literature.txt

The Power of the Druids/Caesar/Druides rebus divinis intersunt, sacrificia publica ac privata procurant, religiones interpretantur: ad hos magnus adulescentium numerus disciplinae causa concurrit, magnoque hi sunt apud eos honore. Nam fere de omnibus controversiis publicis privatisque constituunt, et, si quod est admissum facinus, si caedes facta, si de hereditate, de finibus controversia est, idem decernunt, praemia poenasque constituunt. si quis aut privatus aut publicus eorum decreto non stetit, sacrificiis interdicunt. haec poena apud eos est gravissima. ei quibus ita interdictum est numero impiorum ac sceleratorum habentur; eis omnes decedunt, aditum sermonemque fugiunt, ne quid ex contagion incommode accipient; neque his petentibus ius redditur neque honos ullus datur. his autem omnibus Druidibus praeest unus, qui summam inter eos habet auctoritatem. hoc mortuo, aut si qui ex reliquis excellit dignitate succedit, aut si sunt multi pares, suffragio Druidum, nonnumquam etiam armis, de principatu contendunt. disciplina eorum in Britannia reperta atque inde in Galliam translata esse existimatur, et nunc ei, qui diligentius eam rem cognoscere volunt, plerumque in Britanniam discendi causa proficiscuntur./The Druids are involved with divine affairs, they conduct public and private sacrifices, and interpret all religious matters. A large number of young men gather towards these men to learn, and they (The Druids) amoung them (the young men) are in high esteem. For they decide almost every controversy, whether public or private, and if a crime has been perpetrated, or a murder committed, or if there is a dispute about inheritance or boundaries, the Druids make a decision about it. They also 'decide' upon rewards and punishments. If any man, either in a public or private capacity, does not stand by their decision, they ban them from sacrifices. This punishment is the most serious amoungst these men. Those men, who have been banned, are held amoungst the number of impious and wicked men. Everyone shuns these men, and flees their companion lest they should catch something from the contact of evil. Justice is also not given to those seeking it and neither are any honours. One of the Druids presides over all of them, who has the highest authority amoung them. With his death, if there is one man who excels in dignity, he succeeds, or if there are many who are equal, then they contend in an elections of the Druids for the presidency, not never with weapons. It is thought that the disciplines of these men were discovered in Britain and brought across into Gaul and now, men, who want to discover more about this way of life, set out to Britain to learn it.
The Education of the Druids/Caesar/Druides a bello abesse solent neque tribute una cum reliquis pendunt militiae vacationem omniumque rerum immunitatem habent. tantis praemiis excitati et sua sponte multi in disciplinam convenient et a parentibus propinquisque mittuntur. magnum ibi numerum versuum ediscere discuntur; itaque nonnulli viginti annos in disciplina permanent. neque fas esse existimant hos versus litteris mandare, cum in reliquis fere rebus Graecis litteris utantur. id mihi duabus de causis instituisse videntur, quod neque in vulgum disciplinam efferi velint, neque eos, qui discunt, litteris confisos minus memoriae studere. in primis hoc volunt, persuadere, animas non perire, sed ab allis post mortem transire ad alios, atque hoc maxime homines ad virtutem excitari putant metu mortis neglecto. multa praeterea, de sideribus atque eorum motu, de mundi ac terrarium magnitudine, de rereum nature, de deorum immortalium vi ac potestate disputant et iuventuti tradunt./The Druids are accustomed to being away from war and withhold tributes with the rest. They have leave from military service and a dispensation in all matters. Having been excited by such benefits, many join on their own accord and many are sent by their parents and relatives. They are said to learn a great number of verses there; and so, some will remain in training for twenty years. They think that it is not correct to commit these verses to writing although in almost all other matters, they use Greek letters. These things seem to me to have been put in place for two reasons: because they do not want their study to be carried out in the public and neither do they want those, who learn, to study less with memory having relied on writing. They want to establish this amoungst their leading ideas, that souls do not perish but transfer from one body to another after death, and they think that with this very great idea, men are roused to honour, with the fear of death having been neglected. Meanwhile, they discuss and tell young men many things about the stars and their movements, about the extent of the universe and our world, about the nature of all things and about the strength and power of the immortal gods.
