Latin tremores II Translation

nam vehicula, quae prōdūcī iusserāmus, quamquam in plānissimō campō, in contrāriās partēs agēbantur, ac nē lapidibus quidem fulta in eōdem locō manēbant.

For the carriages, which we had ordered to be brought out, although on the very flat ground, were moving in the opposite directions, and not even propped up on stone were they staying in the same place.

praetereā mare in sē resorbērī vidēbāmus, quasi tremōre terrae repulsum esset.

Besides we saw that the sea was being sucked back in itself, as if it had been repelled by the tremor of the ground.

certē prōcesserat lītus, multaque maris animālia siccīs arēnīs dētinēbantur.

Certainly the short had advanced, and many sea animals were being stranded on the dry sand.

ab alterō latere nūbēs ātra et horrenda in longās flammārum figūrās dēhīscēbat;

From another side, a black and horrifying cloud was gaping open into long figures of flames;

quae et similēs et maiōrēs fulguribus erant.

which were both similar and larger than lightning.

tum vērō ille amīcus avunculī vehementius nōs hortātus est ut effugere cōnārēmur:

Then indeed that friend of my uncle more violently urged us to try to escape:

“sī frāter” inquit “tuus, tuus avunculus, vīvit, salūtem vestram cupit;

he said “if your brother, or if your uncle is alive, he desires your (pl) safety;

sī periit, superstitēs vōs esse voluit; cūr igitur cūnctāminī?”

if he died, he wanted y’all to be survivors; therefore why are y’all delaying?”

respondimus nōs salūtī nostrae cōnsulere nōn posse, dum dē illō incertī essēmus.

We replied that we were not able to give consideration for our safety, while we were uncertain about him.

nōn morātus ultrā, sē convertit et quam celerrimē ē perīculō fūgit.

Not having delayed further, he turned himself and fled as quickly as possible from the danger.

nec multō post, illa nūbēs ātra dēscendit in terrās, operuit maria;

And not much later, that black cloud descended onto the grounds, and it covered the sea;

cēlāverat Capreās, Mīsēnī prōmonturium ē cōnspectū abstulerat.

it had hidden Capri, it had stolen the promontory of Misenum from sight.

tum māter mē ōrāre hortārī iubēre, ut quōquō modō fugerem;

Then my mother begged, urged, and ordered me, that I would flee in whatever way;

affirmāvit mē, quod iuvenis essem, ad salūtem pervenīre posse;

she declared that, because I was a young man, I could reach safety;

sē, quae et annīs et corpore gravārētur, libenter moritūram esse, sī mihi causa mortis nōn fuisset.

that she, who was being weighed down by both her years and her body, would gladly die herself, if she had not been the cause of my death.

ego respondī mē nōlle incolumem esse nisi illa quoque effūgisset;

I replied that I did not want to be safe unless she had also escaped;

deinde manum eius amplexus, addere gradum cōgō.

then having grasped her hand, I forced her to go forward step by step.

pāret invīta, castīgatque sē, quod mē morētur.

She obeys unwillingly, and she scolds herself, because she was delaying me.