Source: ghost in a tent...

[Anatol Wyss]

Some years ago I was rummaging through a section on greek literature in a library. I pulled out a book, started reading somewhere in the middle, and there was this fascinating account of a man seeing a ghost. I was transfixed by the story, but for the life of me I can't remember which book it was, nor the specifics of the story. Instead the memory of the story has become a vivid picture in my head now living a life of its own. It could have been an account from Plutarch's lives. As I remembered it, it described a general out on a campaign. One night he's in his tent, sitting over a desk and writing something when all of a sudden he sees this shape or a shadow of a man. Terror seises him, he calls out for the guards, but by the time they get there the ghost has disappeared... Or he doesn't call the guards and the ghost disappears anyways and he's left alone in his tent, shaken by this strange and unsettling vision... And that's all I remember - which is so frustrating! Would really like to know how the story went and who it was about or I'll probably go nuts. If any of this sounds the least familiar, please let me know...

[D B Campbell]

If any of this sounds the least familiar, please let me know...

Try this: https://www.youtube.com/ 

[D B Campbell]

Okay, that was just for fun.

The reference you're probably thinking of is Pliny, Letters 3.5.4, where Pliny the Younger recounts the books written by his uncle, Pliny the Elder.
"The history of the wars in Germany, in twenty books, in which he gave an account of all the campaigns we have had against the Germans. He began this during his military service in Germany, as the result of a dream; in his sleep he saw standing over him the ghost of Drusus Nero, who had triumphed far and wide in Germany and died there. He committed his memory to my uncle’s care, begging him to save him from the injustice of oblivion."

[Anatol Wyss]

Okay, that was just for fun.

The reference you're probably thinking of is Pliny, Letters 3.5.4, where Pliny the Younger recounts the books written by his uncle, Pliny the Elder.
"The history of the wars in Germany, in twenty books, in which he gave an account of all the campaigns we have had against the Germans. He began this during his military service in Germany, as the result of a dream; in his sleep he saw standing over him the ghost of Drusus Nero, who had triumphed far and wide in Germany and died there. He committed his memory to my uncle’s care, begging him to save him from the injustice of oblivion."

thanks a bunch   I have already read the letter from Pliny the elder to Sura and alas the chains never were a part of it (nor, I think the house)! Also your second guess falls short of this conundrum, Im affraid. Thank you for the try and the translation though, been frequenting to perseus.tufts.edu allot lately and the site usually is a bliss!