history of the britons-第3章

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Julius　was　the　first　exercising　supreme　power　over　the　Romans　who
invaded　Britain：　in　honour　of　him　the　Romans　decreed　the　fifth　month
to　be　called　after　his　name。　　He　was　assassinated　in　the　Curia；　in
the　ides　of　March；　and　Octavius　Augustus　succeeded　to　the　empire
of　the　world。　　He　was　the　only　emperor　who　received　tribute　from
the　Britons；　according　to　the　following　verse　of　Virgil：　〃Purpurea
intexti　tollunt　aulaea　Britanni。〃

21。　The　second　after　him；　who　came　into　Britain；　was　the　emperor
Claudius；　who　reigned　forty…seven　years　after　the　birth　of　Christ。
He　carried　with　him　war　and　devastation；　and；　though　not　without
loss　of　men；　he　at　length　conquered　Britain。　　He　next　sailed　to
the　Orkneys；　which　he　likewise　conquered；　and　afterwards　rendered
tributary。　　No　tribute　was　in　his　time　received　from　the　Britons；
but　it　was　paid　to　British　emperors。　　He　reigned　thirteen　years
and　eight　months。　　His　monument　is　to　be　seen　at　Moguntia　（among
the　Lombards）；　where　he　died　in　his　way　to　Rome。

22。　After　the　birth　of　Christ；　one　hundred　and　sixty…seven　years；
king　Lucius；　with　all　the　chiefs　of　the　British　people；　received
baptism；　in　consequence　of　a　legation　sent　by　the　Roman　emperors
and　pope　Evaristus。*
*　V。R。　Eucharistus。　　A　marginal　note　in　the　Arundel　MS。　adds；
〃He　is　wrong；　because　the　first　year　of　Evaristus　was　A。D。　79；
whereas　the　first　year　of　Eleutherius；　whom　he　ought　to　have
named；　was　A。D。　161。〃　　Usher　says；　that　in　one　MS。　of　Nennius　he
found　the　name　of　Eleutherius。

23。　Severus　was　the　third　emperor　who　passed　the　sea　to　Britain；
where；　to　protect　the　provinces　recovered　from　barbaric　incursions；
he　ordered　a　wall　and　a　rampart　to　be　made　between　the　Britons；　the
Scots；　and　the　Picts；　extending　across　the　island　from　sea　to　sea；
in　length　one　hundred　and　thirty…three　miles：　and　it　is　called　in
the　British　language　Gwal。*　　Moreover；　he　ordered　it　to　be　made
between　the　Britons；　and　the　Picts　and　Scots；　for　the　Scots　from
the　west；　and　the　Picts　from　the　north；　unanimously　made　war
against　the　Britons；　but　were　at　peace　among　themselves。　　Not　long
after　Severus　dies　in　Britain。
*Or；　the　Wall。　　One　MS。　here　adds；　〃The　above…mentioned　Severus
constructed　it　of　rude　workmanship　in　length　132　miles；　i。e。　from
Penguaul；　which　village　is　called　in　Scottish　Cenail；　in　English
Peneltun；　to　the　mouth　of　the　river　Cluth　and　Cairpentaloch；　where
this　wall　terminates；　but　it　was　of　no　avail。　　The　emperor　Carausius
afterwards　rebuilt　it；　and　fortified　it　with　seven　castles　between
the　two　mouths：　he　built　also　a　round　house　of　polished　stones　on
the　banks　of　the　river　Carun　＇Carron＇：　he　likewise　erected　a
triumphal　arch；　on　which　he　inscribed　his　own　name　in　memory　of
his　victory。

24。　The　fourth　was　the　emperor　and　tyrant；　Carausius；　who；　incensed
at　the　murder　of　Severus；　passed　into　Britain；　and　attended　by　the
leaders　of　the　Roman　people；　severely　avenged　upon　the　chiefs　and
rulers　of　the　Britons；　the　cause　of　Severus。*
*　This　passage　is　corrupt；　the　meaning　is　briefly　given　in　the
translation。

25。　The　fifth　was　Constantius　the　father　of　Constantine　the　Great。
He　died　in　Britain；　his　sepulchre；　as　it　appears　by　the　inscription
on　his　tomb；　is　still　seen　near　the　city　named　Cair　segont　（near
Carnarvon）。　　Upon　the　pavement　of　the　above…mentioned　city　he　sowed
three　seeds　of　gold；　silver　and　brass；　that　no　poor　person　might
ever　be　found　in　it。　　It　is　also　called　Minmanton。*
*　V。R。　Mirmantum；　Mirmantun；　Minmanto；　Minimantone。　　The　Segontium
of　Antoninus；　situated　on　a　small　river　named　Seiont；　near　Carnarvon。

