vis glomerat? quo fonte ruit Vulcanius amnis? sive quod obicibus discurrens ventus opertis offenso rimosa furit per saxa meatu, dum scrutatur iter, libertatemque reposcens 175 putria multivagis populatur flatibus antra; seu mare sulphurei ductum per viscera montis oppressis ignescit aquis et pondera librat. Hic ubi servandum mater fidissima pignus abdidit, ad Phrygios tendit secura penates 180 turrigeramque petit Cybelen sinuosa draconum membra regens, volucri qui pervia nubila tractu signant et placidis umectant frena venenis: frontem crista tegit; pingunt maculosa virentes terga notae; rutilum squamis intermicat aurum. 185 nunc spiris Zephyros tranant; nunc arva volatu inferiore secant, cano rota pulvere labens sulcatam fecundat humum: flavescit aristis orbita; surgentes condunt vestigia fruges; vestit iter comitata seges. Iam linquitur Aetna 190 totaque decrescit refugo Trinacria visu. heu quotiens praesaga mali violavit oborto rore genas! quotiens oculos ad tecta retorsit talia voce movens: “salve, gratissima tellus, quam nos praetulimus caelo, tibi gaudia nostri 195 sanguinis et caros uteri commendo labores. praemia digna manent: nullos patiere ligones et nullo rigidi versabere vomeris ictu. sponte tuus florebit ager; cessante iuvenco * * * * * Page 307 rock? Whence flows forth that fiery stream? Whether it be that the wind, forcing its way past hidden barriers, rages amid the fissured rocks that seek to bar its passage and, seeking a way of escape, sweeps the crumbling caverns with its wandering blasts in its bid for freedom, or that the sea, flowing in through the bowels of the sulphurous mountain, bursts into flame when its waters are compressed and casts up great rocks, I know not. When the loving mother had entrusted her charge to the secret keeping of Henna she went freed from care to visit tower-crowned Cybele in her Phrygian home, driving a car drawn by twining serpents which cleave the pervious clouds on their wingèd course and fleck the bit with harmless poison. Their heads are crested and spots of green mottle their backs while sparkling gold glints amid their scales. Now they swim circling through the air, now they skim the fields with low-driven course. The passing wheels sow the plough-land with golden grain and their track grows yellow with corn. Sprouting stalks cover their traces and attendant crops clothe the path of the goddess.