tacitus on germany-第6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！


those　who　occupy　the　lands　which　are　under　decimation；　though　they　be
such　as　dwell　beyond　the　Rhine　and　the　Danube。　By　several　worthless
and　vagabond　Gauls；　and　such　as　poverty　rendered　daring；　that　region
was　seized　as　one　belonging　to　no　certain　possessor：　afterwards　it
became　a　skirt　of　the　Empire　and　part　of　a　province；　upon　the
enlargement　of　our　bounds　and　the　extending　of　our　garrisons　and
frontier。

Beyond　these　are　the　Cattans；　whose　territories　begin　at　the　Hercynian
Forest；　and　consist　not　of　such　wide　and　marshy　plains；　as　those　of
the　other　communities　contained　within　the　vast　compass　of　Germany；
but　produce　ranges　of　hills；　such　as　run　lofty　and　contiguous　for　a
long　tract；　then　by　degrees　sink　and　decay。　Moreover　the　Hercynian
Forest　attends　for　a　while　its　native　Cattans；　then　suddenly　forsakes
them。　This　people　are　distinguished　with　bodies　more　hardy　and　robust；
compact　limbs；　stern　countenances；　and　greater　vigour　of　spirit。　For
Germans；　they　are　men　of　much　sense　and　address。　They　dignify　chosen
men；　listen　to　such　as　are　set　over　them；　know　how　to　preserve　their
post；　to　discern　occasions；　to　rebate　their　own　ardour　and　impatience；
how　to　employ　the　day；　how　to　entrench　themselves　by　night。　They
account　fortune　amongst　things　slippery　and　uncertain；　but　bravery
amongst　such　as　are　never…failing　and　secure；　and；　what　is　exceeding
rare　nor　ever　to　be　learnt　but　by　a　wholesome　course　of　discipline；　in
the　conduct　of　the　general　they　repose　more　assurance　than　in　the
strength　of　the　army。　Their　whole　forces　consist　of　foot；　who　besides
their　arms　carry　likewise　instruments　of　iron　and　their　provisions。
You　may　see　other　Germans　proceed　equipped　to　battle；　but　the　Cattans
so　as　to　conduct　a　war。　They　rarely　venture　upon　excursions　or　casual
encounters。　It　is　in　truth　peculiar　to　cavalry；　suddenly　to　conquer；
or　suddenly　to　fly。　Such　haste　and　velocity　rather　resembles　fear。
Patience　and　deliberation　are　more　akin　to　intrepidity。

Moreover　a　custom；　practised　indeed　in　other　nations　of　Germany；　yet
very　rarely　and　confined　only　to　particulars　more　daring　than　the
rest；　prevails　amongst　the　Cattans　by　universal　consent。　As　soon　as
they　arrive　to　maturity　of　years；　they　let　their　hair　and　beards
continue　to　grow；　nor　till　they　have　slain　an　enemy　do　they　ever　lay
aside　this　form　of　countenance　by　vow　sacred　to　valour。　Over　the　blood
and　spoil　of　a　foe　they　make　bare　their　face。　They　allege；　that　they
have　now　acquitted　themselves　of　the　debt　and　duty　contracted　by　their
birth；　and　rendered　themselves　worthy　of　their　country；　worthy　of
their　parents。　Upon　the　spiritless；　cowardly　and　unwarlike；　such
deformity　of　visage　still　remains。　All　the　most　brave　likewise　wear　an
iron　ring　（a　mark　of　great　dishonour　this　in　that　nation）　and　retain
it　as　a　chain；　till　by　killing　an　enemy　they　become　released。　Many　of
the　Cattans　delight　always　to　bear　this　terrible　aspect；　and；　when
grown　white　through　age；　become　awful　and　conspicuous　by　such　marks；
both　to　the　enemy　and　their　own　countrymen。　By　them　in　all　engagements
the　first　assault　is　made：　of　them　the　front　of　the　battle　is　always
composed；　as　men　who　in　their　looks　are　singular　and　tremendous。　For
even　during　peace　they　abate　nothing　in　the　grimness　and　horror　of
their　countenance。　They　have　no　house　to　inhabit；　no　land　to
cultivate；　nor　any　domestic　charge　or　care。　With　whomsoever　they　come
to　sojourn；　by　him　they　are　maintained；　always　very　prodigal　of　the
substance　of　others；　always　despising　what　is　their　own；　till　the
feebleness　of　old　age　overtakes　them；　and　renders　them　unequal　to　the
efforts　of　such　rigid　bravery。

