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[41] Next comes the godless fable that disturbs with Phlegra and its camp the inextinguishable fires of Aetna's summit. In days of yore the Giants aspired (0 shameful deed) to thrust down from the sky the stars, and making Jupiter a captive, to transfer his sovereignty to another, and lay under their laws the conquer'd heaven. These have their proper (man's) nature down to the belly: a scaly serpent wreathes in circling coils their feet below. Huge mountains build up a mound for waging battle: Ossa presses Pelion down, Olympus' top lies heavy on Ossa. Already they are struggling to climb the mountainmasses they have piled together, a godless soldiery is challenging to close fight the affrighted constellations - in hostile array is challenging to battle the gods one and all, moving up its standards through the ranks of the cowering stars. Jupiter quails from his place in heaven, and arming his glittering right hand with flarrie withdraws the sky in gloom. The Giants begin the charge with a mighty shouting: then the Father of Gods thunders with a deep tone, and the winds discordantly mustering from every quarter support him and redouble the din. A throng of lightnings bursts through the convulsed clouds; whatever might for waging war each several god possesses is leagued In cooperation. Already Pallas had placed herself at her father's right, Mars on his left; already the other gods stand trooped on either side in awe. Then did Jupiter sound his puissant fire signals, and hurling his lightning dash the mountains to the ground. From that field are fled in discomfiture, ruining down the sky, the squadrons that battle with heaven, headlong the godless host is driven, camp and all; yea, Mother Earth that would fain urge on her routed children as they lie. Then peace came back to the sky: the stars have rest and Liber advances among them; now the constellations recover heaven and the glory of vindicating the realm of the sky. In Trinacrian waters Enceladus dies and is buried under Aetna by Jove's decree; with the ponderous mountain above him he tosses restlessly, and defiantly breathes from his throat a penal fire.
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