DOI chapter:
Le Vésuve
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62400#0024
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fin di vederlo, e mirandoci seduli, ed io
con un libro perle mani, rimproverò a mia
madre la sua"lranquillilà, a me la sover-
chia fiducia ; io però non tolsi gli occhi
dal libro. Erano già le sette ore del
mattino e non appariva che una fioca
luce, a modo di crepuscolo. Allora gli
edifizii crollarono con si forte scossa, che
più non v’ ebbe sicurezza a rimanere in
un luogo coperto si, ma angusto. Ri-
solvemmo d’abbandonare la città : il po-
polo spaventato ci tenne dietro; e ci
calcava, ci stringeva, ci spingeva.... Ma
che? Il terrore tien luogo della prudenza,
e ciascuno antepone l’altrui al proprio
suo consiglio. Usciti appena dall’ abitato
sostammo, ed ivi nuovi prodigii, nuovi
spaventi : i carri in modo traballavano,
che in islretta e piana via non poleansi
tener fermi, neppure con l’ajuto di grossi
macigni : il mare ingrossando pareva ri-
versarsi sopra se stesso, e che lo scuotersi
della terra, a cosi dire, lo cacciasse dal
lido; infallila spiaggia erasi allargata, e
la coprivano pesci rimasti a secco in sull’
arena. Per lo contrario una densa nube
da cui uscivano orribili lampi, aprivasi
e lasciava fuggire lunghissimi solchi di
fuoco, che in tortuosi giri guizzavano,
simili alle folgori, ma d’assai più grandi.
Allora l’amico di cui ho parlato venne a
stimolarci con maggiore ardore : se vostro
fratello e zio vive, disse, egli certamente
desidera che vi poniate in salvo, e se è
morto, egli ha desiderato che a lui so-
pravviviate. A che dunque qui stare?
Perchè non fuggire? Gli rispondemmo
non poter noi pensara alla propria sal-
vezza, finché eravamo incerti della sorte
di colui, del quale ci parlava. Loslraniero
allora troncando ogni indugio, cerca il
suo scampo, e precipitosamente fugge.
Quasi in un tratto la nube piomba sulla
terra e ricopre il mare : invola a noi l’i¬
sola di Capri, che tutta ravvolge ; e ci fa
perdere di vista il promontorio Miseno.
Mia madre mi scongiura, mi stringe al
seno, mi comanda a salvarmi in qualun-
que maniera : mi dimostra, che ciò è fa-
cile alla mia età : eh’ ella oppressa dagli
anni, e dalla pienezza del corpo non po-
trebbe seguirmi; e che morrebbe felice, se
non fosse cagione della mia morte. Iole
dichiaro che non v’era salute per me,
che con essa : le prendo la mano et la
à en faire des extraits, comme dans le
plus grand calme. Un ami de mon oncle,
nouvellement arrivé d’Espagne polirle
voir, nous trouve ma mère et moi assis
tranquillement et moi tenant un livre.
Il nous reproche, à ma mère son sang-
froid et à moi mon imprudente sécurité.
Je n’en continuai pas moins ma lecture
avec attention. Il était déjà sept heures
du matin et pourtant il ne paraissait en-
core qu’une lumière faible, comme
celle du crépuscule. Les murs, autour
de nous, étaient ébranlés de si fortes
secousses qu’il y avait du danger à res-
ter dans un lieu si étroit, quoiqu’il fût
découvert. Nous nous décidons à par-
tir; le peuple épouvanté se met à fuir
avec nous, et, comme dans un péril
commun , chacun croit prudent de pré-
férer les idées des autres aux siennes, on
nous suit en foule; on nous presse, on
nous pousse. Dès que nous sommes hors
de la ville nous nous arrêtons, et là,
nouveaux prodiges, nouvelles terreurs.
Les voitures, quoiqu’on rase campagne,
étaient entraînées dans tous les sens , et
l’on ne pouvait même, avec de grosses
pierres, les fixer à une place. La mer
semblait se refouler sur elle-même et
presque s’éloigner du rivage par l’agi-
tation de la terre. Ce qu’il y a de cer-
tain, c’estque la plage était agrandie et
que beaucoup de poissons étaient de-
meurés à sec sur le sable. D’un autre
côté, un nuage noir et horrible, déchiré
par des feux qui s’élevaient en serpen-
tant, s’ouvrait et laissait échapper de
longs sillons de flammes, semblables à
des éclairs et plus grands même que des
éclairs. Alors l’ami dont j’ai parlé vint
nous presser plus vivement : si votre
frère, si votre oncle est vivant, nous dit-
il , il souhaite sans doute que vous vous
arrachiez au danger, et s’il est mort, il
a formé le vœu que vous puissiez lui
survivre. Qu’attendez-vous donc pour
partir? nous lui répondîmes que nous
ne pourrions songer à notre sûreté tant
que nous serions incertains du sort de
notre parent. A ces mots , l’étranger
nous quitte en cherchant son salut dans
une fuite précipitée presque aussitôt
la nue s’abaisse sur la terre et couvre la
mer : elle dérobait à nos yeux l’île de
Caprée, qu’elle enveloppait en entier et
nous cachait la vue du promontoire de
Miscne. Manière me conjure, me presse
sur son sein, m’erdonne de me sauver
the earth only trembled, or whether the
moment of her total destruction was not
arrived.
