6.20 Translation

1 Ais te adductum litteris quas exigenti tibi de morte avunculi mei scripsi, cupere cognoscere, quos ego Miseni relictus — id enim ingressus abruperam — non solum metus verum etiam casus pertulerim. “Quamquam animus meminisse horret, ... incipiam.”

2 Profecto avunculo ipse reliquum tempus studiis — ideo enim remanseram — impendi; mox balineum cena somnus inquietus et brevis. 

3 Praecesserat per multos dies tremor terrae, minus formidolosus quia Campaniae solitus; illa vero nocte ita invaluit, ut non moveri omnia sed verti crederentur.

You say that you, having been influenced by the letter, which I wrote to you, inquiring about the death of my uncle, desire to know not only what fears but also [what] misfortunes I, having been left behind in Misenum — for I, having begun, had broken off that thing — endured. “Although my mind shudders to remember,…I will begin.”

With my uncle having departed, I myself devoted my remaining time to my studies — for on that account I had stayed behind — soon [there was] a bath, dinner, restless and short sleep.

A tremor of the earth had occurred through many days before, less alarming because it is customary for Campania; but on that night, it became so strong that all things were believed not to be moved but to be turned.

4 Irrupit cubiculum meum mater; surgebam invicem, si quiesceret excitaturus. Resedimus in area domus, quae mare a tectis modico spatio dividebat. 

5 Dubito, constantiam vocare an imprudentiam debeam — agebam enim duodevicensimum annum — posco librum Titi Livi, et quasi per otium lego atque etiam ut coeperam excerpo. Ecce amicus avunculi qui nuper ad eum ex Hispania venerat, ut me et matrem sedentes, me vero etiam legentem videt, illius patientiam securitatem meam corripit. Nihilo segnius ego intentus in librum.

My mother burst into my bedroom; in turn, I was rising about to wake [her] up, if she were resting. We settled down in the courtyard of our home, which was dividing the sea from the roofs with a moderate space.

I doubt whether I ought to call [it] perseverance or foolishness — for I was living my eighteenth year — I demand a book of Titus Livius, and as if through leisure I read and even selected passages as I had begun. And behold, a friend of my uncle, who had recently come to him from Spain, as he sees me and my mother, sitting, me truly even reading, rebukes her patience [and] my freedom from anxiety. Nevertheless, I [am] intent more lingeringly into my book.

6 Iam hora diei prima, et adhuc dubius et quasi languidus dies. Iam quassatis circumiacentibus tectis, quamquam in aperto loco, angusto tamen, magnus et certus ruinae metus. 

7 Tum demum excedere oppido visum; sequitur vulgus attonitum, quodque in pavore simile prudentiae, alienum consilium suo praefert, ingentique agmine abeuntes premit et impellit. 

8 Egressi tecta consistimus. Multa ibi miranda, multas formidines patimur. Nam vehicula quae produci iusseramus, quamquam in planissimo campo, in contrarias partes agebantur, ac ne lapidibus quidem fulta in eodem vestigio quiescebant. 

Now it was the first hour of the day, until now both doubtful and as if a faint day. Now, with the neighboring roofs having been shaken, although [we were] in an open place, nevertheless in a narrow [place], [there was] great and certain fear of a collapse [for us].

Then at last it seemed [best] to depart from the town; the astonished crowd follows and [that], which [is] similar to wisdom in fear, it prefers another plan to its own, and it presses and pushes [us], departing, with a huge line.

Having gone out of the roofs, we stop. There we endure many things to be wondered at, many fears. For the wagons, which we had ordered to be brought out, although [they were] in a very flat field, were being driven into opposite directions, and they, having been braced not even by stones, were resting in the same footstep.

9 Praeterea mare in se resorberi et tremore terrae quasi repelli videbamus. Certe processerat litus, multaque animalia maris siccis harenis detinebat. Ab altero latere nubes atra et horrenda, ignei spiritus tortis vibratisque discursibus rupta, in longas flammarum figuras dehiscebat; fulguribus illae et similes et maiores erant. 

10 Tum vero idem ille ex Hispania amicus acrius et instantius “Si frater” inquit “tuus, tuus avunculus vivit, vult esse vos salvos; si periit, superstites voluit. Proinde quid cessatis evadere?” Respondimus non commissuros nos ut de salute illius incerti nostrae consuleremus. 

In addition, we were seeing that the sea was sucked back into itself and was driven back as if by the tremor of the earth. Certainly the shore had advanced and was holding back many animals of the sea on dry sands. From the other side, a black and horrendous cloud, having been burst with the twisted and vibrating dispersals of the fiery breeze, was splitting into long shapes of flames; they were both similar to and greater than lightning bolts.

Then indeed that same friend From Spain more sharply and more urgently says, “If your brother, your uncle lives, he wishes that you all are safe; if he has perished, wished [that you all] were surviving. Therefore, why do you all delay to escape?” We replied that we would not bring about that, being uncertain of his safety, we were having regard for our [safety].

