The Death of Pliny the Elder

Question 1

petis ut tibi avunculi mei exitum scribam, ut verius tradere posteris possis.

Answer 1

You ask that I should write to you about the death of my uncle, in order that you are able to hand down the account more truthfully to posterity.

Question 2

erat Miseni classemque imperio praesens regebat.

Answer 2

He was at Misenum and was commanding the fleet in person with imperial power.

Question 3

Nonum kal. Septembres hora fere septima mater mea indicat ei nubem mirabilem apparere; quae visa est ei, ut eruditissimo viro, magna propiusque noscenda.

Answer 3

On the 24th August at about the 7th hour my mother pointed out to him that an unusual cloud was appearing; which seemed to him, as one might expect from a most scholarly man, to be great and needing closer investigation.

Question 4

iubet liburnicam parari; me si venire una vellem rogat; respondi studere me malle, et forte ipse quod scriberem dederat.

Answer 4

He ordered a fast boat to be prepared; he asked me if I should wish to come with him; I replied that I preferred to study, and by chance he himself had given me something to write.

Question 5

egrediebatur domo; accipit codicillos Rectinae Tasci imminenti periculo perterritae (nam villa eius subiacebat, nec ulla nisi navibus fuga): orabat ut se tanto discrimini eriperet.

Answer 5

He was leaving the house; he received a note from Rectina, wife of Tascius, terrified by the danger threatening (for her villa was lying beneath Vesuvius, nor was there any escape except by boats): she was begging that he might rescue her from such great danger.

Question 6

vertit ille consilium et quod studioso animo inceperat obit maximo.

Answer 6

He changed his plan and what he had begun with an inquiring mind he accomplished with a heroic spirit.

Question 7

deducit quadriremes, ascendit ipse non Rectinae modo sed multis (erat enim frequens amonoetinas orae) laturus auxilium.

Answer 7

He launched the warships, he embarked himself not only to bring help to Rectina but also many others (for that delightful stretch of coast was densely populated).

Question 8

festinat illuc unde alii fugiunt, rectumque cursum recta gubernacula in periculum tenet adeo solutus metu, ut omnes illus mali motus, omnes figuras ut deprenderat oculis dictaret adnotaretque.

Answer 8

He hurried to that place from where others were fleeing, he held a straight course and straight rudders right into the danger, he was free from fear to such an extent, that he was dictating and making notes on all the movements of that disaster, all the features as he had observed them with his own eyes.

Question 9

iam navibus cinis incidebat, calidior et densior, quo propius accederent; iam pumices etiam lapidesque nigri et ambusti et fracti igne; iam vadum subitum et litora ruina montis obstantia.

Answer 9

Now the ash was falling on the ships, hotter and thicker, the nearer they approached; now pumice stones and stones black and scorched and cracked by fire; now there was sudden shallow water and the shore blocked by debris from the mountain.

Question 10

haesitat paulisper an retro navigaret; mox gubernatori ut ita faceret monenti ‘fortes’ inquit ‘fortuna adiuvat: Pomponianum pete!’

Answer 10

He hesitated for a short while as to whether he should sail back; soon he said to the helmsman, who was advising that he should actin this way, “Fortune favors the brave: make for Pomponianus!”

Question 11

Pomponianus erat Stabiis diremptus sinu medio (nam mare sensim circumactis curvatisque litoribus infunditur); ibi periculum, quamquam nondum appropinquabat, tamen valde conspicuum erat; Pomponianus igitur sarcinas posuerat in naves, certus fugae si contrarius ventus resedisset.

Answer 11

Pomponianus was at Stabiae, separated by the middle of the bay (for the sea runs in where the shorelines gently sweep round and curve); there the danger, although it was not yet approaching, however was very obvious; Pomponianus therefore had put his luggage on boats, resolved to escape if the contrary wind had subsided.

Question 12

quo tum secundissimo avunculus meus invectus, amplectitur trepidantem consolatur hortatur, utque timorem eius sua securitate leniret, iubet ferri in balineum.

Answer 12

Then having been brought into Stabiae on this very favorable wind my uncle embraced his trembling friend cheered him, encouraged him, and in order that he might calm his fear with his own composure, he gave orders to be taken to the bathroom.

Question 13

lotus recumbit cenat, aut hilaris aut (quod est aeque magnum) similis hilari.

Answer 13

Having bathed, he lay down and dined, either he was cheerful or seeming to be cheerful (which is equally as courageous).

