August AD 79 – The Dreadful Day
The end of the story of our Pompeian family and the Death of Pliney the Elder attempting to rescue friends.
Section 12 of the Cambridge Latin Course Book 1.
Picture Captions
| mons iratus | The Angry Mountain |
| 1. Syphax et Celer in portu stabant. amici montem spectabant. | Syphax and Celer were standing in the port. The friends were looking at the mountain. |
| 2. Syphax amico dixit. ‘ego prope portum servos vendebam. ego subito sonos audivi’ | Syphax said to his friend. I was selling slaves near the port. suddenly I heard a sound.’ |
| 3. Celer Syphaci respondit. ‘tu sonos audivisti. ego tremores sensi. ego prope montem ambulabam. | Celer replied to Syphax. ‘You heard a sound. I felt tremors. I was walking near the mountain.’ |
| 4. Poppaea et Lucrio in atrio stabant. soliciti erant. | Poppaea and Lucrio were standing in the atrium, they were anxious. |
| 5. Poppaea Lucrioni dixit. ‘ego in foro eram. ego tibi togam quaerebam. ego nubem mirabilem conspexi. | Poppaea said to Lucrio.’I was in the forum. I was looking for a toga for you. I saw a strange cloud. |
| 6. Lucrio Poppaeae respondit, ‘tu nubem conspexit, sed ego cinerem sensi. ego flammas vidi’ | Lucio replied to Poppaea, you saw a cloud but I smelt ash. I saw flames. |
| 7. Marcus et Quartus in foro erant. Sulla ad fratres contendit. | Marcus and Quartus were in the forum. Sulla hurried to the brothers. |
| 8. Sulla fratribus dixit. ‘ego ad theatrem contendebam. ego sonos audivit et tremores sensi. vos sonos audivistis? vos tremores sensistis. | Sulla said to the brothers ‘I heard noises and felt tremors. Did you hear noises? Did you feel tremors? |
| 9. fratres Sullae responderunt, ‘nos tremores sensimus et sonos audivimus. nos nubem mirabilem vidimus. nos solliciti sumus. | The brothers replied to Sulla, we felt tremors and heard noises, We are worried. |
TREMORS
| Caecilius cum Iulio cenebat. Iuulis in villa splendida prope Nucerium habitabat. | Caecilius was dining with Julius. Julius lived in a splendid villa near Nuceria. |
| Iulius Caecilio dixit. ‘ego solicitus sum. ego in horto heri ambulabam et librum legebam. subito terra valde tremuit. ego tremores sensi. quid tu agebas? | Julius said to Caecilius ‘ I am worried. I was walking in the garden yesterday and reading a book. Suddenly the ground literally shook. I felt the tremors. What were you doing? |
| ‘ego servo epitulas dictabam,’ inquit Caecilius. ‘ego quoque tremores sensi. postquam terra tremuit, Grumio tablinum intravit et me hortus duxit. Nos nubem mirabilem vidimus.’ | I was dictating letters to a slave said Caecilius. I also felt the tremors. After the ground shook, Grumio came into the study and lead me into the garden. We saw an extraordinary cloud. |
| ‘vos timebatis?’ rogavit Iulius. | Were you afraid?’ asked Julius. |
| ‘nos non timebamus’, Caecilius Iulio respondit. ‘ego postquam nubem conspexit, familiam meam ad lararium vocavi, tum nos laribus sacraficium fecimus. | We were not afraid, Caecilius replied to Julius. After I saw the cloud, I called my family to the houehold shrine, then we sacrificed to the household gods. |
| ‘hercle!’ vos fortissimi eratais’, clamavit Iulius, ‘vos tremores sinsisti, vos nubem cospexistis, vos tamen non eratis perterriti.’ | Good God! cried Juiius, you felt the tremors, you saw the cloud, however, you were not terrified. |
| nos non timebamus, quod nos laribus credebamus’. inquit Caecilius. ‘iampridem terra tremuit, impridem tremores villas et muros deleverunt. sed lares villam meam et familiam meam servaverunt. ego igitur sollicitus non sum. | We were not afraid because we were believing in our gods. A long time ago the ground trembled, a long time ago the tremors destroyed houses and walls. But the gods saved my house and my family. Therefore I am not worried. |
| subito servus triclinium intravit. | Suddenly a slave entered the dining room. |
| ‘domine, Clemens est in atrio. Clemens e urbe venit. Caecilium quaerit.’ servus Iulio dixit. | Julius’s slave said ‘Master, Clemens is in the atrium. Clemens has come from the City. He is searching for Caecilius.] |
| ‘non intellego’ Caecilius exclamavit. ‘ego Clementem ad fundum meum mane misi.’ | ‘I don’t believe it’ Caecilius exclaimed ‘ I sent Clemens to my farm this morning. |
| servus Clementem in triclinium duxit. | The slave lead Clemens into the dining room. |
| ‘cur tu e fundo discessisti? cur tu ad hanc villam venisti?’ rogavit Caecilius. | Why have you left the farm? Why have you come to this house? asked Caecilius |
| Clemens domino et Iulio rem totem narravit. | Clemens told everything to his master and Julius |