The Religion of the Druids/Caesar/natio omnis Gallorum est magnopere dedita religionibus, atque ob eam causam ei, qui sunt affecti gravioribus morbis quique in proeliis periculisque versantur, aut pro victimis homines immolant aut se immolaturos esse vovent administrisque ad ea sacrificia Druidibus utuntur, quod, nisi pro vita hominis reddatur hominis vita, non posse deorum immortalium numen placari arbitrantur: publiceque eiusdem generis habent instituta sacrificia. alii simulacra ingenti magnitudine habent, quorum membra viminibus contexta vivis hominibus complent; simulacris incensis homines flamma circumventi pereunt. supplicia eorum qui in furto, aut in latrocinio aut aliqua noxia sint comprehensi gratiora deis immortalibus esse arbitrantur; sed, cum copia eius generis defecit, etiam ad innocentium supplicia descendunt./The entire nation of the Gauls is greatly devoted to religious matters, and for that reason those who have been affected with rather serious illnesses and those who are engaged in battles and dangers either sacrifice or vow that they will sacrifice men as victims, and they use the Druids as assistants for those sacrifices, because, unless the life of a man is offered up in the place of the life of a man, they judge that the power of the immortal gods cannot be appeased, and they have established and hold sacrifices of the same sort in the name of the state. Others have figures of great size, whose bodies woven with branches they fill with living men; when the figures have been burned, the men, encircled by flames, die. The executions of those who have been caught in theft or robbery or some other offence are thought to be more pleasing to the immortal gods; but, when the supply of that sort runs out, they even descend to the executions of innocent men.
The Invasion of Mona/Tacitus/igitur Monam insulam, incolis validam et receptaculum perfugarum, adgredi parat, navesque fabricatur plano alveo adversus breve et incertum. sic pedites, equites vado secuti aut altiores inter undas adnantes equis tramisere. stabat pro litore diversa acies, densa armis virisque, intercursantibus feminis, quae in modum Furiarum veste ferali, crinibus disiectis faces praeferebant; Druidaeque circum, preces diras sublatis ad caelum manibus fundentes, novitate adspectus perculere militem, ut quasi haerentibus membris immobile corpus vulneribus praeberent. dein cohortationibus ducis et se ipsi stimulantes, ne muliebre et fanaticum agmen pavescerent, inferunt signa sternuntque obvios et igni suo involvunt. praesidium posthac impositum victis excisique luci saevis superstitionibus sacri: nam cruore captivo adolere aras et hominum fibris consulere deos fas habebant./He therefore prepared to attack the island of Mona, which had a powerful population, and was a refuge for fugitives. Thus, the infantry crossed, and the cavalry followed by fording, or, where the water was deep, swam by the side of their horses. On the shore stood the opposing army, with its dense array of armed warriors, and between the ranks dashed women; they, in funereal clothing like the Furies, carried burning brands, with their hair dishevelled. All around, the Druids, raising their hands to heaven, pouring forth dreadful imprecations, scared our soldiers by the unfamiliar sight, so that as if their limbs were paralysed, they stood motionless and exposed to wounds. Then, urged by the general's appeals and mutual encouragements not to quail before a troop of frenzied women, they bore the standards onwards, smote down all resistance, and wrapped the foe in the flames of their own brands. A force was next set on the conquered and their armies, devoted to inhuman superstitions, were destroyed. They deem it, indeed, a duty to cover their altars with the blood of captives, and they consult their deities through human entrails.
Boudicca's Rebellion I/Tacitus/rex Icenorum Prasutagus, divitiis diu clarus, Caesarem heredem duasque filias scripserat, tali obsequio ratus et regnum et domum suam procul iniuria futuram esse, quod contra vertit, adeo ut regnum a centurionibus, domus a servi velut capta vastarentur, iam primum uxor eius Boudica verberata et filiae stupro violatae sunt: principes omnes Icenorum, quasi Romani totam regionem muneri accepissent, avitis bonis exuuntur, et propinqui regis inter servos habebantur. qua contumelia et metu graviorum permoti, quod in formam provinciae cesserant, rapiunt arma; commoti sunt ad rebellionem Trinobantes et qui alii, nondum servitio fracti, recipere libertatem occultis coniurationibus pepigerant. acerrium in verteranos odium; qui in coloniam Camulodunum nuper deducti pellebant domibus Trinobantes, exturbabant agris, captivos vel servos appellabant; militesque superbiam saevitiamque veteranorum incitabant similitudine vitae et spe eiusdem licentiate. Ad hoc, templum divo Claudio exstructum quasi arx aeternae dominationis aspiciebatur, electique sacerdotes specie religionis omnes fortunas suas effundebant. nec difficile videabutr delere coloniam nullis munimentis saeptam; quod ducibus nostris parum provisum erat, cum amoenitati prius quam usui consuluissent./The King of the Iceni tribe, Prasutagus, famous for his prosperity for a long time, wrote that Caesar and his two daughters would be his heirs, thinking that with such a great submission, injustice would be far from both his kingdom and his home. This turned against him, so much so that his kingdom was plundered by centurions and the house by slaves as if they were war spoils. At first, Boudica was beaten and the daughters were violated through rape: all the Iceni chiefs were deprived of their ancestral gods, as if the Romans had taken the whole region as a gift, and the relatives of the king were held amoungst the slaves. Having been moved by this humiliation and fear of worse things to come, because they had fallen into the form of a province, they took up arms; the Trinobantes were moved to rebellion and those, who had not yet been broken by slavery, pledged themselves to take back freedom through secret conspiracies.
