sarcinas: sarcina,bundle, baggage.
certus fugae (155): lit., determined of flight = intending to flee.
155. contrarius: an adverse wind in that it was blowing from the sea so that the ships could not sail out from Stabiae; this same wind was favorable (secundus) for Pliny, who was sailing from the bay toward Stabiae.
Pliny faced the dangers with extraordinary composure and encouraged the others.
Roman warships Fresco, 1st century A.D. Casa dei Vettii, Pompeii, Italy
Scala/Art Resource, NY.
150 Iam navibus cinis incidebat, calidior et densior, iam pumices etiam nigrique et ambusti et fracti igne lapides. Cunctatus paulum an retro flecteret, mox gubernatori ut ita faceret monenti “Fortes” inquit, “fortuna iuvat: Pomponianum pete.” Stabiis erat, diremptus sinu medio; sarcinas contulerat in naves, certus 155 fugae, si contrarius ventus resedisset. Quo tunc avunculus meus secundissimo invectus complectitur trepidantem, consolatur, hortatur, utque timorem eius sua securitate leniret, deferri in balineum iubet; lotus accubat, cenat aut hilaris aut, quod est aeque magnum, similis hilari.
156. invectus: i.e., to shore.
complectitur: complecti,to embrace.
trepidantem: i.e., Pomponianus.
157. securitate: securitas, lack of concern, composure; CHIASMUS effectively contrasts this word with its antonym timorem.
leniret: lenire,to calm, soothe.
deferri: sc. se as subj.
158. balineum: bath.
lotus:having (been) bathed, from lavare.
accubat: accubare,to recline at table.
hilaris:cheerful.
159. similis hilari: sc. viro; i.e., pretending to be cheerful.
161. tenebris: tenebrae, pl., shadows, darkness, gloom.
162. excitabatur: were enhanced; the vb. is sg. to agree with the nearer of the two subjs., and since fulgor and claritas constitute a single idea.
agrestium: agrestis,farmer, peasant; there were farms throughout the area of Vesuvius, where the volcanically enriched soil was well suited to agriculture.
relictos: sc. esse; in their fear the country people had fled without putting out their fires on the hearth.
163. per solitudinem: i.e., in the districts abandoned by the inhabitants.
in remedium formidinis: indicating purpose, freely = to allay their terror (formido).
165. meatus animae: the passage of his breath = his breathing, snoring.
166. obversabantur: obversari, + dat., to pass before.
167. area: open space, courtyard.
diaeta:room, apartment.
168. oppleta: opplere, to fill, cover.
169. mora: sc. esset.
exitus negaretur: thus explaining the numerous bodies found by archaeologists in the excavations.
170. in commune: for the common good.
171. tecta: tectum, roof, dwelling, house.
subsistant: subsistere,to stand still, remain, stay; sc. utrum.
aperto: apertum,open space.
vagentur: vagari,to wander about.
172. nutabant: nutare, to nod, totter, sway.
sedibus: sedes,seat, abode, home; here, foundation.
