Along the winds, the particles cool off,


s: And then the scurrying messengers of things


s: So dogs oft wander astray, and hunt the scent.


s: Now mark, and hear what objects move the mind,


s: And learn, in few, whence unto intellect


s: Do come what come. And first I tell thee this:


s: When once they meet, uniteth in mid-air,


s: Like gossamer or gold-leaf. For, indeed,


s: Far thinner are they in their fabric than


s: And smite the vision, since through body's pores


s: The subtle nature of mind and smite the sense.


s: Thus, Centaurs and the limbs of Scyllas, thus


s: Dead men whose bones earth bosomed long ago;


s: Those which are gendered in the very air


s: Of own accord, in part those others which


s: From divers things do part away, and those


s: Which are compounded, made from out their shapes.


s: That phantom gendered, since no breed of beast


s: Of horse and man by chance have come together,


s: At once, through subtle nature and fabric thin.


s: Created are. And when they're quickly borne


s: Compounded, moves by its one blow the mind,


s: Itself so subtle and so strangely quick.


s: That these things come to pass as I record,


s: Seeing with mind as well as with the eyes


s: Must come to pass in fashion not unlike.


s: Well, now, since I have shown that I perceive


s: Such as assail my eyes, 'tis thine to know


s: And sees, nor more nor less than eyes do see


s: (Except that it perceives more subtle films)


s: The lion and aught else through idol-films.


s: And when the sleep has overset our frame,


s: Still for no other reason, save that these--


s: The self-same films as when we are awake--


s: Whom, void of life, now death and earth have gained


s: To come to pass because the body's senses


s: Are resting, thwarted through the members all,


s: In slumber, nor protests that he, the man


s: Whom the mind feigns to see alive, long since


s: Hath been the gain of death and dissolution.


s: And toss their arms and other members round


s: In rhythmic time--and often in men's sleeps


s: In sooth, when perishes the former image,


s: That former seemeth to have changed its gestures.


s: Of course the change must be conceived as speedy;


s: So great the swiftness and so great the store


s: Of idol-things, and (in an instant brief


s: As mind can mark) so great, again, the store


s: Of separate idol-parts to bring supplies.


s: Sometimes an image not of kind the same;


s: Is seen to stand there, altered into male;


s: That we shall feel no wonder at the thing.


s: And much in these affairs demands inquiry,


s: With plainness to exhibit facts. And first,


s: Why doth the mind of one to whom the whim


s: To think has come behold forthwith that thing?


s: The sea, the land, or after all the sky?


s: Banquets, and battles, these and all doth she,


s: Nature, create and furnish at our word?--


s: Maugre the fact that in same place and spot


s: All far unlike. And what, again, of this:


s: In measure, forward, moving supple limbs,


s: Whilst forth they put each supple arm in turn


s: With speedy motion, and with eyeing heads


s: Repeat the movement, as the foot keeps time?


s: Forsooth, the idols they are steeped in art,


s: And wander to and fro well taught indeed,--


s: To make such games! Or will the truth be this:


s: Because in one least moment that we mark--


s: That is, the uttering of a single sound--


s: There lurk yet many moments, which the reason


s: Each in its place diverse? So great the swiftness,


s: So great, again, the store of idol-things,


s: The former seemeth to have changed its gestures.


s: And since they be so tenuous, mind can mark


s: Sharply alone the ones it strains to see;


s: And thus the rest do perish one and all,


s: Save those for which the mind prepares itself.


s: And hopes to see what follows after each--


s: Hence this result. For hast thou not observed


s: How eyes, essaying to perceive the fine,


s: Yet know thou canst that, even in objects plain,


s: If thou attendest not, 'tis just the same


s: As if 'twere all the time removed and far.


s: What marvel, then, that mind doth lose the rest,


s: Save those to which 'thas given up itself?


s: So 'tis that we conjecture from small signs


s: Things wide and weighty, and involve ourselves


s: We crave that thou wilt passionately flee


s: The one offence, and anxiously wilt shun


s: Or thighs and knees, aprop upon the feet,


s: Thuswise can bended be, that we might step


s: With goodly strides ahead; or forearms joined


s: Unto the sturdy uppers, or serving hands


s: On either side were given, that we might do


s: Life's own demands. All such interpretation


s: May use the same, but birth engenders use:


s: No seeing ere the lights of eyes were born,


s: Discourse of words, and ears created were


s: And all the members, so meseems, were there


s: Before they got their use: and therefore, they


s: Could not be gendered for the sake of use.


s: But contrariwise, contending in the fight


s: With hand to hand, and rending of the joints,


s: And fouling of the limbs with gore, was there,


s: O long before the gleaming spears ere flew;


s: And nature prompted man to shun a wound,


s: Opposed the shielding targe. And, verily,


s: Far ancienter than cushions of soft beds,


s: And quenching thirst is earlier than cups.


s: These objects, therefore, which for use and life


s: Have been devised, can be conceived as found


s: Are all which first were born and afterwards


s: Chief in which sort we note the senses, limbs:


s: Wherefore, again, 'tis quite beyond thy power


s: To hold that these could thus have been create


s: 'Tis nothing strange that all the breathing creatures


s: Seek, even by nature of their frame, their food.


s: Yes, since I've taught thee that from off the things


s: Must be the bodies streaming from the living--


s: Are through the mouth exhaled innumerable,


s: When weary creatures pant, or through the sweat


s: Squeezed forth innumerable from deep within.


s: In all its nature, and pain attends its state.


s: The tottering joints, and by its interfusion


s: To re-create their powers, and there stop up


s: The longing, open-mouthed through limbs and veins,


s: For eating. And the moist no less departs


s: Which cause such burnings in these bellies of ours,


s: And quenches like a fire, that parching heat


s: No longer now can scorch the frame. And so,


s: Thou seest how panting thirst is washed away


s: Whene'er we wish, can step with strides ahead,


s: And how 'tis given to move our limbs about,


s: This the big load of our corporeal frame,


s: I'll say to thee--do thou attend what's said.