11 Non moratus ultra proripit se effusoque cursu periculo aufertur. Nec multo post illa nubes descendere in terras, operire maria; cinxerat Capreas et absconderat, Miseni quod procurrit abstulerat. 

12 Tum mater orare hortari iubere, quoquo modo fugerem; posse enim iuvenem, se et annis et corpore gravem bene morituram, si mihi causa mortis non fuisset. Ego contra salvum me nisi una non futurum; dein manum eius amplexus addere gradum cogo. Paret aegre incusatque se, quod me moretur.

He, not having delayed further, rushes forth and is carried away from danger with unrestrained running. And not much later, that cloud descended onto the lands, covered the seas; it had surrounded Capri and had hidden [it], it had taken away [part] of Misenum, which projects.

Then, my mother begged, encouraged, [and] ordered [me] [that] I flee in whatever way; for a young man was able [to flee], [but] she heavy both in years and in body, would die well, if she had not been a cause of death for me. I in reply [said] that I would not be safe unless together; then, having embraced her hand, I force [her] to increase her step. She obeys reluctantly and blames herself, because she delays me.

13 Iam cinis, adhuc tamen rarus. Respicio: densa caligo tergis imminebat, quae nos torrentis modo infusa terrae sequebatur. “Deflectamus” inquam “dum videmus, ne in via strati comitantium turba in tenebris obteramur.” 

14 Vix consideramus, et nox — non qualis illunis aut nubila, sed qualis in locis clausis lumine exstincto. Audires ululatus feminarum, infantum quiritatus, clamores virorum; alii parentes alii liberos alii coniuges vocibus requirebant, vocibus noscitabant; hi suum casum, illi suorum miserabantur; erant qui metu mortis mortem precarentur;

Now [there is] ash, until now nevertheless [it is] sparse. I look back: dense fog was hanging over our backs, which, having been poured on the land in the manner of a flood, followed us. I say, “Let us turn aside while we see, in order that we may not be trampled in the road, having been laid low by the crowd of accompanying [people] in the darkness.”

We had scarcely sat down, and [it was] night — not of what sort moonless or cloudy, but of what sort in closed places, with light having been extinguished. You could hear the wailings of women, the cries of infants, the shouts of men; some were searching for parents, others children, others spouses with their voices, they were recognizing [them] with their voices; these people [were lamenting] their own misfortune, those people were lamenting [the misfortune] of their own [people]; there were [those people] who were praying for death because of fear of death;

15 multi ad deos manus tollere, plures nusquam iam deos ullos aeternamque illam et novissimam noctem mundo interpretabantur. Nec defuerunt qui fictis mentitisque terroribus vera pericula augerent. Aderant qui Miseni illud ruisse illud ardere falso sed credentibus nuntiabant.

16 Paulum reluxit, quod non dies nobis, sed adventantis ignis indicium videbatur. Et ignis quidem longius substitit; tenebrae rursus cinis rursus, multus et gravis. Hunc identidem assurgentes excutiebamus; operti alioqui atque etiam oblisi pondere essemus.

many people raised their hands to the gods, more people were interpreting that any gods [were] now nowhere and that night [was] eternal and the last for the world. Nor were [those people] lacking, who increased the real dangers with untrue and invented terrors. Those people were present, who were announcing falsely but to trusting [people] that in Misenum one part had fallen, another part was burning.

It became light a little, which was not seeming day to us, but [which was seeming] evidence of advancing fire. And indeed fire stood still farther; [there was] darkness again, [there was] ash again, much and heavy. We, standing up, were shaking off this again and again; otherwise we would have been covered and even crushed by its weight.

17 Possem gloriari non gemitum mihi, non vocem parum fortem in tantis periculis excidisse, nisi me cum omnibus, omnia mecum perire misero, magno tamen mortalitatis solacio credidissem.

18 Tandem illa caligo tenuata quasi in fumum nebulamve discessit; mox dies verus; sol etiam effulsit, luridus tamen qualis esse cum deficit solet. Occursabant trepidantibus adhuc oculis mutata omnia altoque cinere tamquam nive obducta. 

I would be able to boast that not a groom, that not a strong enough voice had slipped out in so great dangers, if I had not believed that I [was persisting] with everything, that all things were persisting with me for the miserable nevertheless great solace of morality.

19 Regressi Misenum curatis utcumque corporibus suspensam dubiamque noctem spe ac metu exegimus. Metus praevalebat; nam et tremor terrae perseverabat, et plerique lymphati terrificis vaticinationibus et sua et aliena mala ludificabantur.

20 Nobis tamen ne tunc quidem, quamquam et expertis periculum et exspectantibus, abeundi consilium, donec de avunculo nuntius. Haec nequaquam historia digna non scripturus leges et tibi scilicet qui requisisti imputabis, si digna ne epistula quidem videbuntur. Vale.

Nevertheless, not even then was there a plan of leaving for us, although both having experienced danger and awaiting [danger], until [there was] a message concerning my uncle. You will read these things, by no means worthy of history, not about to write, and you, who requested [these things], will certainly impute blame on yourself, if they seem worthy not even of a letter. Farewell.