tacitus on germany-第7部分

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used　indifferently　by　all；　but　shut　up　and　warded　under　the　care　of　a
particular　keeper；　who　in　truth　too　is　always　a　slave：　since　from　all
sudden　invasions　and　attacks　from　their　foes；　the　ocean　protects　them：
besides　that　armed　bands；　when　they　are　not　employed；　grow　easily
debauched　and　tumultuous。　The　truth　is；　it　suits　not　the　interest　of
an　arbitrary　Prince；　to　trust　the　care　and　power　of　arms　either　with　a
nobleman　or　with　a　freeman；　or　indeed　with　any　man　above　the　condition
of　a　slave。

Beyond　the　Suiones　is　another　sea；　one　very　heavy　and　almost　void　of
agitation；　and　by　it　the　whole　globe　is　thought　to　be　bounded　and
environed；　for　that　the　reflection　of　the　sun；　after　his　setting；
continues　till　his　rising；　so　bright　as　to　darken　the　stars。　To　this；
popular　opinion　has　added；　that　the　tumult　also　of　his　emerging　from
the　sea　is　heard；　that　forms　divine　are　then　seen；　as　likewise　the
rays　about　his　head。　Only　thus　far　extend　the　limits　of　nature；　if
what　fame　says　be　true。　Upon　the　right　of　the　Suevian　Sea　the　AEstyan
nations　reside；　who　use　the　same　customs　and　attire　with　the　Suevians；
their　language　more　resembles　that　of　Britain。　They　worship　the　Mother
of　the　Gods。　As　the　characteristic　of　their　national　superstition；
they　wear　the　images　of　wild　boars。　This　alone　serves　them　for　arms；
this　is　the　safeguard　of　all；　and　by　this　every　worshipper　of　the
goddess　is　secured　even　amidst　his　foes。　Rare　amongst　them　is　the　use
of　weapons　of　iron；　but　frequent　that　of　clubs。　In　producing　of　grain
and　the　other　fruits　of　the　earth；　they　labour　with　more　assiduity　and
patience　than　is　suitable　to　the　usual　laziness　of　Germans。　Nay；　they
even　search　the　deep；　and　of　all　the　rest　are　the　only　people　who
gather　/amber/。　They　call　it　/glasing/；　and　find　it　amongst　the
shallows　and　upon　the　very　shore。　But；　according　to　the　ordinary
incuriosity　and　ignorance　of　Barbarians；　they　have　neither　learnt；　nor
do　they　inquire；　what　is　its　nature；　or　from　what　cause　it　is
produced。　In　truth　it　lay　long　neglected　amongst　the　other　gross
discharges　of　the　sea；　till　from　our　luxury；　it　gained　a　name　and
value。　To　themselves　it　is　of　no　use：　they　gather　it　rough；　they
expose　it　in　pieces　coarse　and　unpolished；　and　for　it　receive　a　price
with　wonder。　You　would　however　conceive　it　to　be　a　liquor　issuing　from
trees；　for　that　in　the　transparent　substance　are　often　seen　birds　and
other　animals；　such　as　at　first　stuck　in　the　soft　gum；　and　by　it；　as
it　hardened；　became　quite　enclosed。　I　am　apt　to　believe　that；　as　in
the　recesses　of　the　East　are　found　woods　and　groves　dropping
frankincense　and　balms；　so　in　the　isles　and　continent　of　the　West　such
gums　are　extracted　by　the　force　and　proximity　of　the　sun；　at　first
liquid　and　flowing　into　the　next　sea；　then　thrown　by　the　winds　and
waves　upon　the　opposite　shore。　If　you　try　the　nature　of　amber　by　the
application　of　fire；　it　kindles　like　a　torch；　and　feeds　a　thick　and
unctuous　flame　very　high　scented；　and　presently　becomes　glutinous　like
pitch　or　rosin。

Upon　the　Suiones；　border　the　people　Sitones；　and；　agreeing　with　them
in　all　other　things；　differ　from　them　in　one；　that　here　the
sovereignty　is　exercised　by　a　woman。　So　notoriously　do　they　degenerate
not　only　from　a　state　of　liberty；　but　even　below　a　state　of　bondage。
Here　end　the　territories　of　the　Suevians。

Whether　amongst　the　Sarmatians　or　the　Germans　I　ought　to　account　the
Peucinians；　the　Venedians；　and　the　Fennians；　is　what　I　cannot
determine；　though　the　Peucinians；　whom　some　call　Basstarnians；　speak
the　same　language　with　the　Germans；　use　the　same　attire；　build　like
them；　and　live　like　them；　in　that　dirtiness　and　sloth　so　common　to
all。　Somewhat　they　are　corrupted　into　the　fashion　of　the　Sarmatians　by
the　inter…marriages　of　the　principal　sort　with　that　nation：　from
whence　the　Venedians　have　derived　very　many　of　their　customs　and　a
great　resemblance。　For　they　are　continually　traversing　and　infesting
with　robberies　all　the　forests　and　mountains　lying　between　the
Peucinians　and　Fennians。　Yet　they　are　rather　reckoned　amongst　the
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