Fundāta colōnia — Crūsōeus relinquit īnsulam — Quod accidit in
patriam redeuntī — Quōmodo vītam deinde honestam et beātam
dēgit.
Quibus ignōtum fuerat, hī ante arcem collēctī decem erant.
Crūsōeus haec profitētur : eā lēge ipsōs sēditiōnis veniam
impetrātūrōs ut praefectum lēgitimum in recuperandā nāve
adjuvent. Quae sententia etiam captīvīs dēnūntiātur. Tum
captīvīs simul et līberīs ūnā colloquendī* cōpia data est, ut
sēsē mūtuō in fide servandā cōnfirmārent, cum haec sōla sontibus
salūtis via patēret. Interim fabrō lignāriō* mandātur ut
alterīus scaphae perforātae carīnam reficiat. Tum altera
praefectō, altera gubernātōrī trāditur, nautīs inter utrumque
dīvīsīs, cūnctīque apparātū bellicō īnstrūctī vēla faciunt.
Crūsōeus, cujus fortūna ex ēventū hujus inceptī pendēbat, tantā
animī perturbātiōne et sollicitūdine agitābātur, ut stāre ibi
nescīret ; nunc in spēluncā sedēre, nunc in collem ascendere, et
quia noctū oculōrum dēficiēbat ūsus, auribus captāre sī quid
forte ē nāve audīret. Augēbātur enim sollicitūdō exspectātiōne
signī dē quō inter eōs convēnerat. Triplex scīlicet fragor ille
nōndum audītus erat, mediā jam nocte ingruente.
Et jam spēs omnis abierat, cum ē longinquō subitō sonitus fit.
Crūsōeus quasi ē somnō repente excitātus, aurēs ērigit. Sequitur
alter fragor et deinde tertius. Nunc cōnstat nāvem esse
expugnātam, nunc certō in Eurōpam profectūrus est. Tum āmēns
laetitiā dēvolāre, socium in grāmine recubantem excitāre,
amplectī, deinde ad arcem currere, sarcināsque raptim colligere.
Diē nōndum exortō, ad collem rūrsus properat, eōque ubi nāvis in
ancorīs cōnsistēbat oculōs intendit. Brevī cōnspicit praefectum
nāvis, quī collem nōnnūllīs comitantibus cōnscendit. Rōbinson
ūnō impetū ejus in amplexūs prōvolat. Tum praefectus nārrat sē
nāve fēlīciter admodum potītum esse, occīsō nūllō neque
vulnerātō quidem ; obscūrā enim nocte ita ēvēnisse, ut neque
agnōscerētur ipse, neque comitēs ā nāve prohibērentur.
Turbulentissimōs sēditiōnis auctōrēs sibi quidem obstitisse, sed
captōs in vincula fuisse conjectōs. Hīs dictīs, cibōs quōsdam
lautiōrēs ē nāve afferrī jubet, laetīque omnēs jūcundissimō
convīviō recreātī sunt.
Deinde praefectus Crūsōeum rogāvit quidnam nunc sibi faciendum
mandāret, quō ipsī grātiam persolveret. Huic ille “ praeter
hesterna prōmissa ” ait, “ haec tria tē rogābō. Prīmum quidem ut
hīc commorēris, dōnec pater sociī meī redierit ; tum ut mē
meōsque in nāve excipiās ; dēnique ut sēditiōnis auctōribus
veniam dēs. Haec sōla dēlictī poena sit ut in hāc īnsulā
dēserantur. ”
Praefectus haec pacta servātūrum sē pollicitus, captīvōs addūcī
jubet, pessimīsque eōrum dēsignātīs poenam irrogātam*
dēnūntiat ; neque illī sine laetitiā hoc audiērunt, cōnsciī
quippe tantī admissī facinoris. Crūsōeus eōs mox docuit quōmodo
vīctus petendus esset, illīsque rēs suās omnēs relictūrum sē
prōmīsit.
