1. Quid etiam in pāgō Aeduōrum gestum sit, referam. ubi dum templum itidem ēverteret, furēns gentīlium rusticōrum in eum irruit multitūdo. cumque ūnus audācior cēterīs strictō eum gladiō peteret, rēiectō palliō nūdam cervicem percussūrō praebuit. 2. nec cunctātus ferīre gentīlis, sed cum dexteram altius extulisset, resupīnus ruit, cōnsternātusque dīvīnō metū veniam precābātur. 3. nec dissimile huic fuit illud. cum eum īdōla dēstruentem cultrō quīdam ferīre voluisset, in ipsō ictū ferrum eī dē manibus excussum nōn compāruit. 4. plērumque autem contrā dīcentibus sibi rusticīs, nē eōrum fāna dēstrueret, ita praedīcātiōne sānctā gentīles animōs mītigābat, ut lūce eīs vēritātis ostēnsā ipsī sua templa subverterent.
notes
Aeduorum: 'of the Aedui', a large and important Gallic people occupying the territory between the Saone and the Loire rivers. Historical map.
stricto . . . gladio: 'with his sword drawn' (> stringo).
peteret: 'was attacking'.
reiecto pallio: 'with his cloak having been cast aside' (> reicio).
percussuro: 'to the one about to strike' (> percutio).
gentilis: 'the heathen (man)'.
huic . . . illud: 'this (just mentioned) . . . the following'.
non comparuit: 'disappeared' (> compareo).
plerumque autem contrā dīcentibus sibi rusticīs: 'generally, however, when the peasants were speaking speaking to him in opposition'.
vocabulary
pāgus -ī m.: district, canton, province
itidem: (adv.) in like manner, so, in the same way
stringō stringere strinxī strictum: draw tightly, bind
rēicio -icere -iēcī -iectum: throw, cast back
pallium -ī n.: coverlet; Greek cloak or mantle
cervīx -īcis f.: neck
percutiō -cutere -cussī -cussum: strike through; slay, kill
cunctor -ārī: delay, tarry, linger
resupīnus -a -um: thrown backwards, stretched out
ruō ruere ruī rūtum: throw down, overthrow; rush down
cōnsternō -āre: alarm, overwhelm with terror
dissimilis -e: unlike, dissimilar, different
īdōlon -ī n.: idol
culter -trī m.: knife
excutiō -cutere -cussī -cussum: shake out, shake off, force away
compāreō -ēre -uī: appear, be visible
praedicātio -ōnis f.: preaching
mītigō -āre: soften, soothe, appease
vēritās -ātis f.: truth, verity
subvertō -vertere -vertī -versum: turn upside down; ruin, destroy