history of the britons-第6章

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sailed　round　the　country　of　the　Picts；　laid　waste　the　Orkneys；　and
took　possession　of　many　regions；　even　to　the　Pictish　confines。＇2＇
＇1＇　Antoninus's　wall。
＇2＇　Some　MSS。　add；　〃beyond　the　Frenesic；　Fresicum　（or　Fresic）　sea；〃
i。e。　which　is　between　us　and　the　Scotch。　　The　sea　between　Scotland
and　Ireland。　　Camden　translates　it　〃beyond　the　Frith；〃　Langhorne
says；　〃Solway　Frith。〃

But　Hengist　continued；　by　degrees；　sending　for　ships　from　his　own
country；　so　that　some　islands　whence　they　came　were　left　without
inhabitants；　and　whilst　his　people　were　increasing　in　power　and
number；　they　came　to　the　above…named　province　of　Kent。

39。　In　the　meantime；　Vortigern；　as　if　desirous　of　adding　to　the
evils　he　had　already　occasioned；　married　his　own　daughter；　by　whom
he　had　a　son。　　When　this　was　made　known　to　St。　Germanus；　he　came；
with　all　the　British　clergy；　to　reprove　him：　and　whilst　a　numerous
assembly　of　the　ecclesiastics　and　laity　were　in　consultation；　the
weak　king　ordered　his　daughter　to　appear　before　them；　and　in　the
presence　of　all　to　present　her　son　to　St。　Germanus；　and　declare
that　he　was　the　father　of　the　child。　　The　immodest*　woman　obeyed；
and　St。　Germanus；　taking　the　child；　said；　〃I　will　be　a　father　to
you；　my　son；　nor　will　I　dismiss　you　till　a　razor；　scissors；　and
comb；　are　given　to　me；　and　it　is　allowed　you　to　give　them　to　your
carnal　father。〃　　The　child　obeyed　St。　Germanus；　and　going　to　his
father　Vortigern；　said　to　him；　〃Thou　art　my　father；　shave　and　cut
the　hair　of　my　head。〃　　The　king　blushed；　and　was　silent；　and；
without　replying　to　the　child；　arose　in　great　anger；　and　fled　from
the　presence　of　St。　Germanus；　execrated　and　condemned　by　the　whole
synod。
＇1＇　V。R。　〃Immodest〃　is　omitted　in　some　MSS。

40。　But　soon　after；　calling　together　his　twelve　wise　men；　to
consult　what　was　to　be　done；　they　said　to　him；　〃Retire　to　the
remote　boundaries　of　your　kingdom；　there　build　and　fortify　a　city＇1＇
to　defend　yourself；　for　the　people　you　have　received　are　treacherous；
they　are　seeking　to　subdue　you　by　stratagem；　and；　even　during　your
life；　to　seize　upon　all　the　countries　subject　to　your　power；　how
much　more　will　they　attempt；　after　your　death！〃　　The　king；　pleased
with　this　advice；　departed　with　his　wise　men；　and　travelled　through
many　parts　of　his　territories；　in　search　of　a　place　convenient
for　the　purpose　of　building　a　citadel。　　Having；　to　no　purpose；
travelled　far　and　wide；　they　came　at　length　to　a　province　called
Guenet；＇2＇　and　having　surveyed　the　mountains　of　Heremus；＇3＇　they
discovered；　on　the　summit　of　one　of　them；　a　situation；　adapted　to
the　consturction　of　a　citadel。　　Upon　this；　the　wise　men　said　to
the　king；　〃Build　here　a　city：　for；　in　this　place；　it　will　ever　be
secure　against　the　barbarians。〃　　Then　the　king　sent　for　artificers；
carpenters；　stone…masons；　and　collected　all　the　materials　requisite
to　building；　but　the　whole　of　these　disappeared　in　one　night；　so
that　nothing　remained　of　what　had　been　provided　for　the　constructing
of　the　citadel。　　Materials　were；　therefore；　from　all　parts；　procured
a　second　and　third　time；　and　again　vanished　as　before；　leaving　and
rendering　every　effort　ineffectual。　　Vortigern　inquired　of　his　wise
men　the　cause　of　this　opposition　to　his　undertaking；　and　of　so　much
useless　expense　of　labour？　　They　replied；　〃You　must　find　a　child
born　without　a　father；　put　him　to　death；　and　sprinkle　with　his
blood　the　ground　on　which　the　citadel　is　to　be　built；　or　you　will
never　accomplish　your　purpose。〃
＇1＇　V。R。　You　shall　find　a　fortified　city　in　which　you　may　defend
yourself。
＇2＇　V。R。　Guined；　Guoienet；　Guenez；　North　Wales。
＇3＇　V。R。　Heremi；　Heriri；　or　Eryri；　signifying　eagle　rocks；　the
mountains　of　Snowdon；　in　Carnarvonshire。　　The　spot　alluded　to　is
supposed　to　be　Dinas　Emrys；　or　the　fortress　of　Ambrosius。

