 93. Colonization in Africa |
95. A Prize Won and Lost (Continued)  |
Ōlim, cum nāvis longa Americāna per mare Mediterrāneum nāvigāret, nautae procul vēlum vīdērunt; quō vīsō, praefectus, liburnicās pīrātārum haud procul abesse ratus, suōs summā celeritāte īnsequī iussit. Dum autem vēlīs rēmīs[1]que contendunt, subitō nāvis in saxīs absconditīs adhaesit, neque ūllō modō dētrūdī poterat. Quō cāsū secundum lītus nūntiātō, pīrātae oppugnandī causā[2] undique convēnērunt, et Americānī, etsī, ut nāvem levārent[3], in mare iēcerant omnia, postrēmō sē dēdere coāctī sunt.
Quā victōriā partā, rēx pīrātārum, veritus nē aliae nāvēs longae oppidum suum oppugnārent, Americānōs miserōs mūnītiōnēs fīrmāre coēgit, cum interim ā pīrātīs captīvī tantā dīligentiā custōdiēbantur, ut, quamquam diēs noctēsque dē fugā cōgitābant, rem numquam perficere possent.
Eīs nautīs, quī noctū quoque labōrāre volēbant, pecūniam dedit rēx, cum opera sua vellet[4] quam mātūrrimē perficī; illī autem pecūniam acceptam statim prōfūdērunt[5], et ēbriī[6] per oppidum vagantēs iniūriās oppidānīs saepe intulērunt. Tum mirīs modīs poenās dedisse dīcuntur: hominēs[7] enim supīnī[8] sola[9] pedum verberābantur, idque[10] saepe tam vehementer ut sanguis[11] exīret. Interdum autem, pecūniā līctōribus[12] datā, storeīs[13] interpositīs nautae verberābantur, cum interim lēgātus huic reī praepositus (quī tamen extrā forēs carceris morārī solēbat) ex clāmōribus iūdicābat hominēs cruciātūs patī maximōs.
- ↑ rēmīs: rēmus, -ī: m, Roman ships often had both sails and oars, and vēlīs rēmīsque came to be a standing phrase for “at full speed.”, oar.
- ↑ oppugnandī causā: freely, to the attack, What part of the verb is oppugnandī?.
- ↑ levārent: levō, 1: lighten.
- ↑ vellet: he was anxious (that), mātūrrimē: from mātūre.
- ↑ prōfūdērunt: prōfundō, 3, fūdī, -fūsus: squander.
- ↑ ēbriī: ēbrius, -a, -um: intoxicated.
- ↑ hominēs: m, translate as sing..
- ↑ supīnī: (placed flat) on his back.
- ↑ sola: solum, -ī: n, sole (of the foot).
- ↑ idque: freely, and what too, strictly, id is subject of fiēbat supplied.
- ↑ sanguis (-inis): m, blood.
- ↑ līctōribus: līctor, -ōris: m, policeman.
- ↑ storeīs: storea, -ae: f, mat.