Life　its　sweet　solaces；　when　she　begat
  A　man　of　heart　so　wise；　who　whilom　poured
  All　wisdom　forth　from　his　truth…speaking　mouth；
  The　glory　of　whom；　though　dead；　is　yet　to…day；
  Because　of　those　discoveries　divine
  Renowned　of　old；　exalted　to　the　sky。
  For　when　saw　he　that　well…nigh　everything
  Which　needs　of　man　most　urgently　require
  Was　ready　to　hand　for　mortals；　and　that　life；
  As　far　as　might　be；　was　established　safe；
  That　men　were　lords　in　riches；　honour；　praise；
  And　eminent　in　goodly　fame　of　sons；
  And　that　they　yet；　O　yet；　within　the　home；
  Still　had　the　anxious　heart　which　vexed　life
  Unpausingly　with　torments　of　the　mind；
  And　raved　perforce　with　angry　plaints；　then　he；
  Then　he；　the　master；　did　perceive　that　'twas
  The　vessel　itself　which　worked　the　bane；　and　all；
  However　wholesome；　which　from　here　or　there
  Was　gathered　into　it；　was　by　that　bane
  Spoilt　from　within；…　in　part；　because　he　saw
  The　vessel　so　cracked　and　leaky　that　nowise
  'T　could　ever　be　filled　to　brim；　in　part　because
  He　marked　how　it　polluted　with　foul　taste
  Whate'er　it　got　within　itself。　So　he；
  The　master；　then　by　his　truth…speaking　words；
  Purged　the　breasts　of　men；　and　set　the　bounds
  Of　lust　and　terror；　and　exhibited
  The　supreme　good　whither　we　all　endeavour；
  And　showed　the　path　whereby　we　might　arrive
  Thereunto　by　a　little　cross…cut　straight；
  And　what　of　ills　in　all　affairs　of　mortals
  Upsprang　and　flitted　deviously　about
  （Whether　by　chance　or　force）；　since　nature　thus
  Had　destined；　and　from　out　what　gates　a　man
  Should　sally　to　each　combat。　And　he　proved
  That　mostly　vainly　doth　the　human　race
  Roll　in　its　bosom　the　grim　waves　of　care。
  For　just　as　children　tremble　and　fear　all
  In　the　viewless　dark；　so　even　we　at　times
  Dread　in　the　light　so　many　things　that　be
  No　whit　more　fearsome　than　what　children　feign；
  Shuddering；　will　be　upon　them　in　the　dark。
  This　terror　then；　this　darkness　of　the　mind；
  Not　sunrise　with　its　flaring　spokes　of　light；
  Nor　glittering　arrows　of　morning　can　disperse；
  But　only　nature's　aspect　and　her　law。
  Wherefore　the　more　will　I　go　on　to　weave
  In　verses　this　my　undertaken　task。
  And　since　I've　taught　thee　that　the　world's　great　vaults
  Are　mortal　and　that　sky　is　fashioned
  Of　frame　e'en　born　in　time；　and　whatsoe'er
  Therein　go　on　and　must　perforce　go　on
  。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。
  The　most　I　have　unravelled；　what　remains
  Do　thou　take　in；　besides；　since　once　for　all
  To　climb　into　that　chariot'　renowned
  。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。
  Of　winds　arise；　and　they　appeased　are
  So　that　all　things　again。。。
  。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。
  Which　were；　are　changed　now；　with　fury　stilled；
  All　other　movements　through　the　earth　and　sky
  Which　mortals　gaze　upon　（O　anxious　oft
  In　quaking　thoughts！）；　and　which　abase　their　minds
  With　dread　of　deities　and　press　them　crushed
  Down　to　the　earth；　because　their　ignorance
  Of　cosmic　causes　forces　them　to　yield
  All　things　unto　the　empery　of　gods
  And　to　concede　the　kingly　rule　to　them。