41。　In　consequence　of　this　reply；　the　king　sent　messengers　through…
out　Britain；　in　search　of　a　child　born　without　a　father。　　After
having　inquired　in　all　the　provinces；　they　came　to　the　field　of
Aelecti；＇1＇　in　the　district　of　Glevesing；＇2＇　where　a　party　of　boys
were　playing　at　ball。　　And　two　of　them　quarrelling；　one　said　to
the　other；　〃O　boy　without　a　father；　no　good　will　ever　happen　to
you。〃　　Upon　this；　the　messengers　diligently　inquired　of　the　mother
and　the　other　boys；　whether　he　had　had　a　father？　　Which　his　mother
denied；　saying；　〃In　what　manner　he　was　conceived　I　know　not；　for
I　have　never　had　intercourse　with　any　man；〃　and　then　she　solemnly
affirmed　that　he　had　no　mortal　father。　　The　boy　was；　therefore；
led　away；　and　conducted　before　Vortigern　the　king。
＇1＇　V。R。　Elleti；　Electi；　Gleti。　　Supposed　to　be　Bassalig　in
Monmouthshire。
＇2＇　The　district　between　the　Usk　and　Rumney；　in　Monmouthshire。

42。　A　meeting　took　place　the　next　day　for　the　purpose　of　putting
him　to　death。　　Then　the　boy　said　to　the　king；　〃Why　have　your
servants　brought　me　hither？〃　　〃That　you　may　be　put　to　death；〃
replied　the　king；　〃and　that　the　ground　on　which　my　citadel　is　to
stand；　may　be　sprinkled　with　your　blood；　without　which　I　shall　be
unable　to　build　it。〃　　〃Who；〃　said　the　boy；　〃instructed　you　to　do
this？〃　　〃My　wise　men；〃　answered　the　king。　　〃Order　them　hither；〃
returned　the　boy；　this　being　complied　with；　he　thus　questioned
them：　〃By　what　means　was　it　revealed　to　you　that　this　citadel
could　not　be　built；　unless　the　spot　were　previously　sprinkled　with
my　blood？　　Speak　without　disguise；　and　declare　who　discovered　me
to　you；〃　then　turning　to　the　king；　〃I　will　soon；〃　said　he；　〃unfold
to　you　every　thing；　but　I　desire　to　question　your　wise　men；　and
wish　them　to　disclose　to　you　what　is　hidden　under　this　pavement：〃
they　acknowledging　their　ignorance；　〃there　is；〃　said　he；　〃a　pool；
come　and　dig：〃　they　did　so；　and　found　the　pool。　　〃Now；〃　continued
he；　〃tell　me　what　is　in　it；〃　but　they　were　ashamed；　and　made　no
reply。　　〃I；〃　said　the　boy；　〃can　discover　it　to　you：　there　are　two
vases　in　the　pool；〃　they　examined　and　found　it　so：　continuing　his
questions；　〃What　is　in　the　vases？〃　they　were　silent：　〃there　is　a
tent　in　them；〃　said　the　boy；　〃separate　them；　and　you　shall　find
it　so；〃　this　being　done　by　the　king's　command；　there　was　found　in
them　a　folded　tent。　　The　boy；　going　on　with　his　questions；　asked
the　wise　men　what　was　in　it？　　But　they　not　knowing　what　to　reply；
〃There　are；〃　said　he；　〃two　serpents；　one　white　and　the　other　red；
unfold　the　tent；〃　they　obeyed；　and　two　sleeping　serpents　were
discovered；　〃consider　attentively；〃　said　the　boy；　〃what　they　are
doing。〃　　The　serpents　began　to　struggle　with　each　other；　and　the
white　one；　raising　himself　up；　threw　down　the　other　into　the　middle
of　the　tent；　and　sometimes　drove　him　to　the　edge　of　it；　and　this
was　repeated　thrice。　　At　length　the　red　one；　apparently　the　weaker
of　the　two；　recovering　his　strength；　expelled　the　white　one　from
the　tent；　and　the　latter　being　pursued　through　the　pool　by　the
red　one；　disappeared。　　Then　the　boy；　asking　the　wise　men　what
was　signified　by　this　wonderful　omen；　and　they　expressing　their
ignorance；　he　said　to　the　king；　〃I　will　now　unfold　to　you　the
meaning　of　this　mystery。　　The　pool　is　the　emblem　of　this　world；
and　the　tent　that　of　your　kingdom：　the　two　serpents　are　two　dragons；
the　red　serpent　is　your　dragon；　but　the　white　serpent　is　the
dragon　of　the　people　who　occupy　several　provinces　and　districts　of
Britain；　even　almost　from　sea　to　sea：　at　length；　however；　our
people　shall　rise　and　drive　away　the　Saxon　race　from　beyond　the
sea；　whence　they　originally　came；　but　do　you　depart　from　this
place；　where　you　are　not　permitted　to　erect　a　citadel；　I；　to　whom
fate　has　allotted　this　mansion；　shall　remain　here；　whilst　to　you
it　is　incumbent　to　seek　other　provinces；　where　you　may　build　a
fortress。〃　　〃What　is　your　name？〃　asked　the　king；　〃I　am　called
Ambrose　（in　British　Embresguletic）；〃　returned　the　boy；　and　in
answer　to　the　king's　question；　〃What　is　your　origin？〃　he　replied；
〃A　Roman　consul　was　my　father。〃

Then　the　king　assigned　him　that　city；　with　all　the　western
Provinces　of　Britain；　and　departing　with　his　wise　men　to　the
sinistral　district；　he　arrived　in　the　region　named　Gueneri；　where
he　built　a　city　which；　according　to　his　name；　was　called　Cair
Guorthegirn。*