Next　to　the　Cattans；　dwell　the　Usipians　and　Tencterians；　upon　the
Rhine　now　running　in　a　channel　uniform　and　certain；　such　as　suffices
for　a　boundary。　The　Tencterians；　besides　their　wonted　glory　in　war；
surpass　in　the　service　and　discipline　of　their　cavalry。　Nor　do　the
Cattans　derive　higher　applause　from　their　foot；　than　the　Tencterians
from　their　horse。　Such　was　the　order　established　by　their　forefathers；
and　what　their　posterity　still　pursue。　From　riding　and　exercising　of
horse；　their　children　borrow　their　pastimes；　in　this　exercise　the
young　men　find　matter　for　emulating　one　another；　and　in　this　the　old
men　take　pleasure　to　persevere。　Horses　are　by　the　father　bequeathed　as
part　of　his　household　and　family；　horses　are　conveyed　amongst　the
rights　of　succession；　and　as　such　the　son　receives　them；　but　not　the
eldest　son；　like　other　effects；　by　priority　of　birth；　but　he　who
continues　to　be　signal　in　boldness　and　superior　in　war。

Contiguous　to　the　Tencterians　formerly　dwelt　the　Bructerians；　in　whose
room　it　is　said　the　Chamavians　and　Angrivarians　are　now　settled；　they
who　expulsed　and　almost　extirpated　the　Bructerians；　with　the
concurrence　of　the　neighbouring　nations：　whether　in　detestation　of
their　arrogance；　or　allured　by　the　love　of　spoil；　or　through　the
special　favour　of　the　Gods　towards　us　Romans。　They　in　truth　even
vouchsafed　to　gratify　us　with　the　sight　of　the　battle。　In　it　there
fell　above　sixty　thousand　souls；　without　a　blow　struck　by　the　Romans；
but；　what　is　a　circumstance　still　more　glorious；　fell　to　furnish　them
with　a　spectacle　of　joy　and　recreation。　May　the　Gods　continue　and
perpetuate　amongst　these　nations；　if　not　any　love　for　us；　yet　by　all
means　this　their　animosity　and　hate　towards　each　other：　since　whilst
the　destiny　of　the　Empire　thus　urges　it；　fortune　cannot　more　signally
befriend　us；　than　in　sowing　strife　amongst　our　foes。

The　Angrivarians　and　Chamavians　are　enclosed　behind；　by　the
Dulgibinians　and　Chasuarians；　and　by　other　nations　not　so　much　noted：
before　the　Frisians　face　them。　The　country　of　Frisia　is　divided　into
two；　called　the　greater　and　lesser；　according　to　the　measure　of　their
strength。　Both　nations　stretch　along　the　Rhine；　quite　to　the　ocean；
and　surround　vast　lakes　such　as　once　have　born　Roman　fleets。　We　have
moreover　even　ventured　out　from　thence　into　the　ocean；　and　upon　its
coasts　common　fame　has　reported　the　pillars　of　Hercules　to　be　still
standing：　whether　it　be　that　Hercules　ever　visited　these　parts；　or
that　to　his　renowned　name　we　are　wont　to　ascribe　whatever　is　grand　and
glorious　everywhere。　Neither　did　Drusus　who　made　the　attempt；　want
boldness　to　pursue　it：　but　the　roughness　of　the　ocean　withstood　him；
nor　would　suffer　discoveries　to　be　made　about　itself；　no　more　than
about　Hercules。　Thenceforward　the　enterprise　was　dropped：　nay；　more
pious　and　reverential　it　seemed；　to　believe　the　marvellous　feats　of
the　Gods　than　to　know　and　to　prove　them。

Hitherto；　I　have　been　describing　Germany　towards　the　west。　To　the
northward；　it　winds　away　with　an　immense　compass。　And　first　of　all
occurs　the　nation　of　the　Chaucians；　who　though　they　begin　immediately
at　the　confines　of　the　Frisians；　and　occupy　part　of　the　shore；　extend
so　far　as　to　border　upon　all　the　several　people　whom　I　have　already
recounted；　till　at　last；　by　a　Circuit；　they　reach　quite　to　the
boundaries　of　the　Cattans。　A　region　so　vast；　the　Chaucians　do　not　only
possess　but　fill；　a　people　of　all　the　Germans　the　most　noble；　such　as
would　rather　maintain　their　grandeur　by　justice　than　violence。　They
live　in　repose；　retired　from　broils　abroad；　void　of　avidity　to　possess
more；　free　from　a　spirit　of　domineering　over　others。　They　provoke　no
wars；　they　ravage　no　countries；　they　pursue　no　plunder。　Of　their
bravery　and　power；　the　chief　evidence　arises　from　hence；　that；　without
wronging　or　oppressing　others；　they　are　come　to　be　superior　to　all。
Yet　they　are　all　ready　to　arm；　and　if　an　exigency　require；　armies　are
presently　raised；　powerful　and　abounding　as　they　are　in　men　and
horses；　and　even　when　they　are　quiet　and　their　weapons　laid　aside；
their　credit　and　name　continue　equally　high。

Along　the　side　of　the　Chaucians　and　Cattans　dwell　the　Cheruscans；　a
people　who　finding　no　enemy　to　rouse　them；　were　enfeebled　by　a　peace
over　lasting　and　uniform；　but　such　as　they　failed　not　to　nourish。　A
conduct　which　proved　more　pleasing　than　secure；　since　treacherous　is
that　repose　which　you　enjoy　amongst　neighbours　that　are　very　powerful
and　very　fond　of　rule　and　ma