s: I say that first some idol-films of walking


s: Into our mind do fall and smite the mind,


s: On what that image is. When, therefore, mind


s: To go and step along, it strikes at once


s: In all the body through the limbs and frame--


s: The soul is close conjoined with the mind.


s: Next, soul in turn strikes body, and by degrees


s: Thus the whole mass is pushed along and moved.


s: Through opened pores, and thus is sprinkled round


s: Thus then by these twain factors, severally,


s: Body is borne like ship with oars and wind.


s: Nor yet in these affairs is aught for wonder


s: So great a body and turn this weight of ours;


s: For wind, so tenuous with its subtle body,


s: Of mighty bulk; one hand directs the same,


s: Whirls it around, whither ye please; and loads,


s: Many and huge, are moved and hoisted high


s: By enginery of pulley-blocks and wheels,


s: Pours through our members waters of repose


s: And frees the breast from cares of mind, I'll tell


s: Even as the swan's slight note is better far


s: Than that dispersed clamour of the cranes


s: Among the southwind's aery clouds. Do thou


s: Give me sharp ears and a sagacious mind,--


s: That thou mayst not deny the things to be


s: With bosom scorning these the spoken truths,


s: Hath now been scattered through the frame, and part


s: Crammed back and settling deep within the frame--


s: Whereafter then our loosened members droop.


s: For doubt is none that by the work of soul


s: Exist in us this sense, and when by slumber


s: That sense is thwarted, we are bound to think


s: The soul confounded and expelled abroad--


s: Yet not entirely, else the frame would lie


s: Drenched in the everlasting cold of death.


s: In sooth, where no one part of soul remained


s: Could sense amain rekindled be in members,


s: As flame can rise anew from unseen fire?


s: By what devices this strange state and new


s: Can be confounded and the frame grow faint,


s: I will untangle: see to it, thou, that I


s: Pour forth my words not unto empty winds.


s: In first place, body on its outer parts--


s: Since these are touched by neighbouring aery gusts--


s: Must there be thumped and strook by blows of air


s: Are covered either with hides, or else with shells,


s: Yet this same air lashes their inner parts,


s: When creatures draw a breath or blow it out.


s: Wherefore, since body thus is flogged alike


s: Come in upon us through the little pores


s: And primal elements, there comes to pass


s: By slow degrees, along our members then,


s: A kind of overthrow; for then confounded


s: Are those arrangements of the primal germs


s: That next a part of soul's expelled abroad,


s: A part, too, scattered all about the frame,


s: And thus the sense, its motions all deranged,


s: Retires down deep within; and since there's naught,


s: As 'twere, to prop the frame, the body weakens,


s: And all the members languish, and the arms


s: Even there the houghs will sag and loose their powers.


s: Again, sleep follows after food, because


s: Whilst being scattered round through all the veins;


s: And much the heaviest is that slumber which,


s: Full or fatigued, thou takest; since 'tis then


s: That the most bodies disarrange themselves,


s: Bruised by labours hard. And in same wise,


s: This three-fold change: a forcing of the soul


s: Down deeper, more a casting-forth of it,


s: A man most clings absorbed, or what the affairs


s: On which we theretofore have tarried much,


s: And mind hath strained upon the more, we seem


s: The lawyers seem to plead and cite decrees,


s: Commanders they to fight and go at frays,


s: Sailors to live in combat with the winds,


s: And we ourselves indeed to make this book,


s: And still to seek the nature of the world


s: And set it down, when once discovered, here


s: In these my country's leaves. Thus all pursuits,


s: All arts in general seem in sleeps to mock


s: And master the minds of men. And whosoever


s: Day after day for long to games have given


s: (As oft we note), even when they've ceased to grasp


s: Those games with their own senses, open paths


s: Within the mind wherethrough the idol-films


s: Of just those games can come. And thus it is


s: Floating before the eyes, that even awake


s: They think they view the dancers moving round


s: Their supple limbs, and catch with both the ears


s: The liquid song of harp and speaking chords,


s: And view the same assembly on the seats,


s: And manifold bright glories of the stage--


s: So great the influence of pursuit and zest,


s: And of the affairs wherein 'thas been the wont


s: Thou'lt see the sturdy horses, though outstretched,


s: Yet sweating in their sleep, and panting ever,


s: And straining utmost strength, as if for prize,


s: And hounds of huntsmen oft in soft repose


s: And growl and bark, and with their nostrils sniff


s: The winds again, again, as though indeed


s: They'd caught the scented foot-prints of wild beasts,


s: And, even when wakened, often they pursue


s: They did perceive them fleeing on before,


s: Until the illusion's shaken off and dogs


s: Come to themselves again. And fawning breed


s: Of house-bred whelps do feel the sudden urge


s: To shake their bodies and start from off the ground,


s: And ever the fiercer be the stock, the more


s: In sleep the same is ever bound to rage.


s: But flee the divers tribes of birds and vex


s: With sudden wings by night the groves of gods,


s: When in their gentle slumbers they have dreamed


s: Of hawks in chase, aswooping on for fight.


s: Again, the minds of mortals which perform


s: Often in sleep will do and dare the same


s: In manner like. Kings take the towns by storm,


s: Succumb to capture, battle on the field,


s: Raise a wild cry as if their throats were cut


s: Even then and there. And many wrestle on


s: And groan with pains, and fill all regions round


s: With mighty cries and wild, as if then gnawed


s: Their mighty enterprises, and have often


s: Enough become the proof of their own crimes.


