Aeneid

Virgil

Vergil. The Aeneid of Virgil. Williams, Theodore, C, translator. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1910.

  1. A spreading bay is there, impregnable
  2. to all invading storms; and Aetna's throat
  3. with roar of frightful ruin thunders nigh.
  4. Now to the realm of light it lifts a cloud
  5. of pitch-black, whirling smoke, and fiery dust,
  6. shooting out globes of flame, with monster tongues
  7. that lick the stars; now huge crags of itself,
  8. out of the bowels of the mountain torn,
  9. its maw disgorges, while the molten rock
  10. rolls screaming skyward; from the nether deep
  11. the fathomless abyss makes ebb and flow.
  12. Enceladus, his body lightning-scarred,
  13. lies prisoned under all, so runs the tale:
  14. o'er him gigantic Aetna breathes in fire
  15. from crack and seam; and if he haply turn
  16. to change his wearied side, Trinacria's isle
  17. trembles and moans, and thick fumes mantle heaven.
  18. That night in screen and covert of a grove
  19. we bore the dire convulsion, unaware
  20. whence the loud horror came. For not a star
  21. its lamp allowed, nor burned in upper sky
  22. the constellated fires, but all was gloom,
  23. and frowning night confined the moon in cloud.