Fabulae Faciles 34

34.1Palūs erat nōn magna inter duo exercitūs; neutrī tamen initium trānseundī facere volēbant.

There was a small swamp between the two armies; but neither side wanted to be the first to cross.

Note. neutrī is plural because each side was a group of people.

34.2Tandem Herculēs signum dedit, et ubi palūdem trānsiit, proelium commīsit.

At last Hercules gave the signal, and when he had crossed the swamp, he joined battle.

34.3Amāzonēs impetum virōrum fortissimē sustinuērunt, et contrā opīniōnem omnium tantam virtūtem praestitērunt ut multōs eōrum occīderint, multōs etiam in fugam coniēcerint.

The Amazons very bravely withstood the attack of the men, and, contrary to everyone's expectation, showed such courage that they killed many of them and put many to flight.

Note. occīderint: after a past main verb, a result clause sometimes uses the perfect subjunctive.

34.4Virī enim novō genere pugnae perturbābantur nec magnam virtūtem praestābant.

For the men were thrown into confusion by a new kind of fighting and did not show much courage.

Note. virī means 'men' as opposed to women; hominēs means human beings in general.

34.5Herculēs autem cum haec vidēret, dē suīs fortūnīs dēspērāre coepit.

But when Hercules saw this, he began to despair of his fortunes.

34.6Mīlitēs igitur vehementer cohortātus est ut prīstinae virtūtis memoriam retinērent neu tantum dēdecus admitterent, hostiumque impetum fortiter sustinērent; quibus verbīs animōs omnium ita ērēxit ut multī etiam quī vulneribus cōnfectī essent proelium sine morā redintegrārent.

So he urged his soldiers strongly to remember their former courage and not to commit so great a disgrace, but to withstand the enemy's attack bravely; and with these words he so raised the spirits of all that many, even those who were worn out by wounds, renewed the battle without delay.