s: From lofty mountains tumbling down to earth


s: With all their frame, are frenzied in their fright;


s: And after sleep, as if still mad in mind,


s: They scarce come to, confounded as they are


s: By ferment of their frame. The thirsty man,


s: Likewise, he sits beside delightful spring


s: Or river and gulpeth down with gaping throat


s: Nigh the whole stream. And oft the innocent young,


s: By sleep o'ermastered, think they lift their dress


s: The water filtered down their frame entire


s: Magnificently bright. Again, those males


s: Into the surging channels of whose years


s: Now first has passed the seed (engendered


s: Within their members by the ripened days)


s: Are in their sleep confronted from without


s: Tidings of glorious face and lovely bloom,


s: Which stir and goad the regions turgid now


s: They pour the billows of a potent stream


s: That seed is roused in us when once ripe age


s: To spurt from man. As soon as ever it issues,


s: Forced from its first abodes, it passes down


s: In the whole body through the limbs and frame,


s: Meeting in certain regions of our thews,


s: The goaded regions swell with seed, and then


s: Comes the delight to dart the same at what


s: The mad desire so yearns, and body seeks


s: That object, whence the mind by love is pierced.


s: For well-nigh each man falleth toward his wound,


s: And our blood spurts even toward the spot from whence


s: The stroke wherewith we are strook, and if indeed


s: The foe be close, the red jet reaches him.


s: Thus, one who gets a stroke from Venus' shafts--


s: From all her body--that one strains to get


s: Even to the thing whereby he's hit, and longs


s: The fluid drawn even from within its own.


s: For the mute craving doth presage delight.


s: From this, engender all the lures of love,


s: From this, O first hath into human hearts


s: Trickled that drop of joyance which ere long


s: Is by chill care succeeded. Since, indeed,


s: And the sweet name is floating in thy ear.


s: And turn elsewhere thy mind; and vent the sperm,


s: Within thee gathered, into sundry bodies,


s: Nor, with thy thoughts still busied with one love,


s: Keep it for one delight, and so store up


s: Grows to more life with deep inveteracy,


s: Unless thou dost destroy even by new blows


s: The former wounds of love, and curest them


s: While yet they're fresh, by wandering freely round


s: Canst lead elsewhere the tumults of thy mind.


s: Nor doth that man who keeps away from love


s: Yet lack the fruits of Venus; rather takes


s: Those pleasures which are free of penalties.


s: Are more unmixed for mortals sane-of-soul


s: Than for those sick-at-heart with love-pining.


s: On what to first enjoy with eyes and hands.


s: The parts they sought for, those they squeeze so tight,


s: And pain the creature's body, close their teeth


s: Often against her lips, and smite with kiss


s: Mouth into mouth,--because this same delight


s: Is not unmixed; and underneath are stings


s: Which goad a man to hurt the very thing,


s: Whate'er it be, from whence arise for him


s: Those germs of madness. But with gentle touch


s: Venus subdues the pangs in midst of love,


s: Doth curb the bites of passion. For they hope


s: That by the very body whence they caught


s: The heats of love their flames can be put out.


s: But nature protests 'tis all quite otherwise;


s: For this same love it is the one sole thing


s: Of which, the more we have, the fiercer burns


s: The breast with fell desire. For food and drink


s: Are taken within our members; and, since they


s: Desire of water is glutted and of bread.


s: But, lo, from human face and lovely bloom


s: Naught penetrates our frame to be enjoyed


s: A sorry hope which oft the winds disperse.


s: As when the thirsty man in slumber seeks


s: To drink, and water ne'er is granted him


s: Wherewith to quench the heat within his members,


s: And toils in vain, and thirsts even whilst he gulps


s: The lovers. Nor they cannot sate their lust


s: They cannot with their palms and fingers rub


s: Aught from each tender limb, the while they stray


s: At last, with members intertwined, when they


s: Their bodies have sweet presage of keen joys,


s: Of woman, greedily their frames they lock,


s: And mingle the slaver of their mouths, and breathe


s: Into each other, pressing teeth on mouths--


s: Yet to no purpose, since they're powerless


s: They seem to strive and struggle thus to do;


s: Whilst melt away their members, overcome


s: By violence of delight. But when at last


s: Lust, gathered in the thews, hath spent itself,


s: There come a brief pause in the raging heat--


s: But then a madness just the same returns


s: When once again they seek and crave to reach


s: They know not what, all powerless to find


s: They squander powers and with the travail wane;


s: Be added too, they spend their futile years


s: Under another's beck and call; their duties


s: Neglected languish and their honest name


s: Reeleth sick, sick; and meantime their estates


s: Laugh on her feet; and (as ye may be sure)


s: Big emeralds of green light are set in gold;


s: And rich sea-purple dress by constant wear


s: Grows shabby and all soaked with Venus' sweat;


s: Becometh head-bands, coifs, and many a time


s: With rarest cloth and viands, are prepared--


s: And games of chance, and many a drinking cup,


s: And unguents, crowns and garlands. All in vain,


s: Since from amid the well-spring of delights


s: Gnaws into self, now stricken with remorse


s: Or else because she's left him all in doubt


s: By launching some sly word, which still like fire


s: Lives wildly, cleaving to his eager heart;


s: Or else because he thinks she darts her eyes


s: These ills are found in prospering love and true;


s: But in crossed love and helpless there be such


s: As through shut eyelids thou canst still take in--


s: To watch beforehand, in the way I've shown,


s: And guard against enticements. For to shun


s: When tangled in the very nets, and burst


s: Yet even when there enmeshed with tangled feet,


s: Still canst thou scape the danger-lest indeed


s: Thou standest in the way of thine own good,


s: Eyeless with passion, and assign to them


s: Graces not theirs in fact. And thus we see


s: Creatures in many a wise crooked and ugly


s: The prosperous sweethearts in a high esteem;


s: To placate Venus, since their friends are smit


s: Who seldom mark their own worst bane of all.


