5 No fire had force enough to give light,nor did the flaming brilliance of the starssucceed in lighting up that gloomy night.
6 But only intermittent, fearful firesflashed through upon them;And in their terror they thought beholding these was worsethan the times when that sight was no longer to be seen.
7 And mockeries of their magic art failed,and there was a humiliating refutation of their vaunted shrewdness.
8 For they who undertook to banish fears and terrors from the sick soulthemselves sickened with ridiculous fear.
9 For even though no monstrous thing frightened them,they shook at the passing of insects and the hissing of reptiles,
10 And perished trembling,reluctant to face even the air that they could nowhere escape.
11 For wickedness, of its nature cowardly, testifies in its own condemnation,and because of a distressed conscience, always magnifies misfortunes.