 77. A Quick-Witted Messenger |
79. Andrew Jackson  |
In exercitū Americānō ōlim erat centuriō quīdam, nōmine Iasper, quī semper in perīculīs maximīs libenter versābātur[1]. Sīcut, cum Britannī castra quaedam oppugnārent, vēxillum[2]que Americānum tēlīs abreptum in terram extrā mūnītiōnēs cecidisset, inter tēla, quae plūrima[3] hostēs coniciēbant, ē castrīs ērūpit ille, vēxillumque arreptum in vāllō rursus posuit.
Ac paulō post, cum cōgnōvisset Americānōs paucōs ā Britannīs capitis[4] damnātōs Savannam[5] ad mortem[6] dēdūcī, ūnō cum comite profectus, ad fontem haud procul ab eā urbe in īnsidiīs latēbat, ut cīvibus suīs, sī posset, auxiliō esset. Mox in cōnspectum vēnērunt captīvī, quōs mīlitēs decem custōdiēbant; ē quibus[7] octō, ubi ad fontem perventum est, armīs sub arboribus relictīs, aquam haurīre[8] properāvērunt. Tum Iasper eiusque amīcus ērūpērunt ē latebrīs, duōbus[9]que custōdibus occīsīs mīlitēs cēterōs sē dēdere coēgērunt: deinde cum[10] captīvīs Britannicīs atque cīvibus, quōs servāverant, cōnfēstim ad[11] castra Americāna sē contulērunt.
Haud semper autem Iasperō[12] rēs tam fēlīciter ēvēnērunt; paucīs enim post annīs interfectus est, cum summā audāciā prōcucurrisset ex aciē atque in hostium vāllō vēxillum[13] dēfīxisset Americānum.
- ↑ libenter versābātur: freely, delighted to be.
- ↑ vēxillum, -ī: n., flag, cf. the Roman flags shown on p. 162.
- ↑ plūrima: freely, thick and fast.
- ↑ capitis: cf. p. 47, l. 16, and the note.
- ↑ Savannam: see the note on p. 79, l. 21.
- ↑ ad mortem: i.e. to execution.
- ↑ quibus: i.e. mīlitibus.
- ↑ haurīre: hauriō, 4, hausī, haustus: draw.
- ↑ duōbus: the two.
- ↑ cum: conjunction.
- ↑ ad: near.
- ↑ Iasperō: etc.; cf. the similar phrase, p. 43, l. 16.
- ↑ vēxillum: cf. p. 93, l. 11.