s: The black-skinned girl is "tawny like the honey";


s: The cat-eyed she's "a little Pallas," she;


s: One of the Graces sure"; the big and bulky


s: The stuttering and tongue-tied "sweetly lisps";


s: The mute girl's "modest"; and the garrulous,


s: The spiteful spit-fire, is "a sparkling wit";


s: And she who scarcely lives for scrawniness


s: Is she who's nearly dead of coughing-fit;


s: The pursy female with protuberant breasts


s: She is "like Ceres when the goddess gave


s: Young Bacchus suck"; the pug-nosed lady-love


s: The blubber-lipped is "all one luscious kiss"--


s: A weary while it were to tell the whole.


s: But let her face possess what charm ye will,


s: Let Venus' glory rise from all her limbs,--


s: Forsooth there still are others; and forsooth


s: We lived before without her; and forsooth


s: She does the same things--and we know she does--


s: All, as the ugly creature, and she scents,


s: Yes she, her wretched self with vile perfumes;


s: Whom even her handmaids flee and giggle at


s: Behind her back. But he, the lover, in tears


s: Because shut out, covers her threshold o'er


s: Often with flowers and garlands, and anoints


s: Her haughty door-posts with the marjoram,


s: And prints, poor fellow, kisses on the doors--


s: Admitted at last, if haply but one whiff


s: Got to him on approaching, he would seek


s: And his lament, long pondered, then would fall


s: Down at his heels; and there he'd damn himself


s: He had assigned to that same lady more--


s: Than it is proper to concede to mortals.


s: And these our Venuses are 'ware of this.


s: Wherefore the more are they at pains to hide


s: All the-behind-the-scenes of life from those


s: Whom they desire to keep in bonds of love--


s: In vain, since ne'ertheless thou canst by thought


s: Drag all the matter forth into the light


s: And well search out the cause of all these smiles;


s: And if of graceful mind she be and kind,


s: Do thou, in thy turn, overlook the same,


s: Nor sighs the woman always with feigned love,


s: Who links her body round man's body locked


s: And holds him fast, making his kisses wet


s: With lips sucked into lips; for oft she acts


s: Even from desire, and, seeking mutual joys,


s: Incites him there to run love's race-course through.


s: Nor otherwise can cattle, birds, wild beasts,


s: And sheep and mares submit unto the males,


s: Except that their own nature is in heat,


s: And burns abounding and with gladness takes


s: Once more the Venus of the mounting males.


s: And seest thou not how those whom mutual pleasure


s: Hath bound are tortured in their common bonds?


s: How often in the cross-roads dogs that pant


s: With utmost might?--When all the while they're fast


s: In the stout links of Venus. But they'd ne'er


s: So pull, except they knew those mutual joys--


s: And hold them bound. Wherefore again, again,


s: Even as I say, there is a joint delight.


s: And when perchance, in mingling seed with his,


s: The female hath o'erpowered the force of male


s: And by a sudden fling hath seized it fast,


s: Then are the offspring, more from mothers' seed,


s: More like their mothers; as, from fathers' seed,


s: They're like to fathers. But whom seest to be


s: Partakers of each shape, one equal blend


s: Of parents' features, these are generate


s: From fathers' body and from mothers' blood,


s: When mutual and harmonious heat hath dashed


s: Together seeds, aroused along their frames


s: By Venus' goads, and neither of the twain


s: That sometimes offspring can to being come


s: In likeness of their grandsires, and bring back


s: Often the shapes of grandsires' sires, because


s: Their parents in their bodies oft retain


s: In many modes, which, starting with the stock,


s: Sire handeth down to son, himself a sire;


s: Engenders shapes, and diversely brings back


s: Ancestral features, voices too, and hair.


s: From seed paternal, and from mother's body


s: No more from singleness of seed than faces


s: Or bodies or limbs of ours: for every birth


s: Is from a twofold seed; and what's created


s: Hath, of that parent which it is more like,


s: More than its equal share; as thou canst mark,--


s: Whether the breed be male or female stock.


s: The fruits of his seed-sowing, so that never


s: He be called "father" by sweet children his,


s: And end his days in sterile love forever.


s: They sprinkle the altars with abundant blood,


s: And make the high platforms odorous with burnt gifts,


s: To render big by plenteous seed their wives--


s: And plague in vain godheads and sacred lots.


s: For sterile are these men by seed too thick,


s: It trickles from them, and, returned again,


s: More gross and solid than will suit is spent


s: By some men, either it flies not forth amain


s: With spurt prolonged enough, or else it fails


s: Or, having entered, the seed is weakly mixed


s: With seed of the woman: harmonies of Venus


s: Are seen to matter vastly here; and some


s: Impregnate some more readily, and from some


s: Some women conceive more readily and become


s: Pregnant. And many women, sterile before


s: In several marriage-beds, have yet thereafter


s: Obtained the mates from whom they could conceive


s: Grow rich. And even for husbands (whose own wives,


s: Although of fertile wombs, have borne for them


s: Can bulwark their old age with goodly sons.


s: That seeds may mingle readily with seeds


s: Should mix with fluid seeds, with thick the fluid.


s: And in this business 'tis of some import


s: For some foods thicken seeds within our members,


s: And others thin them out and waste away.


s: And in what modes the fond delight itself


s: Is carried on--this too importeth vastly.


s: For commonly 'tis thought that wives conceive


s: After the custom of the four-foot breeds,


s: Because so postured, with the breasts beneath


s: And buttocks then upreared, the seeds can take


s: Their proper places. Nor is need the least


s: For wives to use the motions of blandishment;


s: With haunches heaving, and with all her bosom


s: Now yielding like the billows of the sea--


s: Aye, from the ploughshare's even course and track


s: She throws the furrow, and from proper places


s: Deflects the spurt of seed. And courtesans


s: Are thuswise wont to move for their own ends,


s: A pleasure for the men--the which meseems


s: For sometimes she herself by very deeds,


s: With her thy life-time--and, moreover, lo,


s: Besides, how drops of water falling down


s: Against the stones at last bore through the stones?


