Claudian: The Sphere of Archimedes CLAVDII CLAVDIANI IN SPHAERAM ARCHIMEDIS Carmina Minora 51 Hall (= 58 Birt)   When Jupiter saw the sky in a small glass vessel,   Iuppiter in paruo cum cerneret aethera uitro,     he laughed and said such words as these to the gods:       risit et ad superos talia dicta dedit: ‘Has the power of mortal effort advanced so far?   ‘hucine mortalis progressa potentia curae?     Is my work now enclosed in a fragile sphere?       iam meus in fragili clauditur orbe labor? 4 clauditur scripsi : luditur Ω || The laws of the sky, the order of nature, and the ordinances of the gods —         5   iura poli rerumque fidem legesque deorum 5 dierum Heinsius ||     look, an old man of Syracuse has skillfully translated them.       ecce Syracosius transtulit arte senex. An enclosed spirit serves the various stars   inclusus uariis famulatur spiritus astris     and urges on the lifelike work with regular motions.       et uiuum certis motibus urget opus. A false zodiac traverses a year of its own,   percurrit proprium mentitus Signifer annum, 9 properum Heinsius ||     and a pretended Moon returns with the new month.   10       et simulata nouo Cynthia mense redit. Now bold invention rejoices to make its own heaven revolve,   iamque suum uoluens audax industria mundum             and guides the stars with a human mind.       gaudet et humana sidera mente regit. Why do I marvel at harmless Salmoneus with his false thunder?   quid falso insontem tonitru Salmonea miror?     A puny hand has been found to be the rival of nature.’       aemula naturae parua reperta manus.’ (Some phrases borrowed from Platnauer's Loeb translation.)   §