  For　even　those　men　who　have　learned　full　well
  That　godheads　lead　a　long　life　free　of　care；
  If　yet　meanwhile　they　wonder　by　what　plan
  Things　can　go　on　（and　chiefly　yon　high　things
  Observed　o'erhead　on　the　ethereal　coasts）；
  Again　are　hurried　back　unto　the　fears
  Of　old　religion　and　adopt　again
  Harsh　masters；　deemed　almighty；…　wretched　men；
  Unwitting　what　can　be　and　what　cannot；
  And　by　what　law　to　each　its　scope　prescribed；
  Its　boundary　stone　that　clings　so　deep　in　Time。
  Wherefore　the　more　are　they　borne　wandering　on
  By　blindfold　reason。　And；　Memmius；　unless
  From　out　thy　mind　thou　spuest　all　of　this
  And　casteth　far　from　thee　all　thoughts　which　be
  Unworthy　gods　and　alien　to　their　peace；
  Then　often　will　the　holy　majesties
  Of　the　high　gods　be　harmful　unto　thee；
  As　by　thy　thought　degraded；…　not；　indeed；
  That　essence　supreme　of　gods　could　be　by　this
  So　outraged　as　in　wrath　to　thirst　to　seek
  Revenges　keen；　but　even　because　thyself
  Thou　plaguest　with　the　notion　that　the　gods；
  Even　they；　the　Calm　Ones　in　serene　repose；
  Do　roll　the　mighty　waves　of　wrath　on　wrath；
  Nor　wilt　thou　enter　with　a　serene　breast
  Shrines　of　the　gods；　nor　wilt　thou　able　be
  In　tranquil　peace　of　mind　to　take　and　know
  Those　images　which　from　their　holy　bodies
  Are　carried　into　intellects　of　men；
  As　the　announcers　of　their　form　divine。
  What　sort　of　life　will　follow　after　this
  'Tis　thine　to　see。　But　that　afar　from　us
  Veriest　reason　may　drive　such　life　away；
  Much　yet　remains　to　be　embellished　yet
  In　polished　verses；　albeit　hath　issued　forth
  So　much　from　me　already；　lo；　there　is
  The　law　and　aspect　of　the　sky　to　be
  By　reason　grasped；　there　are　the　tempest　times
  And　the　bright　lightnings　to　be　hymned　now…
  Even　what　they　do　and　from　what　cause　soe'er
  They're　borne　along…　that　thou　mayst　tremble　not；
  Marking　off　regions　of　prophetic　skies
  For　auguries；　O　foolishly　distraught
  Even　as　to　whence　the　flying　flame　hath　come；
  Or　to　which　half　of　heaven　it　turns；　or　how
  Through　walled　places　it　hath　wound　its　way；
  Or；　after　proving　its　dominion　there；
  How　it　hath　speeded　forth　from　thence　amain…
  Whereof　nowise　the　causes　do　men　know；
  And　think　divinities　are　working　there。
  Do　thou；　Calliope；　ingenious　Muse；
  Solace　of　mortals　and　delight　of　gods；
  Point　out　the　course　before　me；　as　I　race
  On　to　the　white　line　of　the　utmost　goal；
  That　I　may　get　with　signal　praise　the　crown；
  With　thee　my　guide！
  GREAT　METEOROLOGICAL　PHENOMENA；　ETC。
  And　so　in　first　place；　then；
  With　thunder　are　shaken　the　blue　deeps　of　heaven；
  Because　the　ethereal　clouds；　scudding　aloft；
  Together　clash；　what　time　'gainst　one　another
  The　winds　are　battling。　For　never　a　sound　there　comes
  From　out　the　serene　regions　of　the　sky；
  But　wheresoever　in　a　host　more　dense
  The　clouds　foregather；　thence　more　often　comes
  A　crash　with　mighty　rumbling。　And；　again；
  Clouds　cannot　be　of　so　condensed　a　frame
  As　stones　and　timbers；　nor　again　so　fine
  As　mists　and　flying　smoke；　for　then　perforce
  They'd　either　fall；　borne　down　by　their　brute　weight；
  Like　stones；　or；　like　the　smoke；　they'd　powerless　be
