tacitus on germany-第5章

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declared；　on　the　day　following　the　several　sentiments　are　revised　and
canvassed；　and　to　both　conjectures　of　time；　due　regard　is　had。　They
consult；　when　they　know　not　how　to　dissemble；　they　determine；　when
they　cannot　mistake。

For　their　drink；　they　draw　a　liquor　from　barley　or　other　grain；　and
ferment　the　same　so　as　to　make　it　resemble　wine。　Nay；　they　who　dwell
upon　the　bank　of　the　Rhine　deal　in　wine。　Their　food　is　very　simple；
wild　fruit；　fresh　venison；　or　coagulated　milk。　They　banish　hunger
without　formality；　without　curious　dressing　and　curious　fare。　In
extinguishing　thirst；　they　use　not　equal　temperance。　If　you　will　but
humour　their　excess　in　drinking；　and　supply　them　with　as　much　as　they
covet；　it　will　be　no　less　easy　to　vanquish　them　by　vices　than　by　arms。

Of　public　diversions　they　have　but　one　sort；　and　in　all　their　meetings
the　same　is　still　exhibited。　Young　men；　such　as　make　it　their　pastime；
fling　themselves　naked　and　dance　amongst　sharp　swords　and　the　deadly
points　of　javelins。　From　habit　they　acquire　their　skill；　and　from
their　skill　a　graceful　manner；　yet　from　hence　draw　no　gain　or　hire：
though　this　adventurous　gaiety　has　its　reward；　namely；　that　of
pleasing　the　spectators。　What　is　marvellous；　playing　at　dice　is　one　of
their　most　serious　employments；　and　even　sober；　they　are　gamesters：
nay；　so　desperately　do　they　venture　upon　the　chance　of　winning　or
losing；　that　when　their　whole　substance　is　played　away；　they　stake
their　liberty　and　their　persons　upon　one　and　the　last　throw。　The　loser
goes　calmly　into　voluntary　bondage。　However　younger　he　be；　however
stronger；　he　tamely　suffers　himself　to　be　bound　and　sold　by　the
winner。　Such　is　their　perseverance　in　an　evil　course：　they　themselves
call　it　honour。

Slaves　of　this　class；　they　exchange　in　commerce；　to　free　themselves
too　from　the　shame　of　such　a　victory。　Of　their　other　slaves　they　make
not　such　use　as　we　do　of　ours；　by　distributing　amongst　them　the
several　offices　and　employments　of　the　family。　Each　of　them　has　a
dwelling　of　his　own；　each　a　household　to　govern。　His　lord　uses　him
like　a　tenant；　and　obliges　him　to　pay　a　quantity　of　grain；　or　of
cattle；　or　of　cloth。　Thus　far　only　the　subserviency　of　the　slave
extends。　All　the　other　duties　in　a　family；　not　the　slaves；　but　the
wives　and　children　discharge。　To　inflict　stripes　upon　a　slave；　or　to
put　him　in　chains；　or　to　doom　him　to　severe　labour；　are　things　rarely
seen。　To　kill　them　they　sometimes　are　wont；　not　through　correction　or
government；　but　in　heat　and　rage；　as　they　would　an　enemy；　save　that　no
vengeance　or　penalty　follows。　The　freedmen　very　little　surpass　the
slaves；　rarely　are　of　moment　in　the　house；　in　the　community　never；
excepting　only　such　nations　where　arbitrary　dominion　prevails。　For
there　they　bear　higher　sway　than　the　free…born；　nay；　higher　than　the
nobles。　In　other　countries　the　inferior　condition　of　freedmen　is　a
proof　of　public　liberty。

To　the　practice　of　usury　and　of　increasing　money　by　interest；　they　are
strangers；　and　hence　is　found　a　better　guard　against　it；　than　if　it
were　forbidden。　They　shift　from　land　to　land；　and；　still　appropriating
a　portion　suitable　to　the　number　of　hands　for　manuring；　anon　parcel
out　the　whole　amongst　particulars　according　to　the　condition　and
quality　of　each。　As　the　plains　are　very　spacious；　the　allotments　are
easily　assigned。　Every　year　they　change；　and　cultivate　a　fresh　soil；
yet　still　there　is　ground　to　spare。　For　they　strive　not　to　bestow
labour　proportionable　to　the　fertility　and　compass　of　their　lands；　by
planting　orchards；　by　enclosing　meadows；　by　watering　gardens。　From　the
earth；　corn　only　is　extracted。　Hence　they　quarter　not　the　year　into　so
many　seasons。　Winter；　Spring；　and　Summer；　they　understand；　and　for
each　have　proper　appellations。　Of　the　name　and　blessings　of　Autumn；
they　are　equally　ignorant。

