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A First Latin Reader/15

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Lesson 15
Unrest among the Indians
1912
 14. A Soldier’s Courtship 16. Old Friends become Enemies 
LESSON 15
Unrest among the Indians

Indī, quī prope colōniam habitābant, paene omnēs inimīcī erant, sed vehementer timēbant lēgātum Standisium, dē quō suprā dīxī; nam is, dux fortissimus, libentissimē bellum semper gessit, neque umquam[1] perīculum ūllum recūsāvit. Quī tamen nōn erat crūdēlis; ōlim enim, cum ad oppidum Indōrum inimīcōrum profectus esset hostēsque vīcisset, trēs Indōs vulnerātōs domum sēcum redūxit, ut eōrum vulnera ibi cūrārentur.

Hōc ferē tempore colōni aliī, ā Britanniā profectī, haud procul condidērunt oppidum alterum. Tum dēmum Indī vehementer commōtī, conciliō[2] convocātō, oppida ambō incendere colōnōsque ipsōs interficere cōnstituērunt; sed rēx,quīdam, quī colōnōs amābat, ad Standisium properāvit, eumque dē hostium cōnsiliō certiōrem fēcit. Perīculō cōgnitō[3], lēgātus statim cum mīlitibus paucīs ad alterum oppidum profectus est. Ibi Indī, cum vīdissent mīlitēs esse paucōs, arbitrātī[4] sē facile Standisium terrēre posse, eī ostendērunt sīcās, ac verbōrum quoque contumēliās[5] adiūnxērunt[6]. Sed paucīs post diēbus, cum quīdam[7] Pecsuot cum lēgātō loquerētur, is[8], sīgnō mīlitibus datō, Pecsuotis sīcam subitō rapuit, eāque[9] ipsum[10] interfēcit; simul mīlitēs, comitēs Pecsuotis adortī, eōs omnes occīdērunt. Quō[11] factō, Indī reliquī perterritī fūgērunt, nec diūtius[12] dē caede[13] colōnōrum cōgitābant ūllī.

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  1. neque umquam: and … never; cf. the rendering of nec quisquam, p. 2, l. 11. In translation, nec (neque) should always, if possible, be resolved thus into connective and negative.
  2. conciliō: contrast cōnsiliō, l. 18.
  3. perīculō cōgnitō: freely, having learned of the danger. A literal rendering of cōgnitus in the abl. absol. construction would often be awkward.
  4. arbitrātī: cf. the use of veritī, p. 2, l. 17.
  5. verborumcontumēliās: i.e. insulting words; lit. what?
  6. adiūnxērunt: adiungō, 5, -iūnxī, -iūnctus, add.
  7. quīdam: a certain.
  8. is: i.e. Standish.
  9. : note the case.
  10. ipsum: him. The intensive pronoun points a contrast between Pecsuot and his companions (comitēs).
  11. quō: cf. p. 12, l. 14.
  12. nec diūtius: and no longer; cf. the note on p. 17, l. 8.
  13. caede: a massacre.