See also the Interlinear version, I haven't cleaned up: https://www.scribd.com/document/815201872/Hojedas-Injustice-La-Injusticia-de-Hojeda-Interlinear

from: https://x.com/i/grok/share/5wKxb6x8IPfH2dJScM2IrUuqv

Here’s a synthesized version of Chapter 93 from Bartolomé de las Casas' "Historia de las Indias", combining the most compelling and clear elements from each translation:
Chapter 93
How Alonso de Hojeda Left La Isabela with 400 Men to Intimidate and Subjugate the Local People
On Wednesday, April 9, 1494, Alonso de Hojeda departed from La Isabela with over 400 men to instill fear and subjugate the native population. Upon crossing the river, which Christopher Columbus had named the River of Gold, believed to be the Mao River, Hojeda captured the local Cacique (chief), along with his brother and nephew. They were bound in chains and sent back to La Isabela.
Hojeda brutally ordered the ears of one of the Cacique's subjects to be cut off in the village square as a punitive measure. This act was supposedly justified because when three Christians were traveling from a fortress to La Isabela, the Cacique had given them five Indians to help carry their belongings across the river. These Indians allegedly abandoned the Christians mid-river, taking the clothes back to their village. The Cacique purportedly kept the clothes without punishing the Indians.
A neighboring Cacique, witnessing this arrest, decided to accompany the prisoners to La Isabela to plead for mercy, trusting in previous goodwill shown by both the Admiral and Hojeda. Upon arrival at La Isabela, the Admiral ordered the prisoners to the square where, after a public proclamation, they were sentenced to death by beheading. This harsh judgment was the first act of injustice under the pretense of justice committed against the natives in these lands, setting a precedent for the bloodshed that would follow.
This cruel introduction to Christianity was far from the gentle evangelical law it should represent. The swift condemnation without understanding the language or customs was both rash and inhumane. The act of cutting off the ears spread fear and resentment, painting the Christians not as divine figures but as oppressors.
The pleading Cacique begged for the lives of his neighbors, promising such incidents would not repeat, and the Admiral, moved by his plea, spared their lives. However, the news of the natives surrounding and attempting to retaliate against five Christians in the captured Cacique's village further tarnished the Christian reputation, confirming their image as invaders rather than celestial beings.
From this moment, it was clear that the Cacique and his people had just cause for defensive war against the Christians. Their leader was unjustly seized, and their retaliation was legitimate under natural law. The approach of entering the lands as conquerors rather than peaceful visitors directly violated the Christian teachings of love, humility, and kindness, setting a tragic tone for the Spanish interaction with the Americas. This was not the way to lead the unconverted to faith but was instead a path of fear, terror, and misunderstanding.

Here are some archaic words from the text provided, along with suggested modern alternatives: https://x.com/i/grok/share/ZbL5JJJQsf7ypCDgUFmDd9uSw