Quod si Iuppiter atque alii fulgentia divi terrifico quatiunt sonitu caelestia templa et iaciunt ignem quo cuiquest cumque voluntas, cur quibus incautum scelus aversabile cumquest non faciunt icti flammas ut fulguris halent pectore perfixo, documen mortalibus acre, et potius nulla sibi turpi conscius in re volvitur in flammas innoxius inque peditur turbine caelesti subito correptus et igni? Cur etiam loca sola petunt frustraque laborant? an tum bracchia consuescunt firmantque lacertos? in terraque patris cur telum perpetiuntur obtundi? cur ipse sinit neque parcit in hostis? denique cur numquam caelo iacit undique puro Iuppiter in terras fulmen sonitusque profundit? an simul ac nubes successere, ipse in eas tum descendit, prope ut hinc teli determinet ictus? in mare qua porro mittit ratione? quid undas arguit et liquidam molem camposque natantis? Praeterea si vult caveamus fulminis ictum, cur dubitat facere ut possimus cernere missum? si nec opinantis autem volt opprimere igni, cur tonat ex illa parte, ut vitare queamus? cur tenebras ante et fremitus et murmura concit? Et simul in multas partis qui credere possis mittere? an hoc ausis numquam contendere factum, ut fierent ictus uno sub tempore plures?
But if Jupiter and other gods shake the shining regions of heaven with appalling din, if they cast fire whither it may be the will of each one, why do they not see to it that those who have not refrained from some abominable crime shall be struck and breathe out sulphurous flames from breast pierced through, a sharp lesson to mankind? Why rather does one with no base guilt on his conscience roll in flames all innocent, suddenly involved in a tornado from heaven and taken off by fire? Why again do they aim at deserts and waste their labour? Or are they then practising their arms and strengthening their muscles? And why do they suffer the Fathers bolt to be blunted against the earth? Why does he himself allow this, instead of saving it for his enemies? Why again does Jupiter does never cast a bolt on the earth and sound his thunder, when the heaven is clear on all sides? Does he wait, until clouds have come up, to descend into them himself, that he may be near by to direct from them the blow of his bolt? With what purpose again does he strike the sea? What has he against the waves, the mass of water, the swimming plains? Furthermore, if he desires that we be on our guard against the thunderstroke, why does he neglect to provide that we may see it when it is hurled? If however he wishes to crush us at unawares with his fire, why does he thunder from that quarter, so that we can avoid it, why gather the darkness first with crashings and growlings? And how could you believe him to shoot in many directions at once? Or would you make bold to say that this never is done, never many blows directions made at one time?
final_alignments\Lucretius_De_Rerum_Natura_Book6.json