Before Reoding

The Dog of Pompeii

Short Story by Louis t-intermeyer

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KEY IDEA Some people take risks for the excitement of it, whether
rtLlNots
OBJECTIVES they are trying a new skateboarding trick or auditioning for a play.
READINC STANDARDS
Others, such as a student entering a spelling bee, take risks hoping
2.6.O4 ldentify the author's theme to gain a reward. ln "The Dog of Pompeii," one character risks his
2.6.14 ldentify subcategories of
ge n res
life simply to help someone else.

LIST lT
Brainstorm a list of situations in which you would be willing
to take a risk for another person. Compare your lists with those of
your classmates. What differences and similarities do you see?

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.B-Effir i:':::
O llrrRARY ANALYSIS: THEME VERsUs TOPIC
Most stories center around a theme, or an overall message
Passion for Poetry
about life that the writer shares with readers. A story's Though as a
theme is different from its topic, or what the story is about. young man he
worked several
Length Example
jobs within his
Topic can usually be stated in a love family's jewelry
word ortwo business, Louis
Untermeyer was
Theme more complex than a Love can help
also constantly
topic; usually described in people solve their
writing. He
a sentence differences.
eventually retired Louis Untermeyer

from the jewelry

t88s-te77

One topic of "The Dog of Pompeii" is friendship. As you read, business in order to devote more time
look for the larger message the author wants to share. to writing. Although Untermeyer
wrote many stories, poetry was his
a READTNG STRATEGY: READTNG HISTORICAL FICTION true passion. During his lifetime, he
Writers of historical fiction use a combination of real and published more than roo books and
made-up settings, events, and characters from the past. developed friendships with famous
The storyyou are about to read uses a real place, the town poets such as Robert Frost and E. E.
of Pompeii, as its setting. lt also describes a real event- Cummings.
a volcanic eruption. As you read, make a list of details that
Background
the author uses to make the story's setting and events come
Mount Vesuvius Erupts ln the
alive. Be sure to include information about food, clothing,
year A.D. 79, the volcanic mountain
transportation, houses, entertainment, and so on.
Vesuvius (vY-soo've-es) erupted in
Review: Monitor southern ltaly. lt poured burning lava
and ashes over the countryside and
/\ vocABULARY tN CONTEXT buried the nearby cities of Pompeii
(pdm-pa') and Herculaneum
Louis Untermeyer uses the following words to craft his
(hur'kye-la'ne-em). Of Pompeii's
tale of an ancient city. To see how many you know, try to
estimated population of 2o,ooo, at
complete each phrase with the appropriate word.
Ieast z,ooo were killed. Pompeii lay
WORD agonize dislodge ponder undisturbed for almost 1,7oo years,
L|ST until its ruins were discovered in the
corrupt emerge
late r5oos. The remains of the city,
preserved by volcanic ash, present a
1: The shaking is able to _ huge boulders.
picture of life in the Roman Empire, as
2. The citizens over what is happening in their town.
if it had been frozen in time.
3. They wonder when they can from hiding.
4. The lava begins to the soil, making it unusable. MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR
AND BACKGROUND
5. Modern archaeologists the town's ruins. To learn more about Louis Untermeyer
and Mount Vesuvius, visit the
Literature Center at [Link].

THE DOG ots r,oMP-hrr 313

 W*% f,*
&#ffiffi
: ffiff
&J ffi ss
ffmffipffiss
*
Louis {.Jnterrn*o*,

'"; 'i,o and his dog Bimbo lived (if you could call it living) under the ANALvZE vtsuAls
.I wall where it joined the inner gate. They really didn't live there; they Make inferences about
just slepr there. They lived anywhere. Pompeii was one of the gayest of the life in Pompeiibased on
the details in this image'
old Latin rowns, bui although rito was never an unhappy boy, he was not
exactly a merry one. The streets were always lively with shining chariots
and bright red trappings;i the open-air theaters rocked with laughing
crowds; sham battles and athletic sports were free for the asking in the
great stadium. Once ayear the Caesar2 visited the pleasure city, and the
fireworks lasted for days; the sacrifices in the forum3 were berrer than a
ro show. But Tito saw none of these things. He was blind-had been blind
from birth. He was known to everyone in the poorer quarrers. Bur no one
could say how old he was, no one remembered his parents, no one could
:.ll --!..t--:,----:f:- -3---'--- .: -.,1--:---.'-.-: . --,::-: Et-'-t-l?:r-:l-lr*
iouli i='=:; -'s;-'J r\n'cn
hal
rc:r.:-r.r -.,ing Tiro-abour rr..elr. or rhirrlcfl \'cJr:-rne., I

seen Bimbo. Bimbo had ne,rer left his side. He was nor only dog bur *:[h ;X;fl:r,rt;
nurse, pillow, playmate, mother, and father to Tito. 6 takes place in the past?

1. trappings: ornamefltal coverings or decorations.

' 2. theCaesar:theRomanemperor.
3. forum: the public square or marketplace [Link] ancient Roman city.

