“The Earth was formed, but, in the womb as yet Of waters, embryon, immature, involved, Appeared not; over all the face of Earth Main ocean flowed, not idle, but, with warm Prolific humour softening all her globe, Fermented the great mother to conceive, Satiate with genial moisture; when God said, ‘Be gathered now, ye waters under heaven, Into one place, and let dry land appear!’ Immediately the mountains huge appear Emergent, and their broad bare backs upheave Into the clouds; their tops ascend the sky. So high as heaved the tumid hills, so low Down sunk a hollow bottom, broad and deep, Capacious bed of waters; thither they Hasted with glad precipitance, uprolled, As drops on dust conglobing from the dry; Part rise in crystal wall, or ridge direct, For haste; such flight the great command impressed On the swift floods. As armies at the call Of trumpet (for of armies thou hast heard) Troop to the standard, so the watery throng, Wave rolling after wave, where way they found: If steep, with torrent rapture, if through plain,