history of the britons-第3章
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Africa; and arrived; with his family; at the altars of the Philis…
tines; by the Lake of Osiers。 Then passing between Rusicada and
the hilly country of Syria; they travelled by the river Malva
through Mauritania as far as the Pillars of Hercules; and crossing
the Tyrrhene Sea; landed in Spain; where they continued many years;
having greatly increased and multiplied。 Thence; a thousand and
two years after the Egyptians were lost in the Red Sea; they passed
into Ireland; and the district of Dalrieta。* At that period; Brutus;
who first exercised the consular office; reigned over the Romans;
and the state; which before was governed by regal power; was
afterwards ruled; during four hundred and forty…seven years; by
consuls; tribunes of the people; and dictators。
* North…western part of Antrim in Ulster。
The Britons came to Britain in the third age of the world; and in
the fourth; the Scots took possession of Ireland。
The Britons who; suspecting no hostilities; were unprovided with
the means of defence; were unanimously and incessantly attacked;
both by the Scots from the west; and by the Picts from the north。
A long interval after this; the Romans obtained the empire of the
world。
16。 From the first arrival of the Saxons into Britain; to the
fourth year of king Mermenus; are computed four hundred and twenty
eight years; from the nativity of our Lord to the coming of St。
Patrick among the Scots; four hundred and five years; from the
death of St。 Patrick to that of St。 Bridget; forty years; and from
the birth of Columeille'1' to the death of St Bridget four years。'2'
'1' V。R。 Columba。
'2' Some MSS。 add; the beginning of the calculation is 23 cycles
of 19 years from the incarnation of our Lord to the arrival of
St。 Patrick in Ireland; and they make 438 years。 And from the
arrival of St。 Patrick to the cycle of 19 years in which we live
are 22 cycles; which make 421 years。
17。 I have learned another account of this Brutus from the ancient
books of our ancestors。* After the deluge; the three sons of Noah
severally occupied three different parts of the earth: Shem extended
his borders into Asia; Ham into Africa; and Japheth in Europe。
* This proves the tradition of Brutus to be older than Geoffrey
or Tyssilio; unless these notices of Brutus have been interpolated
in the original work of Nennius。
The first man that dwelt in Europe was Alanus; with his three sons;
Hisicion; Armenon; and Neugio。 Hisicion had four sons; Francus;
Romanus; Alamanus; and Brutus。 Armenon had five sons; Gothus;
Valagothus; Cibidus; Burgundus; and Longobardus。 Neugio had three
sons; Vandalus; Saxo; and Boganus。 From Hisicion arose four
nationsthe Franks; the Latins; the Germans; and Britons: from
Armenon; the Gothi; Balagothi; Cibidi; Burgundi; and Longobardi:
from Neugio; the Bogari; Vandali; Saxones; and Tarinegi。 The
whole of Europe was subdivided into these tribes。
Alanus is said to have been the son of Fethuir;* Fethuir; the son
of Ogomuin; who was the son of Thoi; Thoi was the son of Boibus;
Boibus of Semion; Semion of Mair; Mair of Ecthactus; Ecthactus of
Aurthack; Aurthack of Ethec; Ethec of Ooth; Ooth of Aber; Aber of
Ra; Ra of Esraa; Esraa of Hisrau; Hisrau of Bath; Bath of Jobath;
Jobath of Joham; Joham of Japheth; Japheth of Noah; Noah of Lamech;
Lamech of Mathusalem; Mathusalem of Enoch; Enoch of Jared; Jared
of Malalehel; Malalehel of Cainan; Cainan of Enos; Enos of Seth;
Seth of Adam; and Adam was formed by the living God。 We have
obtained this information respecting the original inhabitants of
Britain from ancient tradition。
* This genealogy is different in almost all the MSS。
18。 The Britons were thus called from Brutus: Brutus was the son
of Hisicion; Hisicion was the son of Alanus; Alanus was the son
of Rhea Silvia; Fhea Silvia was the daughter of Numa Pompilius;
Numa was the son of Ascanius; Ascanius of Eneas; Eneas of Anchises;
Anchises of Troius; Troius of Dardanus; Dardanus of Flisa; Flisa
of Juuin; Juuin of Japheth; but Japheth had seven sons; from the
