Roamin' the Empire: Pliny, first let us thank you for agreeing to do this interview. Your experience must be very painful to talk about.

Pliny: Yes, although my shocked soul recoils, my tongue shall tell the tale of the destruction of this most beautiful region.

Roamin': Where were you when the eruption began?

Pliny: I was with my mother in Misenum, a town across the Bay of Naples at the foot of Mount Vesuvius. We were staying at a villa with my mother's brother, Pliny the Elder, commander of the Roman fleet at that place.

Roamin': Did you have any warning that Mount Vesuvius was about to erupt?

Pliny: There had been earthquake shocks for several days. These are so common in the region, however, that no one gave them any thought, even though the area had experienced a destructive earthquake around the time of my birth.

Roamin': How did you learn about the eruption?

Pliny: On the afternoon of August 24, my mother pointed out to my uncle a strange white cloud off to the east. It extended straight up from the earth, then spread out into what looked like branches, so that it resembled a gigantic pine tree. It was so far away we could not tell from which mountain it was rising. My uncle, who was greatly interested in such phenomena, decided to investigate more closely and ordered a boat to be made ready. He invited me to go with him, but I chose to stay behind and work on a composition he had assigned to me.

Roamin': So homework saved your life!.

Pliny: Remarkably, yes.



To read about the eruption of Vesuvius, click on Horror and Heroism.

To return to the main menu, click on Vesuvius Blows Its Top.