in urbe
| ego ad fundum tuum contendi’. Clemens domino dixit. ‘ego villico epistulam tuam tradidit, | I hurried to your farm, Clemens told his master ‘ I gave the farm manager your letter, |
| postquam vilicus epistulam legit, nos fundum et servos inspiciebamus. | After the farm manager had read the letter we were inspecting the farm and the slaves. |
| subito nos ingentes sonos audivimus. nos tremores quoque sensimus, tum ego montem spectavi et nubem mirabilem vidi. | Suddenly we heard a huge noise, we also felt tremors, then I looked at the mountain and saw an extraordinary cloud. |
| ‘quid vos fecistis?’ rogavit Iulius. ‘nos urbem petivimus, quod valde timebamus’, respondit Clemens. | ;What did you do?’ asked Julius, ‘we made for the city, because we were truly afraid’ replied Clemens. |
| ego, postquam urbem intravi, clamorem ingentem audivi. Multi Pompeiani per vias currebant. | After I entered the city, I heard a great commotion. Many Pompeians were running through the streets. |
| feminae cum infantibus per urbem festinabant. fillii et filiae parentes quaerabant. | Women with babies were hurrying through the city. boys and girls were searching for their parents. |
| ego ad villam nostram perveni, ubi Metella et Quintus manebant. Quintus me ad te misit, quod nos omnes perterriti eramus. | I came to our house, where Metella and Quintus were staying. Quintus sent me to you because we were all terrified. |
| Caecilius ad urbem contendit, quod sollicitus erat. Iulius et Clemens quoque ad urbem festinaverunt. | Caecilius hurried to the city, because he was anxious. Julius and Clemens also hastened to the city. |
| maxima turba vias complebat, quod Pompeiani e villis festinabant. | A great crowd was filling the streets, because Pompeians were rushing from the houses. |
| prope urbem Holconium conspexerunt Holconius cum servis ad portum fugiebat. | Near the city they saw Holconius. Holconius was fleeing to the port with his slaves. |
| ‘cur vos ad urbem contenditis? cur non ad portum fugitis?’ rogavit Holconius. | Why are you making for the city? why are you not fleeing to the port?’ asked Holconius. |
| ‘ad villam meam contendo’, Caecilius Holconio respondit. ‘Metellam et Quintum quaero. tu Metellam vidisti? Quintus conspexisti?’ | I am hurrying to my house, Caecilius replied to Holconius. I am searching for Metella and Quintus. Did you see Metella? Did you spot Quintus? |
| ‘eheu!’ clamavit Holconius.’ ego villam splendidam habebam. in villa erant statuae pulchrae et pictuae pretiosae. | Alas, cried Holconius, I had a splendid villa. Int the villa were beautiful statues and precious pictures. |
| iste mons villam meam delevit, omnes statuae sunt fractae’ | That mountain has destroyed my house. All the statues are broken. |
| ‘amice, tu uxorem meum vidisti?’rogavit Caecilius. ‘ego nihil de Metella. nihil curo’, respondit Holconius. | ‘Friend, did you see my wife?’ asked Caecilius. ‘ I know nothing of Metella, I care nothing replied Holconius. |
| ‘furcifer!’ clamavit Caecilius,’ tu villam tuam amisisti, ego uxorem meam amisi’ | Rogue! shouted Caecillius, you loved your house, I loved my wife. |
| Caecilius, postquam Holconium vituperavit, ad urbem contendit. | After Caecilius had cursed Holconius, he hurried to the city. |
ad villam
| in urbe pavor maximus erat. cinic iam densior incidebat. flammae ubique erant. | In the city there was very great panic. Ash was now falling thicker, and now there were flames. |
| Caecillius et amici, postquam urbem intraverunt, villam petebant. sed iter erat difficile, quod multi Pompeiani vias complebant. | After they entered the city, Caecilius and his friends, were approaching the house. but the journey was difficult, because many Pompeians were filling the streets; |
| Caecillius tamen per vias fortiter contendebat. | However Caecillius bravely struggled through the streets. |
| nubes iam densissima erat. subito Iulius exclamavit ‘vos ad villam contendite! ego non valeo’ | The cloud was now very dense. Suddenly Julius cried ‘ you go on to the house. I don’t feel well’ |
| statim ad terram decidit exanimatus. Clemens Iuliumad templum proximum portavit. | Then he fell to the floor unconscious. Clemens carried Julius to a nearby temple. |
| ‘tu optime fecisti, Caecillius servo dixit. ‘tu Iulium servavisti. ego tibi liberatem promitto.’ | You have done a great thing’ Caecillius said to his slave ‘you have save Julius I promise you your freedom. |
| tum Caecillius e templo discessit et ad villam cucurrit. | Then Caecillius left the temple and rushed to the house. |
| Clemens cum Iulio in templo manebat. tandem Iulius respiravit. | Clemens stayed with Julius in the temple. Eventually Julius recovered consciousness. |