first named Gomer; descended the Galli; from the second; Magog; the
Scythi and Gothi; from the third; Madian; the Medi; from the fourth;
Juuan; the Greeks; from the fifth; Tubal; arose the Hebrei; Hispani;
and Itali; from the sixth; Mosoch; sprung the Cappadoces; and from
the seventh; named Tiras; descended the Thraces: these are the sons
of Japheth; the son of Noah; the son of Lamech。
19。* The Romans; having obtained the dominion of the world; sent
legates or deputies to the Britons to demand of them hostages and
tribute; which they received from all other countries and islands;
but they; fierce; disdainful; and haughty; treated the legation
with contempt。
* Some MSS。 add; I will now return to the point from which I made
this digression。
Then Julius Caesar; the first who had acquired absolute power at
Rome; highly incensed against the Britons; sailed with sixty
vessels to the mouth of the Thames; where they suffered shipwreck
whilst he fought against Dolobellus; (the proconsul of the British
king; who was called Belinus; and who was the son of Minocannus
who governed all the islands of the Tyrrhene Sea); and thus Julius
Caesar returned home without victory; having had his soldiers
Slain; and his ships shattered。
20。 But after three years he again appeared with a large army;
and three hundred ships; at the mouth of the Thames; where he
renewed hostilities。 In this attempt many of his soldiers and
horses were killed; for the same consul had placed iron pikes in
the shallow part of the river; and this having been effected with
so much skill and secrecy as to escape the notice of the Roman
soldiers; did them considerable injury; thus Caesar was once more
compelled to return without peace or victory。 The Romans were;
therefore; a third time sent against the Britons; and under the
command of Julius; defeated them near a place called Trinovantum
'London'; forty…seven years before the birth of Christ; and five
thousand two hundred and twelve years from the creation。
Julius was the first exercising supreme power over the Romans who
invaded Britain: in honour of him the Romans decreed the fifth month
to be called after his name。 He was assassinated in the Curia; in
the ides of March; and Octavius Augustus succeeded to the empire
of the world。 He was the only emperor who received tribute from
the Britons; according to the following verse of Virgil: 〃Purpurea
intexti tollunt aulaea Britanni。〃
21。 The second after him; who came into Britain; was the emperor
Claudius; who reigned forty…seven years after the birth of Christ。
He carried with him war and devastation; and; though not without
loss of men; he at length conquered Britain。 He next sailed to
the Orkneys; which he likewise conquered; and afterwards rendered
tributary。 No tribute was in his time received from the Britons;
but it was paid to British emperors。 He reigned thirteen years
and eight months。 His monument is to be seen at Moguntia (among
the Lombards); where he died in his way to Rome。
22。 After the birth of Christ; one hundred and sixty…seven years;
king Lucius; with all the chiefs of the British people; received
baptism; in consequence of a legation sent by the Roman emperors
and pope Evaristus。*
* V。R。 Eucharistus。 A marginal note in the Arundel MS。 adds;
〃He is wrong; because the first year of Evaristus was A。D。 79;
whereas the first year of Eleutherius; whom he ought to have
named; was A。D。 161。〃 Usher says; that in one MS。 of Nennius he
found the name of Eleutherius。
23。 Severus was the third emperor who passed the sea to Britain;
where; to protect the provinces recovered from barbaric incursions;
he ordered a wall and a rampart to be made between the Britons; the
Scots; and the Picts; extending across the island from sea to sea;
in length one hundred and thirty…three miles: and it is called in
the British language Gwal。* Moreover; he ordered it to be made
between the Britons; and the Picts and Scots; for the Scots from
the west; and the Picts from the north; unanimously made war
against the Britons; but were at peace among themselves。 Not long
after Severus dies