The letter which, in compliance with your request, I wrote to you, concerning the death of my uncle (PLINY THE ELDER) has raised, it seems, your curiosity to know what terrors and dangers attended me while I continued at Misenum; (MISENO NORTHWEST OF THE BAY OF NAPLES) for there I think the account in my former letter broke off, though my shocked soul recoils, my tongue shall tell.
My uncle having left us, I continued the employment which prevented my going with him, till it was time to bathe, after which I went to supper, and then fell into a short and unquiet sleep. There had been, during many days before, some shocks of an earthquake, which the less alarmed us as they are frequent in Campania. They were so particularly violent that night, that they not only shook everything about us, but seemed, indeed, to threaten total destruction. My mother flew to my chamber, where she found me rising in order to awaken her. We went out to a small court belonging to the house, which separated the sea from the buildings. As I was at that time but eighteen years of age, I know not whether I should call my behaviour, in this perilous conjuncture, courage or rashness. I took up LIVY and amused myself with turning over that author, and even making extracts from him, as if I had been perfectly at my ease. While we were in this situation, a friend of my uncle's, who was just come from Spain to pay him a visit, joined us and observing me sitting by my mother with a book in my hand reproved her patience, and my security. Nevertheless, I still went on with my author. It was now morning, but the light was exceedingly faint and languid. The buildings all around us tottered. Though we stood upon open ground, the place was narrow and confined and there was no remaining without imminent danger. We therefore resolved to leave the town.
The people followed us in the utmost consternation, and as to a mind distracted with terror, every suggestion seems more prudent than its ownِPressed in great crowds about us in our way out. Being advanced at a convenient distance from the houses, we stood still, in the midst of a most hazardous and tremendous scene. The chariots, which we had ordered to be drawn out, were so agitated backward and forward, though upon the most level ground, that we could not keep them steady, even supporting them with large stones. The sea seemed to roll back upon itself, and to be driven from its banks by the convulsive motion of the earth. It is certain at least, the shore was considerably enlarged, and several sea animals were left upon it. On the other side, a black and dreadful cloud bursting with an igneous serpentine vapor darted out a long train of fire, resembling flashes of lightning, but much larger. Upon this our Spanish friend, whom I mentioned above, addressed himself to my mother and me, with great warmth and earnestness:- ``If your mother and your uncle are safe, your uncle certainly wishes you may be so too; but if he perished, it was his desire, no doubt, that you both might survive him. Why do you then delay your escape a moment? We could never think of our own safety, we replied, while we were uncertain of his; upon which our friend left us, and withdrew from the danger with the utmost precipitation.''
Soon afterwards, the cloud seemed to descend and cover the whole ocean; as indeed, it entirely hid the Island of Caprea (CAPRI), and the promontory of Misenum. My mother conjured me to make my escape at any rate, which as I was young I might easily effect. As for herself, she said her age and corpulence rendered all attempts of that sort impossible. However she willingly meet death, if she could have the satisfaction of seeing that she was not the occasion of mine. But I absolutely refused to leave her, and taking her by the hand, I led her on. She complied with great reluctance, and not without many reproaches to herself for being the occasion of retarding my flight.
The ashes now began to fall upon us, thought in no great quantity. I turned my head and observed behind us a thick smoke, which came rolling after us like a torrent. I proposed, which we had yet any light, to turn out of the high road, lest she should be pressed to death in the dark, by the crowd that followed us.
We had scarcely stepped out of the path, when darkness overspread us, not like that of a cloudy night there is no moon, but of a room when it is shut up and all the lights extinct. Nothing then was to be heard but the shrieks of women, the screams of children and the cries of men. Some were calling for their children, others for their parents, others for their husbands. They could only distinguish each other by their voices. One lamented his own fate, another that of his family; some wished to die, from the very fear of dying; some lifted their hands to gods; but greater part imagined that the last and eternal night was come, which was to destroy both the gods and the world together. Among these there were some who augmented the real terrors by imaginary ones, and made the frightened multitude falsely believe that Misenum was actually in flames. At length, a glimmering light appeared, which we imagined to be rather the forerunner of an approaching burst of flames (as in fact it was), than the return of day. However the fire fell at a distance from us. Then again we were immersed in thick darkness, and a heavy shower of ashes rained upon us, which we were obliged every now and then to shake off, otherwise we should have been overwhelmed and buried in the heap.
At last, this terrible darkness was dissipated by degrees like a cloud of smoke. The real day returned and even the sun appeared though very faintly and as when an eclipse is coming on. We returned to Misenum and refreshed ourselves, and passed an anxious night between hope and fear for the earth still continued to shake. However my mother and I notwithstanding the danger we passed, and that which still threatened us, had no intention of leaving Misenum till we should receive some account of my uncle. Farewell.
FROM: GROLIER CLASSICS & INTERNATIONAL ENCYCLOPIA
TRANSLATOR'S NOTE
