5
And no power of fire was able to give light, nor did the brilliant flames of the stars avail to illumine that hateful night.
6
Nothing was shining through to them except a dreadful, self-kindled fire, and in terror they deemed the things that they saw to be worse than that unseen appearance.
7
The delusions of their magic art lay humbled, and their boasted wisdom was scornfully rebuked.
8
For those who promised to drive off the fears and disorders of a sick soul were sick themselves with ridiculous fear.
9
For even if nothing disturbing frightened them, yet, scared by the passing of wild animals and the hissing of snakes
10
they perished in trembling fear, refusing to look even at the air, though it nowhere could be avoided.
11
For wickedness is a cowardly thing, condemned by its own testimony; distressed by conscience, it has always exaggerated the difficulties.
12
For fear is nothing but a giving up of the helps that come from reason;
13
and hope, defeated by this inward weakness, prefers ignorance of what causes the torment.
14
But throughout the night, which was really powerless and which came upon them from the recesses of powerless Hades, they all slept the same sleep,
15
and now were driven by monstrous specters, and now were paralyzed by their souls' surrender; for sudden and unexpected fear overwhelmed them.