26。　Maximianus＇1＇　was　the　sixth　emperor　that　ruled　in　Britain。　It
was　in　his　time　that　consuls＇2＇　began；　and　that　the　appellation　of
Caesar　was　discontinued：　at　this　period　also；　St。　Martin　became
celebrated　for　his　virtues　and　miracles；　and　held　a　conversation
with　him。
＇1＇　This　is　an　inaccuracy　of　Nennius；　Maximus　and　Maximianus　were
one　and　the　same　person；　or　rather　no　such　person　as　Maximianus
ever　reigned　in　Britain。
＇2＇　Geoffrey　of　Monmouth　gives　the　title　of　consul　to　several
British　generals　who　lived　after　this　time。　　It　is　not　unlikely
that　the　town；　name；　and　dignity；　still　lingered　in　the　provinces
after　the　Romans　were　gone；　particularly　as　the　cities　of　Britain
maintained　for　a　time　a　species　of　independence。

27。　The　seventh　emperor　was　Maximus。　　He　withdrew　from　Britain
with　all　his　military　force；　slew　Gratian；　the　king　of　the　Romans；
and　obtained　the　sovereignty　of　all　Europe。　　Unwilling　to　send
back　his　warlike　companions　to　their　wives；　children；　and　possessions
in　Britain；　he　conferred　upon　them　numerous　districts　from　the　lake
on　the　summit　of　Mons　Jovis；　to　the　city　called　Cant　Guic；　and　to
the　western　Tumulus；　that　is；　to　Cruc　Occident。*　These　are　the
Armoric　Britons；　and　they　remain　there　to　the　present　day。　　In
consequence　of　their　absence；　Britain　being　overcome　by　foreign
nations；　the　lawful　heirs　were　cast　out；　till　God　interposed　with
his　assistance。　　We　are　informed　by　the　tradition　of　our　ancestors
that　seven　emperors　went　into　Britain；　though　the　Romans　affirm
there　were　nine。
*　This　district；　in　modern　language；　extended　from　the　great　St。
Bernard　in　Piedmont　to　Cantavic　in　Picardy；　and　from　Picardy　to
the　western　coast　of　France。

28。　Thus；　aggreeably　to　the　account　given　by　the　Britons；　the
Romans　governed　them　four　hundred　and　nine　years。

After　this；　the　Britons　despised　the　authority　of　the　Romans；
equally　refusing　to　pay　them　tribute；　or　to　receive　their　kings；
nor　durst　the　Romans　any　longer　attempt　the　government　of　a　country；
the　natives　of　which　massacred　their　deputies。

29。　We　must　now　return　to　the　tyrant　Maximus。　　Gratian；　with　his
brother　Valentinian；　reigned　seven　years。　　Ambrose；　bishop　of　Milan；
was　then　eminent　for　his　skill　in　the　dogmata　of　the　Catholics。
Valentinianus　and　Theodosius　reigned　eight　years。　　At　that　time
a　synod　was　held　at　Constantinople；　attended　by　three　hundred　and
fifty　of　the　fathers；　and　in　which　all　heresies　were　condemned。
Jerome；　the　presbyter　of　Bethlehem；　was　then　universally　celebrated。
Whilst　Gratian　exercised　supreme　dominion　over　the　world；　Maximus；
in　a　sedition　of　the　soldiers；　was　saluted　emperor　in　Britain；　and
soon　after　crossed　the　sea　to　Gaul。　　At　Paris；　by　the　treachery
of　Mellobaudes；　his　master　of　the　horse；　Gratian　was　defeated　and
fleeing　to　Lyons；　was　taken　and　put　to　death；　Maximus　afterwards
associated　his　son　victor　in　the　government。

Martin；　distinguished　for　his　great　virtues；　was　at　this　period
bishop　of　Tours。　　After　a　considerable　space　of　time；　Maximus
was　divested　of　royal　power　by　the　consuls　Valentinianus　and
Theodosius；　and　sentenced　to　be　beheaded　at　the　third　mile…stone
from　Aquileia：　in　the　same　year　also　his　son　Victor　was　killed　in
Gaul　by　Arbogastes；　five　thousand　six　hundred　and　ninety　years
from　the　creation　of　the　world。

30。　Thrice　were　the　Roman　deputies　put　to　death　by　the　Britons；
and　yet　these；　when　harassed　by　the　incursions　of　the　barbarous
nations；　viz。　Of　the　Scots　and　Picts；　earnestly　solicited　the　aid
of　the　Romans。　　To　give　effect　to　their　entreaties；　ambassadors
were　sent；　who　made　their　entrance　with　impressions　of　deep　sorrow；
having　their　heads　covered　with　dust；　and　carrying　rich　presents；
to　expiate　the　murder　of　the　deputies。　　They　were　favourably
received　by　the　consuls；　and　swore　submission　to　the　Roman　yoke；
with　whatever　severity　it　might　be　imposed。

