Minor Latin poets; with introductions and English translations

AETNAweight they have a natural tendency to fall rStill, if I am wrong, appearance supports nie : andsuch a great downward coursing rush eludes theeager glance of the eye. And so neither are theywho stand near the crater struck and moved by thelight wind, when the purified hand of the priestbrandishes the sacred torches ^ ; yet it strikes theirfaces, and bodies set in motion invade our bodiesin so slight an instance there is a cause whichrepels force.'' The air in its complete calm ^ drawsup no cinder or light stubble, stirs no parched grassor thin bits of chaff. Straight on high rises thesmoke from the incense-perfumed ^ altars : so profoundis that sleep of the air, a peace guiltless of ravin.Whether then it is through extraneous or internalcauses that the winds make their puissant alliance,that volcanic rush carries up amid black sand streamsof tire and pieces of the mountain : huge rocks shiveras they clash and burst into explosions together withblazing flames and lightning flashes ; as when foreststhought is not easy to follow. It has just been claimed thateven powerful volcanic agencies may elude notice (349-350);and the parallel is cited of the air-current made by the priest inhis lustration striking the worshippers' faces without theirbeing aware of the impact. Corpora — " atoms " : nostris —" our human bodies," which suffer the impact of atoms of airimconsciously. The extremely condensed adeo in tenui vimcausa repdlit is Uterall}- m '•so slight an instance a cause repelsforce," i.e. keeps it from being felt. The " slight instance " isthe priestly sprinkling of water and his waving the lustralfire :" force " may be said to be " repelled," if it is not allowedfree play, and the worshippers are apparently unconscious ofits operation. Tiie proper explanation of causa is obscure,and Ellis may be right in suspecting a lacuna after repdlit.^ i.e. on Aetna's summit between eruptions.* adoratis, " venerated," the reading of C, makes quite goodsense.393