Minor Latin poets; with introductions and English translations

AETNAgradually sprun|Li up raised from fallen rock^, tb.eymount in a narrow-pointed pyramid: i/ust as a stoneis ealcincd in a furnace and its moisture all burnt outin-^ide and through the pores it steams on high, sothe lava-stone loses its substance and is turned out alight })umice of inconsiderable weight : the lavaliquidbegins to boil hotter and at last to advancemore in the fashion of a gentle stream, as it lets itswaves course down the slopes of the hills. By stagesthe waves advance some twice six miles. Nay,nothing can recall them : nothing checks — thesedetermined fires : no mass can hold them 'tis vain :all is war together. Now woodland and crag, hereagain earth and soil are in the flood. The lava-riveritself aids their supplies and adjusts the compliantmaterial to its own course. But if perhaps in somedeep valley it lags and stops, its rolling volumebrowses leisurely over the fields uneven as they are.Then it redoubles its billows and chides the laggardwaves ; as when a violent sea plunges headforemostwith curving swell ; and first it urges on its feeblewaves, others beyond . . . advancing, it spreads farand wide, and choosing (what to envelop). . . . Thelava-streams come to a standstill inside their marginsand harden as they cool ; slowly the fires shrink andthe appearance of a weaving harvest of flame is lost.Each mass in turn, as it stiffens, emits fumes, and,dragged by its very weight, rolls on with enormousdin ; whenever it has crashed pell-mell into some solidsubstance which resounds with the impact, it spreadsabroad the fires of the concussion and shines with**^ succernens CZ : succrescunt Jncoh : sua certis Schwartz.^^^ inflexa CZ : inflixa Scaliger.405