314 UNIT ,: UNDERSTANDING THEME Illustrations O 1997 b)-Greg Ruhl

 Did I say Bimbo never left his master? (Perhaps I had better say
comrade, for if anyone was the master, it was Bimbo.) I was wrong.
Bimbo did trust Tito alone exacly three times a [Link] was a fixed
20 routine, a custom understood between boy and dog since the beginning
of their friendship, and the way it worked was this: E"rV in the morning,
shortly after dawn, while Tito was still dreaming, Birnbo would disappear.
\7hen Tito woke, Bimbo would be sitting quietly at his side, his ears
cocked, his stump of a tail tapping the ground, and a fresh-baked bread-
more like a large round roll-at his feet. Tito would stretch himself;
Bimbo would yawn; then they would breakfast. At noon, no matter where
they happened to be, Bimbo would pur his paw on Titok knee, and the
two of them would return to the inner gate. Tito would curl up in the
corner (almost like a dog) and go to sleep, while Bimbo, looking quite
:o important (almost like a boy), would disappear again. In half an hour
he'd be back with their lunch. Sometimes it would be a piece of fruit
or a scrap of meat; often it was nothing but a dry crust. But sometimes
there would be one of those flat, rich cakes, sprinkled with raisins and
sugar, that Tito liked so much. At suppertime the same thing happened,
although there was a little less of everything, for things were hard to
snatch in the evening with the streets full of people. Besides, Bimbo didn't

il

ANALYZE VISUAtS
Compare and contrast
this image with your
mental picture of the
city of Pompeii.

316 UNIT 3: UNDERSTANDING THEME

 approve of too much food before going to sleep. A heavy supper made
boys too restless and dogs too stodgy-and it was the business of a dog to
sleep lightly with one ear open and muscles ready for action. @ o THEME VERSUS
But whether there was much or little, hot or cold, fresh or dry, food was TOPIC
How does Bimbo show
always there. Tito never asked where it came from and Bimbo never told
his loyalty to Tito?
him. There was plenty of rainwater in the hollows of soft stones; the old
egg-woman at the corner sometimes gave him a cupful of strong goat's
milk; in the grape season the fat winemaker let him have drippings of the
mild juice. So there was no danger of going hungry or thirsty. There was
plenty of everything in Pompeii if you knew where to find it-and if you
oX socrAr sTUDrEs
CONNECTION
had a dog like Bimbo.

s I Tito was not the merriest boy in Pompeii. -rle cor-rld

said before,
not romp with the other youngsters and plav hare anui hoirnds and I
50 spy and follow-your-master and ball-against-the-building and jackstones
and kings and robbers with them. But that did not make him sorry for
himself. If he could not see the sights that delighted the lads of Pompeii,
he could hear and smell things they never noticed. He could really see
more with hii ears and nose than they could with their eyes. \X/hen he and
Bimbo went out walking, he knew just where they were going and exactly
what was happening. The city of Pompeii
'Ah," he'd sniff and say as they passed a handsome villa, "Glaucus was located in what is
now southern ltaly. ln
Pansa is giving a grand dinner tonight. They're going to have three kinds
the year a.o. 79, this
of bread, and roast pigling, and stuffed goose, and a great stew-I think region was part of the
eo bear 51g\M-2nd a fig pie." And Bimbo would note that this would be a Roman Empire.
good place to visit tomorrow.
Or, "H'm," Tito would murmur, half through his lips, half through
his nostrils. "The wife of Marcus Lucretius is expecting her mother. She's
shaking out every piece of goods in the house; she's going to use the best
clothes-the ones she's been keeping in pine needles and camphor4-and
theret an extra girl in the kitchen. Come, Bimbo, let's get out of the dust!"
Or, as they passed a small but elegant dwelling opposite the public
baths,s "Too bad! The tragic poet is ill again. It must be a bad fever this
time, for they're trying smoke fumes instead of medjcine. -Whew! I m glad
--'--'"
zo I'm not a tragic poet!"
Or, as they neared the forum, "Mm-m! \7hat good things they have in
the macellum today!" (It really was a sort of butcher-grocer-marketplace,
but Tito didn't know any better. He called it the macellum.) "Dates from

4. camphor (kEm'fer): a strong-smelling substance used to keep moths away.

5. public baths: large public complexes with locker rooms, steam rooms, and bathing pools kept at
different temperatures. ln many parts of the Roman Empire, a trip to the public baths was a daily
ritualfor many people.

THE Doc oF PoMPErr 317

 Africa, and salt oysters from sea caves, and cuttlefish, and new honey, and
sweet onions, and-ugh!-wx1s1-[uffalo steaks. Come, lett see whatt
what in the forum." And Bimbo, just as curious as his comrade, hurried
on. Being a dog, he trusted his ears and nose (like Tito) more than his
eyes. And so the two of them entered rhe center of Pompeii. 6 o THEME VERSUS
The forum was the part of the rown to which everybody came ar least TOPIC
What details help you
once during each day. It was the central square, and everything happened
infer that Bimbo is
here. There were no private houses; all was public-the chief temples, the important to Tito?
gold and red bazaars, the silk shops, the town hall, the booths belonging
to the weavers and jewel merchants, the wealthy woolen marker, the shrine
of the household gods. Everything glittered here. The buildings looked as
if they wsls nsv/-\Mfrich, in a sense, they were. The earthquake of twelve
years ago had brought down a}l the,old strucrures, and since the citizens of
Pompeii were ambitious to rival Naples and even Romq, they had seized the
opportunity to rebuild the whole town. And they had done it all within a
dozen years. There was scarcely a building that was older than Tito.

