of the nature of things-第33章

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Thus　also　we　behold　the　flashing　ere
We　hear　the　thunder；　which　discharged　is
At　same　time　with　the　fire　and　by　same　cause；
Born　of　the　same　collision。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　In　following　wise
The　clouds　suffuse　with　leaping　light　the　lands；
And　the　storm　flashes　with　tremulous　elan：
When　the　wind　hath　invaded　a　cloud；　and；　whirling　there；
Hath　wrought　（as　I　have　shown　above）　the　cloud
Into　a　hollow　with　a　thickened　crust；
It　becomes　hot　of　own　velocity：
Just　as　thou　seest　how　motion　will　o'erheat
And　set　ablaze　all　objects；…　verily
A　leaden　ball；　hurtling　through　length　of　space；
Even　melts。　Therefore；　when　this　same　wind　a…fire
Hath　split　black　cloud；　it　scatters　the　fire…seeds；
Which；　so　to　say；　have　been　pressed　out　by　force
Of　sudden　from　the　cloud；…　and　these　do　make
The　pulsing　flashes　of　flame；　thence　followeth
The　detonation　which　attacks　our　ears
More　tardily　than　aught　which　comes　along
Unto　the　sight　of　eyeballs。　This　takes　place…
As　know　thou　mayst…　at　times　when　clouds　are　dense
And　one　upon　the　other　piled　aloft
With　wonderful　upheavings…　nor　be　thou
Deceived　because　we　see　how　broad　their　base
From　underneath；　and　not　how　high　they　tower。
For　make　thine　observations　at　a　time
When　winds　shall　bear　athwart　the　horizon's　blue
Clouds　like　to　mountain…ranges　moving　on；
Or　when　about　the　sides　of　mighty　peaks
Thou　seest　them　one　upon　the　other　massed
And　burdening　downward；　anchored　in　high　repose；
With　the　winds　sepulchred　on　all　sides　round：
Then　canst　thou　know　their　mighty　masses；　then
Canst　view　their　caverns；　as　if　builded　there
Of　beetling　crags；　which；　when　the　hurricanes
In　gathered　storm　have　filled　utterly；
Then；　prisoned　in　clouds；　they　rave　around
With　mighty　roarings；　and　within　those　dens
Bluster　like　savage　beasts；　and　now　from　here；
And　now　from　there；　send　growlings　through　the　clouds；
And　seeking　an　outlet；　whirl　themselves　about；
And　roll　from　'mid　the　clouds　the　seeds　of　fire；
And　heap　them　multitudinously　there；
And　in　the　hollow　furnaces　within
Wheel　flame　around；　until　from　bursted　cloud
In　forky　flashes　they　have　gleamed　forth。
　　Again；　from　following　cause　it　comes　to　pass
That　yon　swift　golden　hue　of　liquid　fire
Darts　downward　to　the　earth：　because　the　clouds
Themselves　must　hold　abundant　seeds　of　fire；
For；　when　they　be　without　all　moisture；　then
They　be　for　most　part　of　a　flamy　hue
And　a　resplendent。　And；　indeed；　they　must
Even　from　the　light　of　sun　unto　themselves
Take　multitudinous　seeds；　and　so　perforce
Redden　and　pour　their　bright　fires　all　abroad。
And　therefore；　when　the　wind　hath　driven　and　thrust；
Hath　forced　and　squeezed　into　one　spot　these　clouds；
They　pour　abroad　the　seeds　of　fire　pressed　out；
Which　make　to　flash　these　colours　of　the　flame。
Likewise；　it　lightens　also　when　the　clouds
Grow　rare　and　thin　along　the　sky；　for；　when
The　wind　with　gentle　touch　unravels　them
And　breaketh　asunder　as　they　move；　those　seeds
Which　make　the　lightnings　must　by　nature　fall；
At　such　an　hour　the　horizon　lightens　round
Without　the　hideous　terror　of　dread　noise
And　skiey　uproar。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　To　proceed　apace；
What　sort　of　nature　thunderbolts　possess
Is　by　their　strokes　made　manifest　and　by
The　brand…marks　of　their　searing　heat　on　things；
And　by　the　scorched　scars　exhaling　round
The　heavy　fumes　of　sulphur。　For　all　these
Are　marks；　O　not　of　wind　or　rain；　but　fire。
Again；　they　often　enkindle　even　the　roofs
Of　houses　and　inside　the　very　rooms
With　swift　flame　hold　a　fierce　dominion。
Know　thou　that　nature　fashioned　this　fire
Subtler　than　fires　all　other；　with　minute
And　dartling　bodies；…　a　fire　'gainst　which　there's　naught