My mother entered precipitantly my
room and found me preparing to go and
awake her had she slept we descended
to the portico behind our house which is
situated near the sea.
Being but eighteen years old at this
epoch,Iknow not if my manner ofacting
ought to be called firmness or impruden-
ce. I asked for Tile-Live and began to
read, and make extracts from it, as I
should have done in a moment of the
greatest tranquillity. Shortly after a
friend of my uncle’s, who arrived from
Spain to see him, entered, and finding
us seated, and me with a book in my
hand, he severely reproached the mad
confidence of my mother, and my im-
prudent security ; however 1 still conti-
nued reading.
It was already seven o’clock in the
morning, and a feeble ray of light pene-
trated with difficulty through the obscu-
rity; the edifices began to be shaken
with such violence, that we soon found
it impossible to remain in a place, cove-
red, it is true but exceedingly narrow
and whence the issue became at every
moment more difficult and dangerous;
we theresore resolved on quilting the
town, from whence the people terrified,
also fled, we were carried away by the
crowd, and almost thrown to the ground
by this distracted multitude, but in all
emminent perils, fear usurps the place
of prudence, and we are always dispo-
sed, rather to prefer the counsel of
others, than to confide in our own.
Scarcely were we out of the town
when we stopped; and here new prodi-
gies new terrors awaited us, though on
even ground, and with the aid of large
stones, the carriages could not keep
their equilibrium, the sea swelling, ap-
peared to roll over on itself, while vio-
lent commotions drove it far from its
limits, the shores considerably enlarged
were covered with fish which remained
dry on the sands ; the heavens were en-
veloped in a thick cloud, from whence
issued long flashes office, which by their
tortuous windings and horrible light re-
sembled thunderbolts. The friend of
whom I have spoken, now more than
ever alarmed, earnestly entreated us to
think of our safety « Ifyour relation still
lives said he; he certainly desires that
you should not perish, and if not, beas-
sured his last wish was that you should
survive him. Why then remain here?
Why not flee’ » We replied that while
uncertain of his fate we could not think
of our own security, finding us thus de-
fin di vederlo, e mirandoci seduli, ed io
con un libro perle mani, rimproverò a mia
madre la sua"lranquillilà, a me la sover-
chia fiducia ; io però non tolsi gli occhi
dal libro. Erano già le sette ore del
mattino e non appariva che una fioca
luce, a modo di crepuscolo. Allora gli
edifizii crollarono con si forte scossa, che
più non v’ ebbe sicurezza a rimanere in
un luogo coperto si, ma angusto. Ri-
solvemmo d’abbandonare la città : il po-
polo spaventato ci tenne dietro; e ci
calcava, ci stringeva, ci spingeva.... Ma
che? Il terrore tien luogo della prudenza,
e ciascuno antepone l’altrui al proprio
suo consiglio. Usciti appena dall’ abitato
sostammo, ed ivi nuovi prodigii, nuovi
spaventi : i carri in modo traballavano,
che in islretta e piana via non poleansi
tener fermi, neppure con l’ajuto di grossi
macigni : il mare ingrossando pareva ri-
versarsi sopra se stesso, e che lo scuotersi
della terra, a cosi dire, lo cacciasse dal
lido; infallila spiaggia erasi allargata, e
la coprivano pesci rimasti a secco in sull’
arena. Per lo contrario una densa nube
da cui uscivano orribili lampi, aprivasi
e lasciava fuggire lunghissimi solchi di
fuoco, che in tortuosi giri guizzavano,
simili alle folgori, ma d’assai più grandi.
Allora l’amico di cui ho parlato venne a
stimolarci con maggiore ardore : se vostro
fratello e zio vive, disse, egli certamente
desidera che vi poniate in salvo, e se è
morto, egli ha desiderato che a lui so-
pravviviate. A che dunque qui stare?
Perchè non fuggire? Gli rispondemmo
non poter noi pensara alla propria sal-
vezza, finché eravamo incerti della sorte
di colui, del quale ci parlava. Loslraniero
allora troncando ogni indugio, cerca il
suo scampo, e precipitosamente fugge.
Quasi in un tratto la nube piomba sulla
terra e ricopre il mare : invola a noi l’i¬
sola di Capri, che tutta ravvolge ; e ci fa
perdere di vista il promontorio Miseno.
