Pliny Letter 6.16 (Lines 19-35)

Usus ille sole, mox frigida, gustaverat iacens studebatque;

That man having enjoyed the sun, after that the cold water, reclining he had tasted and he was studying;

ille

demonstrative pronoun, nom, m, s

iacens

present active participle, s, m, nom

studebatque

imperfect active indicative, 3rd, s

poscit soleas, ascendit locum ex quo maxime miraculum illud conspici poterat.

he demands sandals, he climbs up to a spot from which that marvel was able to be viewed especially.

conspici

present passive infinitive

Nubes — incertum procul intuentibus ex quo monte (Vesuvium fuisse postea cognitum est) — oriebatur,

A cloud - it was uncertain to ones observing from which mountain (later it was learned to have been vesuvius) - was rising

fuisse

perfect active infinitive

oriebatur

imperfect indicative deponent, 3rd, s

cuius similitudinem et formam non alia magis arbor quam pinus expresserit.

of which no other tree more than a pine ecpressed the likeness and the form.

cuius

relative pronoun, gen, s, f

Nam longissimo velut trunco elata in altum quibusdam ramis diffundebatur,

For as if having been raised up high on a very long tree trunk it was being spread in all directions with branches so to speak

longissimo

superlative adj, s, m, abl

elata

perfect passive participle, f, s, nom

credo quia recenti spiritu evecta, dein senescente eo destituta aut etiam pondere suo victa in latitudinem vanescebat,

I believe because having been lifted up by a fresh blast of air then deprived by this blast of air as it decreased in strength or even overcome by its own weight, it was fading away horizontally

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

sometimes white sometimes dirty and stained, depending on whether it had taken up earth or ash.

sustulerat

perfect active indicative, 3rd, s

Magnum propiusque noscendum ut eruditissimo viro visum.

Something great and as it seemed to the most learned man something to be learned about more closely.

noscendum

gerundive, s, n, nom

Iubet liburnicam aptari;

He orders that a type of light fast ship be prepared

aptari

present passive infinitive

mihi si venire una vellem facit copiam; respondi studere me malle, et forte ipse quod scriberem dederat.

for me he makes an opportunity if I should wish to come alongside of him; I responded that I prefered to study and by chance he himself had given me something to study.

vellem

imperfect active subjunctive, 1st, s