so
Wito had heard agteat deal about the earthquake, though being about
A a year old at the time, he could scarcely remember it. This particular
quake had been a light one-as earthquakes go. The weaker houses had
been shaken down; parts of the outworn wall had been wrecked; but there
was little loss of life, and the brilliant new Pompeii had taken the place
of the old. No one knew what caused these earthquakes. Records showed
they had happened in the neighborhood since the beginning of time.
Sailors said that it was to teach the lazy city folk a lesson and make them
appreciate those who risked the dangers of the sea to bring them luxuries
and protect their town from invaders. The priests said that the gods took
roo this way of showing their anger to those who refused to worship properly
and who failed to bring enough sacrifices to rhe altars and (though they
didn't say it in so many words) presenrs to the priests. The tradesmen
said that the foreign merchants had corrupted the ground and it was no corrupt (ke-rUpt') v. to
longer safe to traffic in imported goods thar came from strange places and cause something to
change from good
carried a curse with them. Everyone had a different explanation-and
to bad
everyone's explanation was louder and sillier than his neighbort.
They were talking about it this afternoon as Tito and Bimbo came
out of the side street into the public square. The forum was the favorite
promenade6 for rich and poor. \7hat with the priests arguing with the
uo politicians, servants doing the day's shopping, tradesmen crying their
wares, women displaying the latest fashions from Greece and Egypt,
children playing hide-and-seek among the marble columns, knots of

6. promenade (pr6m'e-nad'): a public place for walking and socializing.

318 UNIT 3: UNDERSTANDING THEME

 soldiers, sailors, peasants from the provinces-to say nothing of those who
merely came to lounge and look en-*1s square was crowded to its last
inch. His ears even more than his nose guided Tito to the place where the
talk was loudest. It was in front of the shrine of the household gods that,
naturally enough, the householders were arguing.O O HISTORICAL FICTION
"I tell you," rumbled a voice which Tito recognized as bath master Reread lines ro8-rr5.
Note important details
Rufust, "there won't be another earthquake in my lifetime or yours. There about the forum. What
no may be a tremble or two, but earthquakes, like lightnings, never strike does the description
twice in the same place." tellyou about life in
"Do they not?" asked a thin voice Tito had never heard. It had a high, Pompeii?

sharp ring to it, and Tito knew it as the accent of a stranger. "How about
the two towns of Sicily that have been ruined three times within fifteen
years by the eruptions of Mount Etna? And were they not warnedi And
does that column of smoke above Vesuvius mean nothing?"
"That?" Tito could hear the grunt with which one question answered
another. "Thatt always there. \7e use it for our weather guide. \7hen
the smoke stands up straight, we know we'll have fair weather; when it
rao flattens out, it's sure to be foggy; when it drifts to the s251-"
"Yes, yes," cut in the edged voice. "I've heard about your mountain
barometer.T But the column of smoke seems hundreds of feet higher than
usual, and itt thickening and spreading like a shadowy tree. They say in
Naples-"
"Oh, Naples!" Tito knew this voice by the little squeak that went with it.
It was Attilio, the cameo8 cutter. "Tltey talk while we suffer. Little help we
got from them last time. Naples commits the crimes, and Pompeii pays the
price. It's become a proverb with us. Let them mind their own business."
"Yes," grumbled Rufus, "and others, too."
140 "Very well, my confident friends," responded the thin voice, which
now sounded curiously flat. "\7e also have a proverb-and it is this:
Those who will not listen to men must be taught by the gods. I say no
more. But I leave a last warning. Remember the holy ones. Look to your
temples. And when the smoke tree above Vesuvius grows to the shape of
an umbrella pine, look to your lives."
Tito could hear the air whistle as the speaker drew his toga about him,
and the quick shuffle of feet told him the stranger had gone.
"Now what," said the cameo cutter, "did he mean by that?"
"I wonder," grunted Rufus. "I wonder."
ponder (p6n'der) v. to
1i0 Tito wondered, too. And Bimbo, his head at a thoughtful angle, looked think seriously about;
as if he had been doing a heavy piece of paqdedng. By nightfall the reflect on

7. mountain barometer: A barometer is an instrument for measuring the pressure of air and predicting
weather changes. The people of Pompeii used the smoke from the volcano as a sort of barometer.
cameo: a shell or gem with a picture carved on it.

