Nor　is　there　aught　that　in　the　crackling　flame
  Consumes　with　sound　more　terrible　to　man
  Than　Delphic　laurel　of　Apollo　lord。
  Oft；　too；　the　multitudinous　crash　of　ice
  And　down…pour　of　swift　hail　gives　forth　a　sound
  Among　the　mighty　clouds　on　high；　for　when
  The　wind　hath　packed　them　close；　each　mountain　mass
  Of　rain…cloud；　there　congealed　utterly
  And　mixed　with　hail…stones；　breaks　and　booms。。。
  。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。　　　　　。
  Likewise；　it　lightens；　when　the　clouds　have　struck；
  By　their　collision；　forth　the　seeds　of　fire：
  As　if　a　stone　should　smite　a　stone　or　steel；
  For　light　then　too　leaps　forth　and　fire　then　scatters
  The　shining　sparks。　But　with　our　ears　we　get
  The　thunder　after　eyes　behold　the　flash；
  Because　forever　things　arrive　the　ears
  More　tardily　than　the　eyes…　as　thou　mayst　see
  From　this　example　too：　when　markest　thou
  Some　man　far　yonder　felling　a　great　tree
  With　double…edged　ax；　it　comes　to　pass
  Thine　eye　beholds　the　swinging　stroke　before
  The　blow　gives　forth　a　sound　athrough　thine　ears：
  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　splint