Dum noster haec loquitur, Friday magnō cursū anhēlāns nūntiat
patrem cum Hispānīs advēnisse. Cūnctī igitur illīs obviam
properant. Friday cēterōs praegressus in amplexūs patris
praecurrerat. Crūsōeus nōn sine admīrātiōne duās mulierēs inter
advenās cōnspexit ; Sundayque interrogātus docet uxōrēs esse
duōrum Hispānōrum, quās illī in ipsā regiōne dūxerant*. Hī vērō
ubi audīssent Rōbinsōnem mox profectūrum, nōnnūllōsque rēmigēs
in īnsulā relictūrum esse, rogāvērunt ut sibi quoque licēret in
eā remanēre ; sē enim omnibus audītīs quae aliī memorāverant
jūcundiōrem illā sibi sēdem nōn optāre. Quibus precibus ille
libentissimē annuit ; gaudēbat imprīmīs quod duōs hīc spectātā
probitāte virōs relictūrus esset. Spērābat enim fore ut eōrum
operā et exemplō cēterī ad bonam frūgem* redūcerentur. Hāc mente
aliōs omnēs eōrum auctōritātī subjicere cōnstituit.
Itaque ūniversōs arcessī jubet ; sex Anglī erant et duo Hispānī
cum uxōribus. Quibus convocātīs suam Crūsōeus hīs verbīs
voluntātem dēclārāvit : “ Nēminem fore spērō, quī mihi jūs
dēneget dē rēbus meīs, hāc quidem īnsulā cum omnibus quae in eā
sunt, arbitriō meō statuendī. Optō autem ut omnium cujusque
vestrum quī hīc remānsūrī estis condiciō sit beātissima ; quam
ob rem vōbīs certās lēgēs nōn habentibus meum est īnstituere,
vestrum autem sequī.
“ Haec igitur accipite.
“ Hōs ambō Hispānōs ego meōs in īnsulā vicāriōs cōnstituō. Hī
praecipient, vōs pārēbitis. Hīs committō apparātum omnem
bellicum, atque īnstrūmenta omnia ; eā tamen lēge ut illī vōbīs
necessāria praebeant, vōs autem cum iīs honestē in pāce vīvātis.
“ Prīncipiō Deum colite ; nūlla enim cīvitās firma, nisi
fundāmentum sit amor Deī.
“ Proxima pietātī sit jūstitia. Jūs suum cuique tribuātur ; neu
cuiquam nocueritis.
“ Dē cēterīs ambō Hispānī vīderint. Illī fīnēs agrīs
assignābunt, jūraque, prout rēs postulābit, et prīvāta et
pūblica statuent.
“ Ōlim* fortasse licēbit dē vōbīs nūntium accipere ; fortasse mē
aliquandō juvābit extrēmum in hāc īnsulā mihi cārissimā vītae
tempus agere. Vae illī quī intereā hās lēgēs meās ēverterit. Eum
ego in cymbā impositum flūctibus saevissimā tempestāte agitātīs
trādam hauriendum. ” Hīs audītīs, assēnsēre omnēs sēque
oboedientēs futūrōs esse pollicitī sunt.
Tum noster ea notāvit quae sēcum āveheret : vestem ē pellibus ā
sē ipsō cōnfectam, cum umbellā ; hastam propriā quoque arte
perfectam, arcum, secūrimque siliceam ; psittacum, canem
villōsum, lamāsque duōs ; quae īnstrūmenta, cum esset
sōlitārius, fabricāverat. Hīs cūnctīs in nāvem trānslātīs,
secundō spīrante ventō, proficīscī proximō diē cōnstituunt.
Jamque tempus adest. Tum Crūsōeus eōs quī remānsūrī erant ad
concordiam pietātemque sequendam dēnuō hortātus, ultimum valē
clāmat, et cum comitibus Friday et Sunday nāvem cōnscendit.
Fēlīcissimus ad Hamburgum cursus fuit. Cum nāvem Crūsōeus
opportūnē hīc invēnisset Londīnium tendentem, ā Germānicae nāvis
praefectō discessit, atque alteram cōnscendere properāvit. Haec
brevī solvit ancorās. Dulcissima jam Crūsōeī patria ē longinquō
cernitur. Jam in ōstium Tamesis advēnēre, cum subitō saeva
tempestās exoritur nāvemque vī magnā in ōram conjicit. Tum
quidquid valet dīligentia, quidquid perītia, adhibētur ; sed
frūstrā ; ventī furor, omnī cōnātū* major, nāvem abreptam in
harēnās agit tantā vī ut carīna disrumperētur. Irruit extemplō
in eam ingēns aquae vīs, adeō ut dē salūte omnēs dēspērārent ;
nāvigantibus vix datur cōpia in scaphās dēsiliendī ut mortī, sī
fierī possit, sē ēripiant.