THE Doc oF PoMPErr 319

a

argument had been forgotten. If the smoke had increased, no one saw it
in the dark. Besides, it was Caesar's birthday, and the town was in holiday
mood. Tito and Bimbo were among the merrymakers, dodging the
charioteers who shouted at them. A dozen times they almost upset baskets
of sweets and jars of Vesuvian wine, said to be as fiery as the streams
inside the volcano, and a dozen times they were cursed and cuffed. But
Tito never missed his footing. He was thankful for his keen ears and
quick In51lns1-1y1ost thankful of all for Bimbo.
160 They visited the uncovered theater, and though Tito could nor see
the faces of the actors, he could follow the play better than most of the
audience, for their attention wandered-they were distracted by the scenery,
the costumes, the by-play, even by themselves-while Titot whole arrention
was centered in what he heard. Then to the city walls, where the people of
Pompeii watched a mock naval battle in which the city was attacked by the
sea and saved after thousands of flaming arrows had been exchanged and
countless colored torches had been burned. Though the thrill of flaring
ships and lighted skies was lost to Tito, the shouts and cheers excited him as
much as any, and he cried out with the loudest of them.
170 The next morning there were two of the beloved raisin and sugar cakes
for his breakfast. Bimbo was unusually active and thumped his bit of a
tail until Tito was afraid he would wear it out. The boy could not imagine
whether Bimbo was urging him to some sort of game or was trying to tell
him something. After a while, he ceased to notice Bimbo. He felt drowsy.
Last night's late hours had tired him. Besides, there was a heavy mist in
the air-no, a thick fog rather than a rni51-2 fog that got into his throat
and scraped it and made him cough. He walked as far as the marine gate
to get a breath of the sea. But the blanket of haze had spread all over the
bay, and even the salt air seemed smoky. @ O THEME VERSUS
r80 He went to bed before dusk and slept. But he did not sleep well. He had TOPIC
too many dreams-dreams of ships lurching in the forum, of losing his Reread linesqotT4.
Notice the way Tito
way in a screaming crowd, of armies marching across his chest, of being reacts to Bimbo's
pulled over every rough pavement of Pompeii. behavior. ln what
He woke early. Or, rather, he was pulled awake. Bimbo was doing way does his reaction
suggest that something
the pulling. The dog had dragged Tito to his feet and was urging the
has changed?
boy along. Somewhere. \7here, Tito did not know. His feet stumbled
uncertainly; he was still half asleep. For a while he noticed nothing excepr
the fact that it was hard to breathe. The air was hot. And heavy. So heavy
that he could taste it. The air, it seemed, had turned ro powder, a warm
uo powder that stung his nostrils and burned his sightless eyes.

F$* hen he began to hear sounds. Peculiar sounds. Like animals under
dislodge (dYs-l6j') v.
A the earth. Hissings and groanings and muffled cries that a dying to move from a settled
creature might make dislodging the stones of his underground cave. position

32O UNIT,: UNDERSTANDING THEME

 There was no doubt of it now. The noises came from underneath. He not ANATYZE VISUALS
only heard them-he could feel them. The earth twitched; the twitching What kind of mood, or
feeling, do the colors
changed to an uneven shrugging of the soil. Then, as Bimbo half pulled,
and facial expressions in
half coaxed him across, the ground jerked away from his feet and he was this illustration create?
thrown against a stone fountain.
fhs \M21s1-h611ya1s1-splashing in his face revived him. He got ro
zoo his feet, Bimbo steadying him, helping him on again. The noises grew
louder; they came closer. The cries were even more animal-like than
before, but now they came from human throats. A few people, quicker of
foot and more hurried by fear, began to rush by. A family or rwo-then a
section-then, it seemed, an army broken out of bounds. Tito, bewildered o MoNrToR
Reread lines r96-199.
though he was, could recognize Rufus as he bellowed past him, like a Clarify why the water in
water buffalo gone mad. Time was lost in a nightmare. g the fountain is so hot.

THE Doc oF PoMPErr 321

 It was then the crashing began. First a sharp crackling, like a monstrous
snapping of twigs; then a roar like the fall of a whole forest of trees; then
an explosion that tore earth and sky. The heavens, though Tito could not
210 see them, were shot through with continual flickerings of fire. Lightnings

above were answered by thunders beneath. A house fell. Then another. By

a miracle the two companions had escaped the dangerous side streets and
were in a more open space. It was the forum. They rested here awhile-
how long he did not know.
Tito had no idea of the time of day. He cotidfeel it was black-an
unnatural blackness. Something inside-perhaps the lack of breakfast
and lunch-told him it was past noon. But it didn't matter. Nothing
seemed to matter. He was getting drowslr, too drowsy to walk. But walk
he must. He knew it. And Bimbo knew iu the sharp tugs told him so.
zzo Nor was it a moment too soon. The sacred ground of the forum was safe @ HTSTORICAI FICTTON
no longer. It was beginning to rock, then to pitch, then to split. As they Reread lineszoT-224.
Which details showyou
stumbled out of the square, the earth"wriggled like a caught snake, and
howthe eruption has
all the columns of the temple of Jupiter came down. It was the end of affected the forum and
the world-or so it seemed. @ the town?

