tacitus on germany-第9章

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Germans；　for　that　they　have　fixed　houses；　and　carry　shields；　and
prefer　travelling　on　foot；　and　excel　in　swiftness。　Usages　these；　all
widely　differing　from　those　of　the　Sarmatians；　who　live　on　horseback
and　dwell　in　waggons。　In　wonderful　savageness　live　the　nation　of　the
Fennians；　and　in　beastly　poverty；　destitute　of　arms；　of　horses；　and　of
homes；　their　food；　the　common　herbs；　their　apparel；　skins；　their　bed；
the　earth；　their　only　hope　in　their　arrows；　which　for　want　of　iron
they　point　with　bones。　Their　common　support　they　have　from　the　chase；
women　as　well　as　men；　for　with　these　the　former　wander　up　and　down；
and　crave　a　portion　of　the　prey。　Nor　other　shelter　have　they　even　for
their　babes；　against　the　violence　of　tempests　and　ravening　beasts；
than　to　cover　them　with　the　branches　of　trees　twisted　together；　this　a
reception　for　the　old　men；　and　hither　resort　the　young。　Such　a
condition　they　judge　more　happy　than　the　painful　occupation　of
cultivating　the　ground；　than　the　labour　of　rearing　houses；　than　the
agitations　of　hope　and　fear　attending　the　defence　of　their　own
property　or　the　seizing　that　of　others。　Secure　against　the　designs　of
men；　secure　against　the　malignity　of　the　Gods；　they　have　accomplished
a　thing　of　infinite　difficulty；　that　to　them　nothing　remains　even　to
be　wished。

What　further　accounts　we　have　are　fabulous：　as　that　the　Hellusians　and
Oxiones　have　the　countenances　and　aspect　of　men；　with　the　bodies　and
limbs　of　savage　beasts。　This；　as　a　thing　about　which　I　have　no　certain
information；　I　shall　leave　untouched。







End