Sīc igitur Rōbinson cum dēnuō naufragium fēcisset, miser in
portum proximum advēnit, neque quidquam servāvit praeter canem
quī vectum in scaphā dominum natandō secūtus est, et psittacum
in umerō ejus sedentem. Multīs post diēbus, certior factus est
umbellam vestemque pelliceam repertās esse.
Portus ille ad quem appulerat scapha octo mīlia passuum ā
Londīniō aberat. Audiit patrem suum senem bonā valētūdine ūtī,
mātrem vērō, fēminam optimam, obiisse. Quod quidem gravissimō
eum dolōre affēcit. Jam Eborācum profectus, vīgintī quattuor
hōrārum spatiō eō advēnit. Cum sequente cane et psittacō umerō
īnsidente in terram dēscendisset, per circumfūsam spectantium
turbam in hospitium proximum sē contulit. Inde nūntiō ad patrem
missō, cūrāvit nē senex ille optimus fīlium reducem nimis subitō
revīseret neu, tantae nōn capāx laetitiae, mortem occumberet.
Jam fīlius ipse per platēās satis sibi cognitās ad patriōs
penātēs prōvolat, domumque assecūtus in patris gaudiō
trepidantis amplexūs ruit. “ Mī pater ! ” “ Mī fīlī ! ” haec
tantum ambō ēloquī potuērunt. Mūtī, trepidī, spīritū interclūsō,
alter alterīus ē collō pendent, dōnec vīs benigna lacrimārum
animum utriusque levāvit.
Intereā Friday mīrātur frequentem* tēctīs urbem stupetque
inhiāns innumera rērum mīrācula quae nunc undique oculīs
obversantur. Quōrum aspectū satiārī nōn potuit. Ac prīmō diē
nūllam rem ab aliā distinguēbat ; tanta enim animī perturbātiō
erat ut hebēs oculīs et animō esset.
Pater Rōbinsōnis īnstitor erat. Proptereā optāvit ut fīlius in
mercātūrā exercērētur, hērēs patris īnstitūtus. Sed fīlius ad
labōrem indūrātus patrem rogāvit ut sibi licēret fabrōrum
tignāriōrum* artem discere. Itaque cum sociō tignāriī cujusdam
disciplīnae sē trādidit, atque brevī uterque in eā arte tantum
prōfēcerat ut ipsī magistrōrum dignitātem assequerentur. Quō
factō, officīnā commūnī īnstitūtā, amīcitiam inter sē, summō
studiōrum voluntātumque cōnsēnsū, ad extrēmum vītae diem
coluērunt. Et sīc perpetuā tranquillitāte, sānitāte, industriā,
fortūnātī ambō vīxēre ad summam senectūtem, posterīque libenter
retinēbunt duōrum memoriam hominum, quī cēterīs documentō erunt
quōmodo suae quisque fēlīcitātis artifex esse possit.
↑Ut causās . . . ageret : plead in the law courts.
↑Rēctae ratiōnī cōnsentāneus : consistent with good sense.
↑Vereor ut concēdant : I fear they will not allow.
↑Siquidem . . . cōnstābit : since it will cost.
↑Conveniat : inform.
↑Altum tenent : get into the open sea.
↑Quod quisque . . . dējicerētur : every one held on to whatever
he could grasp, for fear of being washed overboard.
↑Antliās : the pumps.
↑Tormentōrum : cannon. (In classical Latin of course tormentum
means merely an engine for hurling missiles.)
↑Īnfimō . . . tabulātō : the hold.
↑Dōlia, mercium sarcinae : casks, merchandise.
↑Ut salūtī suae cōnsuleret : look after himself.
↑Quōcum versārētur : with whom he could consort.
↑Aureōs : would, at this date, be guineas.
↑Merās nūgās : mere trifles.
↑Vitrum . . . taeniās : glass, necklaces, knives, scissors,
hatchets, ribbons.
↑Fretum : channel.
↑Ventō reflante : the wind being contrary.
↑Tabulā nauticā : chart.
↑Vix . . . licēbat : there was hardly time.
↑Saccharī vectūram : cargo of sugar.
↑Dēprehēnsum : discovered.
↑Sūcī . . . guttae : some drops of juice squeezed from meat.
↑Vernantem cōpiam : flourishing abundance.
↑Caelī jūcunda temperiēs : delightful climate.
↑Retundunt : repress.
↑Stegam : deck.