ANALYZE VISUALS
What do the actions
of the people in this
illustration suggest
about the eruption?
 To walk was not enough now. They musr run. Tito was too frightened
to know what to do or where to go. He had lost all sense of direction. He
started to go back to the inner gate; but Bimbo, straining his back to
the last inch, almost pulled his clothes from him. \7hat did the crearure
want? Had the dog gone mad?
230 Then, suddenly, he understood. Bimbo was telling him the way our-
urging him there. The sea gate,e of course. The sea gate-and then the
sea. Far from falling buildings, heaving ground. He turned, Bimbo
guiding him across open pits and dangerous pools of bubbling mud, away
from buildings that had caught fire and were dropping their burning
beams. Tito could no longer tell whether the noises were made by the
shrieking sky or the agonized people. He and Bimbo ran on-the only agonize (59'e-niz') v. to
silent beings in a howling world. suffer extreme physical
or mental pain
New dangers threatened. AII Pornpeii seemed to be thronging toward
the marine gate; and, squeezing among the crowds, there was the chance
z<o of being trampled to death. But the chance had to be taken. It was growing
harder and harder to breathe. \7hat air there was choked him. It was all
dust now-dust and pebbles, pebbles as large as beans. They fell on his SCI ENCE
head, his hands-pumice stonesl0 from the black heart of Vesuvius. The & CONNECTION
mountain wis turning itself inside out. Tito remembered a phrase that
the stranger had said in the forum two days ago: "Those who will not
listen to men must be taught by the gods." T[re people of Pompeii had
refused to heed the warnings; they were being taught now-if it was nor
too lare.
Suddenly it seemed too late for Tito. The red hot ashes blistered his
z:o skin; the stinging vapors tore his throat. He could nor go on. He staggered
toward a small tree at the side of the road and fell. In a momenr Bimbo was Mount Vesuvius is a
beside him. He coaxed. But there was no answer. He licked Tito's hands, type of volcano called
a composite volcano.
his feet, his face. The boy did not stir. Then Bimbo did the last thing he
When composite
could-the last thing he wanted to do. He bit his comrade, bit him deep in volcanoes erupt, they
the arm. \With a cry of parn, Tito jumped to his feet, Bimbo after him. Tito release not only pieces
was in despair, but Bimbo was determined. He drove the boy on, snapping of rock but also clouds of
hot ash and toxic gases.
at his heels, worrying his way through the crowd; barking, baring his teeth,
heedless of kicks or falling stones. Sick with hunger, half dead with fear and
sulphull fumes, Tito pounded on, pursued by Bimbo. How long he never
zeo knew. At last he staggered through the marine gate and felt soft sand under
o MONITOR
Clarify why Bimbo bites
him. Then Tito fainted. . . . 6 Tito in line 255.

9. sea gate: a gate in the city wall, leading to the sea.

10. pumice (pIm'Ys) stones: lightweight rocksformed from lava.

11. sulphur(sUl'fer):apaleyellowsubstancethatproducesachokingfumewhenburned.

THE DoG oF PoMPErr 323

 ff omeone was dashing seawater over him. Someone was carrying him
u3 toward a boat.
"Bimbo," he called. And then louder, "Bimbo!" But Bimbo had
disappeared.
Voices jarred against each other. "Hurry-hurry!" "To the boats!"
"Can't you see the child's frightened and starving!" "He keeps calling for
someone!" "Poor boy, he's out of his mind." "Here, child-take this!"
They tucked him in among them. The oarlocks creaked; the oars
zzo splashed; the boat rode over toppling waves. Tito was safe. But he wept
continually.
"Bimbo!" he wailed. "Bimbo! Bimbo!"
He could not be comforted.

ighteen hundred years passed. Scientists were restoring the ancient

ffi
S*-r city; excavators were working their way through the stones and trash
that had buried the entire town. Much had already been brought to
Iight-statues, bronze instruments, bright mosaics,l2 household articles;
even delicate paintings had been preserved by the fall of ashes that had
taken over two thousand lives. Columns were dug up, and the forum was
zso beginning to emerge. emerge (i-murl'rv. to
It was at a place where the ruins lay deepest that the director paused. come into view
"Come here," he called to his assistant. "I think we've discovered the
remains of a building in good shape. Here are four huge millstones that
were most likely turned by slaves or mules-and here is a whole wall
standing with shelves inside it. \7hy! It must have been a bakery. And
-What
here's a curious thing. do you think I found under this heap where
the ashes were thickest? The skeleton of a dogl"
'Amazing!" gasped his assistant. "You'd think a dog would have had
sense enough to run away at the time. And what is that flat thing het
zro holding between his teeth? It can't be a stone." o THEME VERSUS
"No. It must have come from this bakery. You know it looks to me like TOPIC
Reread lines 288-294.
some sort of cake hardened with the years. And, bless me, if those little
What do Bimbo's
black pebbles aren't raisins. A raisin cake almost two rhousand years old! last actions tellyou
I wonder what made him want it at such a momenr." g about him?
"I wonder," murmured the assistant. c\,

'12. mosaics (mo-za'iks):

designs formed from inlaid pieces of stone or glass.

324 UNIT ]: UNDERSTANDING THEME

After Reading

Comprehension I LLI
OB'ECTIVES
NOrS

1. Recall When does Bimbo leave Tito alone?

READING STANDARD
2.5.04 Identify the author's theme
2. Recall Why is the stranger in the forum worried about the column of
smoke coming from Vesuvius?

