Ashen Sky: The Letters of Pliny The Younger on the Eruption of Vesuvius

by Pliny the Younger, Pliny the Elder

Barry Moser's extraordinarily detailed and evocative relief engravings decorate this translation of Pliny the Younger's two famous letters to Tacitus about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79 and the death of his uncle, Pliny the Elder. The text includes a brief description of the eruption of the volcano, concise biographies of Tacitus and of both Plinys, and a summary of how the texts of the two letters have survived until today.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Classics, Historical, Italy

40 pages, Hardcover

First published September 17, 2007

About the author

Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, born Gaius Caecilius or Gaius Caecilius Cilo (61 AD – ca. 112 AD), better known as Pliny the Younger, was a lawyer, author, and magistrate of Ancient Rome. Pliny's uncle, Pliny the Elder, helped raise and educate him and they were both witnesses to the eruption of Vesuvius on 24 August 79 AD.

"You would have heard the wails of women, the shrieks of infants, shouts of men; some were seeking parents with their voices, others children, others spouses, and by their voices they were recognizing them; some were pitying their own misfortune, others the misfortune of their families; there were those who - due to the fear of death - were praying for death; many raised their hands toward the gods, more were concluding that there were no gods anywhere, and that this was the perpetual and final night for the world."

-Pliny the Younger, Letters, 16.20.14-15

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Getty Museum publication showcasing the two letters that Pliny the Younger wrote about the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. The first letter tells how his uncle, Pliny the Elder, who was in command of the Roman fleet at Misenum tried to stage a rescue, but found himself one of the victims. The second letter is from the younger Pliny's own experiences among the mob of people who were frightened by the dark skies during the daytime and the receding of the sea away from the volcano, stranding thousands of sea creatures.

Ashen Sky: The Letters of Pliny The Younger on the Eruption of Vesuvius is a good introduction to both the first famous disaster to be intelligently witnessed and to the work of its author. The woodcuts by Barry Moser are excellent adjuncts to the text. Benedicte Gilman's introduction an translation make this an excellent short read.

[Cheryl Carpinello · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Pompeii intrigues you, be prepared to fall in love with this book. It's not just Pliny the Younger's letters, but the illustrations by Barry Moser that bring the disaster of Vesuvius to your living room. I recommend the hardback to really appreciate the pictures.

[Lee Harmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here’s an interpretation of the two letters of Pliny the Younger to Tacitus, about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 C.E. Black-and-white wood engravings by artist Barry Moser illustrate the grotesque images described in Pliny’s letters. Moser’s engravings have illustrated more than a hundred books, including Moby Dick and Alice in Wonderland.

Ashen Sky is a good title. Ash from Mount Vesuvius’ eruption in Italy spread to Egypt, Syria, and Africa, spreading pestilence. Two cities at its base, Pompeii and Herculaneum, were completely buried in ash and lost to history … finally uncovered 1,800 years later by a chance archaeological discovery.

Readers of my book about Revelation will immediately recognize the connection of Mount Vesuvius to my religious book blog. Its eruption eerily mimics the description of fire and brimstone torment in the book of Revelation, and many Bible scholars surmise that the image must have burned itself permanently into the mind of Revelation’s author. Read especially chapter eight, about the seven trumpets.

It’s hard to overestimate the cosmic importance of this event; an eruption of this magnitude happens somewhere on earth about once every 1,000 years. If parts of Revelation begin to sound like the ravings of a madman with a fist full of prophetic scriptures to explain, we can surely pardon its author. So if you’re curious about Revelation’s inspiration and wish to read the letters of Pliny the Younger, you may as well choose a fun picture book to read.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short book that consists of a few pages of history of the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79, mini-biographies of Pliny the Elder, Pliny the Younger, and the historian Tacitus. Then follows a translation of the two letters that Pliny the Younger, an eyewitness to the eruption, wrote to his friend Tacitus 25 years later. The thin book is illustrated with woodcut-style illustrations. I did not particularly like the illustrations, but I liked the setup and concept of the book : a non-intimidating way of presenting the extraordinary eyewitness testimony of the shattering natural event that buried Pompeii and Herculaneum. This book made those two letters very accessible - the entire book can be read in an hour.

Recommended for everyone who intends to visit Pompeii and Herculaneum.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

The facinating, historical letters of Pliny the Younger, writing about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. His uncle, Pliny the Elder, died when he went to investigate the eruption and help the people in it's path. Very interesting to read a first hand report of something that happened almost 2000 years ago.

[Nadine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barry Moser's woodcuts illustrate the 2 letters of Pliny the Younger who was a witness to the eruption of Vesuvius when he was a teenager. His description of the destruction is short, but would have won him a Pulitzer had he written it today. Great for disaster junkies.

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but interesting account of the Vesuvius eruption of 79 AD when Pompeii and Herculaneum was destroyed. Pliny the Younger's uncle, Pliny the Elder was killed when he got too close in order to check it out. Really nice illustrations by Barry Moser.

[Rhonda Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up a different edition of two letters by Pliny the Younger on the destruction of Pompeii, at the Pompeii exhibition.

[Little Timmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent translation of this massive natural disaster. Very Recommended

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wish there was more description in Pliny's description of the eruption of vesuvius.

[Shelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautifully illustrated picture book which details two letters that were written from Pliny the Younger to historian Tacitus about the A.D. 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius that claimed the lives of so many including his uncle, naturalist & philosopher, Pliny the Elder. The information leading up to the description of those events was rather boring and I don't think many student's will read all of it - hopefully they don't skip over Pliny's recounting of watching that famous tragedy unfold.

[False · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm focused right now on reading about Pompeii and the two Plinys--the Elder and the Younger, Uncle and Nephew. This is a book for young people based on Pliny the Youngers observations on the destruction of Pompeii (and where his uncle lost his life.) The art is dramatically black with a hard woodblock effect to them and a lot of muscle to reflect the destruction. I would highly recommend for any young person interested in Roman or Greek history, students of Latin or Greek, or for adults, just to study the art techniques of the illustrations.

[Camille · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely the shortest book I will read all year. I didn’t realize until now that Pompeii was mostly covered in ash, I had always assumed it was lava. It is harrowing for sure, his writing is so clear and descriptive it gave me chills.

[Darren Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolutely beautiful collection of two of Pliny the younger’s letters regarding his personal experiences during the eruption of Vesuvius.
Illustrated throughout by Barry Moser and printed on gorgeously thick paper, this is a lovely coffee table book.

[J_BlueFlower · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Pliny the Younger's two famous letters to Tacitus about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79 and the death of his uncle, Pliny the Elder."

It is the only eyewitness account of the destruction of Pompeii.