↑Syrtem : a quicksand.
↑Palmae lātitūdine : a hand's breadth.
↑Reciprocāns : returning.
↑Tugurium : hut.
↑Vicem : fate.
↑Surculōs : young branches.
↑Ultima : the last extremity.
↑Miserābilī . . . articulō : wretched crisis.
↑Eōdemque : and also.
↑Īnstar parietis praeruptum : broken so as to be perpendicular
like a wall.
↑Aestuābat : got very hot.
↑Cubitum īre : to go to bed.
↑Genuālibus : with his garters.
↑Oleī . . . expressī : oil of sweet almonds.
↑Linī aut cannabis : flax or cotton.
↑Repetītō fustis ictū : by continual beating with a stick.
↑Saeptō : the hedge.
↑Tudiculae : a mushroom.
↑Aciem cuneō similem : a sharp edge like a wedge.
↑Typīs impressum : printed.
↑Exarātā : cut.
↑Līneīs mēnstruīs : lines marking a month.
↑Virgulae bālaenārum : whalebone.
↑Vīminibus salignīs : willow osiers.
↑Praevertit : anticipates.
↑Referrent : resembled.
↑Subrubrōs : pinkish.
↑Tūbercula : round lumps.
↑Arrīsisset : pleased.
↑Ungue . . . īnstrūctus : provided with a sort of hinder claw.
↑Quadriduum : of four days' length.
↑Sīcubi : if at any time.
↑Mālōs citreās : lemon-trees.
↑Calceāmenta tībiāliaque : boots and stockings.
↑Soccōs : shoes or slippers.
↑Verū . . . idōneōs : to carry the spit.
↑Ad haec cum : when in addition . . .
↑Ephippiīs subjectam : put under their saddles.
↑Īnfēcit : seasoned.
↑Caelī tempestās : weather.
↑Dēsaevierat : had become less wild.
↑Alere : keep alive.
↑Coquī . . . fūnctus : playing the part of a cook.
↑Sī suppetant . . . cōpia : if a man has an abundant supply of
all he desires.
↑Cujus . . . conquiēscam : in whose friendship with me I might
find repose.
↑Maculāsque : meshes.
↑Culicēsque : gnats.
↑Muriā condiendam : to pickle it with brine.
↑Praebuisset : might have supplied.
↑Identidem omnia expertus : after repeated tests.
↑Nec cōnstābat : nor was it clear.
↑Intextīs rāmālibus : with small branches woven together.
↑Flūctibus sēsē invicem . . . pellentibus : by the waves chasing
one another.
↑Aquīs subeuntibus : when it was high water.
↑Tūberibus sōlānōrum : potatoes.
↑Temere : without much reason.
↑Quippe quae : whereas, it . . .
↑Ut vōx faucibus haerēret : it could make no noise.
↑Subsultantēs : frisking.
↑Coāgulātō : curdled.
↑Īnserī : to be grafted.
↑In nūdam . . . excurrēbat : extended into a bare plain.
↑Quae mōliēbātur cōnsilia : the plans he was forming.
↑Certiōra vīsūrus : to get more certain information.
↑Rūdera : rubbish.
↑Solō ita mollī innīxum : rested on ground so rotten.
↑Operāriīs : labourers.
↑Culmō : with thatch.
↑Ārefierent : might be dried.
↑Cācabōs catīnōsque : saucepans and dishes.
↑Operam . . . nāvat : works hard.
↑Retractāret : did over again.
↑Praefīgeret : which he might fix on to . , .
↑Ālitēs : winged.
↑Exācta : finished.
↑Diffluēbant : were dropping to pieces.
↑Tignum : a long pole.
↑Vōcēs : words or expressions.
↑Calceōrum et tībiālium : boots and stockings.
↑Incīsīs . . . trājēcit : he cut holes and drew the thread
through.
↑Tunicam brācāsque : coat and breeches.
↑Obsitam : covered over.
↑Unde . . . redīre : from which they say no one returns.
↑Gradum corripere : to hasten its coming.
↑Nē interclūderētur : lest the perspiration should be checked.
↑Bulbum sōlānī frīxum : a dried potato.
↑Rōre madentium : dripping with dew.
↑Ūtilī . . . licēret : he could not devote some time to useful
occupation.
↑Nec temere : not unreasonably.
↑Furfure : from the chaff.
↑Superne : at the top.
↑Depsendō : by kneading.