3. Clarify What is the source of the fumes and ashes that hurt Tito?

Literary Analysis
4. Make Inferences Reread lines 288-29o. Why didn't Bimbo have "sense
enough to run away" when Mount Vesuvius erupted?
Understand Historical Fiction Look back at the list of details you recorded
asyou read the story. Explain why the setting is so important in the story.
6. Identify Theme Keeping the / D"toil, \ /'-o"toi-=--..
topic of friendship in mind, note \---- __./
important details about Tito and
Bimbo's thoughts and actions in Theae'
a web like the one shown. Then,
in the center, write a sentence
z'-D"toil' /D"toil, \
expressing the story's theme.
hlmbo wakes Tito
Analyze Foreshadowing A clue \<tn,
Vesuvius
__-/
or hint about something that will
happen later on in a story is called
foreshadowing. Reread the conversation between Rufus and the stranger in
the forum in lines rr8-r34. What events are foreshadowed in this passage?
8. Evaluate a Character Although historicalfiction can contain made-up
details and characters, the story should seem as though it really could
have happened. Consider whether Bimbo's behavior, both before and
after the volcano erupts, is believable. Support your answer.

Extension and Challenge

:i.
g. ::;i:;fii,;{:i: j,i-l}i,ii There are manyfamous volcanoes
rg*t
'?s'.,.
{-r..:i;ii*i::..
in the world with long and vivid histories. Many are at risk of
erupting again in the near or distant future. Research one of these
volcanoes, and prepare a brief description of one eruption and its effects.
Explain the ways in which this eruption was similar to or different from
the one that destroyed Pompeii. Share your description with the class.
RESEANCI"I LINKS :

For more on volca noes, visit the Research Center at [Link].

THE Doc oF PoMPErr 325

Vocabulary in Context
VOCABULARY PRACTICE
Choose the letter of the situation you would connect with each
boldfaced word.
agonize: (a) go on a long, boring drive, (b) suffer through a death in the
family, (c) listen to an amusing speaker
2. corrupt: (a) a dad working overtime, (b) a politician taking bribes,
(c)a child swimming
dislodge: (a) visit a national park, (b) loosen a stone from a wall,
(c) lend a friend cash
4. emerge: (a) birds building nests, (b)tulips growing in spring,
(c)cars entering a tunnel
5. ponder: (a) making ahard decision, (b) canoeing in a lake,
(c) missing a meeting

I tU NOlS
OB,' ECTIVES
Suppose that you are in Pompeii, and the volcano is beginning to erupt.
Write about howyou feel and what you must do, using two or more READING STANDARD
vocabulary words. You could start like this. 1.6.01Deter- ne . - -:. .g o'
aword using pref re:. >,1- xes, and
word roots
EXAMPTE SENTENCE

There /s ho tlMe to potder the best escape route {ront thls utr1.

' '...:. .'.-..,'

The vocabulary word corrupt contains the Latin rool rupt, which
disr;;*iion abruplly
means "to break." (This root is also found in the story in the word
eruption.) The root ruptis used to form a number of English
words. To understand the meaning of words with rupt, use your
knowledge of what this root means. lfyou need more help, lookfor rupture
context clues in the sentence or paragraph. interrupt
bankrupt
PRACTICE Choose a word from the web that best completes each
sentence. Use context clues or, if necessary, a dictionary.
l. that he went
He got so far into debt
2. Because she was angry, she ended the conversation .5 vocaeuLARY
3. They would not stop talking, so finally I had to them. glu3f enncrlcr
For more practice, go
4. The in the water pipe caused liquid to leak out. to the Vocabulary Center
at [Link].
5. A bee flew in the open windoq causing a(n) _ in the classroom.

326 UNIT 3: UNDERSTANDING THEME

 Pompeii and Vesuvius
,i:':', Nrdnfitti:6n':Book'.:EXcelrp{,,,pa$€,3}O

What's the Connection?

You've just read "The Dog of Pompeii," a story that takes place on the
day that Mount Vesuvius erupts and buries Pompeii in ash. Now you
will learn more about this historical event and what the future may
hold for those currently living in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius.
Use with "The Dog of
pompeii,"pug.3,,4. Skill FOcuS:SyntheSize
When you learn something about a topic, you add the new
information to your overall knowledge. ln other words, you
lLLlilotS synthesize information-or put together facts, details, and ideas
OBJECTIVE' from different sources-to gain a better understanding of a topic
READING STANDARDS than you would have if you relied only on one source.
I.6.15 Distingu,sh the main idea On the next few pages, you will be asked to synthesize information
and supportlng details
1.5.19 Draw inferences, about Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius. To get started, summarize what
conclusions, or generalizations you learned about the city of Pompeii and the eruption of Vesuvius
from "The Dog of Pompeii." Then gather additionalfacts and details
from the selections that follow. Also, notice how your original
understanding of the story changes. Record your notes in a chart
like the one started here.

ti Source
i lrfornutba About laforuation About
!?oupeii [Link]
"lhe Dog of Poupell' )t was a. rich and A colurun o{ suoke
/tvelq cftq ftl/ed usual/r4 stood [Link]
wfth open-air ft, which the people
theaters, shops, of Pouperi t,sed to
golden chariots, te// the weather.
and tourlsts,
be{ore the eruptton,
)t often had the co/uun got uuch
earthquakes. taller and thtcker.
)n Search ofPoupeir

