on the ruin of britain-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


constrained　either　by　the　reasonings　of　my　own　thoughts；　or　by
the　pious　entreaties　of　my　brethren；　I　now　discharge　the　debt　so
long　exacted　of　me；　humble；　indeed；　in　style；　but　faithful；　as　I
think；　and　friendly　to　all　Christ's　youthful　soldiers；　but　severe
and　insupportable　to　foolish　apostates；　the　former　of　whom；　if　I
am　not　deceived；　will　receive　the　same　with　tears　flowing　from
god's　love；　but　the　others　with　sorrow；　such　as　is　extorted　from
the　indignation　and　pusillanimity　of　a　convicted　conscience。

2。　I　will；　therefore；　if　God　be　willing；　endeavour　to　say　a　few
words　about　the　situation　of　Britain；　her　disobedience　and　subjection；
her　rebellion；　second　subjection　and　dreadful　slaveryof　her
religion；　persecution；　holy　martyrs；　heresies　of　different　kinds
of　her　tyrants；　her　two　hostile　and　ravaging　nationsof　her　first
devastation；　her　defence；　her　second　devastation；　and　second
taking　vengeanceof　her　third　devastation；　of　her　famine；　and
the　letters　to　Agitius*…of　her　victory　and　her　crimesof　the
sudden　rumour　of　enemiesof　her　famous　pestilence…of　her　counsels
of　her　last　enemy；　far　more　cruel　than　the　first…of　the　subversion
of　her　cities；　and　of　the　remnant　that　escaped；　and　finally；　of
the　peace　which；　by　the　will　of　God；　has　been　granted　her　in
these　our　times。

*　Or　Aetius



II。　The　History


3。　The　island　of　Britain；　situated　on　almost　the　utmost　border
of　the　earth；　towards　the　south　and　west；　and　poised　in　the　divine
balance；　as　it　is　said；　which　supports　the　whole　world；　stretches
out　from　the　south…west　towards　the　north　pole；　and　is　eight
hundred　miles　long　and　two　hundred　broad＇1＇；　except　where　the
headlands　of　sundry　promontories　stretch　farther　into　the　sea。
It　is　surrounded　by　the　ocean；　which　forms　winding　bays；　and　is
strongly　defended　by　this　ample；　and；　if　I　may　so　call　it；
impassable　barrier；　save　on　the　south　side；　where　the　narrow　sea
affords　a　passage　to　Belgic　Gaul。　　It　is　enriched　by　the　mouths
of　two　noble　rivers；　the　Thames　and　the　Severn；　as　it　were　two
arms；　by　which　foreign　luxuries　were　of　old　imported；　and　by
other　streams　of　less　importance。　　It　is　famous　for　eight　and
twenty　cities；　and　is　embellished　by　certain　castles；　with　walls；
towers；　well　barred　gates；　and　houses　with　threatening　battlements
built　on　high；　and　provided　with　all　requisite　instruments　of
defence。　　Its　plains　are　spacious；　its　hills　are　pleasantly
situated；　adapted　for　superior　tillage；　and　its　mountains　are
admirably　calculated　for　the　alternate　pasturage　of　cattle；　where
flowers　of　various　colours；　trodden　by　the　feet　of　man；　give　it
the　appearance　of　a　lovely　picture。　　It　is　decked；　like　a　man's
chosen　bride；　with　divers　jewels；　with　lucid　fountains　and　abundant
brooks　wandering　over　the　snow　white　sands；　with　transparent
rivers；　flowing　in　gentle　murmurs；　and　offering　a　sweet　pledge
of　slumber＇2＇　to　those　who　recline　upon　their　banks；　whilst　it
is　irrigated　by　abundant　lakes；　which　pour　forth　cool　torrents
of　refreshing　water。

＇1＇　The　description　of　Britain　is　given　in　very　nearly　the　same
terms；　by　Orosius；　Bede；　and　others；　but　the　numbers　denoting
the　length　and　breadth　and　other　dimensions；　are　different　in
almost　every　MS。　Copy。

＇2＇　〃Soporem〃　in　some　MSS。；　〃saporem〃　in　others；　it　is　difficult
from　the　turgidity　and　superabundance　of　the　style　to　determine
which　is　the　best　meaning。