↑Nōn ita contemnendum : by no means to be despised.
↑Cāseōs . . . premere : make cheese.
↑Querendī locus : reason for complaint.
↑Cum quōlibet animante : any living thing.
↑Trīticum : wheat.
↑Īnsertās : which he had planted.
↑Circumcīdere : prune.
↑Scopō : the target.
↑Objēcit sibi : he charged against himself.
↑Fingeret : he imagined.
↑Quam sibi videt, etc. : the shorter the way the better, he
thought.
↑Cōnsiliī compos : master of himself.
↑Rūsculum : his country seat.
↑Cuivīs ignāvō . . . fuisset : would have been clear to any
block-head.
↑Adaequāret solō : raze to the ground.
↑Cunīculum : an underground passage, like a rabbit's burrow.
↑Sēpositum : stored.
↑Inconditō : confused.
↑Necī addictōs : doomed.
↑Prōstrātum adortī : setting to work on him when he was on the
ground.
↑Siste gradum ! : stop!
↑Intorquet : lets fly.
↑Dē mediō tollerētur : should be put out of the way.
↑Expugnātōque : and having made themselves masters of it.
↑Intuentis : as he watched.
↑Hoc facere : to take the latter course.
↑Quid in spatiō . . . interjectō : what was going on in the
space intervening . . .
↑Nōndum vacāverat : there had not yet been leisure.
↑Lāneīs : woolly.
↑Rēgem agere : play the king.
↑Eā lēge : on this condition.
↑Vacāret : be ready to do.
↑Comitātū : a court, i.e., followers.
↑Spectātam : tested.
↑Helluōnum : gluttons.
↑Sarmentōrum : dry boughs.
↑Zēae : wheat.
↑Īnsitus . . . amor : innate desire for his own safety.
↑Carnī . . . assīderet : sit down to turn the meat on a spit.
↑Populāribus : fellow-countrymen.
↑Ut . . . vindicāret : that he bound Friday to himself as a
servant by a legal right.
↑Quō dēcrētō : this being decided.
↑Pālīs : stakes.
↑Mīrum quantum : it was wonderful how much.
↑Populārium amantior : more attached to his fellow-countrymen.
↑Nōn ūnīus : i.e., more than one.
↑Subāctīs : made soft.
↑Fīla ēdūcendī : of making yarn.
↑Habēre . . . ratiōnem : take account.
↑Terrae continentis : the continent.
↑Praesentius auxilium : more prompt help.
↑Incitātius : with greater impetus.
↑Male multārent : would ill use.
↑Perspectōs : thoroughly well known.
↑Aciē . . . dīrēctā : having turned his gaze eastward.
↑Centiēs superāre : was a hundred times bigger.
↑Strāgulīs : blankets, rugs.
↑Blandītam : fawned.
↑Supellēctilem : gear.
↑Cādōs : casks.
↑Orȳzae : rice.
↑Pulveris nitrātī : gunpowder.
↑Globulōrum plumbeōrum : bullets.
↑Sclopēta : muskets.
↑Caela : chisels.
↑Terebrās : gimlets.
↑Rādulās : razors.
↑Runcīnās : planes.
↑Forficēs : scissors.
↑Forcipēs : tongs.
↑Stanneam, cupream : of tin and copper.
↑Cistās : chests.
↑Ocreārum : leggings.
↑Sclopētōrum manuālium : pistols.
↑Vēnāticōs : for hunting.
↑Pyrothēcam : tinder-box.
↑Dēprōmptās : which he had brought out.
↑Manicīs : the sleeves.
↑Tubō opticō : a telescope.
↑Fūnem incendiārium : lighted tow.
↑Rīmulae : touch-hole.
↑Exspectātiōne Rōbinsōnis : than what Robinson had expected.
↑Collīneāverat : aimed.
↑Āmentem . . . referre : to be like a madman.
↑Rēmigēs dē plēbe : common sailors.
↑Ut ageret animam : give up the ghost.
↑In speculīs : on the watch.
↑Satius dūxit : thought it better.
↑Ūnā colloquendī : talking together.
↑Fabrō lignāriō : carpenter.
↑Irrogātam : ordained.
↑Dūxerant : married.
↑Ad bonam frūgem : good conduct.
↑Ōlim : some time or other.
↑Omnī cōnātū : than all they could try.
↑Frequentem : crowded.
↑Fabrōrum tignāriōrum : carpenters.