autem captīvus quīdam, quī minus[1] dīligenter custōdiēbātur, in mare clam exsiluit, ac nandō incolumis pervēnit ad lītus: quī sine morā oppidānōs dē cōnsiliīs pīrātārum certiōrēs fēcit. Quō nūntiō[2] acceptō, oppidānī summā dīligentiā bona sua cēlāre[3] coepērunt. Deinde, postquam pīrātae ē nāvibus ēgressī mīlitēs paucōs[4], quī oppidō erant praesidiō[5] relictī, in fugam coniēcērunt, cīvēs ipsī, aedibus clausīs, tēla in hostēs prīmō coniēcērunt plūrima; sed postrēmō, timōre dētrīmentī etiam maiōris coāctī, sē maestī dēdidērunt. Quōs omnīs[6] pīrātae, victōriā potītī, in templa quaedam coēgērunt[7]. Ubi illī fame sunt paene necātī; victōrēs enim interim tam bene sē habēbant[8], ut omnīnō captīvōrum miserōrum oblīvīscerentur.
Abhinc multōs annōs Americānī, antequam rēs pūblica valida facta est[9], tribūtum pendere[10] solēbant cuidam rēgī Africānō, nē[11] pīrātae eārum regiōnum (quī sub eius imperiō erant) nāvēs suās spoliārent. Ōlim, cum praefectus Americānus tribūtī istīus ferendī causā ad Āfricam nāvigāsset, rēx ille, quī forte nūntium cum dōnō Bȳzantium[12] hōc ferē tempore
- ↑ minus: not very, what use of the compar.?.
- ↑ nūntiō: news, or information.
- ↑ cēlāre: cēlō, 1: conceal, or hide.
- ↑ paucōs: cf. paucī, p. 90, l. 17.
- ↑ praesidiō: cf. p. 65, l. 4.
- ↑ omnīs: cf. quī omnēs, p. 57, l. 8.
- ↑ coēgērunt: crowded, victōrēs: victor, -ōris, m., victor.
- ↑ tam bene sē habēbant: were having so good a time.
- ↑ facta est: freely, had grown.
- ↑ pendere: pendō, 3, pependī, pēnsus: pay.
- ↑ nē: so that . . . not.
- ↑ Bȳzantium: see the note on p. 79, l. 21.
