﻿THE DEATH OF PLINY THE ELDER. 227 



fatigue and anxiety. In the evening he had had himself carried to a bath, ate his 

 supper, and went to bed, where he slept so profoundly as to be insensible to the noise 

 and danger which kept his companions awake. At length, the danger growing more 

 imminent, he was awakened, and Avith his companions fled from the house, the whole 

 company carrying pillows on their heads to ward ofi" the falling stones. In this way 

 they groped their way through the darkness till the next morning (jam dies alibi, illic 

 uox). He then lay down on a sail-cloth spread out for him, a measure which, we 

 may suppose, would hardly have been resorted to under the continuance of danger from 

 the falling stones, except from want of strength on his part to proceed. Neither under 

 the same circumstances would he have stopped repeatedly to demand cold water, un- 

 less suffering unusual thirst (Semel atque iterum frigidam poposcit hausitque). At 

 length, under a fresh alarm, he raised himself up, and immediately fell dead while 

 leanmg upon his two servants. 



A medical man may be excused for believing that Pliny died from apoplexy follow- 

 ing unusual exertion and excitement, or possibly from a fatal crisis in some disease of 

 the heart previously existing. 



