a terris quantum caeli patet altus hiatus;

nubila dispicere et caelum ut videare videre,

cetera mirando sub terras abdita caelo."

4.4X4

And the bright surface of water mirroring the

constellations is seen in these lines:

"quod simul ac primum sub diu splendor aquai

ponitur, extemplo caelo stellante serena

sidera respondent in aqua radiantia mundi."

4.211

The quiet flowing of rivers is described in a s scientific discussion of the reasons why the sea grows

no larger:

...... ut in mare de terris venit umor aquai,

in terras itidem manare ex aequore salso;

percolatur enim virus retroque remanat

materies umoris et ad caput amnibus omnis

confluit, inde super terras redit agmine dulci

qua via secta semel liquido pede detulit undas."

6.633

(1)

and their fury and resistless force in flood is vividly set forth as follows:

"(et) cum mollis aquae fertur natura repente

flumine abundanti, quam largis imbribus auget
montibus ex altis magnus decursus aquai

fragmina coniciens silvarum arbustaque tota,

(1) Also 2.362, already quoted.

nec validi possunt pontes venientis aquai

vim subitam tolerare: ita magno turbidus imbri

molibus incurrit validis cum viribus amnis.

dat sonitu magno stragem volvit que sub undis grandia saxa ruitque aqua quidquid fluctibus obstat 1.281

This passage is preceded by one which it is used

to illustrate

There the tremendous force of wind,
invisible as it is, is powerfully described:
"principio venti vis verberat incita portus

ingentisque ruit navis et nubila differt,
interdum rapido percurrens turbine campos
arboribus magnis sternit montisque supremos
silvifragis vexat flabris; ita perfurit acri
cum fremitu saevitque minaci murmure ventus.
sunt igitur venti nimirum corpora caeca

quae mare, quae terras, quae denique nubila caeli
verrunt ac subito vexantia turbine raptant."

1.271

"sic igitur debent venti quoque flamina ferri,
quae veluti validum cum flumen procubere
quamlibet in partem, trudunt res ante ruunt que
impetibus crebris, interdum vertice torto
corripiunt rapide que rotanti turbine portant."

1.290

To illustrate one of his curious theories of the

cause of thunder, Lucretius speaks of the wind as it

sweeps through the forest-

et enim ramosa videmus

nubila saepe modis multis atque aspera ferri,

scilicet ut, crebram silvam cum flamina cauri perflant, dant sonitum frondes ramique fragorem.

nam quid possit ibi flatus manifesta docet res, hic, ubi lenior est, in terra cum tamen alta arbusta evolvens radicibus haurit ab imis."

6.133

It was the music of the wind as it blew through the hollow reeds, that first gave man the idea of the

pipe the tibia, which figures so largely in Latin poetry.

"et zephyri, cava per calamorum, sibila primum

agrestis docuere cavas inflare cicutas.

inde minut at im dulcis didicere querellas,
tibia quas fundit digitis pulsata canentum."

5.1382

While the quiet strength of the wind is shown in

these lines:

. quippe etenim ventus suptili corpore tenvis
trudit agens magnam magno molimine navem.

and again where the sailor is wrestling with it

4.901

"a nautae contractum cum ventis degere bellum" (videntur)