Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. II.djvu/462

472 greatly disturb us, because they are frequent in the towns and villages of Campania, but this night they were redoubled with such violence that one might say things were not merely shaken, but seemed to be overturned by it. My mother came hastily into my chamber at the moment when I too had arisen with the intention of waking her if she slept. We seated ourselves in the court that separates the chief buildings from the sea, by a small interval. It was now seven o'clock in the morning, but still there was very little light, like a dim twilight. The houses around us were shaken so that the terror of their fall was great and certain, the place being small. We resolved, therefore, to quit the town. The people followed us in consternation, and as a mind distracted with terror, regards any suggestion more prudent than its own, they pressed in great crowds upon us on our way out. When we were clear of the town we stopped, but here new terrors met us. The carriages which we had ordered out, were so agitated backwards and forwards, though upon level ground, that they could not be steadied even by large stones. The sea seemed rolled back of itself upon the shore, and numbers of fishes were left behind. On the other side a black and dreadful cloud, rent by a fiery vapor which started forth like igneous serpents, burst forth into flames resembling lightning, but much vaster. Soon after that the cloud descended to earth and covered the sea, hiding the island of Capri, and the promontory of Misenum. My mother then besought, urged, commanded me to save myself by any means whatever; she showed me that it was easy at my age, but that