ECNEPHIAS AND TYPHON

Latine · Mayhoff 1906

Nunc de repentinis flatibus, qui exhalante terra, ut dictum est, coorti rursusque deiecti, interim 111 obducta nubium cute, multiformes exsistunt. vagi quippe et ruentes torrentium modo, ut aliquis placere ostendimus, 112 tonitrua et fulgura edunt. maiore vero inlati pondere incursuque, si late siccam rupere nubem, procellam gignunt, quae vocatur a Graecis ecnephias; sin vero depresso sinu artius rotati effregerunt, sine igni, hoc est sine fulmine, verticem faciunt, qui typhon vocatur, id est vibratus ecnephias. defert hic secum aliquid abruptum e nube gelida, convolvens versansque et ruinam suam illo pondere adgravans ac locum ex loco mutans rapida vertigine, praecipua navigantium pestis, non antemnas modo, verum ipsa navigia contorta frangens, tenui remedio aceti in advenientem effusi, cui frigidissima est natura. idem inlisu ipso repercussus correpta secum in caelum refert sorbetque in excelsum. quod si maiore depressae nubis eruperit specu, sed minus lato quam procella, nec sine fragore, turbinem vocant, proxima quaeque prosternentem. idem ardentior accensusque, dum furit, prester vocatur, amburens contacta pariter et proterens.

English · Bostock & Riley 1855–57

And now respecting the sudden gusts, which arising from the exhalations of the earth, as has been said above, and falling down again, being in the mean time covered by a thin film of clouds, exist in a variety of forms. By their wandering about, and rushing down like torrents, in the opinion of some persons, they produce thunder and lightning. But if they be urged on with greater force and violence, so as to cause the rupture of a dry cloud, they produce a squall, which is named by the Greeks Ecnephias. But, if these are compressed, and rolled up more closely together, and then break without any discharge of fire, i. e. without thunder, they produce a squall, which is named Typhon, or an Ecnephias in a state of agitation. It carries along a portion of the icy cloud which it has broken off, rolling it and turning it round, aggravating its own destruction by the weight of it, and whirling it from place to place. This is very much dreaded by sailors, as it not only breaks their sail-yards, but the vessels themselves, bending them about in various ways. This may be in a slight degree counteracted by throwing vinegar against it, when it comes near us, that liquid being of a very cold nature. This wind, when it rebounds after the stroke, absorbs and carries up whatever it may have seized on.

But if it burst from the cavity of a cloud which is more depressed, but less capacious than what produces a squall, and is accompanied by noise, it is called a whirlwind, and throws down everything which is near it. The same, when it is more burning and rages with greater heat, is called a blasting wind, scorching and, at the same time, throwing down everything with which it comes in contact.