on the ruin of britain-第2章

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of　refreshing　water。

＇1＇　The　description　of　Britain　is　given　in　very　nearly　the　same
terms；　by　Orosius；　Bede；　and　others；　but　the　numbers　denoting
the　length　and　breadth　and　other　dimensions；　are　different　in
almost　every　MS。　Copy。

＇2＇　〃Soporem〃　in　some　MSS。；　〃saporem〃　in　others；　it　is　difficult
from　the　turgidity　and　superabundance　of　the　style　to　determine
which　is　the　best　meaning。


4。　This　island；　stiffnecked　and　stubbornminded；　from　the
time　of　its　being　first　inhabited；　ungratefully　rebels；　sometimes
against　God；　sometimes　against　her　own　citizens；　and　frequently
also；　against　foreign　kings　and　their　subjects。　　For　what　can
there　either　be；　or　be　committed；　more　disgraceful　or　more
unrighteous　in　human　affairs；　than　to　refuse　to　show　fear　to　God
or　affection　to　one's　own　countrymen；　and　（without　detriment　to
one's　faith）　to　refuse　due　honour　to　those　of　higher　dignity；　to
cast　off　all　regard　to　reason；　human　and　divine；　and；　in　contempt
of　heaven　and　earth；　to　be　guided　by　one's　own　sensual　inventions？
I　shall；　therefore；　omit　those　ancient　errors　common　to　all　the
nations　of　the　earth；　in　which；　before　Christ　came　in　the　flesh；
all　mankind　were　bound；　nor　shall　I　enumerate　those　diabolical
idols　of　my　country；　which　almost　surpassed　in　number　those　of
Egypt；　and　of　which　we　still　see　some　mouldering　away　within　or
without　the　deserted　temples；　with　stiff　and　deformed　features
as　was　customary。　　Nor　will　I　call　out　upon　the　mountains；　fountains；
or　hills；　or　upon　the　rivers；　which　now　are　subservient　to　the
use　of　men；　but　once　were　an　abomination　and　destruction　to　them；
and　to　which　the　blind　people　paid　divine　honour。　　I　shall　also
pass　over　the　bygone　times　of　our　cruel　tyrants；　whose　notoriety
was　spread　over　to　far　distant　countries；　so　that　Porphyry；　that
dog　who　in　the　east　was　always　so　fierce　against　the　church；　in
his　mad　and　vain　style　added　this　also；　that　〃Britain　is　a　land
fertile　in　tyrants。〃*　　I　will　only　endeavour　to　relate　the
evils　which　Britain　suffered　in　the　times　of　the　Roman　emperors；
and　also　those　which　she　caused　to　distant　states；　but　so　far　as
lies　in　my　power；　I　shall　not　follow　the　writings　and　records　of
my　own　country；　which　（if　there　ever　were　any　of　them）　have　been
consumed　in　the　fires　of　the　enemy；　or　have　accompanied　my　exiled
countrymen　into　distant　lands；　but　be　guided　by　the　relations　of
foreign　writers；　which；　being　broken　and　interrupted　in　many　places
are　therefore　by　no　means　clear。

*　Gildas　here　confuses　the　modern　idea　of　a　tyrant　with　that
of　an　usurper。　　The　latter　is　a　sense　in　which　Britain　was　said
to　be　fertile　in　tyrants；　viz。　In　usurpers　of　the　imperial　dignity。

5。　For　when　the　rulers　of　Rome　had　obtained　the　empire　of　the
world；　subdued　all　the　neighbouring　nations　and　islands　towards
the　east；　and　strengthened　their　renown　by　the　first　peace　which
they　made　with　the　Parthians；　who　border　on　India；　there　was　a
general　cessation　from　war　throughout　the　whole　world；　the　fierce
flame　which　they　kindled　could　not　be　extinguished　or　checked　by
the　Western　Ocean；　but　passing　beyond　the　sea；　imposed　submission
upon　our　island　without　resistance；　and　entirely　reduced　to
obedience　its　unwarlike　but　faithless　people；　not　so　much　by　fire
and　sword　and　warlike　engines；　like　other　nations；　but　threats
alone；　and　menaces　of　judgments　frowning　on　their　countenance；
whilst　terror　penetrated　to　their　hearts。

