DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70303#0377
TIRST IRRUPTION OF MOUNT VESUVIUS. 347
The sea seemed to roll back upon itself, and to be driven
from its banks by the convulsive motion of the earth; it
was certain at least, that the shore was considerably en-
larged, and several sea animals were left upon it. On
the other side, a black and dreadful cloud, bursting with
an igneous serpentine vapour, darted out a long tram of
fire, resembling flashes of lightning, but much larger.
Soon afterwards, the cloud seemed to descend, and cover
the whole ocean ; as indeed, it entirely haid the island of
Capreae, and the promontory of Misenum. Pliny’s
mother conjured him strongly to make his escape, which,
being young, for he was only eighteen years of age, he
might easily do ; as for herself, her age and corpulency,
rendered all attempts of that sort impossible: but he re-
fused to leave her, and taking her by the hand, led her
on. The ashes began to fall upon them, though in no
great quantity; but a thick smoke, like a torrent, came
rolling after them. Pliny proposed, while they had any
light, to turn out of the high road, lest his mother should
be pressed to death in the dark, by the crowd that followed
them; and they had scarcely stepped out of the path when
utter darkness entirely overspread them. Nothing then
was to be heard, says Pliny, but the shrieks of women, the
screams of children, and the cries of men : some calling
for their children, others for their parents, others for
their husbands, and only distinguishing each other bv
their voices ; one lamenting his own fate, another that of
his family, some wishing to die from the very fear of
dying, some lifting up their hands to the Gods, but the
greater part imagining, that the last and eternal night
was come, which was to destroy both the Gods and the
world together. At length a glimmering light appeared,
which however was not the return of day, but only the
forerunner of an approaching bilrst of flames. The fire
luckily fell at a distance from them; then again they
x x 2 wery
The sea seemed to roll back upon itself, and to be driven
from its banks by the convulsive motion of the earth; it
was certain at least, that the shore was considerably en-
larged, and several sea animals were left upon it. On
the other side, a black and dreadful cloud, bursting with
an igneous serpentine vapour, darted out a long tram of
fire, resembling flashes of lightning, but much larger.
Soon afterwards, the cloud seemed to descend, and cover
the whole ocean ; as indeed, it entirely haid the island of
Capreae, and the promontory of Misenum. Pliny’s
mother conjured him strongly to make his escape, which,
being young, for he was only eighteen years of age, he
might easily do ; as for herself, her age and corpulency,
rendered all attempts of that sort impossible: but he re-
fused to leave her, and taking her by the hand, led her
on. The ashes began to fall upon them, though in no
great quantity; but a thick smoke, like a torrent, came
rolling after them. Pliny proposed, while they had any
light, to turn out of the high road, lest his mother should
be pressed to death in the dark, by the crowd that followed
them; and they had scarcely stepped out of the path when
utter darkness entirely overspread them. Nothing then
was to be heard, says Pliny, but the shrieks of women, the
screams of children, and the cries of men : some calling
for their children, others for their parents, others for
their husbands, and only distinguishing each other bv
their voices ; one lamenting his own fate, another that of
his family, some wishing to die from the very fear of
dying, some lifting up their hands to the Gods, but the
greater part imagining, that the last and eternal night
was come, which was to destroy both the Gods and the
world together. At length a glimmering light appeared,
which however was not the return of day, but only the
forerunner of an approaching bilrst of flames. The fire
luckily fell at a distance from them; then again they
x x 2 wery