pliny 6.20 p 25-28

nec multo post illa nubes descendere in terras, operire maria;

not much later that cloud descended onto the lands, covered the seas

cinxerat Capreas et absconderat, Miseni quod procurrit abstulerat.

it had encompassed Capri and hidden it, it had taken away the promontory of Misenum.

tum mater orare hortari iubere, quoquo modo

then mother begged, urged and ordered, in whatever way I could

fugerem; posse enim iuvenem, se et annis et corpore gravem bene

that I flee; for a young man could, and she, weighed down both by years and body

morituram, si mihi causa mortis non fuisset. Ego contra salvum me

Would die well, if she had not been the cause of death for me. I in return said that I would not be

nisi una non futurum; dein manum eius amplexus addere gradum

Safe unless together; then having encircled her hand, I compelled her to increase her pace.

cogo. Paret aegre incusatque se, quod me moretur.

She reluctantly obeyed and blamed herself because she delayed me.

13 Iam cinis, adhuc tamen rarus. Respicio: densa caligo

Now there was ash, still however sparse. I looked back: thick fog was

tergis imminebat, quae nos torrentis modo infusa terrae

hanging down over our backs, which was following us poured onto the land of a rushing stream.

sequebatur. 'Deflectamus' inquam 'dum videmus, ne in via

'Let us turn aside', I said, 'while we see, so that we are not trampled

strati comitantium turba in tenebris obteramur.' 14 Vix

having been knocked down in the street by the crowd of those following.

consideramus, et nox — non qualis illunis aut nubila, sed

we had scarcely sat, and night - not the moonless or cloudy sort, but

qualis in locis clausis lumine exstincto.

the kind in closed up places with the lamp extinguished.

Audires ululatus feminarum, infantum quiritatus, clamores

You would have heard the wailing of women, the protesting cries of babies, the shouts

virorum; alii parentes alii liberos alii coniuges vocibus requirebant,

of men; some were searching for their parents, others for children, others for spouses;

vocibus noscitabant; hi suum casum, illi suorum miserabantur;

by their voices, they recognized them; these were lamenting their own misfortune; those the misfortune of their family members;

erant qui metu mortis mortem precarentur; 15 multi ad deos manus

there were those who prayed for death from fear of death; many raised their hands to the gods

tollere, plures nusquam iam deos ullos aeternamque illam et

more were taking the view that now nowhere were there any gods and that the eternal night

novissimam noctem mundo interpretabantur. Nec defuerunt qui

was also the final one for the world. Nor were there lacking those who

fictis mentitisque terroribus vera pericula augerent. Aderant qui

increased the true dangers with invented and untrue terrors. There were present those who

Miseni illud ruisse illud ardere falso sed credentibus nuntiabant.

were reporting that at Misenum one part had collapsed and the other was burning, false, but to people believing them.

16 Paulum reluxit, quod non dies nobis, sed adventantis ignis

It became a little light again, which did not seem daylight to us,

indicium videbatur. Et ignis quidem longius substitit; tenebrae

but evidence of advancing fire. And fire indeed stood farther away; there was darkness

rursus cinis rursus, multus et gravis. Hunc identidem assurgentes

again, ash again, much and heavy. Rising up again and again,

excutiebamus; operti alioqui atque etiam oblisi pondere essemus.

we shook this off; otherwise we would have been covered and even crushed by the weight.

17 Possem gloriari non gemitum mihi, non vocem parum fortem

I could boast that for me no groan, no cry less brave

in tantis periculis excidisse, nisi mecum omnibus,

escaped in such great dangers, if I had not believed that I was perishing

omnia mecum perire misero, magno tamen mortalitatis solacio credidissem.

along with everything and everything with me, which is the wretched yet great comfort of mortality.