6。　When　afterwards　they　returned　to　Rome；　for　want　of　pay；　as
is　said；　and　had　no　suspicion　of　an　approaching　rebellion；　that
deceitful　lioness　（Boadicea）　put　to　death　the　rulers　who　had　been
left　among　them；　to　unfold　more　fully　and　to　confirm　the　enterprises
of　the　Romans。　　When　the　report　of　these　things　reached　the　senate；
and　they　with　a　speedy　army　made　haste　to　take　vengeance　on　the
crafty　foxes；*　as　they　called　them；　there　was　no　bold　navy　on
the　sea　to　fight　bravely　for　the　country；　by　land　there　was　no
marshalled　army；　no　right　wing　of　battle；　nor　other　preparation
for　resistance；　but　their　backs　were　their　shields　against　their
vanquishers；　and　they　presented　their　necks　to　their　swords；　whilst
chill　terror　ran　through　every　limb；　and　they　stretched　out　their
hands　to　be　bound；　like　women；　so　that　it　has　become　a　proverb
far　and　wide；　that　the　Britons　are　neither　brave　in　war　nor　faithful
in　time　of　peace。

*　The　Britons　who　fought　under　Boadicea　were　anything　but　〃crafty
foxes。〃　　〃Bold　lions〃　is　a　much　more　appropriate　appellation；　they
would　also　have　been　victorious　if　they　had　half　the　military
advantages　of　the　Romans。


7。　The　Romans；　therefore；　having　slain　many　of　the　rebels；　and
reserved　others　for　slaves；　that　the　land　might　not　be　entirely
reduced　to　desolation；　left　the　island；　destitute　as　it　was　of
wine　and　oil；　and　returned　to　Italy；　leaving　behind　them　taskmasters；
to　scourge　the　shoulders　of　the　natives；　to　reduce　their　necks　to
the　yoke；　and　their　soil　to　the　vassalage　of　a　Roman　province；
to　chastise　the　crafty　race；　not　with　warlike　weapons；　but　with
rods；　and　if　necessary　to　gird　upon　their　sides　the　naked　sword；
so　that　it　was　no　longer　thought　to　be　Britain；　but　a　Roman　island；
and　all　their　money；　whether　of　copper；　gold；　or　silver；　was
stamped　with　Caesar's　image。

8。　Meanwhile　these　islands；　stiff　with　cold　and　frost；　and　in　a
distant　region　of　the　world；　remote　from　the　visible　sun；　received
the　beams　of　light；　that　is；　the　holy　precepts　of　Christ；　the　true
Sun；　showing　to　the　whole　world　his　splendour；　not　only　from　the
temporal　firmament；　but　from　the　height　of　heaven；　which　surpasses
every　thing　temporal；　at　the　latter　part；　as　we　know；　of　the　reign
of　Tiberius　Caesar；　by　whom　his　religion　was　propagated　without
impediment；　and　death　threatened　to　those　who　interfered　with　its
professors。

9。　These　rays　of　light　were　received　with　lukewarm　minds　by　the
inhabitants；　but　they　nevertheless　took　root　among　some　of　them
in　a　greater　or　less　degree；　until　the　nine　years'　persecution
of　the　tyrant　Diocletian；　when　the　churches　throughout　the　whole
world　were　overthrown；　all　the　copies　of　the　Holy　Scriptures
which　could　be　found　burned　in　the　streets；　and　the　chosen　pastors
of　God's　flock　butchered；　together　with　their　innocent　sheep；
in　order　that　not　a　vestige；　if　possible；　might　remain　in　some
provinces　of　Christ's　religion。　　What　disgraceful　flights　then
took　place…what　slaughter　and　death　inflicted　by　way　of　punishment
in　divers　shapes；what　dreadful　apostacies　from　religion；　and
on　the　contrary；　what　glorious　crowns　of　martyrdom　then　were　won；
what　raving　fury　was　displayed　by　the　persecutors；　and　patience
on　the　part　of　the　suffering　saints；　ecclesiastical　history　informs
us；　for　the　whole　church　were　crowding　in　a　body；　to　leave　behind
them　the　dark　things　of　this　world；　and　to　make　the　best　of　their
way　to　the　happy　mansions　of　heaven；　as　if　to　their　proper　home。

10。　God；　therefore；　who　wishes　all　men　to　be　saved；　and　who　calls
sinners　no　less　than　those　who　think　themselves　righteous；　magnified
his　mercy　towards　us；　and；　as　we　know；　during　the　above…named
persecution；　that　Britain　might　not　totally　be　enveloped　in　the
dark　shades　of　night；　he；　of　his　own　free　gift；　kindled　up　among
us　bright　luminaries　of　holy　martyrs；　whose　places　of　burial　and
of　martyrdom；　had　they　not　for　our　manifold　crimes　been　interfered
with　and　destroyed　by　the　barbarians；　would　have　still　kindled
in　the　minds　of　the　beholders　no　small　fire　of　divine　charity。
Such　were　St。　Alban　of　Verulam；　Aaron　and　Julius；　citizens　of
Carlisle；　*　and　the　rest；　of　both　sexes；　who　in　different　places
stood　their　ground　in　the　Christian　contest。

