The Social Cancer: A Complete English Version of Noli Me Tangere — Page 8
In a report written for his superior in 1680 he outlines the method clearly: "In order that those whom we have assembled in the three villages may persevere in their settlements, the most efficacious fear and the one most suited to their nature is that the Spaniards of the fort and presidio of Paynaven [2] of whom they have a very great fear, may come very often to the said villages and overrun the land, and penetrate even into their old recesses where they formerly lived; and if perchance they should find anything planted in the said recesses that they would destroy it and cut it down without leaving them anything.
In un rapporto scritto per il suo superiore nel 1680 egli delinea il metodo chiaramente: "Affinché coloro che abbiamo riunito nei tre villaggi perseverino nei loro insediamenti, il timore più efficace e quello più adatto alla loro natura è che gli Spagnoli del forte e presidio di Paynaven [2], dei quali essi hanno una grandissima paura, vengano molto spesso nei suddetti villaggi e scorrano la terra, e penetrino persino nei loro antichi rifugi dove un tempo vivevano; e se per caso dovessero trovare qualcosa di piantato nei suddetti rifugi, lo distruggerebbero e lo abbatterebbero senza lasciar loro nulla.
And so that they may see the father protects them, when the said Spaniards come to the village, the father opposes them and takes the part of the Indians.
E affinché possano vedere che il padre li protegge, quando i suddetti Spagnoli vengono al villaggio, il padre si oppone a loro e prende le parti degli Indiani.
But it is always necessary in this matter for the soldiers to conquer, and the father is always very careful always to inform the Spaniards by whom and where anything is planted which it may be necessary to destroy, and that the edicts which his Lordship, the governor, sent them be carried out ....
Ma in questa faccenda è sempre necessario che i soldati abbiano la meglio, e il padre si preoccupa sempre con grande cura di informare gli Spagnoli da chi e dove qualcosa venga piantato che possa essere necessario distruggere, e che gli editti che Sua Signoria, il governatore, ha loro inviato vengano eseguiti....
But at all events said Spaniards are to make no trouble for the Indians whom they find in the villages, but rather must treat them well."
Ma in ogni caso i suddetti Spagnoli non devono creare problemi agli Indiani che trovano nei villaggi, ma anzi devono trattarli bene."
Vocabulary
- rapporto
- A written report or account of something
- scritto
- Written; past participle of the verb scrivere
- superiore
- A superior or higher-ranking person in a hierarchy
- egli
- Third-person singular masculine pronoun meaning 'he'
- delinea
- Outlines or describes something in clear detail
- metodo
- A method or systematic way of doing something
- chiaramente
- Clearly; in a clear and understandable manner
- Affinché
- Conjunction meaning 'so that' or 'in order that'
- coloro
- Pronoun meaning 'those' referring to a group of people
- riunito
- Gathered or brought together into one place or group
- villaggi
- Villages; small rural settlements or communities
- perseverino
- May they persevere or continue with determination
- insediamenti
- Settlements; places where people have established residence
- timore
- Fear or apprehension felt toward something threatening
- efficace
- Effective; producing the desired result or outcome
- adatto
- Suitable or appropriate for a particular purpose or person
- natura
- Nature; the inherent character or quality of something
- Spagnoli
- Spaniards; people of Spanish nationality or origin
- forte
- A fort or fortified military structure
- presidio
- A garrison or military outpost guarding a territory
- essi
- Third-person plural pronoun meaning 'they'
- grandissima
- Superlative form of grande, meaning 'very great' or 'enormous'
- paura
- Fear; a strong feeling of being afraid of something
- vengano
- Subjunctive form of venire, meaning 'may they come'
- spesso
- Often; frequently occurring or happening regularly
- suddetti
- The aforementioned; referring to previously mentioned persons
- scorrano
- May they roam or pass through an area quickly
- terra
- Land or earth; a territory or piece of ground
- penetrino
- May they penetrate or enter deeply into a place
- persino
- Adverb meaning 'even,' emphasizing an extreme or unexpected case
- antichi
- Ancient or old; belonging to a distant past time
- rifugi
- Refuges or shelters; places of safety and protection
- tempo
- Time; a period or duration in which something occurs
- vivevano
- Imperfect tense of vivere, meaning 'they used to live'
- caso
- Case or chance; a situation that happens by circumstance
- dovessero
- Subjunctive of dovere, meaning 'should they have to'
- trovare
- To find or discover something or someone
- qualcosa
- Something; an unspecified thing or object
- piantato
- Planted; something placed or sown into the ground
- distruggerebbero
- They would destroy or demolish something completely
- abbatterebbero
- They would knock down or demolish something forcefully
- senza
- Preposition meaning 'without,' indicating absence or lack
- lasciar
- To leave or allow; short form of lasciare
- nulla
- Nothing; not anything at all remaining or existing
- affinché
- Conjunction meaning 'so that,' expressing purpose or intent
- possano
- Subjunctive of potere, meaning 'may they be able'
- vedere
- To see or observe something visually
- padre
- Father; a male parent or a religious priest
- protegge
- Protects or defends someone from harm or danger
- vengono
- Third-person plural of venire, meaning 'they come'
- villaggio
- A village; a small rural community or settlement
- oppone
- Opposes or stands against something or someone
- prende
- Takes or grabs; third-person singular of prendere
- parti
- Parts or sides in a dispute or situation
- Indiani
- Indigenous people; referring to Native American populations
- faccenda
- A matter or affair; something that needs to be dealt with
- sempre
- Always; at all times or on every occasion
- necessario
- Necessary; something that is required or indispensable
- soldati
- Soldiers; members of an army or military force
- abbiano
- Subjunctive of avere, meaning 'may they have'
- meglio
- Better; comparative adverb of bene meaning 'well'
- preoccupa
- Worries or concerns; causes anxiety or unease in someone
- grande
- Great or large; of considerable size or importance
- cura
- Care or attention given to something or someone
- informare
- To inform or notify someone about a situation
- venga
- Subjunctive of venire, meaning 'may he/she come'
- possa
- Subjunctive of potere, meaning 'may he/she be able'
- distruggere
- To destroy or demolish something completely
- editti
- Edicts or official decrees issued by an authority
- Signoria
- A formal title meaning 'Lordship' or 'Your Honor'
- governatore
- A governor; an official who rules over a region
- inviato
- Sent; past participle of inviare, to send something
- eseguiti
- Executed or carried out; past participle of eseguire
- ogni
- Every or each; referring to all members of a group
- devono
- Third-person plural of dovere, meaning 'they must'
- creare
- To create or cause something to come into existence
- problemi
- Problems or difficulties that need to be resolved
- trovano
- They find; third-person plural of trovare
- anzi
- On the contrary; rather, used to correct or strengthen
- trattarli
- To treat them; infinitive with attached pronoun 'li'
- bene
- Well or good; in a satisfactory or positive manner
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