Pompeii: A NovelAll along the Mediterranean coast, the Roman empire's richest citizens are relaxing in their luxurious villas, enjoying the last days of summer. The world's largest navy lies peacefully at anchor in Misenum. The tourists are spending their money in the seaside resorts of Baiae, Herculaneum, and Pompeii. But the carefree lifestyle and gorgeous weather belie an impending cataclysm, and only one man is worried. The young engineer Marcus Attilius Primus has just taken charge of the Aqua Augusta, the enormous aqueduct that brings fresh water to a quarter of a million people in nine towns around the Bay of Naples. His predecessor has disappeared. Springs are failing for the ?rst time in generations. And now there is a crisis on the Augusta's sixty-mile main line—somewhere to the north of Pompeii, on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius. Attilius—decent, practical, and incorruptible—promises Pliny, the famous scholar who commands the navy, that he can repair the aqueduct before the reservoir runs dry. His plan is to travel to Pompeii and put together an expedition, then head out to the place where he believes the fault lies. But Pompeii proves to be a corrupt and violent town, and Attilius soon discovers that there are powerful forces at work—both natural and man-made—threatening to destroy him. With his trademark elegance and intelligence, Robert Harris, bestselling author of Archangel and Fatherland, re-creates a world on the brink of disaster. From the Hardcover edition. |
Contents
Section 1 | 3 |
Section 2 | 16 |
Section 3 | 39 |
Section 4 | 55 |
Section 5 | 68 |
Section 6 | 130 |
Section 7 | 145 |
Section 8 | 172 |
Section 9 | 188 |
Section 10 | 205 |
Section 11 | 321 |
Section 12 | 328 |
Section 13 | 347 |
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Common terms and phrases
Abellinum admiral aediles Africanus Alexion Ampliatus Ampliatus's Aqua Augusta aquarius aqueduct Attilius Attilius felt Attilius's Baiae baths Becco began beneath Brebix Brittius Campania castellum aquae close Corax Corelia Corvinus crowd Cuspius darkness door dust edge emperor engineer Exomnius eyes face father feet fingers fire Gaius gate glanced hand head heard heat Herculaneum Holconius horse knew liburnian light looked magma Marcus Attilius Massavo matrix miles Misenum mountain moving Musa Neapolis never Nola Perhaps Piscina Mirabilis Pliny Pompeii Pomponianus pool Popidius pumice reached reservoir road rock Roman Rome roof rope running seemed ship shoulder shouted side slave smell staring steps stone stood stopped street sulfur sure sweat tablinum tell thought Tiro took torch Torquatus town tunic tunnel turned Vesuvius villa Villa Hortensia voice Vulcanalia waiting walked wall watched waved wine