  To　keep　their　mass；　or　to　retain　within
  Frore　snows　and　storms　of　hail。　And　they　give　forth
  O'er　skiey　levels　of　the　spreading　world
  A　sound　on　high；　as　linen…awning；　stretched
  O'er　mighty　theatres；　gives　forth　at　times
  A　cracking　roar；　when　much　'tis　beaten　about
  Betwixt　the　poles　and　cross…beams。　Sometimes；　too；
  Asunder　rent　by　wanton　gusts；　it　raves
  And　imitates　the　tearing　sound　of　sheets
  Of　paper…　even　this　kind　of　noise　thou　mayst
  In　thunder　hear…　or　sound　as　when　winds　whirl
  With　lashings　and　do　buffet　about　in　air
  A　hanging　cloth　and　flying　paper…sheets。
  For　sometimes；　too；　it　chances　that　the　clouds
  Cannot　together　crash　head…on；　but　rather
  Move　side…wise　and　with　motions　contrary
  Graze　each　the　other's　body　without　speed；
  From　whence　that　dry　sound　grateth　on　our　ears；
  So　long　drawn…out；　until　the　clouds　have　passed
  From　out　their　close　positions。
  And；　again；
  In　following　wise　all　things　seem　oft　to　quake
  At　shock　of　heavy　thunder；　and　mightiest　walls
  Of　the　wide　reaches　of　the　upper　world
  There　on　the　instant　to　have　sprung　apart；
  Riven　asunder；　what　time　a　gathered　blast
  Of　the　fierce　hurricane　hath　all　at　once
  Twisted　its　way　into　a　mass　of　clouds；
  And；　there　enclosed；　ever　more　and　more
  Compelleth　by　its　spinning　whirl　the　cloud
  To　grow　all　hollow　with　a　thickened　crust
  Surrounding；　for　thereafter；　when　the　force
  And　the　keen　onset　of　the　wind　have　weakened
  That　crust；　lo；　then　the　cloud；　to…split　in　twain；
  Gives　forth　a　hideous　crash　with　bang　and　boom。
  No　marvel　this；　since　oft　a　bladder　small；
  Filled　up　with　air；　will；　when　of　sudden　burst；
  Give　forth　a　like　large　sound。
  There's　reason；　too；
  Why　clouds　make　sounds；　as　through　them　blow　the　winds：
  We　see；　borne　down　the　sky；　oft　shapes　of　clouds
  Rough…edged　or　branched　many　forky　ways；
  And　'tis　the　same；　as　when　the　sudden　flaws
  Of　north…west　wind　through　the　dense　forest　blow；
  Making　the　leaves　to　sough　and　limbs　to　crash。
  It　happens　too　at　times　that　roused　force
  Of　the　fierce　hurricane　to…rends　the　cloud；
  Breaking　right　through　it　by　a　front　assault；
  For　what　a　blast　of　wind　may　do　up　there
  Is　manifest　from　facts　when　here　on　earth
  A　blast　more　gentle　yet　uptwists　tall　trees
  And　sucks　them　madly　from　their　deepest　roots。
  Besides；　among　the　clouds　are　waves；　and　these
  Give；　as　they　roughly　break；　a　rumbling　roar；
  As　when　along　deep　streams　or　the　great　sea
  Breaks　the　loud　surf。　It　happens；　too；　whenever
  Out　from　one　cloud　into　another　falls
  The　fiery　energy　of　thunderbolt；
  That　straightaway　the　cloud；　if　full　of　wet；
  Extinguishes　the　fire　with　mighty　noise；
  As　iron；　white　from　the　hot　furnaces；
  Sizzles；　when　speedily　we've　plunged　its　glow
  Down　the　cold　water。　Further；　if　a　cloud
  More　dry　receive　the　fire；　'twill　suddenly
  Kindle　to　flame　and　burn　with　monstrous　sound；
  As　if　a　flame　with　whirl　of　winds　should　range
  Along　the　laurel…tressed　mountains　far；
  Upburning　with　its　vast　assault　those　trees；
  Nor　is　there　aught　that　in　the　crackling　flame
  Consumes　with　sound　more　terrible　to　man
  Than　Delphic　la