 Preface |
2. Christopher Columbus (Continued)  |
Quōdam in oppīdō Ītaliae ōlim nātus est puer, quī Columbus appellābātur. Diū in patris officīnā[1] labōrāvit. Sed prope erat mare, puerque saepe ad lītus ībat, ut vidēret nāvēs, quae ē portū ad terrās exībant dīversās. In nāvibus erant hominēs multī, et Columbus mare ipse trānsīre saepe voluit; tum autem pecūniam nūllam habēbat. Sed posteā, cum iam iuvenis esset, usque ad[2] Britanniam et Āfricam nāvigāvit.
Illīs temporibus[3] nautae timēbant mare Atlanticum, cursumque prope lītus tenēbant. Interdum[4] autem secundum Āfricae ōram[5] longē nāvigātum erat[6], quod Henrīcus, rēx Lūsitāniae, invenīre viam volēbat, quā[7] nāvēs circum Āfricam prōgressae, ad Asiam pervenīre possent[8].
Quīdam[9] tum crēdēbant terram esse rotundam[10], Columbusque etiam spērāre coeperat se trānsīre mare Atlanticum posse, et ita ad Asiam pervenīre; nēmō enim intellegēbat terram tam magnam esse, nec[11] Columbus ipse suspicātus est Americam interpōnī[12].
- ↑ officina officina, -ae f., workshop.
- ↑ usque ad: all the way to, lit. even to.
- ↑ īllīs temporibus: in those days.
- ↑ interdum: not interim.
- ↑ ōram: i.e. lītus (ōra, -ae f.)
- ↑ nāvigātum erat: people had sailed, lit. it has been sailed (impersonal passive).
- ↑ quā: by which; antecedent, viam
- ↑ possent: could; subjunctive in a relative clause of purpose. In translating the verb possum, some other rendering than "be able" should often be chosen.
- ↑ quīdam: masc. pl., used as a noun.
- ↑ rotundam : rotundus, -a, -um round, or spherical
- ↑ nec: and ... not
- ↑ interpōnī: lit. to lie between