on the ruin of britain-第1章

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On　The　Ruin　of　Britain　（De　Excidio　Britanniae）　

by　Gildas

Translation　by　J。A。　Giles




The　Works　of　Gildas　surnamed　〃Sapiens〃；　or　The　Wise。



I。　The　Preface


1。　Whatever　in　this　my　epistle　I　may　write　in　my　humble　but　well
meaning　manner；　rather　by　way　of　lamentation　than　for　display；　
let　no　one　suppose　that　it　springs　from　contempt　of　others　or　that
I　foolishly　esteem　myself　as　better　than　they；　…for　alas！　the　subject
of　my　complaint　is　the　general　destruction　of　every　thing　that　is
good；　and　the　general　growth　of　evil　throughout　the　land；but
that　I　rejoice　to　see　her　revive　therefrom：　for　it　is　my　present
purpose　to　relate　the　deeds　of　an　indolent　and　slothful　race；　rather
than　the　exploits　of　those　who　have　been　valiant　in　the　field*。
I　have　kept　silence；　I　confess；　with　much　mental　anguish；　compunction
of　feeling　and　contrition　of　heart；　whilst　I　revolved　all　these
things　within　myself；　and；　as　God　the　searcher　of　the　reins　is
witness；　for　the　space　of　even　ten　years　or　more；　＇my　inexperience；
as　at　present　also；　and　my　unworthiness　preventing　me　from　taking
upon　myself　the　character　of　a　censor。　　But　I　read　how　the
illustrious　lawgiver；　for　one　word's　doubting；　was　not　allowed
to　enter　the　desired　land；　that　the　sons　of　the　high…priest；　for
placing　strange　fire　upon　God's　altar；　were　cut　off　by　a　speedy
death；　that　God's　people；　for　breaking　the　law　of　God；　save　two
only；　were　slain　by　wild　beasts；　by　fire　and　sword　in　the　deserts
of　Arabia；　though　God　had　so　loved　them　that　he　had　made　a　way
for　them　through　the　Red　Sea；　had　fed　them　with　bread　from　heaven；
and　water　from　the　rock；　and　by　the　lifting　up　of　a　hand　merely
had　made　their　armies　invincible；　and　then；　when　they　had　crossed
the　Jordan　and　entered　the　unknown　land；　and　the　walls　of　the
city　had　fallen　down　flat　at　the　sound　only　of　a　trumpet；　the
taking　of　a　cloak　and　a　little　gold　from　the　accursed　things　caused
the　deaths　of　many：　and　again　the　breach　of　their　treaty　with　the
Gibeonites；　though　that　treaty　had　been　obtained　by　fraud；　brought
destruction　upon　many；　and　I　took　warning　from　the　sins　of　the
people　which　called　down　upon　them　the　reprehensions　of　the　prophets
and　also　of　Jeremiah；　with　his　fourfold　Lamentations　written　in
alphabetical　order。　　I　saw　moreover　in　my　own　time；　as　that　prophet
also　had　complained；　that　the　city　had　sat　down　lone　and　widowed；
which　before　was　full　of　people；　that　the　queen　of　nations　and
the　princess　of　provinces　（i。e。　the　church）；　had　been　made
tributary；　that　the　gold　was　obscured；　and　the　most　excellent
colour　（which　is　the　brightness　of　God's　word）　changed；　that　the
sons　of　Sion　（i。e。　of　holy　mother　church）；　once　famous　and　clothed
in　the　finest　gold；　grovelled　in　dung；　and　what　added　intolerably
to　the　weight　of　grief　of　that　illustrious　man；　and　to　mine；
though　but　an　abject；　whilst　he　had　thus　mourned　them　in　their
happy　and　prosperous　condition；　〃Her　Nazarites　were　fairer　than
snow；　more　ruddy　than　old　ivory；　more　beautiful　than　the　saphire。〃
These　and　many　other　passages　in　the　ancient　Scriptures　I　regarded
as　a　kind　of　mirror　of　human　life；　and　I　turned　also　to　the　New；
wherein　I　read　more　clearly　what　perhaps　to　me　before　was　dark；
for　the　darkness　fled；　and　truth　shed　her　steady　light…I　read
therein　that　the　Lord　had　said；　〃I　came　not　but　to　the　lost　sheep
of　the　house　of　Israel；〃　and　on　the　other　hand；　〃But　the　children
of　this　kingdom　shall　be　cast　out　into　outer　darkness；　there
shall　be　weeping　and　gnashing　of　teeth：〃　and　again；　〃It　is　not
good　to　take　the　children's　meat　and　to　give　it　to　dogs：〃　also；
〃Woe　to　you；　scribes　and　pharisees；　hypocrites！〃　　I　heard　how
〃many　shall　come　from　the　east　and　the　west　and　shall　sit　down
with　Abraham；　Isaac；　and　Jacob　in　the　kingdom　of　heaven：〃　and　on
the　contrary；　〃I　will　then　say　to　them　'Depart　from　me；　ye　workers
of　iniquity！'〃　　I　read；　〃Blessed　are　the　barren　and　the　teats
which　have　not　given　suck；〃　and　on　the　contrary；　〃Those；　who　were
ready；　entered　with　him　to　the　wedding；　afterwards　came　the　other
virgins　also；　saying　'Lord；　Lord；　open　to　us：'　to　whom　it　was
answered；　'I　do　not　know　you。'〃　　I　heard；　forsooth；　〃Whoever　shall
believe　and　be　baptized；　shall　be　saved；　but　whoever　shall　not
believe　shall　be　damned。〃　　I　read　in　the　words　of　the　apostle　that
the　branch　of　the　wild　olive　was　grafted　upon　the　good　olive；　but
should　nevertheless　be　cut　off　from　the　communion　of　the　root　of
its　fatness；　if　it　did　not　hold　itself　in　fear；　but　entertained
lofty　thoughts。　　I　knew　the　mercy　of　the　Lord；　but　I　also　feared
his　judgment：　I　praised　his　grace；　but　I　feared　the　rendering　to
every　man　according　to　his　works：　perceiving　the　sheep　of　the
same　fold　to　be　different；　I　deservedly　commended　Peter　for　his
entire　confession　of　Christ；　but　called　Judas　most　wretched；　for
his　love　of　covetousness：　I　thought　Stephen　most　glorious　on
account　of　the　palm　of　martyrdom；　but　Nicholas　wretched　for　his
mark　of　unclean　heresy：　I　read　assuredly；　〃They　had　all　things
common：〃　but　likewise　also；　as　it　is　written；　〃Why　have　ye
conspired　to　tempt　the　Spirit　of　God？〃　　I　saw；　on　the　other　hand；
how　much　security　had　grown　upon　the　men　of　our　time；　as　if　there
were　nothing　to　cause　them　fear。　　These　things；　therefore；　and
many　more　which　for　brevity's　sake　we　have　determined　to　omit；
I　revolved　again　and　again　in　my　amazed　mind　with　compunction
in　my　heart；　and　I　thought　to　myself；　〃If　God's　peculiar　people；
chosen　from　all　the　people　of　the　world；　the　royal　seed；　and　holy
nation；　to　whom　he　had　said；　'My　first　begotten　Israel；'　its
priests；　prophets；　and　kings；　throughout　so　many　ages；　　his
servant　and　apostle；　and　the　members　of　his　primitive　church；　were
not　spared　when　the　deviated　from　the　right　path；　what　will　he　do
to　the　darkness　of　this　our　age；　in　which；　besides　all　the　huge
and　heinous　sins；　which　it　has　common　with　all　the　wicked　of　the
world　committed；　is　found　an　innate；　indelible；　and　irremediable
load　of　folly　and　inconstancy？〃　　〃What；　wretched　man　（I　say　to
myself）　is　it　given　to　you；　as　if　you　were　an　illustrious　and
learned　teacher；　to　oppose　the　force　of　so　violent　a　torrent；
and　keep　the　charge　committed　to　you　against　such　a　series　of
inveterate　crimes　which　has　spread　far　and　wide；　without　inter…
ruption；　for　so　many　years？　　Hold　thy　peace：　to　do　otherwise；　is
to　tell　the　foot　to　see；　and　the　hand　to　speak。　　Britain　has
rulers；　and　she　has　watchmen：　why　dost　thou　incline　thyself　thus
uselessly　to　prate？〃　　She　has　such；　I　say；　not　too　many；　perhaps；
but　surely　not　too　few：　but；　because　they　are　bent　down　and　pressed
beneath　so　heavy　a　burden；　they　have　not　time　allowed　them　to　take
breath。　　My　senses；　therefore；　as　if　feeling　a　portion　of　my　debt
and　obligation；　preoccupied　themselves　with　such　objections；　and
with　others　yet　more　strong。　　They　struggled；　as　I　said；　no　short
time；　in　fearful　strait；　whilst　I　read；　〃There　is　a　time　for
speaking；　and　a　time　for　keeping　silence。〃　　At　length；　the　creditor's
side　prevailed　and　bore　off　the　victory：　if　（said　he）　thou　art　not
bold　enough　to　be　marked　with　the　comely　mark　of　golden　liberty
among　the　prophetic　creatures；　who　enjoy　the　rank　as　reasoning
beings　next　to　the　angels；　refuse　not　the　inspiration　of　the
understanding　ass；　to　that　day　dumb；　which　would　not　carry　forward
the　tiara'd　magician　who　was　going　to　curse　God's　people；　but　in
the　narrow　pass　of　the　vineyard　crushed　his　loosened　foot；　and
thereby　felt　the　lash；　and　though　he　was；　with　his　ungrateful
and　furious　hand；　against　right　justice；　beating　her　innocent
sides；　she　pointed　out　to　him　the　heavenly　messenger　holding　the
naked　sword；　and　standing　in　his　way；　though　he　had　not　seen　him。＇

*　Notwithstanding　this　remark　of　Gildas；　the　Britons　must　have
shown　great　bravery　and　resolution　in　their　battles　against　the
Saxons；　or　they　would　not　have　resisted　their　encroachments　so
Long。　　When　Gildas　was　writing；　a　hundred　years　had　elapsed；　and
The　Britons　still　possessed　a　large　portion　of　their　native　country。

Wherefore　in　zeal　for　the　house　of　God　and　for　his　holy　law；
constrained　either　by　the　reasonings　of　my　own　tho