16. Thus, then, whoever was there fellinto that prison without bars and was kept confined.
17. For whether one was a farmer, or a shepherd,or a worker at tasks in the wasteland,Taken unawares, each served out the inescapable sentence;
18. for all were bound by the one bond of darkness.And were it only the whistling wind,or the melodious song of birds in the spreading branches,Or the steady sound of rushing water,
19. or the rude crash of overthrown rocks,Or the unseen gallop of bounding animals,or the roaring cry of the fiercest beasts,Or an echo resounding from the hollow of the hills—these sounds, inspiring terror, paralyzed them.
20. For the whole world shone with brilliant lightand continued its works without interruption;
21. But over them alone was spread oppressive night,an image of the darkness that was about to come upon them.Yet they were more a burden to themselves than was the darkness.