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O Guarani 6.23 · 6.23

Their ruling passion is vengeance

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— Conheces tão bem como eu, Aires, o caráter desses selvagens; sabes que a sua paixão dominante é a vingança, e que por ela sacrificam tudo, a vida e a liberdade.

— You know as well as I do, Aires, the character of those savages; you know that their ruling passion is revenge, and that for it they sacrifice everything — life and liberty.

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The setting

D. Antônio names the true danger: he knows the savages' character as well as the squire does — their ruling passion is revenge, for which they sacrifice everything, life and liberty.

A note on this passage

D. Antônio names the engine of the coming catastrophe: Indian vengeance. It is dramatic irony — the reader already saw D. Diogo's crime, and knows the debt will be collected.

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O Guarani 6.23 — The Great Library Project interlinear edition · greatlibraryproject.com/book/guarani/6.23/