Fear was the first thing on Earth to create gods.

What once sprung from the earth sinks back into the earth.

The body searches for that which has injured the mind with love.

You alone govern the nature of things. Without you nothing emerges into the light of day, without you nothing is joyous or lovely.

And part of the soil is called to wash away In storms and streams shave close and gnaw the rocks. Besides, whatever the earth feeds and grows Is restored to earth. And since she surely is The womb of all things and their common grave, Earth must dwindle, you see and take on growth again.

Assuredly whatsoever things are fabled to exist in deep Acheron, these all exist in this life. There is no wretched Tantalus, fearing the great rock that hangs over him in the air and frozen with vain terror. Rather, it is in this life that fear of the gods oppresses mortals without cause, and the rock they fear is any that chance may bring.

All things obey fixed laws.