英語の学習 １０

lesson 10 buried history
In A.D.79西暦７９年 the volcano Vesuvius, near presently-day Naples in Italy, burst into eruption.A few moments after the eruption , 火山の爆発数分後にして、 a tremendous flow of lava gushed 噴出した溶岩　out of the crater and started down the mountain side.
Three days and nights the sky for many miles round was darkened by clouds of smoke and ashes.
Two towns, Pompeii and Herculaneum, at the foot of Vesuvius, were buried completely.
When the eruption occurred , Pompeii had about 20,000(twenty thouthands) inhabitants , many of whom were able to escape.
But from the number of skeltons found in the ruins it is estaimated that at least 2,000 persons perished at the time.
Although the disaster was recorded by Roman historians, Pompeii lay buried and almost forgotten until the early part of the eighteenth century.
Then Neapolitan peasants began to produce and offer for sale Roman busts and other ancient articles.ローマ人の半身像や他の古代芸術品を、持ち出して、売りに出し始めた。
It seems that they had come upon the ruins while cultivating their vineyards.ブドウ畑を耕しているときに、その残骸にたまたま、出くわしたようだった。
　Since the first attempt was made in 1763 to uncover the ruins, several systematic excavations have been carried out at intervals. いくつかの組織的な発掘が、ときどき実行されてきた。
The work is still going on.
These excavations have brought to light many buildings , including theaters, the Forum and the remains of temples.
It is possible , though,that these temples may have been dameged by an earthquke which struck Pompeii some years before the eruption.
爆発前数年に、ポンペイを襲った、地震により、これらの寺院は、被害をうけていた可能性がある。
All these buildings are now carefully preserved , and the small objects discovered are displayed in the museum in Naples.
これらの建物は、今や、丁寧に保存され、発見された小さな物がナポリの博物館に展示されている。
There you can see paintings ,status, mirrors, combs , and other household articles(家庭用品） as well as some of the food the Pompeians were going have for lunch on that fatal day.
Pompeians were going to have for lunch on that fatal day.
there are charred 黒こげになった　nuts , fruit and loaves of bread, too , which were in the market and left there by the stall keepers when they ran away. 馬屋の主人によって、そこに置き去りにされた
up to the present it has been possible to uncover almost half the town of Pompeii because the volcanic covering was fairely loose.
But Herculaneum was covered by such a solid layer そのような頑丈な層 that excavation has proved to be a very slow and diffcult job; the rock-like covering has to be chipped away piece by piece. 岩のような覆いが、ひとつひとつ、けずりとられねばならなかった。
Another difficulty is that the present town of Resina has been built on the volcanic deposits 埋蔵物　above the remain.
However , some of the slums貧民街 of Resina have been pulled down取り壊された recently.
Now that the sites have been cleared , it is easier to carry on digging.
The petrified石化した mud that covers the site has preserved the woodwork木造部分 in many of the buildings.
We can see such things as cupboards and bedsteads　寝台の台 much as they were nineteen centuries ago.
Althogh much less has been dug out at Herculaneum than at Pompeii,the art tresures found are of much greater value.
So far they have discovered a fine example of a Roman bath, and a courtyard with a beautiful statue of a goddess 女神in it .
In a few years , no doubt , many more things of interest will have been dug out.