Boudicca's Rebellion II/Tacitus/iam Suetonio errant quarta decima legio cum vexillaries vicensimae et e proximis auxiliaries, decem ferme milia armatorum: comnetendere et acie congredi parat. eligitque locum angustis faucibus et a tergo silvis clausum; sciebat enim nihil hostium esse nisi in fronte, et apertam esse planitiem sine menu insidiarum. igitur legionarii instructi sunt frequentes ordinibus, levi armature circumstante; equites conglobate pro cornibus adstiterunt. at Britannorum copiae passim per catervas et turmas exultabant, tanta multitude quanta non alias, et animo adeo feroci ut coniuges quoque testes victoriae secum traherent, plaustrisque imponerent quae ad extremam planitiem posuerant./Now, Suetonius had the fourteenth legion with detachments of the twentieth and auxillaries from neighbouring areas, about ten thousand armed men. He prepared to make haste and join battle. And he chose a place with narrow defiles and shut off from the rear by woods. For he knew that there was nothing of the enemy except in front of him and the plain was open without the fear of ambush. Therefore the legionaries were drawn up in close formation, with lightly armed troops stationed around; the massed cavalry stood by on the wings. But the forces of the Britons were rushing about wildly everywhere in groups of infantry and troops of cavalry, as great a crowd as at no other time and in such ferocious spirit that they brought with them their wives also as witnesses of their victory, and they put them in wagons which they had placed at the edge of the plain.
Boudicca's Rebellion III/Tacitus/ac primum legio gradu immota et angustiis loci defensa, postquam in appropinquantes hostes certo iactu tela exhauserat, tamquam cuneo, erupit. auxilliares quoque impetum faciunt; et equites protentis hastis perfringunt quod obvium et validum erat. ceteri terga praebuerunt, difficili effugio, quia circumiecta plaustra saepserant abitus. et milites ne feminis quidem parcebant, confixaque telis etiam iumenta corproum cumulum auxerant. eo die, milites laudem claram et parem antiquis victoriis pepererunt: quippe sunt qui paulo minus quam octoginta milia Britannorum cecidisse tradant, militum quadringentis ferme interfectis nec multo amplius vulnerates. Boudica vitam veneo finit./And first the legion, unmoved from its position and defended by the narrowness of the place, after it had used up its javelines on the approaching enemy with sure aim, charged as a wedge formation. The auxilliaries also made an attacka nd the cavalry, with spears at full stretch, broke through whatever was in the way and strong. The rest turned tail in a difficult escape, because the surrounding wagons had closed off the way out. And our soldiers spared not even the women, and pierced by the javelins even the baggage animals had increased the heap of bodies. On that day the soldiers won glory which was distinguished and equal to ancient victories. Indeed, there are those who report that little fewer than eighty thousand Britons died and that about four hundred of our soldiers were killed and not much more than four hundred were wounded. Boudica ended her life with poison.
