ernus, and the middle bay Lucrinus: the outer one
belongs to the Tyrrhenian Sea and takes its name from that water. In this
roadstead within the other two, which had but narrow entrances then,
Agrippa, by cutting channels close along the shore through the land
separating Lucrinus from the sea on each side, produced harbors affording
most safe anchorage for ships. While the men were working a certain image
situated above Avernus, either of Calypso to whom this place, whither
they say Odysseus also sailed, is devoted, or to some other heroine, was
covered with sweat like a human body. [-51-] Now what this imported I
cannot say; but I will go on to tell of everything else worth reporting
which I saw in that place. These mountains close to the inner bodies of
water have springs full of both fire and water in considerable quantity
mixed together. Neither of the two elements is anywhere to be found by
itself (that is, neither pure fire or cold water alone is to be seen) but
from their association the water is heated and the fire moistened. The
former on its way down the foothills to the sea runs into reservoirs and
the inhabitants conduct the steam from it through pipes into rooms set
up high, where they use the steam for vapor baths. The higher it ascends
from the earth and from the water, the dryer it becomes. Costly apparatus
has been installed for turning both the fire and the vapor to practical
use; and they are very well suited for employment in the conduct of daily
life and also for effecting cures.

Now besides these products that mountain makes an earth, the peculiar
nature of which I am going to describe. Since the fire has not the power
of burning (for by its union with, the water all its blazing qualities
are extinguished) but is still able to separate and melt the substances
with which it comes in contact, it follows that the oily part of the
earth is melted by it, whereas the hard and what I might call the bony
part of it is left as it was. Hence the masses of earth necessarily
become porous and when exposed to the dry air crumble into dust, but when
they are placed in a swirl of water and sand grow into a solid piece; as
much of them as is in the liquid hardens and petrifies. The reason for
this is that the brittle element in them is disintegrated and broken up
by the fire, which possesses, the same nature, but by the admixture of
dampness is chilled, and so, being compressed all over, through and
through, becom