The Eruption of Mount Vesuvius By Lucius Maximus, Later Known as Gais Lucius Maximus Augustus

  Everybody began to flee from the forum running as fast as they could leaving their masters behind. A large black cloud was growing and growing. It seemed to take over the heavens and began spewing ash from every direction. A shadow of poisonous gas was flowing, causing many to fall to the floor to their deaths .

Nothing could be seen through this fog of ash and smoke, many husbands were identifying wives and children by their voices. Some prayed to die others to live for the sake of loved ones and family. I could not believe that people were willing to hold their hands up to the Gods. I wanted to survive this test of the heavens.

  My ears had got used to the cries of the babies, the wailing of the mothers and the shouts of the men often exclaiming that there could not possibly be Gods and that the end of the world was upon us.

The earth was trembling and the ground shook beneath us.

  All we could do was pray, whether it was to live or to die. Our lives were being held in the palms of the Gods.