Pompeii And Vesuvius (1951)

Heat. [Applause] [Music] Heat. [Applause] Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] On a hot afternoon in August in 79 AD, a cloud of vapor was seen to rise from Mount Vuvius in southern Italy. The scene on that afternoon 19 centuries ago was much like the scene today, though on a vastly larger scale. A Roman writer observing the event from the Bay of Naples described the cloud by saying, "It appeared sometimes gleaming white and sometimes gray spotted according to whether it was erupting ashes or earth. [Music] Nothing like this had happened here in the memory of living man. At first, those watching from towns nearby felt only wonder and curiosity. But one started. The eruption grew more violent. The flow of lava began. Boiling volcanic mud bubbled and steamed. And the mountains sent forth showers of red hot centers and rocks. Poisonous gases escaped from deep in the earth. Streams of fiery red lava pushed their way down the slopes. [Music] Prosperous farms and flourishing vineyards were engulfed by the molten tide. Yet still the eruption kept on. The rush of poisonous gases and the downpour of cinders and rock, bringing death and destruction to Pompei near the base of the mountains. That was 19 centuries ago. And until fairly recent years, Pompei lay buried and forgotten. What sort of town was Pompei? What was the pattern of its life before the long silence fell? Pompei was many things. For the wellto-do tradesmen, it was a busy, prosperous community whose wealth could provide stately homes and cool, restful gardens. [Music] To the maker of bronze statues, Pompei was an artconscious city that paid him well for his work. [Music] [Applause] To the architect, public and private building provided attractive commissions. The artisan flourished whether he provided utensils for the household or masks for the popular theaters of the city. For the sculptor, there were walls to be carved in bar relief and statues to be shaped for the houses and grounds of the wealthy. Pompei was many things and saw much. In gardens like this, township leaders sat by the cooling fountains and discussed business, elections, and taxes. Or since they were often men of taste, the conversation may have turned to art. Perhaps a newly decorated wall with a painting done in the style so popular in private homes and public buildings alike. [Music] The wall paintings of Pompei provided more than mere decoration, often presenting scenes from history and mythology, as well as representations of the ordinary life of the people and portraits of the people themselves. [Music] The streets of the city were paved with a carriageway in the center and raised sidewalks for pedestrians. Highways led to the outskirts and to other towns beyond. For Pompei was near the high road between Naples and Rome. [Music] Not unlike a city of today, Pompei had its quiet suburbs and its busy downtown section. Here in the area of the forum with its numerous public buildings was the center of the life of the city. Here a community of 20,000 people carried on business and looked to civic affairs. Here was the temple of Jupiter, Juno, and Manurva. And here too was the temple of Venus of Pompei, the largest in the city with almost 300 marble columns included in its structure. [Music] To this temple to pay homage to Venus, their protectorress, came the young athletes of the city whose people prized athletic skill. And turned out by the thousands to see the games and contests. But the amphitheater that echoed with the shouts of holiday crowds has stood abandoned and silent since the day when the sudden stillness fell upon the life of the city. [Music] Pompei and Herculanium nearby were totally overwhelmed by Vuvius. But other cities have survived and prospered in the shadow of the fiery mountain. 12 miles away on the shore of a tranquil gulf stands Naples, a city whose history is older than that of Pompei. [Music] As the blue waters of the bay reflect the peaceful summer sky, there is no hint of the catastrophe of 19 centuries ago. Yet it was here that a Roman fleet was anchored on the fateful day of August 24th, 79 AD. From this bay, the Roman Admiral Plenny observed the telltale cloud that warned of the eruption. From here he sailed to his death in an effort to get to those who had been able to reach the coast. And into this bay rained dust and ashes as Naples felt the effect of the eruption that was destroying the neighboring city of Pompei. But that was long ago. [Music] The life of Naples survived and has continued through the years. In the great harbor, fishermen still tend their boats and dry their nets much as they did when Caesar stopped off on returning from war. And when Cicero welcomed his friends to his villa in Pompei, the essential things go on. And so too with customs and traditions. Today, Naples is famous for its composers of popular songs. and Soranto across the Gulf preserves in the lore of its people the charm and the color of the folk dances of the region. [Music] Welcome [Music] to the Louise. [Music] In the gaity and excitement of the dance, the grim events of history are forgotten. But always in the background looms Vuvius, in whose span of geological time centuries are as fleeting moments. Vuvius, still active, still ominous. Vuvius, a symbol, a reminder, and a warning. [Music] [Applause]