The Sibyl · a new plain-English translation from the original language
insatiable of body; strong in their mighty form
they were; yet still they came beneath Tartarus' dread house,
bound fast in unbreakable chains, to pay the price
into the birth of fierce, raging, unwearied fire.
From these, thereafter, again a mighty-hearted race
appeared, a third race of overweening men,
terrible men, who wrought much evil among themselves.
And these, battles and manslaughters and wars
kept destroying without pause, though their hearts were violent.
From these, after this, there came down a late-fated,
youngest race, another, blood-stained, reckless in counsel,
of men, in the fourth generation; who poured out much
blood, fearing neither God nor men,
nor showing shame; for indeed upon them had fallen
a maddening frenzy of wrath and grievous impiety.
And these, wars and manslaughters and battles
sent down to Erebus, wretched as they were —
impious men. But others, afterward, in his wrath,
the heavenly God himself removed from his world,
casting them into Tartarus, beneath the earth's great depths.
And again another race, far worse, thereafter
of men he made, for whom nothing good thereafter
the immortal God fashioned, since they wrought much evil.
For these were far more insolent than those
crooked Giants, foully pouring out cursed words.
Alone among them all, most righteous and true
was Noah, most faithful, devoted to good works.
And to him God himself spoke thus from heaven:
"Noah, take courage in your own body, and to all the people
proclaim repentance, that all may be saved.
But if, having shameless hearts, they will not heed,
I will destroy the whole race with mighty floods of waters.
But for you, swiftly, upon roots that never thirst, flourishing,
I bid you fashion a house of timber, imperishable.
I will place in your breast understanding, and cunning skill,
and measures for its hold; and I will care for everything,
so that you may be saved, and all who dwell with you.
I myself am the One who is; consider this in your mind:
I am clothed in heaven, and wrapped about with the sea,
the earth is the support of my feet, and around my body is poured
the air, and the chorus of stars runs round me on every side.
Nine letters I have; I am four syllables; understand me:
the first three each have two letters,
and the last has the rest, and five of them are mute;
and of the whole number there are twice eight hundreds,
and three, three tens together with seven. And knowing who I am,
you shall not be uninitiated in the wisdom that is mine."
So he spoke; and boundless trembling seized him at what he heard.
And then, with understanding, having crafted each thing,
he entreated the peoples, and began his words as follows: