Ulixes 6 (Ritchie's Fabulae Faciles) Ulysses 6 (Ritchie's Easy Stories)

Dum haec geruntur, Graecorum animos tantus terror occupavit ut ne vocem quidem edere possent, sed omni spe salutis deposita mortem praesentem exspectarent. While these things are going on, so great alarm has seized the minds of the Greeks, that they could not even utter a voice, but, laying down all hope of safety, should wait for their present death. Polyphemus, postquam fames hac tam horribili cena depulsa est, humi prostratus somno se dedit. Polyphemus, after the famine was driven away from this dreadful banquet, fell down on the ground and fell asleep. Quod cum vidisset Ulixes, tantam occasionem rei gerendae non omittendam arbitratus, in eo erat ut pectus monstri gladio transfigeret. When Ulysses saw this, and thought that such an opportunity for success should not be overlooked, he was in such a position to pierce the monster's breast with the sword. Cum tamen nihil temere agendum existimaret, constituit explorare, antequam hoc faceret, qua ratione ex spelunca evadere possent. When, however, he thought that nothing should be done rashly, he resolved to ascertain, before doing this, by what means they could escape from the cave. At cum saxum animadvertisset quo introitus obstructus erat, nihil sibi profuturum intellexit si Polyphemum interfecisset. But when he observed a stone by which the entrance had been blocked up, he realized that it would have no advantage if he had slain Polyphemus. Tanta enim erat eius saxi magnitudo ut ne a decem quidem hominibus amoveri posset. For the size of this rock was so great that it could not be removed even by ten men. Quae cum ita essent, Ulixes hoc conatu destitit et ad socios rediit; qui cum intellexissent quo in loco res essent, nulla spe salutis oblata de fortunis suis desperare coeperunt. When these things were so, Ulysses ceased this endeavor, and returned to his allies; who, when they had understood in what place the affairs were, when no hope of safety was offered, began to despair of their fortunes. Ille tamen ne animos demitterent vehementer hortatus est; demonstravit se iam antea e multis et magnis periculis evasisse, neque dubium esse quin in tanto discrimine di auxilium laturi essent. He, however, strongly exhorted them not to discourage their minds; he showed that he had already escaped from many and great dangers, and that there was no doubt that the gods would receive assistance in so great a crisis.