In　performing　their　funerals；　they　show　no　state　or　vainglory。　This
only　is　carefully　observed；　that　with　the　corpses　of　their　signal　men
certain　woods　be　burned。　Upon　the　funeral　pile　they　accumulate　neither
apparel　nor　perfumes。　Into　the　fire；　are　always　thrown　the　arms　of　the
dead；　and　sometimes　his　horse。　With　sods　of　earth　only　the　sepulchre
is　raised。　The　pomp　of　tedious　and　elaborate　monuments　they　contemn；
as　things　grievous　to　the　deceased。　Tears　and　wailings　they　soon
dismiss：　their　affliction　and　woe　they　long　retain。　In　women；　it　is
reckoned　becoming　to　bewail　their　loss；　in　men；　to　remember　it。　This
is　what　in　general　we　have　learned；　in　the　original　and　customs　of　the
whole　people　of　Germany。　I　shall　now　deduce　the　institutions　and
usages　of　the　several　people；　as　far　as　they　vary　one　from　another；　as
also　an　account　of　what　nations　from　thence　removed；　to　settle
themselves　in　Gaul。

That　the　Gauls　were　in　times　past　more　puissant　and　formidable；　is
related　by　the　Prince　of　authors；　the　deified　Julius　＇Caesar＇；　and
hence　it　is　probable　that　they　too　have　passed　into　Germany。　For　what
a　small　obstacle　must　be　a　river；　to　restrain　any　nation；　as　each　grew
more　potent；　from　seizing　or　changing　habitations；　when　as　yet　all
habitations　were　common；　and　not　parted　or　appropriated　by　the
founding　and　terror　of　Monarchies？　The　region　therefore　between　the
Hercynian　Forest　and　the　rivers　Moenus　and　Rhine；　was　occupied　by　the
Helvetians；　as　was　that　beyond　it　by　the　Boians；　both　nations　of　Gaul。
There　still　remains　a　place　called　/Boiemum/；　which　denotes　the
primitive　name　and　antiquity　of　the　country；　although　the　inhabitants
have　been　changed。　But　whether　the　Araviscans　are　derived　from　the
Osians；　a　nation　of　Germans　passing　into　Pannonia；　or　the　Osians　from
the　Araviscans　removing　from　thence　into　Germany；　is　a　matter
undecided；　since　they　both　still　use　the　language；　the　same　customs
and　the　same　laws。　For；　as　of　old　they　lived　alike　poor　and　alike
free；　equal　proved　the　evils　and　advantages　on　each　side　the　river；
and　common　to　both　people。　The　Treverians　and　Nervians　aspire
passionately　to　the　reputation　of　being　descended　from　the　Germans；
since　by　the　glory　of　this　original；　they　would　escape　all　imputation
of　resembling　the　Gauls　in　person　and　effeminacy。　Such　as　dwell　upon
the　bank　of　the　Rhine；　the　Vangiones；　the　Tribocians；　and　the　Nemetes；
are　without　doubt　all　Germans。　The　Ubians　are　ashamed　of　their
original；　though　they　have　a　particular　honour　to　boast；　that　of
having　merited　an　establishment　as　a　Roman　Colony；　and　still　delight
to　be　called　/Agrippinensians/；　after　the　name　of　their　founder：　they
indeed　formerly　came　from　beyond　the　Rhine；　and；　for　the　many　proofs
of　their　fidelity；　were　settled　upon　the　very　bank　of　the　river；　not
to　be　there　confined　or　guarded　themselves；　but　to　guard　and　defend
that　boundary　against　the　rest　of　the　Germans。

Of　all　these　nations；　the　Batavians　are　the　most　signal　in　bravery。
They　inhabit　not　much　territory　upon　the　Rhine；　but　possess　an　island
in　it。　They　were　formerly　part　of　the　Cattans；　and　by　means　of　feuds
at　home　removed　to　these　dwellings；　whence　they　might　become　a　portion
of　the　Roman　Empire。　With　them　this　honour　still　remains；　as　also　the
memorials　of　their　ancient　association　with　us：　for　they　are　not　under
the　contempt　of　paying　tribute；　nor　subject　to　be　squeezed　by　the
farmers　of　the　revenue。　Free　from　all　impositions　and　payments；　and
only　set　apart　for　the　purposes　of　fighting；　they　are　reserved　wholly
for　the　wars；　in　the　same　manner　as　a　magazine　of　weapons　and　armour。
Under　the　same　degree　of　homage　are　the　nation　of　the　Mattiacians。　For
such　is　the　might　and　greatness　of　the　Roman　People；　as　to　have
carried　the　awe　and　esteem　of　their　Empire　beyond　the　Rhine　and　the
ancient　boundaries。　Thus　the　Mattiacians；　living　upon　the　opposite
banks；　enjoy　a　settlement　and　limits　of　their　own；　yet　in　spirit　and
inclination　are　attached　to　us：　in　other　things　resembling　the
Batavians；　save　that　as　they　still　breathe　their　original　air；　still
possess　their　primitive　soil；　they　are　thence　inspired　with　superior
vigour　and　keenness。　Amongst　the　people　of　Germany　I　would　not　reckon
those　who　occupy　the　lands　which　are　under　decimation；　though　they　be
such　as　dwell　beyond　the　Rhi