Can　in　the　least　hold　out：　the　thunderbolt；
The　mighty；　passes　through　the　hedging　walls
Of　houses；　like　to　voices　or　a　shout；…
Through　stones；　through　bronze　it　passes；　and　it　melts
Upon　the　instant　bronze　and　gold；　and　makes；
Likewise；　the　wines　sudden　to　vanish　forth；
The　wine…jars　intact；…　because；　ye　see；
Its　heat　arriving　renders　loose　and　porous
Readily　all　the　wine…　jar's　earthen　sides；
And　winding　its　way　within；　it　scattereth
The　elements　primordial　of　the　wine
With　speedy　dissolution…　process　which
Even　in　an　age　the　fiery　steam　of　sun
Could　not　accomplish；　however　puissant　he
With　his　hot　coruscations：　so　much　more
Agile　and　overpowering　is　this　force。
　　　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。
Now　in　what　manner　engendered　are　these　things；
How　fashioned　of　such　impetuous　strength
As　to　cleave　towers　asunder；　and　houses　all
To　overtopple；　and　to　wrench　apart
Timbers　and　beams；　and　heroes'　monuments
To　pile　in　ruins　and　upheave　amain；
And　to　take　breath　forever　out　of　men；
And　to　o'erthrow　the　cattle　everywhere；…
Yes；　by　what　force　the　lightnings　do　all　this；
All　this　and　more；　I　will　unfold　to　thee；
Nor　longer　keep　thee　in　mere　promises。
　　The　bolts　of　thunder；　then；　must　be　conceived
As　all　begotten　in　those　crasser　clouds
Up…piled　aloft；　for；　from　the　sky　serene
And　from　the　clouds　of　lighter　density；
None　are　sent　forth　forever。　That　'tis　so
Beyond　a　doubt；　fact　plain　to　sense　declares：
To　wit；　at　such　a　time　the　densed　clouds
So　mass　themselves　through　all　the　upper　air
That　we　might　think　that　round　about　all　murk
Had　parted　forth　from　Acheron　and　filled
The　mighty　vaults　of　sky…　so　grievously；
As　gathers　thus　the　storm…clouds'　gruesome　might；
Do　faces　of　black　horror　hang　on　high…
When　tempest　begins　its　thunderbolts　to　forge。
Besides；　full　often　also　out　at　sea
A　blackest　thunderhead；　like　cataract
Of　pitch　hurled　down　from　heaven；　and　far　away
Bulging　with　murkiness；　down　on　the　waves
Falls　with　vast　uproar；　and　draws　on　amain
The　darkling　tempests　big　with　thunderbolts
And　hurricanes；　itself　the　while　so　crammed
Tremendously　with　fires　and　winds；　that　even
Back　on　the　lands　the　people　shudder　round
And　seek　for　cover。　Therefore；　as　I　said；
The　storm　must　be　conceived　as　o'er　our　head
Towering　most　high；　for　never　would　the　clouds
O'erwhelm　the　lands　with　such　a　massy　dark；
Unless　up…builded　heap　on　lofty　heap；
To　shut　the　round　sun　off。　Nor　could　the　clouds；
As　on　they　come；　engulf　with　rain　so　vast
As　thus　to　make　the　rivers　overflow
And　fields　to　float；　if　ether　were　not　thus
Furnished　with　lofty…piled　clouds。　Lo；　then；
Here　be　all　things　fulfilled　with　winds　and　fires…
Hence　the　long　lightnings　and　the　thunders　loud。
For；　verily；　I've　taught　thee　even　now
How　cavernous　clouds　hold　seeds　innumerable
Of　fiery　exhalations；　and　they　must
From　off　the　sunbeams　and　the　heat　of　these
Take　many　still。　And　so；　when　that　same　wind
（Which；　haply；　into　one　region　of　the　sky
Collects　those　clouds）　hath　pressed　from　out　the　same
The　many　fiery　seeds；　and　with　that　fire
Hath　at　the　same　time　inter…mixed　itself；
O　then　and　there　that　wind；　a　whirlwind　now；
Deep　in　the　belly　of　the　cloud　spins　round
In　narrow　confines；　and　sharpens　there　inside
In　glowing　furnaces　the　thunderbolt。
For　in　a　two…fold　manner　is　that　wind
Enkindled　all：　it　trembles　into　heat
Both　by　its　own　velocity　and　by
Repeated　touch　of　fire。　Thereafter；　when
The　energy　of　wind　is　heated　through
And　the　fierce　impulse　of　the　fire　hath　sped
Deeply　within；　O　then　the　thunderbolt；
Now　ripened；　so　to　say；　doth　suddenly
Splinter　the　cloud；　and　the　aroused　flash
Leaps　onward；　lumining　with　forky　light
All　places　round。　And　followeth　anon
A　clap　so　heavy　that　the　skiey　vaults；
