Verse
Metamorphoses
Book 15, Line 22 by Henry T. Riley (English)
“Nor will Ætna, which burns with its sulphureous furnaces, always be a fiery mountain ; nor yet was it always fiery. For, if the earth is an animal, and is alive, and has lungs that breathe forth flames in many a place, it may change the passages for its breathing, and oft as it is moved, may close these caverns and open others; or if the light winds are shut up in its lowermost caverns, and strike rocks against rocks, and matter that contains the elements of flame, and it takes fire at the concussion, the winds once calmed, the caverns will become cool; or, if the bituminous qualities take fire, or yellow sulphur is being dried up with a smouldering smoke, still, when the earth shall no longer give food and unctuous fuel to the flame, its energies being exhausted in length of time, and when nutriment shall be wanting to its devouring nature, it will not be able to endure hunger, and left destitute, it will desert its flames.
MetamorphosesOvidHenry T. RileyEnglishVerse permalinkRead in Book 15
Book 15, Line 22ProseID metamorphoses-riley-en-prose-15-22