Arria

Caecina Paetus,husband of Arria, was ill and her son was also ill, both of them very seriously it seemed. The son died, a very handsome young man and modest and dear to his parents. So Arria prepared the funeral for this boy and even lead the funeral procession so that her husband was not aware. Indeed whenever she entered his bedroom she pretended that their son was alive and was even getting stronger and to her husband asking often how the boy was doing, she replied, "He has slept well and willingly eaten some food", then when the tears that had been held back for a long time, overcame her and broke out she went out. Then she gave herself up to pain, having had her fill of tears with dried eyes and having composed her expression, she returned to the bedroom, as if she had left her bereavement outside.

It was indeed a very famous act of the same woman was to draw a dagger, to stab herself in the chest to pull out the dagger, offer it to her husband and add the immortal and nearly divine words, "Paetus, it doesn't hurt".

Scribonianus had taken up arms (war) against Claudius in Illyria. Paetus had been involved in the conspiracy and when Scribonianus was killed, he was dragged to Rome. He was about to get on board a ship, Arria begged the soldiers to put her on board at the same time "Surely",she said, "you can give a man of consular rank some slaves, from whose hands he will take food, who will dress him, who will put on his shoes? I alone will take care of all of these things". She did not get permission; so she hired a small fishing boat and followed the huge boat in a tiny one. Then in the presence of Claudius she said to the wife of Scribonianus, when she was volunteering evidence (against her husband's associates), "should I listen to you, in whose arms Scribonianus died and you live (on)?" From this it is clear that the plan to have a beautiful death was not sudden. Indeed, when Thrasea her son-in-law was begging her not to carry out her resolve to die, and among other things he had said "therefore would you want your daughter to die with me if it were to come about, that I had to die?". She replied "if she was to have lived for so long and in such great harmony with you as I have with Paetus. Then I would want (this)". With this answer she had increased the level of concern felt by her household (or the worry of her family). She was guarded even more carefully but she sensed this and said "you are not accomplishing anything. For you are able to ensure that I do not die painfully but you are not able to ensure that I do not die". While she said this she leapt out of her chair and dashed her head against the wall opposite with a huge force and collapsed. When she had been revived she said " however I told you, I would find a hard way to die, if you deny me an easy way". Farewell.

Avunculus Meus Translation(A day in the life of Pliny the Elder and the death of Pliny the Elder) written by Pliny the younger

A day in the life of Pliny the Elder

Before sunrise he would go to the emperor Vespasian (for he also made use of the night), then to the task that has been assigned to him. Having returned he would give the remaining time to study. Often after food (which in the custom of our forefathers was light and easy during the day) in summer, if there was any leisure time, he would lie in the sun, a book would be read to him and he would make notes and extracts. For he would not read anything without making extracts; he even used to say that no book was so bad that it could not be of use to him in some part. After sunset he would bathe usually with cold water, then he would have a snack and would sleep very little; son as if it was another day he would study up to dinnertime over dinner a book was read and annotated and certainly rapidly.

These things would take place in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the city. Away from the city he would only take time from his studies for the baths. (When I say bathing, I'm talking about the inner rooms: for while he was being scrubbed down and dried he would listen to something or dictate). In a journey as if he was free from other worries he would devote himself to this one thing (study): on his side there was a secretary with books and writing tablets, whose hands were being protected with long sleeves in the winter, so that not even the harshness of the weather could take away; for this reason in Rome also he was carried around. I remember that he would tell me off because I walked: he said “you could not lose these hours”; for he believed that all the which was not devoted to his studies; was wasted. Farewell.

The death of Pliny the Elder

You asked me to write to you about my uncle’s death, in order that you can hand down to posterity a more truthful account.

He was personally in Misenum in command of the fleet with his power. On the ninth day before the first of September (24th August) at about the seventh hour my mother pointed out to him that a strange cloud was appearing; it seemed to him, a very scholarly man, important to investigate it from nearer. He orders a fast boat to be prepared; he asks if I would like to go with him; I responded that I would prefer to study and by chance he himself had given me something to write. He was going out of the house; he receives notes from Rectina, the wife of Tascius, who was terrified of the imminent danger (for her house lay beneath (Vesuvius) and there was no escape except by ship); she was begging that he rescue her from such great danger. He changed his plan and what he had begun with an inquiring mind he accomplished with a heroic (one). He launched the warships, he himself embarked in order to bring help not only to Rectina but too many (for that delightful stretch of coast was densely populated). He hurried to that place from where others were fleeing and he held a straight course with a straight rudder, into the danger so free from fear that he was dictating and taking notes of every movement of that evil and all the feature as he had observed them with his eyes.

Now the ash was falling on the ships, hotter and denser, the closer they approached; now even pumice and also stones, which were black and scorched and cracked by the fire (were falling); the water was suddenly shallow and the shore was obstructing them with debris from the mountain. He hesitated for a little while as to whether he should sail back.

Soon he said to the helmsman, who was advising him to do that, fortune helps the brave make for Pomponianus. Pomponianus was at Stabiae, having been separated by the intervening bay, for the sea was gradually running into the shore, which swept around in a curve.

Although the danger was not yet approaching there, it was however very obvious. And so Pomponianus had put the luggage onto the ships. He had resolved on escape if the contrary wind would subside.

Being carried by this very favourable wind, my uncle sailed, he embraced his friend, who was trembling, he calmed and encouraged him, in order to calm his friend through his own composure, he ordered to be taken for a bath. Once he had bathed he reclined and had dinner, either cheerful or (what is equally impressive) pretending to be cheerful. Meanwhile from Mount Vesuvius in several places broad sheets of flame and tall fires were blazing, the glare and brightness of which was being enhanced by the darkness of the night. He in order to cure their terror/allay their fears kept saying that, the bonfires of the country folk forsaken in their panic, and deserted houses, were burning in the abandoned areas. Then he gave himself up to rest and he slept in a very real sleep indeed, for the passage of his breathing, which in his case was rather heavy and noisy because of the stoutness of his body, was being heard by those who were moving about near the door.

But the courtyard from which, his bedroom was approached had now risen so full of ash mixed with pumice so if there were a longer delay in the bedroom a way out would be denied (them).

Now (there was) daylight elsewhere, (but) there (there was) night blacker and thicker than every other night; however many torches and varied lamps relieved it. It seemed pleasing to go out to the seashore and investigate from the neighbouring area whether the sea might provide escape, (but) it still remained swollen and hostile. There lying down upon a sail cloth (which had been) thrown down, time and time again he asked for and drank cold water. Then flames and the smell of sulphur, the messenger of flames, turned the others to flee, but wake him up. Leaning on two slaves he stood up and at once collapsed. For his breathing, as I believe, had been obstructed by thicker fumes, and his windpipe, which in his case was by nature weak and narrow and was often inflamed. When the day(light) returned(this (day was) the third from (that (day) which he had last seen), his body was found intact, unharmed and covered, just as it had been dressed: the appearance of his body (was) more like (someone) sleeping than (someone) dead.