")[Link].nsTn1inq to
Prevent a Modern
?ompeii'
i

328 UNII ]: UNDERSTANDINC THEML

 !r,,!
iir::
rlil:l
ffi;l# iii,Writteh',mateiia[],,':,r,,
iiliii,r$
'ir'r,
.' -'de5factu,ql
,,,:,, ffit+
I
i :,,:r}nfOrmaf ion,,:,,NeWi r,:'

informationaltexts.

sr*rxtffire sremmffiffi ffiffi ffiwmffiffiffiffi

BY G[SwAruruI CASELI.I

F*mpe$$s The ffiw$demce

Much of our knowledge of Roman life comes from the evidence
uncovered at Pompeii. Splendid houses, beautiful paintings,
sculptures of bronze and marble, fine glass, metal, and pottery
bear witness not only to a city that perished in one day, but also
to a long-vanished civilization.
A visit to Pompeii is like entering a time machine: you can see
wide streets still with the ruts cut in the paving stones by the
wheels of chariots, the entrance to a shop with graffiti on the wall .

beside it, the baths and grand houses with their wall paintings and El SYNTHESTZE
ro colonnaded gardens. But, above all, there are the people of
about the city of
Pompeii, overwhelmed as they tried to escape the horror that
Pompeii in this passage?
overtook their city. Across nearly 2,000 years, their twisted bodies Record this information
are vivid witnesses of what happened on August 24, t.o.79.@

NFORMATION 329
 FORUM BATHS
Much of Pompeii had
:itl
running water, carried tli
in by lead pipes under
the streets. Public bath
complexes used central
furnaces to heat the water.

House of the Tragic Poet

'--"''"" b"'\
Vesuvia n sate
Central baths

Temple of Jupiter (Capitol)

Temple of Venus
,, ;.
Covernment buildings
\
-r--.--
"--.-,-_'-
,'7
"\'-v' i..
'\ - ',"--

Gl SYNTHESTZE
ln "The Dog of Pompeii,"
' Cladiator barracks
:I:: Tif6 grprilrrgi:mib6:ie5t,fui-.,, .
FORUM ill
atime in the forum. The Forum was Pompeii's il
Locate the forum on the main public space. l.

diagram. Howfaraway Crowds gathered to ll

,r',:, from,the:foium'doetrth:e:, shop in the marketplace, ii:

nearest sea gate appear worship at the temples, r

to be? What other places listen to speeches, or visit i

on the diagram do you government offices and
This
:.'::r r:, r€'farll f fo nx .the51oi]4?,,,,r,,.,,,. courthouses. f,l
.,.,.,,.. ",,",,",.,,.."".,".,. ",.:]

33O":r:,:,,,uNit..3.:r:utm :Ae X,;t*C.:irliun

 Eircc*wmr$rreg ffi*mpmEE
In December 1860, Victor Emmanuel II, king of the newly united
Italy, appointed Giuseppe Fiorelli Director of the Excavations at
Pompeii. The era of scientific excavation had begun.
Fiorelli divided the ciry into quarters, or regions, and gave every
block and building a number-a system which is still used today.
Archaeologists from all over the world came to see Fiorellit work at
zo Pompeii.
Slowly and carefully, soil and volcanic debris were removed. The
position of every fragment of plaster and brickwork was recorded
and then restored to its original place. Charred wood was replaced
by fresh timber.

Nola gate

Swimming pool
aaa:-t:. .::--;-';
Nucerian gate

g lSYltTlt:ESIZ:$:: r::r'r'' r:r: :' "

ln "The Dog of Pompeii,"
AMPHITHEATER Tito and Bimbo attend
The amphitheater was the performance of
where thousands of a play in an "uncovered
Pompeiians gathered theater." What do the
to see gladiators, photo and caption
athletic competitions, here add to your
and other forms of understanding of
entertainment. B this place?

READTNG FoR TNFoRMATToN 331

 A Tragic Day
tffhen the volcano Vesuvius erupted on August 24,.e..o.79, it destroyed
a rich and thickly populated part of southern Italy. \We know this from
the archaeological discoveries at Herculaneum and Pompeii. But, more
remarkably, we know what the disaster was actually like for the people
who lived in the region.
30 The young Roman nobleman Pliny the Younger witnessed the
eruption and wrote a letter that is the earliest known account of such a
tragedy. As people screamed and struggled to escape the horror, Pliny
described the eruption as looking like "a pine tree, for it shot up to a
great height in the form of a ffunk, which extended itself at the top into
several branches."

{#tr4p**iY# W#L{eN#
A composite volcano is a cone-shaped
volcano built up of layers of lava and
Iayersof rock fragments. Composite
volcanoes have violent eruptions for
two reasons. First, expanding gases
trapped in rlsing magma tend to cause
explosions. Second, hardened lava
from earlier eruptions often plugs
openings in these volcanoes. This rock
must be blown out of the way before
any more magma can escape.
During an eruption, volcanic gases
can mix with rock fragments and stay
near the ground. The mixture forms a
pyroclastic flow, which is a dense cloud
of superhot gases and rock fragments
o SYNTHES|ZE that races downhill.@
ln "The Dog of Pompeii,"
Tito experiences i ntense
heat. What does the
caption here reveal
about the scientific
reasons for this heat?

