Some hidden power treads human grandeur down, And seems to make its sport of the proud rods And cruel axes, crushed beneath its heel. Lastly, when the whole earth rocks under them, And cities tumble with the shock, or stand In doubt, threatening to fall, what wonder is it That mortal creatures should abase themselves, Assigning vast dominion to the gods, And wondrous powers to govern all below? Now must be told how copper gold and iron, And weighty silver also, and solid lead Were first discovered when on the great hills Fire had consumed huge forests with its heat, Kindled either by lightning from the sky, Or because men waging some forest war Had carried fire among their enemies For terror’s sake; or else because, drawn on By the soil’s goodness, they would wish to clear Fat lands and turn them unto pasturage, Or to kill beasts and grow rich with the spoils. For hunting with the pitfall and with fire Came into use before woods were enclosed With nets or drawn by dogs. Howe’er that be, From whatsoever cause the heat of flame With terrible crackling had devoured whole forests Down to their deepest roots, and throughly baked The soil with fire, forth from the burning veins There would ooze and collect in cavities Streams of silver and gold, of copper too, And lead. When afterwards men found these metals Cooled into masses glittering on the ground With brilliant colours, they would pick them up, Attracted by their bright smooth loveliness; And they would then observe how each was formed Into a shape similar to the imprint Of the hole where it lay. Next it would strike them That, melted down by heat, these could be made To run into any form and mould they pleased, And further could by hammering be wrought Into points tapering as sharp and fine As they might need, so furnishing themselves With tools wherewith to cut down woods, hew timber And plane planks smooth, to drill and pierce and bore. And this they would attempt with silver and gold No less than with stout copper’s mighty strength. But in vain, since their yielding force would fail, Being proved less fit to endure toil and strain. In those days copper was more highly esteemed; Gold lay despised as useless with its dull And blunted edge: now copper lies neglected, Whereas gold has attained the pitch of honour. Thus Time as it revolves is ever changing The seasons of things. What was once esteemed Becomes at length of no repute; whereon Some other thing, issuing from contempt, Mounts up and daily is coveted more and more, And, once discovered, blossoms out in praises, Rising to wondrous honour among men.