*　Or　Caerleon。

11。　The　first　of　these　martyrs；　St。　Alban；　for　charity's　sake
saved　another　confessor　who　was　pursued　by　his　persecutors；　and
was　on　the　point　of　being　seized；　by　hiding　him　in　his　house；　and
then　by　changing　clothes　with　him；　imitating　in　this　example　of
Christ；　who　laid　down　his　life　for　his　sheep；　and　exposing　himself
in　the　other's　clothes　to　be　pursued　in　his　stead。　　So　pleasing
to　God　was　this　conduct；　that　between　his　confession　and　martyrdom；
he　was　honoured　with　the　performance　of　wonderful　miracles　in
presence　of　the　impious　blasphemers　who　were　carrying　the　Roman
standards；　and　like　the　Israelites　of　old；　who　trod　dry…foot　an
unfrequented　path　whilst　the　ark　of　the　covenant　stood　some　time
on　the　sands　in　the　midst　of　Jordan；　so　also　the　martyr；　with　a
thousand　others；　opened　a　path　across　the　noble　river　Thames；
whose　waters　stood　abrupt　like　precipices　on　either　side；　and
seeing　this；　the　first　of　his　executors　was　stricken　with　awe；
and　from　a　wolf　became　a　lamb；　so　that　he　thirsted　for　martyrdom；
and　boldly　underwent　that　for　which　he　thirsted。　　The　other　holy
martyrs　were　tormented　with　divers　sufferings；　and　their　limbs
were　racked　in　such　unheard　of　ways；　that　they；　without　delay；
erected　the　trophies　of　their　glorious　martyrdom　even　in　the　gates
of　the　city　of　Jerusalem。　　For　those　who　survived；　hid　themselves
in　woods　and　deserts；　and　secret　caves；　waiting　until　God；　who
is　the　righteous　judge　of　all；　should　reward　their　persecutors
with　judgment；　and　themselves　with　protection　of　their　lives。

12。　In　less　than　ten　years；　therefore；　of　the　above…named　persecution；
and　when　these　bloody　decrees　began　to　fail　in　consequence　of　the
death　of　their　authors；　all　Christ's　young　disciples；　after　so
long　and　wintry　a　night；　begin　to　behold　the　genial　light　of　heaven。
They　rebuild　the　churches；　which　had　been　levelled　to　the　ground；
they　found；　erect；　and　finish　churches　to　the　holy　martyrs；　and
everywhere　show　their　ensigns　as　token　of　their　victory；　festivals
are　celebrated　and　sacraments　received　with　clean　hearts　and　lips；
and　all　the　church's　sons　rejoice　as　it　were　in　the　fostering
bosom　of　a　mother。　　For　this　holy　union　remained　between　Christ
their　head　and　the　members　of　his　church；　until　the　Arian　treason；
fatal　as　a　serpent；　and　vomiting　its　poison　from　beyond　the　sea；
caused　deadly　dissension　between　brothers　inhabiting　the　same　house；
and　thus；　as　if　a　road　were　made　across　the　sea；　like　wild　beasts
of　all　descriptions；　and　darting　the　poison　of　every　heresy　from
their　jaws；　they　inflicted　dreadful　wounds　upon　their　country；
which　is　ever　desirous　to　hear　something　new；　and　remains　constant
long　to　nothing。

13。　At　length　also；　new　races　of　tyrants　sprang　up；　in　terrific
numbers；　and　the　island；　still　bearing　its　Roman　name；　but　casting
off　her　institutes　and　laws；　sent　forth　among　the　Gauls　that　bitter
scion　of　her　own　planting　Maximus；　with　a　great　number　of　followers；
and　the　ensigns　of　royalty；　which　he　bore　without　decency　and
without　lawful　right；　but　in　a　tyrannical　manner；　and　amid　the
disturbances　of　the　seditious　soldiery。　　He；　by　cunning　arts　rather
than　by　valour；　attaching　to　his　rule；　by　perjury　and　falsehood；
all　the　neighbouring　towns　and　provinces；　against　the　Roman　state；
extended　one　of　his　wings　to　Spain；　the　other　to　Italy；　fixed
the　seat　of　his　unholy　government　at　Treves；　and　so　furiously
pushed　his　rebellion　against　his　lawful　emperors　that　he　drove
one　of　them　out　of　Rome；　and　caused　the　other