 24. Nathaniel Bacon in Virginia |
26. Nathaniel Bacon (Concluded)  |
Brevī autem ad caput prōvinciae lēgātus celeriter redīre est coāctus; nūntiātum enim est oppidānōs, quōs domī relīquerat quīque iuvenī[1] ducī amīcissimī erant, rēs novās[2] ibi agitāre[3]. Quibuscum[4] lēgātus tum pācem fēcit; postquam vērō Bēcō dēmum ē bellō longinquō domum rediit, colōnī, lēgātum adhūc esse īrātum arbitrātī[5], noctēs diēsque[6] ducis cārī aedēs custōdiēbant; eumque, cum paulō post decuriō[7] factus esset, multī comitēs armātī ad oppidum secūti sunt. Ibi tamen lēgātus, quī quoque cōpiās coēgerat[8], Bēcōnem statim rapuit, mox autem ab oppidānīs īrātīs dīmittere coāctus est. Sed iuvenis, paucīs post diēbus certior factus
Ancient “artillery” was not very formidable, as may be seen from the above illustration, which gives a modern artist’s conception of an attack upon a walled town. Roman “cannon” were simply huge catapults, some of which threw stones or masses of metal, others projected heavy darts.
lēgātum parāre sē iterum in custōdiam dare, clam noctū fūgit ex oppidō, nec posterō diē ab inimīcīs suīs invenīrī[9] potuit.
Colōnī scīlicet undique libenter convēnērunt, ut ducem cārum adiuvārent; isque iam mēnsēs multōs, modo[10] cum Indīs modo cum lēgātō, fēlīciter bellum gessit. Ōlim, cum obsidēret urbem, quod[11] erat caput prōvinciae, ballistāsque circum mūrōs collocāre vellet, uxōrēs inimīcōrum ē praediīs proximīs dēductās ante mīlitēs suōs posuisse dīcitur[12], ut sine perīculō suōrum[13] opus perficerētur.
- ↑ iuvenī: here as adjective.
- ↑ rēs novās: revolution; lit. what?
- ↑ agitāre: agitō, 1, plan.
- ↑ quibuscum: cf. sēcum, p. 8, l. 14.
- ↑ arbitrātī: cf. the use of veritī, p. 2, l. 17.
- ↑ noctēs diēsque: night and day.
- ↑ decuriō (-ōnis, m.): member of the legislature.
- ↑ coēgerat: had called together.
- ↑ inveniri: note the last letter of the word.
- ↑ modo … modo: at one time … at another.
- ↑ quod: relative, agreeing with the predicate noun.
- ↑ dicitur: cf. p. 5,1. 17, note.
- ↑ suōrum: to (lit. of) his men.