| ‘ubi sumus?’ rogavit. | ‘Where are we?’ he asked. |
| ‘sumus tuti’, sevus Iulio respondit. dea isis nos servavit, postquam tu in terram decedisti, ego te ad hoc templu portavit. | ‘We are safe’ the slave replied to Julius. The goddess isis saved us, after you fell down on the floor, I carried you to this temple.’ |
| ‘tibi gratias maximus ago, quod tu me servavisti’ inquit Iulius, sed ubi est Caecillius?’ | I give you great thanks, that you saved me, said Julius, but where is Caecillius? |
| ‘dominus meus ad villam contendit’, respondit Clemens. | My master hurried to the house’, replied Clemens. |
| ‘eheu! stultissimus est Caecillius!’ clamavit Iulius.’ ‘sine dubio Metella et Quintus mortui sunt. ego ex urbe celerrime discedo. tu mecum venis?’ | Alas! Caecillius is most foolish’ exc finislaimed Iulius. ‘Without doubt Metella and quintus are dead. I am leaving the city quickly. ARe you coming with me?’ |
| ‘minime amice!’ Clemens Iulio respondit.’ego dominum meum quaero!’ | Never, friend, Clemens replied to Julius. I search for my master. |
finis
| iam nubes atra ad terram desendebat; iam cinis densissimus incidebat. | Now black cloud was descendingto the earth; now the densest ash was falling. |
| plurimi Pompeiani iam de urbe sua desperabant. | now many pompeians were despairing of their city. |
| Clemens tamen non desperabat, sed obstinate villam petevit, quod Caecilliam quaerebat. | However clemens was not despairing, but obstinately marched on to the house, because he was looking for Caecillius. |
| tandem ad villam pervenit. solicitus ruinas spectavit. Tota villa ardebat. | At last he came to the house. Anxiously he looked over the ruins. The house was totally destroyed. |
| Clemens fumum ubique vidit. per ruinas tamen fortiter contendit et dominum suum voacavit. | At first Clemens saw only smoke. However he struggled bravely through the ruins and called his master. |
| Caecillius tamen non respondit. Subito canis latravit. servus tabulinum intravit, ubi canis erat. | However, Caecillius did not reply. suddenly a dog barked. The slave went into the study where the dog was. |
| Cerberus dominum custodiebat. | Cerberus was guarding his master. |
| Caeacillius in tablino moribundus iacebat. murus semirutus eum paene celebat | Caecillius was lying almost dead in the study. A half collapsed wall was covering him. |
| Clemens domino vinum dedit. Caecilius postquam vinum bibt, sensim respiravit. | Clemens gave his master wine. After he had drunk the wine, Caecillius recovered his senses. |
| ‘quid accidit domine?’ rogavit Clemens ‘ego ad villam veni’ inquit Caecillius, ‘ Metellam non vidi! Quintum non vidi! villa erat deserta. | What happened master? asked Clemens. ‘ I came to the house, said Caecillius. I did not see Metella! I did not see Quintus! The house was deserted.’ |
| tum ego ad tablinum contendebam. subito terra tremuit et paries in me incidit., | Then I made it to the study. Suddenly the ground shook and the wall fell on me. |
| tu es servus fidelis. abi ego te iubeo. devita mea despero. Metella et Quintus perierunt, nunc ego quoque sum moriturus.’ | You are a faithful servant. Go! I order you. I despair of my life. Metella and Quintus have perished. I too am close to death. |
| Clemens recusavit. in tablino obstinate manebat. Caecillius iterum clamavit. | Clemens refuse. He stayed obstinately in the study. Caecillius again cried out. |
| ‘Clemens, abi te ubeo, fortasse Quintus superfuit. quaereQuintum! hunc anulum Quinto da!’ | Clemens, go, I order you. Perhaps Quintus survived. Seek out Quintus! Give Quintus this ring |
| Caecillius, postquam Clementi anulum suum tradidit, statim exspiravit. | After he had handed his ring to Clemens, Caecillius died immediately |
| Clemens domino triste ‘vale’ dixit et villa discessit. Cerberus tamen in villa mansit. | Clemens sadly bid farewell to his master and left the house. Cerberus however, stayed in the house. |
| dominum frustra custodiebat. | He was guarding his master in vain. |
Pliny the Elder, aJourney into Danger – as told in letters to Tacitus from his nephew Pliny the Younger
Pliny the Elder, a well respected citizen; author, philosopher and man of science died in the volcanic eruption of Vesuvius. The story often told is that he went rather unwisely to Pompei to observe the volcano erupting, but this is not true. At
the time he was commanding the Roman Fleet at Misenum, from where he could have easily observed the eruption, but he launched the fleet inorder to try to save lives in the disaster area, and lost his own life in the process.
