194 LIGHT SCIENCE FOR LEISURE HOURS. 



heroic) with all the appearance of it." Assuring his 

 friends that the flames which appeared in several 

 places were merely burning villages, Pliny presently 

 retired to rest, and " being pretty fat," says his nephew, 

 "and breathing hard, those who attended without 

 actually heard him snore." But it became necessary to 

 awaken him, for the court which led to his room was 

 now almost filled with stones and ashes. He got up 

 and joined the rest of the company, who were consult- 

 ing on the propriety of leaving the house, now shaken 

 from side to side by frequent concussions. They 

 decided on seeking the fields for safety ; and fastening 

 pillows on their heads, to protect them from falling 

 stones, they advanced in the midst of an obscurity 

 greater than that of the darkest night though beyond 

 the limits of the great cloud it was already broad day. 

 "When they reached the shore, they found the waves 

 running too high to suffer them safely to venture to 

 put out to sea. Pliny, " having drunk a draught or 

 two of cold water, lay down on a cloth that was spread 

 out for him ; but at this moment the flames and 

 sulphurous vapors dispersed the rest of the company 

 and obliged him to rise. Assisted by two of his 

 servants, he got upon his feet, but instantly fell down 

 dead; suffocated, I suppose," says his nephew, "by 

 some gross and noxious vapor, for he always had 

 weak lungs and suffered from a difficulty of breathing." 

 His body was not \ found until the third day after his 



