Death Of Pliny

Front 1

1. petis ut tibi avunculi mei exitum scribam, quo verius tradere

2. posteris possis.

Back 1

You ask that I write to you on the death of my uncle, so that you can hand down a more truthful account to future generations.

Front 2

3. erat Miseni classemque imperio praesens regebat.

Back 2

He was personally in command of the fleet at Misenum

Front 3

3. nonum

4. kal. Septembres hora fere septima mater mea indicat ei

5. nubem mirabilem apparere;

Back 3

On the 24th of August at the 7th hour my mother pointed out the appearance of a strange cloud;

Front 4

5. quae visa est ei, eruditissimo

6. viro, magna propiusque noscenda.

Back 4

it seemed to him, as expected for a most scholarly man, that this important matter had to be investigated closely.

Front 5

6. ubet liburnicam parari;

Back 5

He ordered a fast boat to be prepared;

Front 6

7. me si venire una vellem rogat;

Back 6

he asked me if I wanted to come along as well;

Front 7

7. respondi studere me malle,

Back 7

I replied I preferred to study,

Front 8

8. et forte ipse quod scriberem dederat.

Back 8

and by chance he himself had given me something to write.

Front 9

8. egrediebatur domo;

Back 9

He was going out the house;

Front 10

9. accipit codicillos Rectinae Tasci imminenti periculo

10. perterritae

Back 10

he received a note for Rectina wife of Tascius who was terrified of the imminent danger

Front 11

10. (nam villa eius subiacebat, nec ulla nisi navibus

11. fuga):

Back 11

(for her house lay under Versuvius and the only means of escape was by boat):

Front 12

11. orabat ut se tanto discrimini eriperet.

Back 12

she was begging him to rescue her from such great danger.

Front 13

11. vertit ille

12. consilium et quod studioso animo inceperat obit maximo.

Back 13

So he changed his plan and what started in a spirit of enquiry changed into an act of heroism.

Front 14

13. deducit quadriremes,

Back 14

He had warships launched,

Front 15

13. ascendit ipse non Rectinae modo sed

14. multis + laturus auxilium

Back 15

he himself embarked not only intending to bring help to Rectina but to many others as well

Front 16

14. (erat enim frequens amoenitas orae)

Back 16

(for that delightful stretch of coast was densely populated)