Abroad　against　the　bit　of　tow；　and　when
  They　there　collect　or　cleave　unto　the　torch；
  Forthwith　they　readily　flash　aflame；　because
  The　tow　and　torches；　also；　in　themselves
  Have　many　seeds　of　latent　fire。　Indeed；
  And　seest　thou　not；　when　near　the　nightly　lamps
  Thou　bringest　a　flaxen　wick；　extinguished
  A　moment　since；　it　catches　fire　before
  'Thas　touched　the　flame；　and　in　same　wise　a　torch？
  And　many　another　object　flashes　aflame
  When　at　a　distance；　touched　by　heat　alone；
  Before　'tis　steeped　in　veritable　fire。
  This；　then；　we　must　suppose　to　come　to　pass
  In　that　spring　also。
  Now　to　other　things！
  And　I'll　begin　to　treat　by　what　decree
  Of　nature　it　came　to　pass　that　iron　can　be
  By　that　stone　drawn　which　Greeks　the　magnet　call
  After　the　country's　name　（its　origin
  Being　in　country　of　Magnesian　folk）。
  This　stone　men　marvel　at；　and　sure　it　oft
  Maketh　a　chain　of　rings；　depending；　lo；
  From　off　itself！　Nay；　thou　mayest　see　at　times
  Five　or　yet　more　in　order　dangling　down
  And　swaying　in　the　delicate　winds；　whilst　one
  Depends　from　other；　cleaving　to　under…side；
  And　ilk　one　feels　the　stone's　own　power　and　bonds…
  So　over…masteringly　its　power　flows　down。
  In　things　of　this　sort；　much　must　be　made　sure
  Ere　thou　account　of　the　thing　itself　canst　give；
  And　the　approaches　roundabout　must　be；
  Wherefore　the　more　do　I　exact　of　thee
  A　mind　and　ears　attent。
  First；　from　all　things
  We　see　soever；　evermore　must　flow；
  Must　be　discharged　and　strewn　about；　about；
  Bodies　that　strike　the　eyes；　awaking　sight。
  From　certain　things　flow　odours　evermore；
  As　cold　from　rivers；　heat　from　sun；　and　spray
  From　waves　of　ocean；　eater…out　of　walls
  Along　the　coasts。　Nor　ever　cease　to　seep
  The　varied　echoings　athrough　the　air。
  Then；　too；　there　comes　into　the　mouth　at　times
  The　wet　of　a　salt　taste；　when　by　the　sea
  We　roam　about；　and　so；　whene'er　we　watch
  The　wormwood　being　mixed；　its　bitter　stings。
  To　such　degree　from　all　things　is　each　thing
  Borne　streamingly　along；　and　sent　about
  To　every　region　round；　and　nature　grants
  Nor　rest　nor　respite　of　the　onward　flow；
  Since　'tis　incessantly　we　feeling　have；
  And　all　the　time　are　suffered　to　descry
  And　smell　all　things　at　hand；　and　hear　them　sound。
  Now　will　I　seek　again　to　bring　to　mind
  How　porous　a　body　all　things　have…　a　fact
  Made　manifest　in　my　first　canto；　too。
  For；　truly；　though　to　know　this　doth　import
  For　many　things；　yet　for　this　very　thing
  On　which　straightway　I'm　going　to　discourse；
  'Tis　needful　most　of　all　to　make　it　sure
  That　naught's　at　hand　but　body　mixed　with　void。
  A　first　ensample：　in　grottos；　rocks　o'erhead
  Sweat　moisture　and　distil　the　oozy　drops；
  Likewise；　from　all　our　body　seeps　the　sweat；
  There　grows　the　beard；　and　along　our　members　all
  And　along　our　frame　the　hairs。　Through　all　our　veins
  Disseminates　the　foods；　and　gives　increase
  And　aliment　down　to　the　extreme　parts；
  Even　to　the　tiniest　finger…nails。　Likewise；
  Through　solid　bronze　the　cold　and　fiery　heat
  We　feel　to　pass；　likewise；　we　feel　them　pass
  Through　gold；　through　silver；　when　we　clasp　in　hand
