 96. A Mysterious Disappearance |
98. An Experience with Robbers  |
Cum in Āfricā abhinc multōs annōs condīta esset rēs pūblica, quae Liberia[1] appellātur, incolae eius regiōnis novae cīvitātī inimīcissimī erant. Nam advenae statuerant emptiōnem servōrum[2] reprimendam[3] esse, Āfrī autem quaestum suum dīmittere nōlēbant.
Ōlim prope colōniam quandam subitō multitūdō barbarōrum armātōrum per silvam viam[4] rumpere[5] audīta est. Sed in oppidō arma multa apud[6] sacerdōtem quendam condita erant; quī, ūnā cum duōbus fabrīs[7], quī eīsdem in aedibus habitābant, tēla cōnfēstim in hostīs inmittere coepit[8], multōsque vulnerāvit. Dux tamen Āfrōrum paucīs cum comitibus fortiter prōgressus iam coepit perrumpere pālōs[9], quī circum aedēs in terrā dēfixī erant. Illum autem ūnus ex fabrīs statim tēlō interfēcit, barbarīque cēterī, hōc cāsū perterritī, cōnfēstim vertērunt terga et quam celerrimē in silvam sē contulērunt. At paulō post, molestē ferentēs ducem mortuum in colōnōrum potestāte[10] relictum[11], corporis quaerendī causā rediērunt, summāque virtūte identidem[12] impetum in aedēs fēcērunt ācerrimum, dōnec, cum hōram amplius[13] dīmicātum esset, subitō proeliō[14] dēstitērunt et rursus maestī in silvam regressī sunt.
- ↑ Liberia: note the significance of the name (cf. lībertās).
- ↑ emptiōnem servōrum: cf. p. 112, l. 9.
- ↑ reprimendam: translate the gerundive “must.”.
- ↑ viam: f, (their) way.
- ↑ rumpere: translate as if a present part. (rumpō, 3, rūpī, ruptus), break.
- ↑ apud: what are other meanings of this word?, at the house of.
- ↑ fabrīs: faber, -brī: m, carpenter.
- ↑ tēla . . . inmittere coepit: opened fire.
- ↑ pālōs: pālus, -ī: m, pl. palisade, stake.
- ↑ in . . . potestāte: freely, in the hands.
- ↑ relictum: sc. esse.
- ↑ identidem: adv., time and again.
- ↑ hōram amplius: cf. p. 101, l. 3, and the note.
- ↑ proeliō: n, cf. p. 69, l. 17.