The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African: Written By Himself — Page 2
I believe there are few events in my life, which have not happened to many: it is true the incidents of it are numerous; and, did I consider myself an European, I might say my sufferings were great: but when I compare my lot with that of most of my countrymen, I regard myself as a _particular favourite of Heaven_, and acknowledge the mercies of Providence in every occurrence of my life.
Credo che vi siano pochi eventi nella mia vita che non siano capitati a molti: è vero che gli episodi sono numerosi; e, se mi considerassi un Europeo, potrei dire che le mie sofferenze furono grandi: ma quando paragono la mia sorte a quella della maggior parte dei miei compatrioti, mi considero un _prediletto particolare del Cielo_, e riconosco le misericordie della Provvidenza in ogni circostanza della mia vita.
If then the following narrative does not appear sufficiently interesting to engage general attention, let my motive be some excuse for its publication.
Se dunque la seguente narrazione non appare sufficientemente interessante da attirare l'attenzione generale, che il mio movente sia una qualche giustificazione per la sua pubblicazione.
I am not so foolishly vain as to expect from it either immortality or literary reputation.
Non sono così scioccamente vanitoso da attendermi da essa né l'immortalità né la reputazione letteraria.
If it affords any satisfaction to my numerous friends, at whose request it has been written, or in the smallest degree promotes the interests of humanity, the ends for which it was undertaken will be fully attained, and every wish of my heart gratified.
Se essa reca qualche soddisfazione ai miei numerosi amici, su cui richiesta è stata scritta, o promuove anche in minima parte gli interessi dell'umanità, gli scopi per i quali è stata intrapresa saranno pienamente raggiunti, e ogni desiderio del mio cuore appagato.
Let it therefore be remembered, that, in wishing to avoid censure, I do not aspire to praise.
Si ricordi dunque che, nel voler evitare la censura, non aspiro alla lode.
That part of Africa, known by the name of Guinea, to which the trade for slaves is carried on, extends along the coast above 3400 miles, from the Senegal to Angola, and includes a variety of kingdoms.
Quella parte dell'Africa, nota con il nome di Guinea, verso cui è diretto il commercio degli schiavi, si estende lungo la costa per oltre 3400 miglia, dal Senegal all'Angola, e comprende una varietà di regni.
Of these the most considerable is the kingdom of Benen, both as to extent and wealth, the richness and cultivation of the soil, the power of its king, and the number and warlike disposition of the inhabitants.
Di questi il più ragguardevole è il regno di Benin, sia per estensione che per ricchezza, per la fertilità e la coltivazione del suolo, per il potere del suo re, e per il numero e la disposizione bellicosa degli abitanti.
Vocabulary
- Credo
- I believe; expression of belief or conviction
- che
- that; conjunction connecting clauses
- vi
- there; pronoun indicating place or indirect object
- siano
- are; subjunctive form of essere (to be)
- pochi
- few; small number of something
- eventi
- events; things that happen or occur
- nella
- in the; contraction of in and la
- mia
- my; feminine possessive adjective
- vita
- life; period of a person's existence
- non
- not; negation word
- capitati
- happened; past participle of capitare (to occur)
- a
- to; preposition indicating direction or recipient
- molti
- many; a large number of people or things
- è
- is; third person singular of essere (to be)
- vero
- true; corresponding to fact or reality
- gli
- the; masculine plural definite article
- episodi
- episodes; distinct events or incidents in a sequence
- sono
- are; first or third person plural of essere
- numerosi
- numerous; existing in great numbers
- e
- and; conjunction joining words or clauses
- se
- if; conditional conjunction
- mi
- me; first person singular reflexive pronoun
- considerassi
- considered; imperfect subjunctive of considerare
- un
- a; masculine indefinite article
- Europeo
- European; person from the European continent
- potrei
- I could; conditional of potere (to be able)
- dire
- to say; to express something verbally
- le
- the; feminine plural definite article
- mie
- my; feminine plural possessive adjective
- sofferenze
- sufferings; experiences of pain or hardship
- furono
- were; third person plural past tense of essere
- grandi
- great; large in size, degree, or importance
- ma
- but; conjunction indicating contrast
- quando
- when; at the time that
- paragono
- I compare; first person singular of paragonare
- la
- the; feminine singular definite article
- sorte
- fate; destiny or lot in life
- quella
- that; feminine demonstrative pronoun or adjective
- della
- of the; contraction of di and la
- maggior
- greater; comparative form of grande
- parte
- part; a portion or section of a whole
- dei
- of the; contraction of di and i
- miei
- my; masculine plural possessive adjective
- compatrioti
- compatriots; people from the same country
- considero
- I consider; to regard or think about carefully
- prediletto
- favorite; most favored or chosen one
- particolare
- particular; specific or special among others
- del
- of the; contraction of di and il
- Cielo
- Heaven; sky or divine realm above
- riconosco
- I recognize; to acknowledge or identify something
- misericordie
- mercies; acts of compassion or divine grace
- Provvidenza
- Providence; divine guidance or protective care
- in
- in; preposition indicating location or state
- ogni
- every; each one without exception
- circostanza
