August 24, 2014
Pliny the Younger (A.D.
62?–c.A.D. 113). Letters.
Vol. 9, pp. 284-291 of
The Harvard Classics
(Pliny witnessed
eruption of Vesuvius, Aug. 24, 79 A. D.)
The eruption of
Vesuvius that demolished Pompeii and buried thousands of people was
witnessed by Pliny. He describes his panic-stricken flight with his
mother from the doomed villa through falling ashes and sulphurous
fumes. His famous uncle, the elder Pliny, lost his life while
investigating the eruption and aiding refugees.
LXV. To
Tacitus
YOUR request that I
would send you an account of my uncle’s death, in order to transmit
a more exact relation of it to posterity, deserves my
acknowledgments; for, if this accident shall be celebrated by your
pen, the glory of it, I am well assured, will be rendered for ever
illustrious. And notwithstanding he perished by a misfortune, which,
as it involved at the same time a most beautiful country in ruins,
and destroyed so many populous cities, seems to promise him an
everlasting remembrance; notwithstanding he has himself composed many
and lasting works; yet I am persuaded, the mentioning of him in your
immortal writings, will greatly contribute to render his name
immortal. Happy I esteem those to be to whom by provision of the gods
has been granted the ability either to do such actions as are worthy
of being related or to relate them in a manner worthy of being read;
but peculiarly happy are they who are blessed with both these
uncommon talents: in the number of which my uncle, as his own
writings and your history will evidently prove, may justly be ranked.
It is with extreme willingness, therefore, that I execute your
commands; and should indeed have claimed the task if you had not
enjoined it.
He was at that time with the fleet under his command at
Misenum. 1 On the 24th of August, about one in the
afternoon, my mother desired him to observe a cloud which appeared of
a very unusual size and shape. He had just taken a turn in the sun, 2
and, after bathing himself in cold water, and making a light
luncheon, gone back to his books: he immediately arose and went out
upon a rising ground from whence he might get a better sight of this
very uncommon appearance. A cloud, from which mountain was uncertain,
at this distance (but it was found afterwards to come from Mount
Vesuvius), was ascending, the appearance of which I cannot give you a
more exact description of than by likening it to that of a pine-tree,
for it shot up to a great height in the form of a very tall trunk,
which spread itself out at the top into a sort of branches;
occasioned, I imagine, either by a sudden gust of air that impelled
it, the force of which decreased as it advanced upwards, or the cloud
itself, being pressed back again by its own weight, expanded in the
manner I have mentioned; it appeared sometimes bright and sometimes
dark and spotted, according as it was either more or less impregnated
with earth and cinders. This phenomenon seemed to a man of such
learning and research as my uncle extraordinary and worth further
looking into. He ordered a light vessel to be got ready, and gave me
leave, if I liked, to accompany him. I said I had rather go on with
my work; and it so happened, he had himself given me something to
write out. As he was coming out of the house, he received a note from
Rectina, the wife of Bassus, who was in the utmost alarm at the
imminent danger which threatened her; for her villa lying at the foot
of Mount Vesuvius, there was no way of escape but by sea; she
earnestly entreated him therefore to come to her assistance. He
accordingly changed his first intention, and what he had begun from a
philosophical, he now carries out in a noble and generous spirit. He
ordered the galleys to be put to sea, and went himself on board with
an intention of assisting not only Rectina, but the several other
towns which lay thickly strewn along that beautiful coast. Hastening
then to the place from whence others fled with the utmost terror, he
steered his course direct to the point of danger, and with so much
calmness and presence of mind as to be able to make and dictate his
observations upon the motion and all the phenomena of that dreadful
scene. He was now so close to the mountain that the cinders, which
grew thicker and hotter the nearer he approached, fell into the
ships, together with pumice-stones, and black pieces of burning rock:
they were in danger too not only of being aground by the sudden
retreat of the sea, but also from the vast fragments which rolled
down from the mountain, and obstructed all the shore. Here he stopped
to consider whether he should turn back again; to which the pilot
advising him, “Fortune,” said he, “favours the brave; steer to
where Pomponianus is.” Pomponianus was then at Stabiæ, 3