s: O WHO can build with puissant breast a song


s: Worthy the majesty of these great finds?


s: Or who in words so strong that he can frame


s: Who left us heritors of such vast prizes,


s: By his own breast discovered and sought out?--


s: There shall be none, methinks, of mortal stock.


s: For if must needs be named for him the name


s: Of these high matters, then a god was he,--


s: Who first and chief found out that plan of life


s: By cunning craft, out of such mighty waves,


s: Out of such mighty darkness, moored life


s: The grain, and Bacchus juice of vine-born grape,


s: Though life might yet without these things abide,


s: Even as report saith now some peoples live.


s: Without a breast all free. Wherefore the more


s: Now soothe the minds of men. But if thou thinkest


s: Much farther from true reasoning thou farest.


s: For what could hurt us now that mighty maw


s: O what could Cretan Bull, or Hydra, pest


s: Or what the triple-breasted power of her


s: From out their nostrils off along the zones


s: The dread fierce gazer, guardian of the golden


s: Coiled round the tree-trunk with tremendous bulk,


s: Along the Atlantic shore and wastes of sea?--


s: Where neither one of us approacheth nigh


s: Of all those monsters slain, even if alive,


s: Unconquered still, what injury could they do?


s: None, as I guess. For so the glutted earth


s: Swarms even now with savage beasts, even now


s: Is filled with anxious terrors through the woods


s: And mighty mountains and the forest deeps--


s: But lest the breast be purged, what conflicts then,


s: What perils, must bosom, in our own despite!


s: O then how great and keen the cares of lust


s: That split the man distraught! How great the fears!


s: And lo, the pride, grim greed, and wantonness--


s: How great the slaughters in their train! and lo,


s: Therefore that man who subjugated these,


s: And from the mind expelled, by words indeed,


s: And all the more since he was wont to give,


s: Concerning the immortal gods themselves,


s: Many pronouncements with a tongue divine,


s: In his own footprints, I do follow through


s: His reasonings, and with pronouncements teach


s: The covenant whereby all things are framed,


s: Inexorable decrees,--how (as we've found),


s: In class of mortal objects, o'er all else,


s: The mind exists of earth-born frame create


s: Do seem to view a man whom life has left.


s: Thus far we've gone; the order of my plan


s: Hath brought me now unto the point where I


s: And in what modes that congregated stuff


s: Ocean, and stars, and sun, and ball of moon;


s: And then what living creatures rose from out


s: Were never born at all; and in what mode


s: And use the varied speech from man to man;


s: And in what modes hath bosomed in their breasts


s: That awe of gods, which halloweth in all lands


s: Fanes, altars, groves, lakes, idols of the gods.


s: The steersman nature guides the sun's courses,


s: And the meanderings of the moon, lest we,


s: Percase, should fancy that of own free will


s: They circle their perennial courses round,


s: Timing their motions for increase of crops


s: And living creatures, or lest we should think


s: For even those men who have learned full well


s: That godheads lead a long life free of care,


s: If yet meanwhile they wonder by what plan


s: Things can go on (and chiefly yon high things


s: Observed o'erhead on the ethereal coasts),


s: Harsh masters, deemed almighty,--wretched men,


s: And by what law to each its scope prescribed,


s: Its boundary stone that clings so deep in Time.


s: But for the rest,--lest we delay thee here


s: Before all else, the seas, the lands, the sky:


s: Their bodies three, three aspects so unlike,


s: Three frames so vast, a single day shall give


s: That massive form and fabric of the world


s: Fail to perceive how strange and marvellous


s: This fact must strike the intellect of man,--


s: That is to be,--and with what toil of words


s: 'Tis mine to prove the same; as happens oft


s: When once ye offer to man's listening ears


s: Something before unheard of, but may not


s: Nor put it into hand--the sight and touch,


s: I will speak out. The fact itself, perchance,


s: Will force belief in these my words, and thou


s: With risen commotions of the lands all things


s: May she, the steersman Nature, guide: and may


s: Persuade us that all things can be o'erthrown


s: And sink with awful-sounding breakage down!


s: Than ever the Pythian pronounced for men


s: From out the tripod and the Delphian laurel,


s: I will unfold for thee with learned words


s: Lands, sun, and sky, sea, constellations, moon,


s: And so conclude that it is just that those,


s: (After the manner of the Giants), should all


s: Pay the huge penalties for monstrous crime,


s: There to put out the splendid sun of heaven,


s: Branding with mortal talk immortal things--


s: Though these same things are even so far removed


s: So far unworthy of numbering with the gods,


s: That well they may be thought to furnish rather


s: That lack the living motion, living sense.


s: For sure 'tis quite beside the mark to think


s: That judgment and the nature of the mind


s: Nor clouds in the salt sea, nor in the fields


s: Can fishes live, nor blood in timber be,


s: Where everything may grow and have its place.


s: Without the body, nor have its being far


s: From thews and blood. Yet if 'twere possible?--


s: Much rather might this very power of mind


s: Be in the head, the shoulders, or the heels,


s: In the same man, in the same vessel abide


s: Where soul and mind can each exist and grow,


s: Deny we must the more that they can dure


s: In rotting clods of earth, in the sun's fire,


s: Therefore these things no whit are furnished


s: With sense divine, since never can they be


s: Believe the sacred seats of gods are here


s: Indeed, the nature of the gods, so subtle,


s: So far removed from these our senses, scarce


s: And since they've ever eluded touch and thrust


s: Of human hands, they cannot reach to grasp


s: Itself be touched in turn can never touch.


