173. sub dio: under the divine element = under the open sky.
rursus: adv., back, again.
174. quamquam: to be construed with the adjs.
exesorum: exedere,to eat away; here, eaten away (as it were, by fire and gases), porous.
casus: here, the falling.
A description of the eruption and the plight of the people.
“A Dream in the Ruins of Pompeii” Paul Alfred de Curzon, 1866 Musée Leon Alegre, Bagnois-sur-Ceze, France
Giraudon/Art Resource, NY.
160 Interim e Vesuvio monte pluribus locis latissimae flammae altaque incendia relucebant, quorum fulgor et claritas tenebris noctis excitabatur. Ille agrestium trepidatione ignes relictos desertasque villas per solitudinem ardere in remedium formidinis dictitabat. Tum se quieti dedit et quievit verissimo quidem 165 somno, nam meatus animae, qui illi propter amplitudinem corporis gravior et sonantior erat, ab eis qui limini obversabantur audiebatur. Sed area ex qua diaeta adibatur ita iam cinere mixtisque pumicibus oppleta surrexerat, ut, si longior in cubiculo mora, exitus negaretur. Excitatus procedit seque Pomponiano 170 ceterisque, qui pervigilaverant, reddit. In commune consultant, intra tecta subsistant an in aperto vagentur. Nam crebris vastisque tremoribus tecta nutabant et, quasi emota sedibus suis, nunc huc, nunc illuc abire aut referri videbantur. Sub dio rursus quamquam levium exesorumque pumicum casus metuebatur; 175 quod tamen periculorum collatio elegit. Et apud illum quidem ratio rationem, apud alios timorem timor vicit. Cervicalia capitibus imposita linteis constringunt; id munimentum adversus incidentia fuit.
175. quod: conjunctive use of the rel. referring in general to the preceding point, but…this option; a comparison (collatio) of the risks induced them to take their chances out in the open.
apud illum:with him (Pliny), in his case.
176. ratio rationem…timorem timor: CHIASMUS, ANAPHORA, and ASYNDETON effectively highlight the contrast Pliny is drawing.
cervicalia: cervical,pillow.
177. linteis: linteum, linen cloth, sail; here, strips of linen.
constringunt: constringere,to tie, bind.
179. dies alibi, illic nox: this is the second day of the narrative, August 25; CHIASMUS emphasizes the stark difference between normal daylight elsewhere and volcanic night in the stricken area.
180. faces: fax, torch.
solabantur: solari,to console, relieve, mitigate.
181. placuit: lit., it was pleasing = it seemed best.
ecquid: interrog. conj., whether at all.
182. admitteret: sc. eos; the contrarius ventus had earlier prevented their sailing.
183. frigidam: sc. aquam.
184. hausit: haurire, to drink.
185. innixus: inniti, to lean on, support oneself by.
186. colligo: probably the two servuli survived and reported that his uncle had died from the gases.
187. crassiore: thicker, denser.
caligine: caligo,vapor, gas.
stomacho: stomachus,esophagus, stomach; Pliny uses the term here, rather unscientifically, for windpipe. Pliny’s uncle had some chronic difficulty with his breathing (doubtless related to his snoring, mentioned in 165–66), perhaps asthma.
188. interaestuans: inflamed.
189. dies: i.e., daylight.
redditus: sc. est, as with inventum in the next line.
is…tertius: = is erat tertius dies ab eo…. On August 24 Pliny had sailed to Stabiae and saw daylight for the last time (hence novissime viderat); on August 25 he died; and on August 26 the air had cleared somewhat and his body was discovered. Eng. would say “the second day after…,” but the Roman counting system regularly included the first and last days in such a series.
190. corpus…indutus (191): detailed evidence that Pliny had been overcome by volcanic gas only, thus corroborating the statement presumably made by his slaves; ut fuerat indutus (from induere), just as he had been clothed, shows that there had been no harm from fire.
inlaesum:uninjured.
opertum: operire,to cover.
191. habitus: position, appearance.
The death of Pliny the Elder.
