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A First Latin Reader/50

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Herbert Chester Nutting
A First Latin Reader
50. A Successful Ruse


1912

fons: librum vide
 Lesson 49. The Attempt to surprise Detroit (continued) 51. How the Town was Saved 
LESSON 50
A Successful Ruse

Colōnī, cum bellum gererent, hostīs saepe fallāciīs[1] ēlūsērunt. Sīcut[2] dux quīdam Americānus, quī mēnsēs multōs cum exercitū fuerat, uxōris conveniendae causā[3] ōlim clam domum profectus est. Cuius adventū cōgnitō, oppidānī[4], quī paucī[5] hostibus favēbant, certiōrem fēcērunt lēgātum Britannicum, quī castrīs praeerat[6] proximīs, ducem illum in oppidō latēre.

Itaque sine morā cum legiōne[7] noctū profectus, lēgātus ad oppidum celeriter contendit; ubi statim aedibus Americānī[8] ignēs[9] admotī sunt. Quō[10] animadversō, ille scīlicet crēdēbat spem omnem iam esse sublātam: sed fīlia ex aedibus fortiter ēgressa lēgātō, “Māter mea,” inquit, “aegra est. Dā mihi, obsecrō[11], salūtem eius saltem miserae.”[12]

Quā rē[13] impetrātā, mulier cum lectō lēniter ēlāta est;[14] mīlitēs autem, nē dux ipse ullō modō effugere posset, aedēs interim omnibus ex partibus[15] circumstābant quīn etiam haūd procul sunt morātī, dōnec aedēs tōtae[16] ignī cōnsūmptae sunt. Tum laetī ad castra sā recēpērunt, inter sē[17] glōriantēs ūnum saltem Americānum scelerātum poenās dedisse. At incolumis erat ille; nam, cum uxor efferrētur, sub lectō manibus genibusque[18] ambulāverat, neque eum vīderat quisquam.[19] Sīc astūtiā[20] fīliae servātus mox ad exercitum tūtō rediit.

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  1. ↑ fallāciīs: tricks or trickery (fallācia, -ae, f.).
  2. ↑ sīcut: as, for instance.
  3. ↑ causā: cf. the note on p. 48, l. 6.
  4. ↑ oppidānī: (his) townsmen.
  5. ↑ quī paucī: cf. quī omnēs, p. 57, l. 8.
  6. ↑ praeerat: cf. p. 56, l. 15. The word means literally “to be before” or “to be over,” notions which, in Latin, call for the dative.
  7. ↑ legiōne: (his) regiment.
  8. ↑ Americānī: as noun, gen. sing.
  9. ↑ ignēs: translate as sing., and turn the whole phrase into the active form.
  10. ↑ quō: neuter.
  11. ↑ obsecrō: I beg (you) (obsecrō, I).
  12. ↑ eius … miserae: of her, poor woman.
  13. ↑ rē: concession.
  14. ↑ ēlāta est: from efferō.
  15. ↑ omnibus ex partibus: cf. p. 44, 1. 6.
  16. ↑ tōtae: cf. the note on laetus, p. 2, l. 16.
  17. ↑ inter sē: among themselves.
  18. ↑ manibus, etc.: abl. of means; translate "upon" (genu, -ūs, n., knee).
  19. ↑ neque ... quisquam: cf. p. 2, l. 11.
  20. ↑ astūtia: astūtia, -ae, f., quick wit.
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