4。　This　island；　stiffnecked　and　stubbornminded；　from　the
time　of　its　being　first　inhabited；　ungratefully　rebels；　sometimes
against　God；　sometimes　against　her　own　citizens；　and　frequently
also；　against　foreign　kings　and　their　subjects。　　For　what　can
there　either　be；　or　be　committed；　more　disgraceful　or　more
unrighteous　in　human　affairs；　than　to　refuse　to　show　fear　to　God
or　affection　to　one's　own　countrymen；　and　（without　detriment　to
one's　faith）　to　refuse　due　honour　to　those　of　higher　dignity；　to
cast　off　all　regard　to　reason；　human　and　divine；　and；　in　contempt
of　heaven　and　earth；　to　be　guided　by　one's　own　sensual　inventions？
I　shall；　therefore；　omit　those　ancient　errors　common　to　all　the
nations　of　the　earth；　in　which；　before　Christ　came　in　the　flesh；
all　mankind　were　bound；　nor　shall　I　enumerate　those　diabolical
idols　of　my　country；　which　almost　surpassed　in　number　those　of
Egypt；　and　of　which　we　still　see　some　mouldering　away　within　or
without　the　deserted　temples；　with　stiff　and　deformed　features
as　was　customary。　　Nor　will　I　call　out　upon　the　mountains；　fountains；
or　hills；　or　upon　the　rivers；　which　now　are　subservient　to　the
use　of　men；　but　once　were　an　abomination　and　destruction　to　them；
and　to　which　the　blind　people　paid　divine　honour。　　I　shall　also
pass　over　the　bygone　times　of　our　cruel　tyrants；　whose　notoriety
was　spread　over　to　far　distant　countries；　so　that　Porphyry；　that
dog　who　in　the　east　was　always　so　fierce　against　the　church；　in
his　mad　and　vain　style　added　this　also；　that　〃Britain　is　a　land
fertile　in　tyrants。〃*　　I　will　only　endeavour　to　relate　the
evils　which　Britain　suffered　in　the　times　of　the　Roman　emperors；
and　also　those　which　she　caused　to　distant　states；　but　so　far　as
lies　in　my　power；　I　shall　not　follow　the　writings　and　records　of
my　own　country；　which　（if　there　ever　were　any　of　them）　have　been
consumed　in　the　fires　of　the　enemy；　or　have　accompanied　my　exiled
countrymen　into　distant　lands；　but　be　guided　by　the　relations　of
foreign　writers；　which；　being　broken　and　interrupted　in　many　places
are　therefore　by　no　means　clear。

*　Gildas　here　confuses　the　modern　idea　of　a　tyrant　with　that
of　an　usurper。　　The　latter　is　a　sense　in　which　Britain　was　said
to　be　fertile　in　tyrants；　viz。　In　usurpers　of　the　imperial　dignity。

5。　For　when　the　rulers　of　Rome　had　obtained　the　empire　of　the
world；　subdued　all　the　neighbouring　nations　and　islands　towards
the　east；　and　strengthened　their　renown　by　the　first　peace　which
they　made　with　the　Parthians；　who　border　on　India；　there　was　a
general　cessation　from　war　throughout　the　whole　world；　the　fierce
flame　which　they　kindled　could　not　be　extinguished　or　checked　by
the　Western　Ocean；　but　passing　beyond　the　sea；　imposed　submission
upon　our　island　without　resistance；　and　entirely　reduced　to
obedience　its　unwarlike　but　faithless　people；　not　so　much　by　fire
and　sword　and　warlike　engines；　like　other　nations；　but　threats
alone；　and　menaces　of　judgments　frowning　on　their　countenance；
whilst　terror　penetrated　to　their　hearts。

6。　When　afterwards　they　returned　to　Rome；　for　want　of　pay；　as
is　said；　and　had　no　suspicion　of　an　approaching　rebellion；　that
deceitful　lioness　（Boadicea）　put　to　death　the　rulers　who　had　been
left　among　them；　to　unfold　more　fully　and　to　confirm　the　enterprises
of　the　Romans。　　When　the　report　of　these　things　reached　the　senate；
and　they　with　a　speedy　army　made　haste　to　take　vengeance　on　the
crafty　foxes；*　as　they　called　them；　there　was　no　bold　navy　on
the　sea　to　fight　bravely　for　the　country；　by　land　there　was　no
marshalled　army；　no　right　wing　of　battle；　nor　other　preparation
for　resistance；　but　their　backs　were　their　shields　against　their
vanquishers；　and　they　presented　their　necks　to　their　swords；　whilst
chill　terror　ran　through　every　limb；　and　they　stretched　out　their
hands　to　be　bound；　like　women；　so　that　it　has　become　a　proverb
far　and　wide；　that　the　Britons　are　neither　brave　in　war　nor　faithful
in　time　of　peace。

*　The　Britons　who　fought　under　Boadicea　were　anything　but　〃crafty
foxes。〃　　〃Bold　lions〃　is　a　much　more　appropriate　appellation；　they
would　also　have　been　victorious　if　they　had　half　the　military
advantages　of　the　Romans。


7。　The　Romans；　therefore；　having　slain　many　of　the　rebels；　and
reserved　others　for　slaves；　that　the　land　might　not　be　entirely
reduced　to　desolation；　left　the　island；　destitute　as　it　was　of
wine　and　oil；　and　returned　to　Italy；　leaving　behind　them　taskmasters；
to　scourge　the　shoulders　of　the　natives；　to　reduce　their　necks　to
the　yoke；　and　their　soil　to　the　vassalage　of　a　Roman　province；
to　chastise　the　crafty　race；　not　with　warlike　weapons；　but　with
rods；　and　if　necessary　to　gird　upon　their　sides　the　naked　sword；
so　that　it　was　no　longer　thought　to　be　Britain；　but　a　Roman　island；
a