The　Romans；　therefore；　came　with　a　powerful　army　to　the　assistance
of　the　Britons；　and　having　appointed　over　them　a　ruler；　and　settled
the　government；　returned　to　Rome：　and　this　took　place　alternately
during　the　space　of　three　hundred　and　forty…eight　years。　　The
Britons；　however；　from　the　oppression　of　the　empire；　again　massacred
The　Roman　deputies；　and　again　petitioned　for　succour。　　Once　more
the　Romans　undertook　the　government　of　the　Britons；　and　assisted
them　in　repelling　their　neighbours；　and；　after　having　exhausted
the　country　of　its　gold；　silver；　brass；　honey；　and　costly　vestments；
and　having　besides　received　rich　gifts；　they　returned　in　great
triumph　to　Rome。

31。　After　the　above…said　war　between　the　Britons　and　Romans；　the
assassination　of　their　rulers；　and　the　victory　of　Maximus；　who
slew　Gratian；　and　the　termination　of　the　Roman　power　in　Britain；
they　were　in　alarm　forty　years。

Vortigern　then　reigned　in　Britain。　　In　his　time；　the　natives　had
cause　of　dread；　not　only　from　the　inroads　of　the　Scots　and　Picts；
but　also　from　the　Romans；　and　their　apprehensions　of　Ambrosius。*
*　These　words　relate　evidently　to　some　cause　of　dispute　between
the　Romans；　Ambrosius；　and　Vortigern。　　Vortigern　is　said　to　have
been　sovereign　of　the　Dimetae；　and　Ambrosius　son　to　the　king　of
the　Damnonii。　　The　latter　was　half　a　Roman　by　descent；　and　naturally
supported　the　Roman　interest：　the　former　was　entirely　a　Briton；
and　as　naturally　seconded　by　the　original　Britons。

In　the　meantime；　three　vessels；　exiled　from　Germany；　arrived　in
Britain。　　They　were　commanded　by　Horsa　and　Hengist；　brothers；　and
sons　of　Wihtgils。　　Wihtgils　was　the　son　of　Witta；　Witta　of　Wecta；
Wecta　of　Woden；　Woden　of　Frithowald；　Frithowald　of　Frithuwulf；
Frithuwulf　of　Finn；　Finn　of　Godwulf；　Godwulf　of　Geat；　who；　as　they
say；　was　the　son　of　a　god；　not＇1＇　of　the　omnipotent　God　and　our
Lord　Jesus　Christ　（who　before　the　beginning　of　the　world；　was　with
the　Father　and　the　Holy　Spirit；　co…eternal　and　of　the　same　substance；
and　who；　in　compassion　to　human　nature；　disdained　not　to　assume
the　form　of　a　servant）；　but　the　offspring　of　one　of　their　idols；
and　whom；　blinded　by　some　demon；　they　worshipped　according　to　the
custom　of　the　heathen。　　Vortigern　received　them　as　friends；　and
delivered　up　to　them　the　island　which　is　in　their　language　called
Thanet；　and；　by　the　Britons；　Ruym。＇2＇　　Gratianus　Aequantius　at
that　time　reigned　in　Rome。　　The　Saxons　were　received　by　Vortigern；
four　hundred　and　forty…seven　years　after　the　passion　of　Christ；
and；＇3＇　according　to　the　tradition　of　our　ancestors；　from　the
period　of　their　first　arrival　in　Britain；　to　the　first　year　of
the　reign　of　king　Edmund；　five　hundred　and　forty…two　years；　and
to　that　in　which　we　now　write；　which　is　the　fifth　of　his　reign；
five　hundred　and　forty…seven　years。
＇1＇　V。R。　not　the　God　of　gods；　the　Amen；　the　Lord　of　Hosts；　but　one
of　their　idols　which　they　worshipped。
＇2＇　Sometimes　called　Ruoichin；　Ruith…in；　or　〃river　island；〃　separated
from　the　rest　of　Kent　and　the　mainland　of　Britain　by　the　estuary
of　the　Wantsum；　which；　though　now　a　small　brook；　was　formerly
navigable　for　large　vessels；　and　in　Bede's　time　was　three　stadia
broad；　and　fordable　only　at　two　places。
＇3＇　The　rest　of　this　sentence　is　omitted　in　some　of　the　MSS。

32。　At　that　time　St。　Germanus；　distinguished　for　his　numerous
virtues；　came　to　preach　in　Britain：　by　his　ministry　many　were　saved；
but　many　likewise　died　unconverted。　　Of　the　various　miracles　which
God　enabled　him　to　perform；　I　shall　here　mention　only　a　few：　I
shall　first　advert　to　that　concerning　an　iniquitous　and　tyrannical
king；　named　Benlli。*　The　holy　man；　informed　of　his　wicked　conduct；
hastened　to　visit　him；　for　the　purpose　of　rem