Minor Latin poets; with introductions and English translations

AETNAsand. They come not so of their own accord : unsupportedby the strenj^th of any powerful body theyfiill. It is the winds which arouse all these forces ofhavoc : the rocks which they have massed thicklytogether they whirl in eddying storm and roll fromthe abyss. For this reason the rush of fire from themountain is no surprise. Winds when swollen arecalled " spirit," but " air " when sunk to rest." Theviolence of flame unaided is almost ineffectual ; true,fire has always a natural velocity and perpetualmotion, but some ally is needed for the propulsionof bodies. In itself it has no motive energy : wherespirit is commander, it obeys. Spirit is emperorfire serves in the army of this great captain.^Now, since the character of Aetna's activity andof the soil is manifest, whence come the winds themselves? What feeds the conflagration ? When theyare suddenly arrested, what is the inherent cause ofthe hush? I shall follow up the inquiry. Infiniteis the toil, yet fruitful too. Just rewards match theworker's task. Not cattle-like to gaze on the world'smarvels merely with the eye, not to lie outstretchedupon the ground feeding a weight of flesh, but tograsp the proof of things and search into doubtfulcauses, to hallow genius, to raise the head to the sky,to know the number and character of natal elementsin the mighty universe (do they dread extinction or