Pliny 6.16 lines 13-38 (pp. 8-11)

Erat Miseni(locative) classemque imperio praesens regebat

He was at Misenum, personally in command, ruling a fleet

Nonum Kal. Septembres hora fere septima(indirect statement+ablative of time)

on Aug. 24 at nearly the 7th hour

mater mea indicat ei apparere(infinitive) nubem

my mother indicates to him that a cloud appears

inusitata et magnitudine et specie

of unusual size and appearance

Usus ille sole, mox frigida, gustaverat iacens studebatque;

He was out in the sun, soon had a cold bath, he ate, and lying down, he studied.

poscit soleas

he demanded his sandals and

ascendit locum ex quo maxime miraculum illud

He climbed to a place from which that strange sight

conspici poterat. Nubes incertum - procul intuentibus

was able to be seen. The cloud uncertain to those

watching from afar

ex quo monte - (Vesuvium fuisse postea cognitum est) -oriebatur,

from which mountain it was rising - (it was learned after to have been Vesuvius)

cuius similitudinem et formam non alia

whose (cloud's) ikeness and form no other

magis arbor quam pinus expresserit.

tree more than the pine tree represented.

Nam longissimo velut trunco elata in altum quibusdam ramis diffundebatur,

For having risen into the sky just as with a very long trunk and with certain branches was spread out

credo quia (recenti spiritu) evecta, dein senescente eo

I believe that because it had been carried out by recent breath of air, then abandoned by this growing old

destituta aut etiam (pondere suo) victa (in latitudinem) vanescebat,

having been defeated by its own weight, it faded out into the side.

candida interdum, interdum sordida et maculosa prout terram cineremve sustulerat.

Sometimes white, sometimes dirty and spotted as it had raised earth and/or ash.

Magnum propiusque noscendum ut eruditissimo viro visum.

To him, as a very learned man, it seemed a

great thing and one that had to be observed

at closer range.

Iubet Liburnicam

He orders the Liburnica

aptari; mihi, si venire una vellem, facit copiam;(indirect statement)

to be prepared; if should I wish to come along with him; he gave me the chance,

respondi studere me malle, et forte ipse

I responded that I prefered to study, and by

quod scriberem dederat. Egrediebatur

chance he himself had given me what I was to write. He left from

domo; accipit codicillos Rectinae Tasci

home; he accepted a letter from Rectina, wife of Tascius,

imminenti periculo exterritae

frightened by the threatening danger

(nam villa eius subiacebat, nec ulla nisi

(for her country house lay at the foot of that mountain, and there was not any

navibus fuga): ut se tanto discrimini

escape except by ships): she begged

eriperet orabat.

him to rescue her from such danger.

Vertit(perfect active) ille consilium et quod studioso animo incohaverat(pluperfect active) obit maximo.

He changed his plan and what he had begun with a scholarly mind he completed with the greatest mind.

Deducit quadriremes(acc. direct object), ascendit ipse non Rectinae(dative indirect object) modo sed multis (erat enim frequens amoenitas orae) laturus(future active pariticple) auxilium.

He launched the quadriremes, he himself climbed up not only about to bring help to Rectina, but to many (for the pleasant shore was crowded).

Properat illuc unde alii fugiunt, rectumque cursum recta gubernacula in periculum tenet adeo solutus metu,

He is hurrying to that place from where the others are fleeing, and he holds a straight course and straight oars into danger so free from fear,

ut omnes illius mali motus omnes figuras ut deprenderat oculis dictaret(imperfect subjunctive+result clause) enotaretque(imperfect subjunctive+result clause).

that he noted and dictated all the movements and shapes of that bad thing as he had caught them with his eyes.