s: Wherefore, besides, also their seats must be


s: Unlike these seats of ours,--even subtle too,


s: As meet for subtle essence--as I'll prove


s: Hereafter unto thee with large discourse.


s: Further, to say that for the sake of men


s: They willed to prepare this world's magnificence,


s: To praise the work of gods as worthy praise,


s: And that 'tis sacrilege for men to shake


s: What hath been stablished by the Forethought old


s: And that 'tis sacrilege to assault by words


s: Memmius, such notions to concoct and pile,


s: That they should take a step to manage aught


s: For sake of us? Or what new factor could,


s: To change their former life? For rather he


s: Whom old things chafe seems likely to rejoice


s: At new; but one that in fore-passed time


s: Hath chanced upon no ill, through goodly years,


s: O what could ever enkindle in such an one


s: The evil for us, if we had ne'er been born?--


s: As though, forsooth, in darkling realms and woe


s: Our life were lying till should dawn at last


s: Hath been begotten wills perforce to stay


s: In life, so long as fond delight detains;


s: But whoso ne'er hath tasted love of life,


s: And ne'er was in the count of living things,


s: What hurts it him that he was never born?


s: Whence, further, first was planted in the gods


s: And the fore-notion of what man is like,


s: So that they knew and pre-conceived with mind


s: Just what they wished to make? Or how were known


s: And what those germs, by interchange of place,


s: Could thus produce, if nature's self had not


s: By their own weights, have evermore been wont


s: Which, by combining one with other, they


s: Into arrangements such, and if they've passed


s: The seeds primordial were, yet would I dare


s: This to affirm, even from deep judgments based


s: Upon the ways and conduct of the skies--


s: This to maintain by many a fact besides--


s: That in no wise the nature of all things


s: For us was fashioned by a power divine--


s: So great the faults it stands encumbered with.


s: First, mark all regions which are overarched


s: One yawning part thereof the mountain-chains


s: And forests of the beasts do have and hold;


s: And cliffs, and desert fens, and wastes of sea


s: (Which sunder afar the beaches of the lands)


s: From mortal kind. And what is left to till,


s: Even that the force of nature would o'errun


s: With brambles, did not human force oppose,--


s: Long wont for livelihood to groan and sweat


s: Over the two-pronged mattock and to cleave


s: The soil in twain by pressing on the plough.


s: Unless, by the ploughshare turning the fruitful clods


s: And kneading the mould, we quicken into birth,


s: Into the free bright air. Even then sometimes,


s: When things acquired by the sternest toil


s: Are now in leaf, are now in blossom all,


s: Parches, or sudden rains or chilling rime


s: Destroys, or flaws of winds with furious whirl


s: Torment and twist. Beside these matters, why


s: Doth nature feed and foster on land and sea


s: The dreadful breed of savage beasts, the foes


s: Of the human clan? Why do the seasons bring


s: Distempers with them? Wherefore stalks at large


s: Death, so untimely? Then, again, the babe,


s: Like to the castaway of the raging surf,


s: Lies naked on the ground, speechless, in want


s: Of every help for life, when nature first


s: Hath poured him forth upon the shores of light


s: With birth-pangs from within the mother's womb,


s: And with a plaintive wail he fills the place,--


s: But all the flocks and herds and all wild beasts


s: Come forth and grow, nor need the little rattles,


s: Nor must be treated to the humouring nurse's


s: Dear, broken chatter; nor seek they divers clothes


s: To suit the changing skies; nor need, in fine,


s: Nor arms, nor lofty ramparts, wherewithal


s: Their own to guard--because the earth herself


s: And nature, artificer of the world, bring forth


s: Since body of earth and water, air's light breath,


s: This sum of things is seen to be compact)


s: Thus the whole nature of the world itself


s: For, verily, those things of which we see


s: The parts and members to have birth in time


s: And perishable shapes, those same we mark


s: And born to die. And therefore when I see


s: The mightiest members and the parts of this


s: And lest in these affairs thou deemest me


s: To have seized upon this point by sleight to serve


s: That earth and fire are mortal things indeed,


s: Both perish too and have affirmed the same


s: Mark well the argument: in first place, lo,


s: Some certain parts of earth, grievously parched


s: A powdery haze and flying clouds of dust,


s: Which the stout winds disperse in the whole air.


s: And rivers graze and gouge the banks away.


s: Is rendered back; and since, beyond a doubt,


s: Likewise the common sepulchre of things,


s: Therefore thou seest her minished of her plenty,


s: And then again augmented with new growth.


s: And for the rest, that sea, and streams, and springs


s: Needeth no words--the mighty flux itself


s: Streams up is ever straightway carried off,


s: And thus it comes to pass that all in all


s: And skiey sun (that with his rays dissolves)


s: Do minish the level seas; in part because


s: Through all the lands. The brine is filtered off,


s: And then the liquid stuff seeps back again


s: Whence in fresh-water currents on it flows


s: Over the lands, adown the channels which


s: Were cleft erstwhile and erstwhile bore along


s: I'll speak, which hour by hour in all its body


s: Streams up in dust or vapour off of things,


s: And did not air in turn restore to things


s: Bodies, and thus recruit them as they stream,


s: All things by this time had resolved been


s: And changed into air. Therefore it never


s: The abounding well-spring of the liquid light,


s: The ethereal sun, doth flood the heaven o'er


s: With constant flux of radiance ever new,


s: And with fresh light supplies the place of light,


s: Upon the instant. For whatever effulgence


s: Hath first streamed off, no matter where it falls,


s: Is lost unto the sun. And this 'tis thine


s: To know from these examples: soon as clouds


s: And, as it were, to rend the rays of light


s: In twain, at once the lower part of them


s: Where'er the thunderheads are rolled along--


s: So know thou mayst that things forever need


s: A fresh replenishment of gleam and glow,


s: And each effulgence, foremost flashed forth,


s: Can things be seen in sunlight, lest alway


s: The fountain-head of light supply new light.