  The　brimming　goblets。　And；　again；　there　flit
  Voices　through　houses'　hedging　walls　of　stone；
  Odour　seeps　through；　and　cold；　and　heat　of　fire
  That's　wont　to　penetrate　even　strength　of　iron。
  Again；　where　corselet　of　the　sky　girds　round
  。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。
  And　at　same　time；　some　Influence　of　bane；
  When　from　Beyond　'thas　stolen　into　＇our　world＇。
  And　tempests；　gathering　from　the　earth　and　sky；
  Back　to　the　sky　and　earth　absorbed　retire…
  With　reason；　since　there's　naught　that's　fashioned　not
  With　body　porous。
  Furthermore；　not　all
  The　particles　which　be　from　things　thrown　off
  Are　furnished　with　same　qualities　for　sense；
  Nor　be　for　all　things　equally　adapt。
  A　first　ensample：　the　sun　doth　bake　and　parch
  The　earth；　but　ice　he　thaws；　and　with　his　beams
  Compels　the　lofty　snows；　up…reared　white
  Upon　the　lofty　hills；　to　waste　away；
  Then；　wax；　if　set　beneath　the　heat　of　him；
  Melts　to　a　liquid。　And　the　fire；　likewise；
  Will　melt　the　copper　and　will　fuse　the　gold；
  But　hides　and　flesh　it　shrivels　up　and　shrinks。
  The　water　hardens　the　iron　just　off　the　fire；
  But　hides　and　flesh　（made　hard　by　heat）　it　softens。
  The　oleaster…tree　as　much　delights
  The　bearded　she…goats；　verily　as　though
  'Twere　nectar…steeped　and　shed　ambrosia；
  Than　which　is　naught　that　burgeons　into　leaf
  More　bitter　food　for　man。　A　hog　draws　back
  For　marjoram　oil；　and　every　unguent　fears
  Fierce　poison　these　unto　the　bristled　hogs；
  Yet　unto　us　from　time　to　time　they　seem；
  As　'twere；　to　give　new　life。　But；　contrariwise；
  Though　unto　us　the　mire　be　filth　most　foul；
  To　hogs　that　mire　doth　so　delightsome　seem
  That　they　with　wallowing　from　belly　to　back
  Are　never　cloyed。
  A　point　remains；　besides；
  Which　best　it　seems　to　tell　of；　ere　I　go
  To　telling　of　the　fact　at　hand　itself。
  Since　to　the　varied　things　assigned　be
  The　many　pores；　those　pores　must　be　diverse
  In　nature　one　from　other；　and　each　have
  Its　very　shape；　its　own　direction　fixed。
  And　so；　indeed；　in　breathing　creatures　be
  The　several　senses；　of　which　each　takes　in
  Unto　itself；　in　its　own　fashion　ever；
  Its　own　peculiar　object。　For　we　mark
  How　sounds　do　into　one　place　penetrate；
  Into　another　flavours　of　all　juice；
  And　savour　of　smell　into　a　third。　Moreover；
  One　sort　through　rocks　we　see　to　seep；　and；　lo；
  One　sort　to　pass　through　wood；　another　still
  Through　gold；　and　others　to　go　out　and　off
  Through　silver　and　through　glass。　For　we　do　see
  Through　some　pores　form…and…look　of　things　to　flow；
  Through　others　heat　to　go；　and　some　things　still
  To　speedier　pass　than　others　through　same　pores。
  Of　verity；　the　nature　of　these　same　paths；
  Varying　in　many　modes　（as　aforesaid）
  Because　of　unlike　nature　and　warp　and　woof
  Of　cosmic　things；　constrains　it　so　to　be。
  Wherefore；　since　all　these　matters　now　have　been
  Established　and　settled　well　for　us
  As　premises　prepared；　for　what　remains
  'Twill　not　be　hard　to　render　clear　account
  By　means　of　these；　and　the　whole　cause　reveal
  Whereby　the　magnet　lures　the　strength　of　iron。
  First；　stream　there　must　from　off　the　lode…stone　seeds