Question 14

interea e Vesuvio monte pluribus locis latisimae flammae altaque incendia relucebant, quorum fulgor et claritas tenebris noctis excitabatur.

Answer 14

Meanwhile from Mount Vesuvius in more places very broad flames and high fires were blazing, the glare and clarity of which was being emphasized by the darkness of the night.

Question 15

ille in remedium formidinis dictitabat ignes agrestium trepidatione relictos desertasque villas persolitudinem ardere.

Answer 15

He as a cure for fear kept saying that the country people’s fires which had been abandoned in panic and empty houses were burning in the deserted areas.

Question 16

tum se quieti dedit et quievit verissimo quidem somno; nam meatus animae, qui illi propter amplitudinem corporis gravior et sonantior erat, ab eis qui limini obversabantur audiebatur.

Answer 16

Then he gave himself to rest and rested in a very real sleep indeed; for the passage of his breath, which because of the stoutness of his body was heavier and noisier (than normal), was heard by those who were moving about near his doorway.

Question 17

sed area ex qua cubiculum adibatur ita iam cinere mixtisque pumicibus completa surrexerat, ut si longior in cubiculo mora esset, exitus negaretur.

Answer 17

But the courtyard from which the bedroom was approached, full by now with a mixture of ash and pumice,had risen in level in such a way, that if he had delayed in the bedroom any longer, escape would have been impossible.

Question 18

excitatus procedit, seque Pomponiano ceterisque qui pervigilaverant reddit.

Answer 18

Having been woken he came out and rejoined

Pomponianus and the others who had stayed awake all night.

Question 19

inter se consulunt, utrum intra tecta maneant an in aperto vagentur.

Answer 19

They debated amongst themselves, as to whether they should remain inside the buildings or go out into the open.

Question 20

nam crebris ingentibusque tremoribus tecta nutabant, et quasi emota sedibus suis nunc huc nunc illuc abire aut referri videbantur.

Answer 20

For the buildings were shaking with large and frequent tremors, and as if torn from their foundations they seemed to sway backwards and forwards, now this way, now that.

Question 21

sub dio rursus casus pumicum metuebatur, quamquam levium exesorumque, quod tamen periculorum collatio elegit; et apud illum quidem ratio rationem, apud alios timorem timor vicit.

Answer 21

Outside on the other hand there was the fear of the falling of pumice stones, although light and porous, however a comparison of the dangers suggested the latter choice; in my uncle’s case (one) reason conquered (another) reason, for the others (one) fear conquered (another) fear.

Question 22

cervicalia capitibus imposita linteis constringunt; id munimentum contra incidentia fuit.

Answer 22

They tied down pillows, which they had placed on their heads, with linen cloths; that was protection against falling objects.

Question 23

iam dies alibi, illic nox omnibus noctibus nigrior densiorque; quam tamen faces multae variaque lumina solvebant.

Answer 23

Elsewhere it was already daylight, there night was darker and denser than all other nights; which however many torches and various lamps were relieving.

Question 24

placuit egredi in litus, et ex proximo adspicere, num mare fugam praeberet; quod adhuc vastum et adversum manebat.

Answer 24

He decided to go down to the shore, and to investigate at close quarters,as to whether the sea might provide an escape; but it was still remaining swollen and hostile.

Question 25

ibi in abiecto linteo recumbens semel atque iterum frigidam aquam poposcit hausitque.

Answer 25

There lying on a thrown down sheet time and again he demanded and gulped down cold water.

Question 26

deinde flammae flammarumque praenuntius odor sulphuris alios in fugam vertunt, excitant illum.

Answer 26

Then the flames and the smell of sulphur, the warning sign of fires, turned the others to flight, and caused my uncle to get up.

Question 27

innitens servis duobus surrexit et statim concidit.

Answer 27

Leaning on two slaves he got up and collapsed at once.

Question 28

spiritus enim, ut ego credo, densiore caligine obstructus erat, claususque stomachus qui illi natura invalidus et angustus et saepe aestuans erat.

Answer 28

For his breathing, as I believe, had been obstructed by thick fumes, and his windpipe blocked which was by nature weak and narrow and often inflamed.

Question 29

ubi dies redditus est (is ab eo quem novissime viderat tertius), corpus inventum est integrum inlaesum opertumque ut fuerat indutus: habitus corporis dormienti quam mortuo similior.

Answer 29

When the daylight returned (that was the third (day) from that (day) which he had seen
last), his body was found intact and uninjured and covered as he had been dressed: the appearance of his body was more similar to one who was sleeping than one who was dead.