Mia madre mi scongiura, mi stringe al
seno, mi comanda a salvarmi in qualun-
que maniera : mi dimostra, che ciò è fa-
cile alla mia età : eh’ ella oppressa dagli
anni, e dalla pienezza del corpo non po-
trebbe seguirmi; e che morrebbe felice, se
non fosse cagione della mia morte. Iole
dichiaro che non v’era salute per me,
che con essa : le prendo la mano et la
à en faire des extraits, comme dans le
plus grand calme. Un ami de mon oncle,
nouvellement arrivé d’Espagne polirle
voir, nous trouve ma mère et moi assis
tranquillement et moi tenant un livre.
Il nous reproche, à ma mère son sang-
froid et à moi mon imprudente sécurité.
Je n’en continuai pas moins ma lecture
avec attention. Il était déjà sept heures
du matin et pourtant il ne paraissait en-
core qu’une lumière faible, comme
celle du crépuscule. Les murs, autour
de nous, étaient ébranlés de si fortes
secousses qu’il y avait du danger à res-
ter dans un lieu si étroit, quoiqu’il fût
découvert. Nous nous décidons à par-
tir; le peuple épouvanté se met à fuir
avec nous, et, comme dans un péril
commun , chacun croit prudent de pré-
férer les idées des autres aux siennes, on
nous suit en foule; on nous presse, on
nous pousse. Dès que nous sommes hors
de la ville nous nous arrêtons, et là,
nouveaux prodiges, nouvelles terreurs.
Les voitures, quoiqu’on rase campagne,
étaient entraînées dans tous les sens , et
l’on ne pouvait même, avec de grosses
pierres, les fixer à une place. La mer
semblait se refouler sur elle-même et
presque s’éloigner du rivage par l’agi-
tation de la terre. Ce qu’il y a de cer-
tain, c’estque la plage était agrandie et
que beaucoup de poissons étaient de-
meurés à sec sur le sable. D’un autre
côté, un nuage noir et horrible, déchiré
par des feux qui s’élevaient en serpen-
tant, s’ouvrait et laissait échapper de
longs sillons de flammes, semblables à
des éclairs et plus grands même que des
éclairs. Alors l’ami dont j’ai parlé vint
nous presser plus vivement : si votre
frère, si votre oncle est vivant, nous dit-
il , il souhaite sans doute que vous vous
arrachiez au danger, et s’il est mort, il
a formé le vœu que vous puissiez lui
survivre. Qu’attendez-vous donc pour
partir? nous lui répondîmes que nous
ne pourrions songer à notre sûreté tant
que nous serions incertains du sort de
notre parent. A ces mots , l’étranger
nous quitte en cherchant son salut dans
une fuite précipitée presque aussitôt
la nue s’abaisse sur la terre et couvre la
mer : elle dérobait à nos yeux l’île de
Caprée, qu’elle enveloppait en entier et
nous cachait la vue du promontoire de
Miscne. Manière me conjure, me presse
sur son sein, m’erdonne de me sauver
the earth only trembled, or whether the
moment of her total destruction was not
arrived.
My mother entered precipitantly my
room and found me preparing to go and
awake her had she slept we descended
to the portico behind our house which is
situated near the sea.
Being but eighteen years old at this
epoch,Iknow not if my manner ofacting
ought to be called firmness or impruden-
ce. I asked for Tile-Live and began to
read, and make extracts from it, as I
should have done in a moment of the
greatest tranquillity. Shortly after a
friend of my uncle’s, who arrived from
Spain to see him, entered, and finding
us seated, and me with a book in my
hand, he severely reproached the mad
confidence of my mother, and my im-
prudent security ; however 1 still conti-
nued reading.
It was already seven o’clock in the
morning, and a feeble ray of light pene-
trated with difficulty through the obscu-
rity; the edifices began to be shaken
with such violence, that we soon found
it impossible to remain in a place, cove-
red, it is true but exceedingly narrow
and whence the issue became at every
moment more difficult and dangerous;
we theresore resolved on quilting the
town, from whence the people terrified,
also fled, we were carried away by the
crowd, and almost thrown to the ground
by this distracted multitude, but in all
emminent perils, fear usurps the place
of prudence, and we are always dispo-
sed, rather to prefer the counsel of
others, than to confide in our own.
Scarcely were we out of the town
when we stopped; and here new prodi-
gies new terrors awaited us, though on
even ground, and with the aid of large
stones, the carriages could not keep
their equilibrium, the sea swelling, ap-
peared to roll over on itself, while vio-
lent commotions drove it far from its
limits, the shores considerably enlarged
were covered with fish which remained
dry on the sands ; the heavens were en-
veloped in a thick cloud, from whence
issued long flashes office, which by their
tortuous windings and horrible light re-
sembled thunderbolts. The friend of
whom I have spoken, now more than
ever alarmed, earnestly entreated us to
think of our safety « Ifyour relation still
lives said he; he certainly desires that
you should not perish, and if not, beas-
sured his last wish was that you should
survive him. Why then remain here?
Why not flee’ » We replied that while
uncertain of his fate we could not think
of our own security, finding us thus de-