tacitus on germany-第7章

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that　repose　which　you　enjoy　amongst　neighbours　that　are　very　powerful
and　very　fond　of　rule　and　mastership。　When　recourse　is　once　had　to　the
sword；　modesty　and　fair　dealing　will　be　vainly　pleaded　by　the　weaker；
names　these　which　are　always　assumed　by　the　stronger。　Thus　the
Cheruscans；　they　who　formerly　bore　the　character　of　/good　and
upright/；　are　now　called　/cowards　and　fools/；　and　the　fortune　of　the
Cattans　who　subdued　them；　grew　immediately　to　be　wisdom。　In　the　ruin
of　the　Cheruscans；　the　Fosians；　also　their　neighbours；　were　involved；
and　in　their　calamities　bore　an　equal　share；　though　in　their
prosperity　they　had　been　weaker　and　less　considered。

In　the　same　winding　tract　of　Germany　live　the　Cimbrians；　close　to　the
ocean；　a　community　now　very　small；　but　great　in　fame。　Nay；　of　their
ancient　renown；　many　and　extensive　are　the　traces　and　monuments　still
remaining；　even　their　entrenchments　upon　either　shore；　so　vast　in
compass　that　from　thence　you　may　even　now　measure　the　greatness　and
numerous　bands　of　that　people；　and　assent　to　the　account　of　an　army　so
mighty。　It　was　on　the　six　hundred　and　fortieth　year　of　Rome；　when　of
the　arms　of　the　Cimbrians　the　first　mention　was　made；　during　the
Consulship　of　Caecilius　Metellus　and　Papirius　Carbo。　If　from　that　time
we　count　to　the　second　Consulship　of　the　Emperor　Trajan；　the　interval
comprehends　near　two　hundred　and　ten　years；　so　long　have　we　been
conquering　Germany。　In　a　course　of　time；　so　vast　between　these　two
periods；　many　have　been　the　blows　and　disasters　suffered　on　each　side。
In　truth　neither　from　the　Samnites；　nor　from　the　Carthaginians；　nor
from　both　Spains；　nor　from　all　the　nations　of　Gaul；　have　we　received
more　frequent　checks　and　alarms；　nor　even　from　the　Parthians：　for；
more　vigorous　and　invincible　is　the　liberty　of　the　Germans　than　the
monarchy　of　the　Arsacides。　Indeed；　what　has　the　power　of　the　East　to
allege　to　our　dishonour；　but　the　fall　of　Crassus；　that　power　which　was
itself　overthrown　and　abased　by　Ventidius；　with　the　loss　of　the　great
King　Pacorus　bereft　of　his　life？　But　by　the　Germans　the　Roman　People
have　been　bereft　of　five　armies；　all　commanded　by　Consuls；　by　the
Germans；　the　commanders　of　these　armies；　Carbo；　and　Cassius；　and
Scaurus　Aurelius；　and　Servilius　Caepio；　as　also　Marcus　Manlius；　were
all　routed　or　taken：　by　the　Germans　even　the　Emperor　Augustus　was
bereft　of　Varus　and　three　legions。　Nor　without　difficulty　and　loss　of
men　were　they　defeated　by　Caius　Marius　in　Italy；　or　by　the　deified
Julius　in　Gaul；　or　by　Drusus　or　Tiberius　or　Germanicus　in　their　native
territories。　Soon　after；　the　mighty　menaces　of　Caligula　against　them
ended　in　mockery　and　derision。　Thenceforward　they　continued　quiet；
till　taking　advantage　of　our　domestic　division　and　civil　wars；　they
stormed　and　seized　the　winter　entrenchments　of　the　legions；　and　aimed
at　the　dominion　of　Gaul；　from　whence　they　were　once　more　expulsed；　and
in　the　times　preceding　the　present；　we　gained　a　triumph　over　them
rather　than　a　victory。

I　must　now　proceed　to　speak　of　the　Suevians；　who　are　not；　like　the
Cattans　and　Tencterians；　comprehended　in　a　single　people；　but　divided
into　several　nations　all　bearing　distinct　names；　though　in　general
they　are　entitled　Suevians；　and　occupy　the　larger　share　of　Germany。
This　people　are　remarkable　for　a　peculiar　custom；　that　of　twisting
their　hair　and　binding　it　up　in　a　knot。　It　is　thus　the　Suevians　are
distinguished　from　the　other　Germans；　thus　the　free　Suevians　from
their　slaves。　In　other　nations；　whether　from　alliance　of　blood　with
the　Suevians；　or；　as　is　usual　from　imitation；　this　practice　is　also
found；　yet　rarely；　and　never　exceeds　the　years　of　youth。　The　Suevians；
even　when　their　hair　is　white　through　age；　continue　to　raise　it
backwards　in　a　manner　stern　and　staring；　and　often　tie　it　upon　the　top
of　their　head　only。　That　of　their　Princes；　is　more　accurately
disposed；　and　so　far　they　study　to　appear　agreeable　and　comely；　but
without　any　culpable　intention。　For　by　it；　they　mean　not　to　make　love
or　to　incite　it：　they　thus　dress　when　proceeding　to　war；　and　deck
their　heads　so　as　to　add　to　their　height　and　terror　in　the　eyes　of　the
enemy。

