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A First Latin Reader/48

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Lesson 48. The Attempt to surprise Detroit


1912
 47. The Trials of War 49. The Attempt to surprise Detroit (continued) 
LESSON 48
The Attempt to surprise Detroit

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.

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  1. bellum, quod, etc.: namely, the French and Indian War.
  2. recīpere: a compound of capiō. This and the following infin. depend on posse, l. 9.
  3. posse: could.
  4. sē: him.
  5. quā rē: this observation.
  6. nihil … verēbātur: freely, felt no concern; lit. what?
  7. nimis: adv., too. The whole phrase may be rendered freely and none too soon.
  8. audīrī: note the last letter of the word.
  9. cantus: cf. p. 3, l. 2.
  10. caedem: (the business of) murdering.