With such a concourse comes the flood of ill; The cries of men are mixed with rattling shrouds; Seas dash on seas, and clouds encounter clouds; At once from east to west, from pole to pole, The forky lightnings flash, the roaring thunders roll. Now waves on waves ascending scale the skies, And, in the fires above, the water fries; When yellow sands are sifted from below, The glittering billows give a golden show; And when the fouler bottom spews the black, The Stygian dye the tainted waters take; Then frothy white appear the flatted seas, And change their colour, changing their disease. Like various fits the Trachin vessel finds, And now sublime she rides upon the winds; As from a lofty summit looks from high, And from the clouds beholds the nether sky; Now from the depth of hell they lift their sight, And at a distance see superior light; The lashing billows make a loud report, And beat her sides, as battering rams a fort; Or as a lion, bounding in his way, With force augmented bears against his prey, Sidelong to seize; or, unappalled with fear, Springs on the toils, and rushes on the spear; So seas impelled by winds, with added power, Assault the sides, and o'er the hatches tower. The planks, their pitchy coverings washed away, Now yield; and now a yawning breach display; The roaring waters with a hostile tide Rush through the ruins of her gaping side. Meantime, in sheets of rain the sky descends, And ocean, swelled with waters, upwards tends, One rising, falling one; the heavens and sea Meet at their confines, in the middle way; The sails are drunk with showers, and drop with rain; Sweet waters mingle with the briny main. No star appears to lend his friendly light; Darkness and tempest make a double night; But flashing fires disclose the deep by turns, And, while the lightnings blaze, the water burns. Now all the waves their scattered force unite; And, as a soldier, foremost in the fight, Makes way for others, and, an host alone, Still presses on, and, urging, gains the town; So while the invading billows come a-breast, The hero tenth advanced before the rest, Sweeps all before him with impetuous sway, And from the walls descends upon the prey; Part following enter, part remain without, With envy hear their fellows' conquering shout, And mount on others' backs, in hope to share The city, thus become the seat of war. An universal cry resounds aloud, The sailors run in heaps, a helpless crowd; Art fails, and courage falls, no succour near; As many waves, as many deaths appear. One weeps, and yet despairs of late relief; One cannot weep, his fears congeal his grief; But, stupid, with dry eyes expects his fate. } One with loud shrieks laments his lost estate, }