Home | Introduction | Persons | Geogr. | Sources | Events | Mijn blog(Nederlands) |
Religion | Subjects | Images | Queries | Links | Contact | Do not fly Iberia |
Notes Do not display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book III Chapter 23: The Aetna | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
A spreading bay is there, impregnable to all invading storms; and Aetna's throat with roar of frightful ruin thunders nigh. Now to the realm of light it lifts a cloud of pitch-black, whirling smoke, and fiery dust, shooting out globes of flame, with monster tongues that lick the stars; now huge crags of itself, out of the bowels of the mountain torn, its maw disgorges, while the molten rock rolls screaming skyward; from the nether deep the fathomless abyss makes ebb and flow. Enceladus, his body lightning-scarred, lies prisoned under all, so runs the tale: o'er him gigantic Aetna breathes in fire from crack and seam; and if he haply turn to change his wearied side, Trinacria's isle trembles and moans, and thick fumes mantle heaven. That night in screen and covert of a grove we bore the dire convulsion, unaware whence the loud horror came. For not a star its lamp allowed, nor burned in upper sky the constellated fires, but all was gloom, and frowning night confined the moon in cloud. Event: The wanderings of Aeneas |
570-587 Portus ab accessu uentorum immotus et ingens ipse: sed horrificis iuxta tonat Aetna ruinis, interdumque atram prorumpit ad aethera nubem turbine fumantem piceo et candente fauilla, attollitque globos flammarum et sidera lambit; interdum scopulos auulsaque uiscera montis erigit eructans, liquefactaque saxa sub auras cum gemitu glomerat fundoque exaestuat imo. fama est Enceladi semustum fulmine corpus urgeri mole hac, ingentemque insuper Aetnam impositam ruptis flammam exspirare caminis, et fessum quotiens mutet latus, intremere omnem murmure Trinacriam et caelum subtexere fumo. noctem illam tecti siluis immania monstra perferimus, nec quae sonitum det causa uidemus. nam neque erant astrorum ignes nec lucidus aethra siderea polus, obscuro sed nubila caelo, et lunam in nimbo nox intempesta tenebat. |