separated by a bay, which the sea, after several insensible windings,
forms with the shore. He had already sent his baggage on board; for
though he was not at that time in actual danger, yet being within
sight of it, and indeed extremely near, if it should in the least
increase, he was determined to put to sea as soon as the wind, which
was blowing dead inshore, should go down. It was favourable, however,
for carrying my uncle to Pomponianus, whom he found in the greatest
consternation: he embraced him tenderly, encouraging and urging him
to keep up his spirits, and, the more effectually to soothe his fears
by seeming unconcerned himself, ordered a bath to be got ready, and
then, after having bathed, sat down to supper with great
cheerfulness, or at least (what is just as heroic) with every
appearance of it. Meanwhile broad flames shone out in several places
from Mount Vesuvius, which the darkness of the night contributed to
render still brighter and clearer. But my uncle, in order to soothe
the apprehensions of his friend, assured him it was only the burning
of the villages, which the country people had abandoned to the
flames: after this he retired to rest, and it is most certain he was
so little disquieted as to fall into a sound sleep: for his
breathing, which, on account of his corpulence, was rather heavy and
sonorous, was heard by the attendants outside. The court which led to
his apartment being now almost filled with stones and ashes, if he
had continued there any time longer, it would have been impossible
for him to have made his way out. So he was awoke and got up, and
went to Pomponianus and the rest of his company, who were feeling too
anxious to think of going to bed. They consulted together whether it
would be most prudent to trust to the houses, which now rocked from
side to side with frequent and violent concussions as though shaken
from their very foundations; or fly to the open fields, where the
calcined stones and cinders, though light indeed, yet fell in large
showers, and threatened destruction. In this choice of dangers they
resolved for the fields: as resolution which, while the rest of the
company were hurried into by their fears, my uncle embraced upon cool
and deliberate consideration. They went out then, having pillows tied
upon their heads with napkins; and this was their whole defence
against the storm of stones that fell round them. It was now day
everywhere else, but there a deeper darkness prevailed than in the
thickest night; which, however, was in some degree alleviated by
torches and other lights of various kinds. They thought proper to go
farther down upon the shore to see if they might safely put out to
sea, but found the waves still running extremely high, and
boisterous. There my uncle, laying himself down upon a sail-cloth,
which was spread for him, called twice for some cold water, which he
drank, when immediately the flames, preceded by a strong whiff of
sulphur, dispersed the rest of the party, and obliged him to rise. He
raised himself up with the assistance of two of his servants, and
instantly fell down dead; suffocated, as I conjecture, by some gross
and noxious vapour, having always had a weak throat, which was often
inflamed. As soon as it was light again, which was not till the third
day after this melancholy accident, his body was found entire, and
without any marks of violence upon it, in the dress in which he fell,
and looking more like a man asleep than dead. During all this time my
mother and I, who were at Misenum—but this has no connection with
your history, and you did not desire any particulars besides those of
my uncle’s death; so I will end here, only adding that I have
faithfully related to you what I was either an eye-witness of myself
or received immediately after the accident happened, and before there
was time to vary the truth. You will pick out of this narrative
whatever is most important: for a letter is one thing, a history
another; it is one thing writing to a friend, another thing writing
to the public. Farewell.
Note 1. In
the Bay of Naples.
Note
2. The Romans
used to lie or walk naked in the sun, after anointing their bodies
with oil, which was esteemed as greatly contributing to health, and
therefore daily practised by them. This custom, however, of anointing
themselves, is inveighed against by the satirists as in the number of
their luxurious indulgences: but since we find the elder Pliny here,
and the amiable Spurinna in a former letter, practising this method,
we cannot suppose the thing itself was esteemed unmanly, but only
when it was attended with some particular circumstances of an
over-refined delicacy. M.
Note 3. Now
called Castelamare, in the Bay of Naples. M.
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