 47. The Trials of War |
49. The Attempt to surprise Detroit (continued)  |
Postquam bellum, quod[1] ā Britannīs cum Gallīs Indīsque gerēbātur, paene cōnfectum est, multaque castella longinqua in potestātem Britannōrum vēnērunt, quīdam rēx Indōrum, nōmine Pontiac, dux fortis et ācer, castella illa recipere[2] Britannōsque ita ex eīs regiōnibus expellere sē posse[3] sperāre coepit; quāre, conciliīs undique convocātis, Indōs hortātus est ut sē[4] fortiter sequerentur atque hostīs invīsōs ad ūnum interficerent.
Cum iam ad caedem faciendam Indī omnia expedīrent, ē castellō quōdam mulier forte ēgressa barbarōs in tabernānaculīs arma parāre animadvertit. Quā rē[5] nūntiātā, lēgātus Britannicus, quī ibi praeerat, nihil tamen verēbātur[6], dōnec puella Inda, quae eum amābat, castellum maesta intrāvit, cōnsiliumque tōtum Indōrum ostendit. Tum vērō castellum custōdiīs maiōribus fīrmātum est, nec nimis[7] mātūrē; nam posterā nocte procul in silvīs audīrī[8] poterat cantus[9] hostium, quī circum ignēs saltābant: sīc enim Indī sē ad caedem[10] incitāre solēbant.
- ↑ bellum, quod, etc.: namely, the French and Indian War.
- ↑ recīpere: a compound of capiō. This and the following infin. depend on posse, l. 9.
- ↑ posse: could.
- ↑ sē: him.
- ↑ quā rē: this observation.
- ↑ nihil … verēbātur: freely, felt no concern; lit. what?
- ↑ nimis: adv., too. The whole phrase may be rendered freely and none too soon.
- ↑ audīrī: note the last letter of the word.
- ↑ cantus: cf. p. 3, l. 2.
- ↑ caedem: (the business of) murdering.