- circumstance; a condition or fact affecting a situation
- Se
- if; conditional conjunction beginning a clause
- dunque
- therefore; consequently or as a result
- seguente
- following; coming after in order or time
- narrazione
- narration; account or telling of a story
- appare
- appears; seems to be; third person singular of apparire
- sufficientemente
- sufficiently; to an adequate or satisfactory degree
- interessante
- interesting; arousing curiosity or attention
- da
- from; by; preposition indicating origin or agent
- attirare
- to attract; to draw interest or attention
- l'
- the; elided definite article before vowel
- attenzione
- attention; focused awareness or interest
- generale
- general; widespread; applying broadly
- il
- the; masculine singular definite article
- mio
- my; masculine singular possessive adjective
- movente
- motive; reason or incentive for an action
- sia
- be; present subjunctive of essere
- una
- a; feminine indefinite article
- qualche
- some; a certain amount or number of
- giustificazione
- justification; reason that makes something acceptable
- per
- for; preposition indicating purpose or reason
- sua
- its/his/her; feminine singular possessive adjective
- pubblicazione
- publication; act of making something publicly available
- Non
- not; negation particle
- così
- so; thus; in this way
- scioccamente
- foolishly; in a silly or senseless manner
- vanitoso
- vain; excessively proud about one's appearance or abilities
- attendermi
- to expect; to await something for oneself
- essa
- it/she; third person feminine singular pronoun
- né
- nor; neither; negative conjunction
- immortalità
- immortality; state of living or lasting forever
- reputazione
- reputation; general opinion others hold of someone
- letteraria
- literary; relating to literature or writing
- reca
- brings; third person singular of recare (to bring)
- soddisfazione
- satisfaction; fulfillment of a need or desire
- ai
- to the; contraction of a and i
- amici
- friends; people with whom one has a bond
- su
- on; upon; preposition indicating position
- cui
- whose; whom; relative pronoun
- richiesta
- request; an act of asking for something
- stata
- been; feminine past participle of essere
- scritta
- written; feminine past participle of scrivere
- o
- or; conjunction indicating alternatives
- promuove
- promotes; supports or advances something actively
- anche
- also; even; in addition
- minima
- minimal; the smallest or least possible
- interessi
- interests; benefits or concerns of a person
- dell'
- of the; elided contraction of di and l'
- umanità
- humanity; all human beings collectively
- scopi
- purposes; goals or aims of an action
- i
- the; masculine plural definite article
- quali
- which; relative pronoun referring to things or people
- intrapresa
- undertaken; feminine past participle of intraprendere
- saranno
- will be; future tense of essere
- pienamente
- fully; completely; to the greatest extent
- raggiunti
- achieved; past participle of raggiungere (to reach)
- desiderio
- desire; wish; strong feeling of wanting something
- cuore
- heart; the organ; also center of emotions
- appagato
- satisfied; fulfilled; past participle of appagare
- Si
- one; reflexive particle used in impersonal constructions
- ricordi
- remember; let it be remembered; subjunctive of ricordare
- nel
- in the; contraction of in and il
- voler
- wanting; infinitive volere (to want) truncated
- evitare
- to avoid; to keep away from something
- censura
- censure; harsh criticism or official condemnation
- aspiro
- I aspire; I strive toward a goal
- alla
- to the; contraction of a and la
- lode
- praise; expression of admiration or approval
- Quella
- that; feminine demonstrative pronoun
- nota
- known; noted; feminine past participle of notare
- con
- with; preposition indicating accompaniment
- nome
- name; word by which something is identified
- di
- of; preposition indicating possession or origin
- verso
- toward; preposition indicating direction
- diretto
- directed; aimed toward a specific target
- commercio
- commerce; trade or exchange of goods
- degli
- of the; contraction of di and gli
- schiavi
- slaves; people forced to work without freedom
- si
- itself; reflexive pronoun for impersonal use
- estende
- extends; stretches over an area
- lungo
- along; lengthwise beside something
- costa
- coast; land bordering the sea or ocean
- oltre
- beyond; more than a given limit
- miglia
- miles; plural of miglio (unit of distance)
- dal
- from the; contraction of da and il
- all'
- to the; elided contraction of a and l'
- comprende
- includes; encompasses a variety of things
- varietà
- variety; diversity of different kinds
- regni
- kingdoms; territories ruled by a king
- Di
- of; among; preposition used comparatively
- questi
- these; masculine plural demonstrative pronoun
- più
- most; more; comparative or superlative particle
- ragguardevole
- noteworthy; remarkable; deserving of attention
- regno
- kingdom; realm ruled by a monarch
- estensione
- extension; size or breadth of an area
- ricchezza
- wealth; abundance of valuable resources
- fertilità
- fertility; capacity to produce abundant crops
- coltivazione
- cultivation; process of farming or growing crops
- suolo
- soil; ground or earth for farming
- potere
- power; ability or authority to do something
- suo
- his/its; masculine singular possessive adjective
- re
- king; male monarch who rules a kingdom
- numero
- number; count or quantity of people or things
- disposizione
- disposition; tendency or inclination toward behavior
- bellicosa
- warlike; inclined toward aggression or conflict
- abitanti
- inhabitants; people who live in a place
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