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Chronicon Terrae Prussiae (Chronicle of the Prussian Land)/Book 4 · Tercia pars: De bellis fratrum domus Theutonice contra Pruthenos
Chapter 94ChrP.4.94

De desolacione castri Waistotepile.

The Siege and Secret Withdrawal from Waistotepile

The Prussians fiercely besieged the castle of Waistotepile all day, but when they withdrew without success, the brothers judged the fortress indefensible and secretly burned it before retreating.

Not yet sated by the harm done to the brothers, the Prussians gathered a great army and, besieging the castle of Waistotepile, fiercely attacked it all day long until twilight, while the brothers defended themselves courageously from the opposite side. But when the Prussians had withdrawn, their objective unachieved, the brothers considered the weakness of the castle and that they could not by any means withstand such severe assaults without great peril; so they burned the castle and withdrew in secret.12

Read the original Latin

Necdum saciati Prutheni incommodo fratrum collegerunt magnum exerci tum, et obsidentes castrum Waistotepilam tota die usque ad crepusculum fortiter impugnaverunt, fratribus ex opposito viriliter se defendentibus. Sed cum Prutheni infecto negocio recessissent, fratres considerantes infirmitatem castri, et quod non possent tarn graves impugnaciones arnmodo sine magno periculo sustinere, combusto Castro secrete recesserunt.

Notes

  1. 1The form 'tarn' (token 14) is likely a corruption of tam ('so/such'); 'arnmodo' (token 17) is an uncertain medieval form, rendered here as 'by any means' following the candidate gloss.
  2. 2infecto negocio is rendered as 'their objective unachieving' — a standard medieval Latin idiom meaning 'with the task undone.'

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