avunculus meus Miseni erat atque classem Romanam regebat.
My uncle was at Misenum and was in charge of the Roman Fleet
subito mater mea perterrita ei clamavit nubem novam et mirabilem arbori simulem, e monte surgere.
Suddenly my mother, terrified, shouted to him that a new and strange cloud similar to a tree, was rising from the mountain.
nubes enim truncum longissimum habebat; deinde in caelo alto remis quibusdam diffundebatur.
For the cloud was having a long trunk; then it was spreading into several branches in the sky above.
statim avunculus nautis imperavit ut navem parerent, quod trans mare ad montem navigare volebat.
Immediately uncle ordered the sailors to prepare a ship because he was wishing to sail across the sea to the mountain.
epistula quaedam quoque de amica Rectina (cuis villa sub monte iacebat) adEvenit, in qua nuntiavit quantus cinis caderet, et eum hortata est ut se e periculo servavaret.
A certain letter also arrived from his friend Rectina (whose villa lay beneath the mountain), in which she reported how much ash was falling, and urged him to save her from danger
fortissime ad locum ipsum a quo alii fugiebant profectus est, semper notans quid et in monte et in caelo accideret. Cum cinis atque lapides fracti in navem cadere coepissent, dubitavit num domum redire deberet.
Very bravely he set out to the very place from where others were fleeing,always noting what was happening on the mountain and in the sky. When ashes and stones broken by fire began to fall onto the ship ,he hesitated whether he ought to return home.
mox tamen progredi constituit, et nautis ‘Fortuna ‘ inquit ‘fortibus favet.’
Soon, however, he decided to advance, and to the sailors he said “Fortune favours the brave!”
The fleet sails toward the mountain and makes the first Military rescue from a natural disaster area.
avunculus meus nuatis imperavit ut ad villam amici sui, Pomoniani, navigarent.
My uncle ordered the sailors to sail to the villa of his friend Pomponianus
quo cum advenissent, avunculus amicum trementem complexus ad hortatus est.
When they had arrived there, my uncle embraced and encouraged his trembling friend.
tum, quamquam periculum grave est, ne timere videretur, iussit balneum parari.
Then, although the danger was serious, so that he would not seem afraid, he ordered a bath to be prepared
post balneum gaudium simulans cenam consumpsit.
After the bath, pretending to feel joy( be cheerful), he ate dinner.
interea e Vesuvio flammae plurimis locis per tenebras relucentes videbantur.
Meanwhile from Vesuvius flames were seen in many places gleaming through the darkness.
avunculus tamen breviter dormivit. cinere in villam cadente et terra vehementer tremente amici egredi tandem coacti sunt.
My uncle, however, slept briefly. Then as ash was falling into the villa and the ground was trembling violently the friends were at last forced to depart.
Cervicalibus in capitibus positis (haec munimentum contra pumices cadentes fuerunt) egressi sunt.
With cushions placed on their heads (these were protection against the falling pumice stones) they went out.
Illa nox omnibus noctibus nigrior saeviorque fuit. avunculus meus cum amicis ad litus festinavit sed statim intellexit nulam fugam esse.
That night was blacker and more savage than all nights. My uncle and his friends hurried to the shore but immediately realised there was no escape.
Ibi iacuit et aquam rogavit. Cum tandem flammae appropinquarent, surgere conatus est ut odorem earum inquireret; fumo tamen superatus est et subito mortuus cecidit.
He sank down and asked for water. When at last flames were approaching he tried to get up in order to investigate their smell; however he was overcome by smoke and suddenly fell down dead.
Notes
This area was the site of luxurious villas – the seaside properties of the wealthy. It was not discovered and excavated for a long time after Pompeii and Herculaneum, and the remains of these villas are in quite good condtion.
For a long time it was presumed that his friends left him and saved themselves, but it is now known that Pliny as well as being overweight was asthmatic, and it is now thought more probable that he was dead before they left him