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.
12 For fear is nought but the surrender of the helps that come from reason;
13 and the more one’s expectation is of itself uncertain,the more one makes of not knowing the cause that brings on torment.
14 So they, during that night, powerless though it was,since it had come upon them from the recesses of a powerless Hades,while all sleeping the same sleep,
15 Were partly smitten by fearsome apparitionsand partly stricken by their souls’ surrender;for fear overwhelmed them, sudden and unexpected.