ALENCAR

O Guarani 2.28 · 2.28

A strict but just discipline

Read the full text in our reader

D. Antonio de Mariz, que os conhecia, havia estabelecido entre elles uma disciplina militar rigorosa, mas justa; a sua lei era a vontade do chefe; o seu dever a obediencia passiva, o seu direito uma parte igual na metade dos lucros.

Dom Antônio de Mariz, who knew them, had established among them a strict but fair military discipline: their law was the chief's will; their duty, passive obedience; their right, an equal share in half the profits.

Word by word

D.AntoniodeMariz,quekewhoosooshthemconheciako-nye-SEE-aknew,haviaa-VEE-ahadestabelecidoesh-ta-be-le-SEE-dooset upentreEN-treeamongellesE-leshthemumaOO-maadisciplinadee-see-PLEE-nadisciplinemilitarmee-lee-TARmilitaryrigorosahee-go-RO-zastrict,masmashbutjustaZHOOSH-tafair;aathesuaSOO-atheirleilaylaweraEH-rawasaathevontadevon-TA-deewilldodooof thechefeSHE-feechief;oootheseuseootheirdeverde-VERdutyaatheobedienciao-be-dee-EN-see-aobediencepassivapa-SEE-vapassive,oootheseuseootheirdireitodee-RAY-toorightumaOO-maanpartePAR-teeshareigualee-GWALequalnanain themetademe-TA-deehalfdosdooshof thelucrosLOO-krooshprofits.

The setting

Dom Antônio, who knew them, had set among them a strict but fair military discipline: their law was the chief's will; their duty, passive obedience; their right, an equal share in half the profits.

A note on this passage

The little state's constitution is given in three balanced clauses — law, duty, right — the prose itself as ordered as the regime it describes. Alencar makes the absolutism palatable by making it fair: the chief's will is total, but the profit is shared, and the source's stray space before a comma is the only thing out of place.

Read the full commentary — and tap any word for its dictionary entry — in the interlinear reader.

Open O Guarani 2.28 in the full reader

Always open passages in the reader

From the Great Library

You are reading a page of the O Guarani — the whole book is free in our interlinear reader.

The Great Library Project presses the classics in their original languages, glossed word by word — free to read, always. Browse the whole library.

Also on our shelves:

O Guarani 2.28 — The Great Library Project interlinear edition · greatlibraryproject.com/book/guarani/2.28/