3,32 uNrr 3: uNDERSTANDTNG TH,EME

A Survivor's Letter
'Ashes now faLl upon us, though as yet not in great
quantity. I looked behind me; gross darkness pressed.
upon our rear. and came rolling over the land. after us
like a torrent . . . darkness overspread us, not like that
of a moonless or cloudy night, but of a room when it is
shut up, and the lamp is put out. You could hear the
shrieks of women, the crying of children, and the
shouts of men; some were seeklng their children,
others their parents, others their wives or
husbands . . one lamenting his own fate, another that
of his family . . . many lifting their hands to the gods;
but the greater part imagining that there were no
gods left and that the last and eternal night was come
upon the world." S E SYNTHESTZE
What details from Pliny's
letter give you a sense
This descriptionfrom Pliny the Younger's letter to Tacitus is
of what Pompeiiwas
as uiuid nzw ds when he wrlte it almost 2,000 years ago. like during the n,o. 79
eruption? Record this
information in your
cha rt. .

READTNG FoR TNFoRMATIoN 333

 ffi&mffiffimffis Ympffiffiffi

ffiw ffiwwwffiffiffi ffi

ftllodern Pompeii
by Ellen Hale, USA TODAY

sAN SEBASTIANO AL VESUVIO, ltaly Concerned that too many

-
people now crowd the sides of the active volcano, authorities here
have launched a bold plan to prevent a repeat of the catastrophic
explosion that wiped out Pompeii and smothered thousands of its
residents nearly 2,ooo years ago.
Authorities hope to thin the ranks of residents so they can be
evacuated when Mount Vesuvius erupts again. They are doing this
by offering cash incentives to move, demolishing the illegal buildings
that have sprouted on its flanks, and establishing a national park at
ro its top.
It's only a matter of time before the volcano does erupt, scientists say.
"lt won't be tomorrow, it won't be next month, and maybe it
won't be next year. But it is overdue," says Giovanni Macedonio,
:t:,:,it.:: i:,il i:i:l
director of Vesuvius Observatory, the institute responsible for
:..tr.:$[Link] T itl:ElS.l l.r:...r.,:t..l:..:..:.::::,..,.:.,.:r monitoring the volcano. When it blows, Macedonio warns, it could
Add information about be with the power of "tens of hundreds of atomic bombs."
modein-day Mount
Vesuvius last erupted ing44. Lava destroyed some orchards and
Vesuvius and the
surrounding towns to homes and z6 people were killed. . . . Residents put pots on their
your chart. Consider heads to protect against rocks shooting through the air, but the
whether the modern zo rumblings soon stilled. Vesuvius has been quiet since. . . .
situation ii iimilar to
During the volcano's 6o-year slumber, however, sprawl from
or different from the
situation in ancient nearby Naples has spilled out; nearly 600,ooo people now live in
times. the r8 towns in the shadow of the volcano. @

,34 UNtT J: UNDERSTANDING THLME

Comprehension
1. Recall According to the online article, how many people could be affected
by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius today?

2. Clarily Reread page 331. Describe the system Fiorelli used for labeling
Pompeii during its excavation.

3. Summarize Write a brief summary of the events Pliny the Younger

describes in his letter on page 333.

Critical Analysis
4. Make lnferences About Informational Text Reread the description of
composite volcanoes on page 332. Based on the details in Pliny's letter,
what part of the volcano's eruption might he have witnessed? Explain.
Synthesize Based on everything you have read, predict the future ofthe
region around Mount Vesuvius. Support your prediction using details and
examples from the selections.

ILLINOtS
Read for lnformation: [Link]

READING STANDARDS
1.6.15 Distinguish the main idea
lfifRITIN6 PRO'VTPT and supporting detai s

"The Dog of Pompeii" is a made-up story. However, Louis Untermeyer 1.6.19 Draw inferences.
conclusions, or generalizations
includes real people, places, and events to help bring his story to life. Based
on the information you have just read, evaluate Louis Untermeyer's accuracy
in describing Pompeii before, during, and after Mount Vesuvius erupted.

Stortl Eveft or Detail True to the Fads? Support for Detisioa

X qes Map on paae ??A
+
the central souare.
2.

READING FOR INFORMATION 335

-
 Befure Reading

Nadia the Willful

Short Story by Sue Alexander

ffmrs ME,MORIE S
keep the pest alia€?
ItUNOIS KEY IDEA Memories are how we hold on to people we have
OBJECTIVES known, places we have been, and things we have done. As time
READING STANDARDS
goes by, those memories can fade unless we find ways to keep
2.5.O1 ldentify elements of fiction them fresh. ln "Nadia the Willful," a character takes action to
2.6.09 Compare and contrast the
behavior of two cha racters
make sure that a precious memory will last.
iis
QUICKWRITE Think about ahappy or important Keeping lyenorles
occasion you want to remember. lt might be a 4live
wedding, a birthday, or a day spent with friends. /. Take photcs
Write down some ideas about howyou can Z. Make a scrap,[ped
preserve this memory.