Pagina:Ad Alpes.djvu/58

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(nam ipse iam caecus erat). Quō factō, Samsōn, cui[1] capillus interim rūrsus prōmittēbātur, omnibus vīribus cōnīsus[2] columnās disiēcit,[3] et ruīnā templī hostēs plūrimōs sēcum oppressit.”

“Haec est fābula adprīmē lepida,” inquit Sextus. “Potesne aliquid dē bellātōribus clārīs nārrāre?”

Tum Anna: “Annālēs gentis nostrae exemplīs tālibus abundant. Longum est[4] etiam pauca nārrāre. Sed ōlim erat pāstor, quī vixdum[5] iuvenis ingentem occīdit hostem, ā quō nostrī verbīs contumēliōsīs[6] ad proelium prōvocātī[7] erant.”

“Dē istō nārrā, sīs,” inquit Sextus. ‘Audīre cupimus.”

At Anna: “Hostis erat gigās, quōcum congredī nēmō audēbat; quārē omnēs crēdēbant hunc iuvenem dēlīrāre, quī certāmen tam impār[8] inīre vellet.[9] Accēdēbat ut[10] armīs mīlitāribus ūtī nescīret; quam ob rem in proelium prōdiit cum fundā tantum[11] et lapidibus quibusdam lēvibus.”[12]

“Āmēns profectō fuit,’ inquit Sextus, ‘quī sīc armātus cum bellātōre ingentī congrederētur.”

“Nūllō modō,” inquit Anna; “nam ā deō auxilium spērābat, neque rēs eum fefellit; priusquam enim hostis propius accēdere posset, lapidem in eius frontem tantā fēlīcitāte[13] impēgit,[14] ut bellātor ingēns subitō corruēns humī prōnus iacēret. Tum adulēscēns, gladiō ipsīus arreptō, caput hostis abscīdit sanguineque cruentum ad rēgem rettulit.”

“Vāh!”’ inquit Cornēlia. ‘‘Facta tālia audiēns horrēscō. Nōnne quidquam laetius nārrāre potes?”

Tum Anna: “Multa laeta quoque commemorāre possum.

  1. cui: trans. as if gen.
  2. cōnitor, -nītī, -nīsus or nīxus sum, intr., strive, strain.
  3. disiciō, -icere, -iēcī, -iectus, tr. push out.
  4. Longum est, ’T'would take long.
  5. vixdum: adv. phrase, scarcely yet.
  6. contumēliōsus, -a, -um, adj., insulting.
  7. prōvocō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus, tr., challenge.
  8. impār, -aris, adj, unequal.
  9. vellet: note mood.
  10. Accēdēbat ut, lit., It was added that; trans freely.
  11. tantum: adv.
  12. lēvis, -e, adj., smooth.
  13. fēlicitās,-ātis, f., luck, good aim.
  14. impēgit: see impingō.