s: Indeed your earthly beacons of the night,


s: The hanging lampions and the torches, bright


s: With darting gleams and dense with livid soot,


s: Are all alive to quiver with their fires,--


s: Are so alive, that thus the light ne'er leaves


s: The spots it shines on, as if rent in twain:


s: By the swift birth of flame from all the fires.


s: Thus, then, we must suppose that sun and moon


s: And stars dart forth their light from under-births


s: First rise do perish always one by one--


s: Lest, haply, thou shouldst think they each endure


s: How stones are also conquered by Time?--


s: And boulders crumble?--Not how shrines of gods


s: And idols crack outworn?--Nor how indeed


s: There to postpone the Terminals of Fate,


s: Or headway make 'gainst Nature's fixed decrees?


s: In their turn likewise, if we don't believe


s: Down from the lofty mountains, powerless


s: To dure and dree the mighty forces there


s: Of finite time?--for they would never fall


s: They had prevailed against all engin'ries


s: Again, now look at This, which round, above,


s: Contains the whole earth in its one embrace:


s: If from itself it procreates all things--


s: As some men tell--and takes them to itself


s: When once destroyed, entirely must it be


s: Increase and food, the same perforce must be


s: Minished, and then recruited when it takes


s: Of lands and sky, and they had ever been


s: Of heroes? Why do those deeds live no more,


s: Wherefore, even now some arts are being still


s: Refined, still increased: now unto ships


s: And, then, this nature, this account of things


s: Yet if, percase, thou deemest that ere this


s: Existed all things even the same, but that


s: By some tremendous quaking of the world,


s: Or rivers in fury, after constant rains,


s: Had plunged forth across the lands of earth


s: And whelmed the towns--then, all the more must thou


s: Of lands and sky. For at a time when things


s: And so great perils, if some cause more fell


s: Had then assailed them, far and wide they would


s: Have gone to disaster and supreme collapse.


s: With which have sickened in the past those men


s: Either repel all strokes, because 'tis made


s: Of aught with power to sunder from within


s: The parts compact--as are those seeds of stuff


s: For this: because they are from blows exempt,


s: As is the void, the which abides untouched,


s: There is no room around, whereto things can,


s: Without or place beyond whereto things may


s: And thus dissolve them by the blows of might.


s: Nor is the world yet as the void, nor are,


s: Moreover, bodies lacking which, percase,


s: With fury-whirlwinds all this sum of things,


s: Of peril strange; and yonder, too, abides


s: The infinite space and the profound abyss--


s: Whereinto, lo, the ramparts of the world


s: Can yet be shivered. Or some other power


s: Can pound upon them till they perish all.


s: Thus is the door of doom, O nowise barred


s: Against the sky, against the sun and earth


s: And deep-sea waters, but wide open stands


s: And gloats upon them, monstrous and agape.


s: Wherefore, again, 'tis needful to confess


s: That these same things are born in time; for things


s: Again, since battle so fiercely one with other


s: Seest not that there may be for them an end


s: Of the long strife?--Or when the skiey sun


s: The sucked-up waters all?--And this they try


s: Still to accomplish, though as yet they fail,--


s: New store of waters that 'tis rather they


s: Who menace the world with inundations vast


s: From forth the unplumbed chasms of the sea.


s: But vain--since winds (that over-sweep amain)


s: And skiey sun (that with his rays dissolves)


s: Do minish the level seas and trust their power


s: Arrive at the end of their endeavouring.


s: Breathing such vasty warfare, they contend


s: In balanced strife the one with other still


s: Concerning mighty issues,--though indeed


s: And once--as goes the tale--the water won


s: A kingdom in the fields. For fire o'ermastered


s: And licked up many things and burnt away,


s: What time the impetuous horses of the Sun


s: Snatched Phaethon headlong from his skiey road


s: Down the whole ether and over all the lands.


s: Then with the sudden smite of thunderbolt


s: Those horses to the earth. And Sol, his sire,


s: Meeting him as he fell, caught up in hand


s: And drave together the pell-mell horses there


s: And yoked them all a-tremble, and amain,


s: Steering them over along their own old road,


s: Restored the cosmos,--as forsooth we hear


s: From songs of ancient poets of the Greeks--


s: A tale too far away from truth, meseems.


s: Of fiery stuff; and then its powers succumb,


s: It shrivels in torrid atmospheres the world.


s: The lives of men with billows; and thereafter,


s: When all that force of water-stuff which forth


s: Did now retire, as somehow turned aside,


s: The rain-storms stopped, and streams their fury checked.


s: But in what modes that conflux of first-stuff


s: Of earth, and sky, and the unfathomed deeps


s: Of ocean, and courses of the sun and moon,


s: 'Stablish themselves, as by keen act of mind,


s: Each in its proper place; nor did they make,


s: Forsooth, a compact how each germ should move;


s: By their own weights, have evermore been wont


s: Which, by combining one with other, they


s: It comes to pass that those primordials,


s: Diffused far and wide through mighty aeons,


s: The while they unions try, and motions too,


s: Of mighty things--earth, sea, and sky, and race


s: The wheel of the sun could nowhere be discerned


s: Nor ocean, nor heaven, nor even earth nor air.


s: Nor aught of things like unto things of ours


s: Could then be seen--but only some strange storm


s: Compounded of all kinds of primal germs,


s: Whose battling discords in disorder kept


s: And weights, and blows, encounterings, and motions,


s: Because, by reason of their forms unlike


s: And varied shapes, they could not all thuswise


s: Have interplay of movements. But from there


s: With like to join, and to block out a world,


s: Its mightier parts--that is, to set secure


s: The lofty heavens from the lands, and cause


s: First came together the earthy particles


s: In the mid-region, and all began to take


s: The lowest abodes; and ever the more they got


s: They pressed from out their mass those particles


s: Which were to form the sea, the stars, the sun,


s: And moon, and ramparts of the mighty world--


s: For these consist of seeds more smooth and round


s: And of much smaller elements than earth.


