Ovid's Metamorphoses

---

ISSERAT; HI REDEUNT AC FONTIBUS ORA RELAXANT

ET DEFRENO VOLVUNTER IN AEQUORA CURSU.

IPSE TRIDENTE SUO TERRAM PERCUSSIT; AT ILLA

INTREMUIT MOTUQUE VIAS PATEFECIT AQUARUM.

EXSPATIATA RUUNT PER APERTOS FLUMINA CAMPOS

CUMQUE SATIS ARBUSTA SIMUL PECUDESQUE VIROSQUE

TECTAQUE CUMQUE SUIS RAPIUNT PENETRALIA SACRIS.

SI QUAS DOMUS MANSIT POTUITQUE RESISTERE TANTO

INDEIECTA MALO, CULMEN TAMEN ALTIOR HUIUS

UNDA TEGIT PRESSAQUE LATENT SUB GURGITE TURRES.

 

HE GAVE HIS ORDERS; [THE RIVERS] RETURN HOME AND OPEN THE MOUTHS OF THEIR SOURCES

AND WITH AN UNCHECKED FLOW THEY TUMBLE TOWARDS THE SEA.

[NEPTUNE] STRIKES THE GROUND WITH HIS TRIDENT; YET [THE EARTH]

SHAKES AND WITH ITS MOTION OPENS UP NEW WATERWAYS.

THE EXPANDING RIVERS FLOW OVER THE OPEN FIELDS

AND ALONG WITH THE FORESTS, THEY SEIZE TOGETHER FLOCKS AND MEN

AND BUILDINGS WITH THEIR SACRED SHRINES INSIDE.

IF ANY HOUSE REMAINS AND CAN RESIST SUCH

EVIL WITHOUT TOPPLING, STILL THE WAVES GO HIGHER THAN ITS ROOFTOP

COVERING IT, AND THE TOWERS SIT UNDERNEATH THE ABYSS ABOVE THEM.

---

Fun Fact! – Neptune is the god of not only the sea, but also earthquakes!  That’s why he’s able to blast new river channels into the earth like that.