  Innumerable；　a　very　tide；　which　smites
  By　blows　that　air　asunder　lying　betwixt
  The　stone　and　iron。　And　when　is　emptied　out
  This　space；　and　a　large　place　between　the　two
  Is　made　a　void；　forthwith　the　primal　germs
  Of　iron；　headlong　slipping；　fall　conjoined
  Into　the　vacuum；　and　the　ring　itself
  By　reason　thereof　doth　follow　after　and　go
  Thuswise　with　all　its　body。　And　naught　there　is
  That　of　its　own　primordial　elements
  More　thoroughly　knit　or　tighter　linked　coheres
  Than　nature　and　cold　roughness　of　stout　iron。
  Wherefore；　'tis　less　a　marvel　what　I　said；
  That　from　such　elements　no　bodies　can
  From　out　the　iron　collect　in　larger　throng
  And　be　into　the　vacuum　borne　along；
  Without　the　ring　itself　do　follow　after。
  And　this　it　does；　and　followeth　on　until
  'Thath　reached　the　stone　itself　and　cleaved　to　it
  By　links　invisible。　Moreover；　likewise；
  The　motion's　assisted　by　a　thing　of　aid
  （Whereby　the　process　easier　becomes）；…
  Namely；　by　this：　as　soon　as　rarer　grows
  That　air　in　front　of　the　ring；　and　space　between
  Is　emptied　more　and　made　a　void；　forthwith
  It　happens　all　the　air　that　lies　behind
  Conveys　it　onward；　pushing　from　the　rear。
  For　ever　doth　the　circumambient　air
  Drub　things　unmoved；　but　here　it　pushes　forth
  The　iron；　because　upon　one　side　the　space
  Lies　void　and　thus　receives　the　iron　in。
  This　air；　whereof　I　am　reminding　thee；
  Winding　athrough　the　iron's　abundant　pores
  So　subtly　into　the　tiny　parts　thereof；
  Shoves　it　and　pushes；　as　wind　the　ship　and　sails。
  The　same　doth　happen　in　all　directions　forth：
  From　whatso　side　a　space　is　made　a　void；
  Whether　from　crosswise　or　above；　forthwith
  The　neighbour　particles　are　borne　along
  Into　the　vacuum；　for　of　verity；
  They're　set　a…going　by　poundings　from　elsewhere；
  Nor　by　themselves　of　own　accord　can　they
  Rise　upwards　into　the　air。　Again；　all　things
  Must　in　their　framework　hold　some　air；　because
  They　are　of　framework　porous；　and　the　air
  Encompasses　and　borders　on　all　things。
  Thus；　then；　this　air　in　iron　so　deeply　stored
  Is　tossed　evermore　in　vexed　motion；
  And　therefore　drubs　upon　the　ring　sans　doubt
  And　shakes　it　up　inside。。。。
  。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。
  In　sooth；　that　ring　is　thither　borne　along
  To　where　'thas　once　plunged　headlong…　thither；　lo；
  Unto　the　void　whereto　it　took　its　start。
  It　happens；　too；　at　times　that　nature　of　iron
  Shrinks　from　this　stone　away；　accustomed
  By　turns　to　flee　and　follow。　Yea；　I've　seen
  Those　Samothracian　iron　rings　leap　up；
  And　iron　filings　in　the　brazen　bowls
  Seethe　furiously；　when　underneath　was　set
  The　magnet　stone。　So　strongly　iron　seems
  To　crave　to　flee　that　rock。　Such　discord　great
  Is　gendered　by　the　interposed　brass；
  Because；　forsooth；　when　first　the　tide　of　brass
  Hath　seized　upon　and　held　possession　of
  The　iron's　open　passage…ways；　thereafter
  Cometh　the　tide　of　the　stone；　and　in　that　iron
  Findeth　all　spaces　full；　nor　now　hath　holes
  To　swim　through；　as　before。　'Tis　thus　constrained
  With　its　own　current　'gainst　the　iron's　fabric
  To　dash　and　beat；　b