s: And thus it was that ether, fraught with fire,


s: First broke away from out the earthen parts,


s: Athrough the innumerable pores of earth,


s: And raised itself aloft, and with itself


s: And the still lakes and the perennial streams


s: Exhale a mist, and even as earth herself


s: Is seen at times to smoke, when first at dawn


s: The light of the sun, the many-rayed, begins


s: Begemmed with dew. When all of these are brought


s: Beneath the heavens. And thuswise ether too,


s: Light and diffusive, with concreted body


s: On all sides spread, on all sides bent itself


s: Thus hedged all else within its greedy clasp.


s: Of sun and moon, whose globes revolve in air


s: Midway between the earth and mightiest ether,--


s: For neither took them, since they weighed too little


s: To sink and settle, but too much to glide


s: Along the upmost shores; and yet they are


s: As ever to whirl their living bodies round,


s: And ever to dure as parts of the wide Whole;


s: In the same fashion as certain members may


s: In us remain at rest, whilst others move.


s: When, then, these substances had been withdrawn,


s: Amain the earth, where now extend the vast


s: Caved in, and down along the hollows poured


s: The whirlpools of her brine; and day by day


s: The more the tides of ether and rays of sun


s: Being thus beat upon, 'twas all condensed


s: The salty sweat, from out its body squeezed,


s: By seeping through its frame, and all the more


s: The high refulgent circuits of the heavens.


s: The plains began to sink, and windy slopes


s: Of the high mountains to increase; for rocks


s: Could not subside, nor all the parts of ground


s: Thus, then, the massy weight of earth stood firm


s: With now concreted body, when (as 'twere)


s: All of the slime of the world, heavy and gross,


s: Had run together and settled at the bottom,


s: Like lees or bilge. Then ocean, then the air,


s: Then ether herself, the fraught-with-fire, were all


s: Left with their liquid bodies pure and free,


s: And each more lighter than the next below;


s: And ether, most light and liquid of the three,


s: Nor with the brawling of the winds of air


s: All there--those under-realms below her heights--


s: There to be overset in whirlwinds wild,--


s: Doth leave all there to brawl in wayward gusts,


s: Whilst, gliding with a fixed impulse still,


s: Itself it bears its fires along. For, lo,


s: That ether can flow thus steadily on, on,


s: With one unaltered urge, the Pontus proves--


s: That sea which floweth forth with fixed tides,


s: And that the earth may there abide at rest


s: In the mid-region of the world, it needs


s: Must vanish bit by bit in weight and lessen,


s: Realms of the air in which it roots and lives.


s: On this account, the earth is not a load,


s: Nor presses down on winds of air beneath;


s: Without all weight--the head is not a load


s: Weight of the body to centre in the feet.


s: But whatso weights come on us from without,


s: Weights laid upon us, these harass and chafe,


s: Though often far lighter. For to such degree


s: It matters always what the innate powers


s: Was, then, no alien substance fetched amain,


s: On alien air; but was conceived, like air,


s: Our members are seen to be a part of us.


s: Besides, the earth, when of a sudden shook


s: By the big thunder, doth with her motion shake


s: All that's above her--which she ne'er could do


s: By any means, were earth not bounden fast


s: Unto the great world's realms of air and sky:


s: For they cohere together with common roots,


s: Conjoined both, even from their earliest age,


s: Supports our body, though so heavy a weight,--


s: Because, indeed, 'tis with it so conjoined


s: Can raise with agile leap our body aloft,


s: Save energy of mind which steers the limbs?


s: With heavy body, as air is with the earth


s: Now let us sing what makes the stars to move.


s: In first place, if the mighty sphere of heaven


s: Revolveth round, then needs we must aver


s: Confines them and encloseth at each end;


s: Streams on athwart the top of the sphere and tends


s: The glittering stars of the eternal world;


s: To whirl the sphere from under up and on


s: The rivers turn the wheels and water-scoops.


s: Remain at rest, whilst yet are borne along


s: The lucid constellations; either because


s: Swift tides of ether are by sky enclosed,


s: And whirl around, seeking a passage out,


s: And everywhere make roll the starry fires


s: Through the Summanian regions of the sky;


s: Or else because some air, streaming along


s: Whileth the driven fires, or, then, because


s: The fires themselves have power to creep along,


s: Going wherever their food invites and calls,


s: And feeding their flaming bodies everywhere


s: Throughout the sky. Yet which of these is cause


s: In this our world 'tis hard to say for sure;


s: But what can be throughout the universe,


s: Of which yet one must be the cause even here


s: Which maketh motion for our constellations.


s: Nor can the sun's wheel larger be by much


s: Nor its own blaze much less than either seems


s: Fires have the power on us to cast their beams


s: And blow their scorching exhalations forth


s: Against our members, those same distances


s: From bulk of flames; and to the sight the fire


s: Is nothing shrunken. Therefore, since the heat


s: Form too and bigness of the sun must look


s: Even here from earth just as they really be,


s: So that thou canst scarce nothing take or add.


s: And whether the journeying moon illuminate


s: From off her proper body her own light,--


s: Whichever it be, she journeys with a form


s: Naught larger than the form doth seem to be


s: Which we with eyes of ours perceive. For all


s: Seem through much air confused in their look


s: Ere minished in their bigness. Wherefore, moon,


s: Since she presents bright look and clear-cut form,


s: May there on high by us on earth be seen


s: Just as she is with extreme bounds defined,


s: And just of the size. And lastly, whatso fires


s: Of ether thou from earth beholdest, these


s: Than they appear--since whatso fires we view