As　if　asunder　burst；　seem　from　on　high
To　engulf　the　earth。　Then　fearfully　a　quake
Pervades　the　lands；　and　'long　the　lofty　skies
Run　the　far　rumblings。　For　at　such　a　time
Nigh　the　whole　tempest　quakes；　shook　through　and　through；
And　roused　are　the　roarings；…　from　which　shock
Comes　such　resounding　and　abounding　rain；
That　all　the　murky　ether　seems　to　turn
Now　into　rain；　and；　as　it　tumbles　down；
To　summon　the　fields　back　to　primeval　floods：
So　big　the　rains　that　be　sent　down　on　men
By　burst　of　cloud　and　by　the　hurricane；
What　time　the　thunder…clap；　from　burning　bolt
That　cracks　the　cloud；　flies　forth　along。　At　times
The　force　of　wind；　excited　from　without；
Smiteth　into　a　cloud　already　hot
With　a　ripe　thunderbolt。　And　when　that　wind
Hath　splintered　that　cloud；　then　down　there　cleaves　forthwith
Yon　fiery　coil　of　flame　which　still　we　call；
Even　with　our　fathers'　word；　a　thunderbolt。
The　same　thing　haps　toward　every　other　side
Whither　that　force　hath　swept。　It　happens；　too；
That　sometimes　force　of　wind；　though　hurtled　forth
Without　all　fire；　yet　in　its　voyage　through　space
Igniteth；　whilst　it　comes　along；　along；…
Losing　some　larger　bodies　which　cannot
Pass；　like　the　others；　through　the　bulks　of　air；…
And；　scraping　together　out　of　air　itself
Some　smaller　bodies；　carries　them　along；
And　these；　commingling；　by　their　flight　make　fire：
Much　in　the　manner　as　oft　a　leaden　ball
Grows　hot　upon　its　aery　course；　the　while
It　loseth　many　bodies　of　stark　cold
And　taketh　into　itself　along　the　air
New　particles　of　fire。　It　happens；　too；
That　force　of　blow　itself　arouses　fire；
When　force　of　wind；　a…cold　and　hurtled　forth
Without　all　fire；　hath　strook　somewhere　amain…
No　marvel；　because；　when　with　terrific　stroke
'Thas　smitten；　the　elements　of　fiery…stuff
Can　stream　together　from　out　the　very　wind
And；　simultaneously；　from　out　that　thing
Which　then　and　there　receives　the　stroke：　as　flies
The　fire　when　with　the　steel　we　hack　the　stone；
Nor　yet；　because　the　force　of　steel's　a…cold；
Rush　the　less　speedily　together　there
Under　the　stroke　its　seeds　of　radiance　hot。
And　therefore；　thuswise　must　an　object　too
Be　kindled　by　a　thunderbolt；　if　haply
'Thas　been　adapt　and　suited　to　the　flames。
Yet　force　of　wind　must　not　be　rashly　deemed
As　altogether　and　entirely　cold…
That　force　which　is　discharged　from　on　high
With　such　stupendous　power；　but　if　'tis　not
Upon　its　course　already　kindled　with　fire；
It　yet　arriveth　warmed　and　mixed　with　heat。
　　And；　now；　the　speed　and　stroke　of　thunderbolt
Is　so　tremendous；　and　with　glide　so　swift
Those　thunderbolts　rush　on　and　down；　because
Their　roused　force　itself　collects　itself
First　always　in　the　clouds；　and　then　prepares
For　the　huge　effort　of　their　going…forth；
Next；　when　the　cloud　no　longer　can　retain
The　increment　of　their　fierce　impetus；
Their　force　is　pressed　out；　and　therefore　flies
With　impetus　so　wondrous；　like　to　shots
Hurled　from　the　powerful　Roman　catapults。
Note；　too；　this　force　consists　of　elements
Both　small　and　smooth；　nor　is　there　aught　that　can
With　ease　resist　such　nature。　For　it　darts
Between　and　enters　through　the　pores　of　things；
And　so　it　never　falters　in　delay
Despite　innumerable　collisions；　but
Flies　shooting　onward　with　a　swift　elan。
Next；　since　by　nature　always　every　weight
Bears　downward；　doubled　is　the　swiftness　then
And　that　elan　is　still　more　wild　and　dread；
When；　verily；　to　weight　are　added　blows；
So　that　more　madly　and　more　fiercely　then
The　thunderbolt　shakes　into　shivers　all
That　blocks　its　path；　following　on　its　way。
Then；　too；　because　it　comes　along；　along
With　one　continuing　elan；　it　must
Take　on　velocity　anew；　anew；
Which　still　increases　as　it　goes；　and　ever
Augments　the　bolt's　vast　powers　and　to　the　blow
Gives　larger　vigour；　for　it　forces　all；
All　of　the　th