The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African: Written By Himself — Page 4
This mark is conferred on the person entitled to it, by cutting the skin across at the top of the forehead, and drawing it down to the eye-brows; and while it is in this situation applying a warm hand, and rubbing it until it shrinks up into a thick _weal_ across the lower part of the forehead.
Esta marca se confiere a la persona que tiene derecho a ella, cortando la piel transversalmente en la parte superior de la frente y arrastrándola hacia las cejas; y mientras se encuentra en esta situación, aplicando una mano caliente y frotándola hasta que se encoge formando una gruesa _cicatriz_ en la parte inferior de la frente.
Most of the judges and senators were thus marked; my father had long born it: I had seen it conferred on one of my brothers, and I was also _destined_ to receive it by my parents.
La mayoría de los jueces y senadores estaban así marcados; mi padre lo había llevado durante mucho tiempo: yo había visto cómo se le confería a uno de mis hermanos, y yo también estaba _destinado_ a recibirlo por parte de mis padres.
Those Embrence, or chief men, decided disputes and punished crimes; for which purpose they always assembled together.
Aquellos Embrence, o hombres principales, resolvían disputas y castigaban crímenes; para cuyo propósito siempre se reunían juntos.
The proceedings were generally short; and in most cases the law of retaliation prevailed.
Los procedimientos eran generalmente breves; y en la mayoría de los casos prevalecía la ley del talión.
I remember a man was brought before my father, and the other judges, for kidnapping a boy; and, although he was the son of a chief or senator, he was condemned to make recompense by a man or woman slave.
Recuerdo que un hombre fue llevado ante mi padre y los demás jueces por secuestrar a un niño; y, aunque era hijo de un jefe o senador, fue condenado a hacer restitución mediante un esclavo hombre o mujer.
Adultery, however, was sometimes punished with slavery or death; a punishment which I believe is inflicted on it throughout most of the nations of Africa[A]: so sacred among them is the honour of the marriage bed, and so jealous are they of the fidelity of their wives.
El adulterio, sin embargo, era a veces castigado con la esclavitud o la muerte; un castigo que creo se impone en la mayor parte de las naciones de África[A]: tan sagrado es entre ellos el honor del lecho matrimonial, y tan celosos son de la fidelidad de sus esposas.
Of this I recollect an instance:--a woman was convicted before the judges of adultery, and delivered over, as the custom was, to her husband to be punished.
De esto recuerdo un ejemplo: una mujer fue declarada culpable ante los jueces de adulterio, y entregada, como era costumbre, a su marido para ser castigada.
Vocabulary
- Esta
- This (feminine singular demonstrative pronoun or adjective)
- marca
- Mark, brand, or scar on the skin
- se
- Reflexive pronoun; oneself or themselves
- la
- The (feminine singular definite article)
- persona
- Person; individual human being
- que
- That, which, or who (relative pronoun)
- tiene
- Has or possesses (third person singular present)
- derecho
- Right, law, or privilege; also straight
- ella
- She or her (feminine third person pronoun)
- cortando
- Cutting or slicing (present participle)
- piel
- Skin or hide of a person or animal
- en
- In, on, or at (preposition)
- parte
- Part, portion, or section of something
- superior
- Upper, higher, or superior in position
- de
- Of, from, or belonging to (preposition)
- frente
- Forehead or front; facing direction
- arrastrándola
- Dragging it (feminine object, present participle)
- hacia
- Toward or in the direction of
- las
- The (feminine plural definite article)
- cejas
- Eyebrows above the eyes
- mientras
- While, meanwhile, or during the time that
- encuentra
- Finds or meets (third person singular present)
- situación
- Situation, condition, or state of affairs
- aplicando
- Applying or putting into practice
- una
- A or one (feminine singular indefinite article)
- mano
- Hand or manual labor
- caliente
- Hot or warm in temperature
- frotándola
- Rubbing it (feminine object, present participle)
- hasta
- Until, up to, or as far as
- formando
- Forming or creating shape
- gruesa
- Thick or coarse (feminine singular adjective)
- cicatriz
- Scar left after a wound heals
- inferior
- Lower, beneath, or inferior in position
- La
- The (feminine singular definite article)
- mayoría
- Majority or greater number of people
- los
- The (masculine plural definite article)
- jueces
- Judges who decide legal cases
- senadores
- Senators or members of senate
- estaban
- Were or used to be (third person plural)
- así
- Thus, so, or in this manner
- marcados
- Marked or bearing visible marks
- mi
- My or mine (possessive adjective)
- padre
- Father or male parent
- lo
- It or him (masculine singular pronoun)
- había
- Had or was (past tense auxiliary verb)
- llevado
- Carried, worn, or borne (past participle)
- durante
- During or throughout a period of time
- mucho
- Much, a lot, or a large amount
- tiempo
- Time, period, or weather conditions
- yo
- I or me (first person singular pronoun)
- visto
- Seen or observed (past participle)
- cómo
- How or in what manner
- le
- To him, her, or you (indirect object)
- uno
- One or a person in general
- mis
- My or mine (possessive adjective plural)
- hermanos
- Brothers or male siblings
- también
- Also, too, or likewise
- estaba
- Was or used to be (singular past)
- destinado
- Destined or intended for a purpose
- recibirlo
- To receive it (infinitive with pronoun)
- por
- By, for, or through (preposition)
- padres
- Parents or father and mother
- Aquellos
- Those or that ones (masculine plural)
- hombres
- Men or male human beings
- principales
- Main, principal, or most important
- resolvían
- Resolved or decided disputes and matters
- disputas
- Disputes, arguments, or disagreements
- castigaban
- Punished or penalized wrongdoers
- crímenes
- Crimes or serious criminal offenses
- cuyo
- Whose or of which (relative possessive)
- propósito
- Purpose, intention, or aim
- siempre
- Always or at all times constantly
- reunían
- Gathered or assembled together regularly
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