Of　all　the　Suevians；　the　Semnones　recount　themselves　to　be　the　most
ancient　and　most　noble。　The　belief　of　their　antiquity　is　confirmed　by
religious　mysteries。　At　a　stated　time　of　the　year；　all　the　several
people　descended　from　the　same　stock；　assemble　by　their　deputies　in　a
wood；　consecrated　by　the　idolatries　of　their　forefathers；　and　by
superstitious　awe　in　times　of　old。　There　by　publicly　sacrificing　a
man；　they　begin　the　horrible　solemnity　of　their　barbarous　worship。　To
this　grove　another　sort　of　reverence　is　also　paid。　No　one　enters　it
otherwise　than　bound　with　ligatures；　thence　professing　his
subordination　and　meanness；　and　power　of　the　Deity　there。　If　he　fall
down；　he　is　not　permitted　to　rise　or　be　raised；　but　grovels　along　upon
the　ground。　And　of　all　their　superstition；　this　is　the　drift　and
tendency；　that　from　this　place　the　nation　drew　their　original；　that
here　God；　the　supreme　Governor　of　the　world；　resides；　and　that　all
things　else　whatsoever　are　subject　to　him　and　bound　to　obey　him。　The
potent　condition　of　the　Semnones　has　increased　their　influence　and
authority；　as　they　inhabit　an　hundred　towns；　and　from　the　largeness　of
their　community　it　comes；　that　they　hold　themselves　for　the　head　of
the　Suevians。

What　on　the　contrary　ennobles　the　Langobards　is　the　smallness　of　their
number；　for　that　they；　who　are　surrounded　with　very　many　and　very
powerful　nations；　derive　their　security　from　no　obsequiousness　or
plying；　but　from　the　dint　of　battle　and　adventurous　deeds。　There
follow　in　order　the　Reudignians；　and　Aviones；　and　Angles；　and
Varinians；　and　Eudoses；　and　Suardones　and　Nuithones；　all　defended　by
rivers　or　forests。　Nor　in　one　of　these　nations　does　aught　remarkable
occur；　only　that　they　universally　join　in　the　worship　of　/Herthum/；
that　is　to　say；　the　Mother　Earth。　Her　they　believe　to　interpose　in　the
affairs　of　men；　and　to　visit　countries。　In　an　island　of　the　ocean
stands　the　wood　/Castum/：　in　it　is　a　chariot　dedicated　to　the　Goddess
covered　over　with　a　curtain；　and　permitted　to　be　touched　by　none　but
the　Priest。　Whenever　the　Goddess　enters　this　her　holy　vehicle；　he
perceives　her；　and　with　profound　veneration　attends　the　motion　of　the
chariot；　which　is　always　drawn　by　yoked　cows。　Then　it　is　that　days　of
rejoicing　always　ensue；　and　in　all　places　whatsoever　which　she
descends　to　honour　with　a　visit　and　her　company；　feasts　and　recreation
abound。　They　go　not　to　war；　they　touch　no　arms；　fast　laid　up　is　every
hostile　weapon；　peace　and　repose　are　then　only　known；　then　only
beloved；　till　to　the　temple　the　same　priest　reconducts　the　Goddess
when　well　tired　with　the　conversation　of　mortal　beings。　Anon　the
chariot　is　washed　and　purified　in　a　secret　lake；　as　also　the　curtain；
nay；　the　Deity　herself　too；　if　you　choose　to　believe　it。　In　this
office　it　is　slaves　who　minister；　and　they　are　forthwith　doomed　to　be
swallowed　up　in　the　same　lake。　Hence　all　men　are　possessed　with
mysterious　terror；　as　well　as　with　a　holy　ignorance　what　that　must　be；
which　none　see　but　such　as　are　immediately　to　perish。　Moreover　this
quarter　of　the　Suevians　stretches　to　the　middle　of　Germany。

The　community　next　adjoining；　is　that　of　the　Hermondurians；　（that　I
may　now　follow　the　course　of　the　Danube；　as　a　little　before　I　did　that
of　the　Rhine）　a　people　this；　faithful　to　the　Romans。　So　that　to　them
alone　of　all　the　Germans；　commerce　is　permitted；　not　barely　upon　the
bank　of　the　Rhine；　but　more　extensively；　and　even　in　that　glorious
colony　in　the　province　of　Rhoetia。　They　travel　everywhere　at　their　own
discretion　and　without　a　guard；　and　when　to　other　nations；　we　show　no
more　than　our　arms　and　encampments；　to　this　people　we　throw　open　our
houses　and　dwellings；　as　to　men　who　have　no　longing　to　possess　them。
In　the　territories　of　the　Hermondurians　rises　the　Elbe；　a　river　very
famous　and　formerly　well　known　to　us；　at　present　we　only　hear　it
named。

Close　by　the　Hermondurians　reside　the　Nariscans；　and　next　to　them　the
Marcomanians　and　Quadians。　Amongst　th