A First Latin Reader/50

by Herbertus Chester Nutting

Herbert Chester Nutting

A First Latin Reader

50. A Successful Ruse

1912

fons: librum vide

Lesson 49. The Attempt to surprise Detroit (continued)	51. How the Town was Saved

LESSON 50

A Successful Ruse

Colōnī, cum bellum gererent, hostīs saepe fallāciīs^[1] ēlūsērunt. Sīcut^[2] dux quīdam Americānus, quī mēnsēs multōs cum exercitū fuerat, uxōris conveniendae causā^[3] ōlim clam domum profectus est. Cuius adventū cōgnitō, oppidānī^[4], quī paucī^[5] hostibus favēbant, certiōrem fēcērunt lēgātum Britannicum, quī castrīs praeerat^[6] proximīs, ducem illum in oppidō latēre.

Itaque sine morā cum legiōne^[7] noctū profectus, lēgātus ad oppidum celeriter contendit; ubi statim aedibus Americānī^[8] ignēs^[9] admotī sunt. Quō^[10] animadversō, ille scīlicet crēdēbat spem omnem iam esse sublātam: sed fīlia ex aedibus fortiter ēgressa lēgātō, “Māter mea,” inquit, “aegra est. Dā mihi, obsecrō^[11], salūtem eius saltem miserae.”^[12]

Quā rē^[13] impetrātā, mulier cum lectō lēniter ēlāta est;^[14] mīlitēs autem, nē dux ipse ullō modō effugere posset, aedēs interim omnibus ex partibus^[15] circumstābant quīn etiam haūd procul sunt morātī, dōnec aedēs tōtae^[16] ignī cōnsūmptae sunt. Tum laetī ad castra sā recēpērunt, inter sē^[17] glōriantēs ūnum saltem Americānum scelerātum poenās dedisse. At incolumis erat ille; nam, cum uxor efferrētur, sub lectō manibus genibusque^[18] ambulāverat, neque eum vīderat quisquam.^[19] Sīc astūtiā^[20] fīliae servātus mox ad exercitum tūtō rediit.

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1. fallāciīs: tricks or trickery (fallācia, -ae, f.).
2. sīcut: as, for instance.
3. causā: cf. the note on p. 48, l. 6.
4. oppidānī: (his) townsmen.
5. quī paucī: cf. quī omnēs, p. 57, l. 8.
6. praeerat: cf. p. 56, l. 15. The word means literally “to be before” or “to be over,” notions which, in Latin, call for the dative.
7. legiōne: (his) regiment.
8. Americānī: as noun, gen. sing.
9. ignēs: translate as sing., and turn the whole phrase into the active form.
10. quō: neuter.
11. obsecrō: I beg (you) (obsecrō, I).
12. eius … miserae: of her, poor woman.
13. rē: concession.
14. ēlāta est: from efferō.
15. omnibus ex partibus: cf. p. 44, 1. 6.
16. tōtae: cf. the note on laetus, p. 2, l. 16.
17. inter sē: among themselves.
18. manibus, etc.: abl. of means; translate "upon" (genu, -ūs, n., knee).
19. neque ... quisquam: cf. p. 2, l. 11.
20. astūtia: astūtia, -ae, f., quick wit.