The Aeneid IV (279-287)/Virgil/At vero Aeneas aspectu obmutuit amens,\narrectaeque horrore comae et vox faucibus haesit.\nardet abire fuga dulcisque relinquere terras,\nattonitus tanto monitu imperioque deorum.\nheu quid agat? quo nunc reginam ambire furentem\naudeat adfatu? quae prima exordia sumat?\natque animum nunc huc celerem nunc dividit illuc\nin partisque rapit varias perque omnia versat.\nhaec alternanti potior sententia visa est:/Indeed, Aeneas was struck down by the sight\nhis hair stood up in terror and his voice stuck in his throat.\nHe burns to leave in flight and to leave the sweet lands\nSo grave a warning by the power of the gods - struck him like a thunder bolt.\nAlas, what was he to do? With what form of address is he to approach the frenzied queen?\nWhat beginnings was he to assume?\nAnd now, he divided his swift mind, now here, not there,\nhe darting in different directions and considering all the possibilities\nalternating, this opinion seemed preferable to him:
The Aeneid IV (288-295)/Virgil/Mnesthea Sergestumque vocat fortemque Serestum,\nclassem aptent taciti sociosque ad litora cogant,\narma parent et quae rebus sit causa novandis \ndissimulent; sese interea, quando optima Dido\nnesciat et tantos rumpi non speret amores,\ntemptaturum aditus et quae mollissima fandi\ntempora, quis rebus dexter modus. ocius omnes\nimperio laeti parent et iussa facessunt./He called upon Mnesthus, Sergestus and brave Serestem\nto silently prepare the fleet and gather the allies at the shore\nto prepare the equipment, and to conceal the cause\nof his altered plans; he, meanwhile, since the very good Dido\ndid not know that such a great love would be shattered,\nhe would try to approach, and seek the most gentle\ntime, and the best way to handle the matter. All\n happily received the order and carried out the order.
The Aeneid IV (296-312)/Virgil/At regina dolos—-quis fallere possit amantem?\npraesensit, motusque excepit prima futuros,\nomnia tuta timens. Eadem impia Fama furenti \ndetulit armari classem cursumque parari.\nSaevit inops animi, totamque incensa per urbem \nbacchatur, qualis commotis excita sacris\nThyias, ubi audito stimulant trieterica Baccho \norgia, nocturnusque vocat clamore Cithaeron.\nTandem his Aenean compellat vocibus ultro:\n'Dissimulare etiam sperasti, perfide, tantum\nposse nefas, tacitusque mea decedere terra?\nNec te noster amor, nec te data dextera quondam,\nnec moritura tenet crudeli funere Dido?\nQuin etiam hiberno moliris sidere classem,\net mediis properas aquilonibus ire per altum,\ncrudelis? Quid, si non arva aliena domosque\nignotas peteres, sed Troia antiqua maneret,/But the queen - for who can deceive a lover - detected in advance the tricks\nfearing where there was nothing to fear first caught wind\nof the movements that were to come; that same infamous rumour\ncarried down to the frenzied one that the fleet was being equipped and that the course was being prepared.\nShe rages out of her wits and aflame and raves through the whole city\nlike a Bacchunt stirred by the shaking of the sacred emblems\nwhen the biennal rites goad her having heard the cry of Bacchus\nthe nighttime mount Cithaeron calls her with the shouting\nAt last she addresses Aeneas with these words first:\ndid you even hope to conceal so much harm,\ntreacherous one and to leave silently my land\ndoes not our love hold you her, nor does the pledge once given hold you here\nnor Dido doomed to a cruel death?\nnay do you even in the season of winter labor with your fleet\nand you hurried to go into the middle of the North Wind\nthrough the cruel deep, if you were not seeking foreign fields and unknown homes\nand if ancient Troy remains
The Aeneid IV (313-319)/Virgil/Troia per undosum peteretur classibus aequor\nMene fugis? Per ego has lacrimas dextramque tuam te\nquando aliud mihi iam miserae nihil ipsa reliqui\nper conubia nostra, per inceptos hymenaeos,\nsi bene quid de te merui, fuit aut tibi quicquam\ndulce meum, miserere domus labentis, et istam—-\noro, si quis adhuc precibus locus—-exue mentem.\n/Would Troy be sought with fleets through the stormy sea\nAre you fleeing me? I beg through these tears and your right hand\nSince I myself have left nothing else to wretched me\nby our marriage, by the nuptial rites begun\nif I deserved anything well from you, or if anything of mine was sweet to you\ntake misery on my fallen house\nand get rid of that intention if there is any place still for prayers
The Aeneid IV (331-340)/Virgil/Dixerat. Ille Iovis monitis immota tenebat\nlumina, et obnixus curam sub corde premebat.\nTandem pauca refert: 'Ego te, quae plurima fando\nenumerare vales, numquam, regina, negabo\npromeritam; nec me meminisse pigebit Elissae,\ndum memor ipse mei, dum spiritus hos regit artus.\nPro re pauca loquar. Neque ego hanc abscondere furto\nsperavi—-ne finge—-fugam, nec coniugis umquam\npraetendi taedas, aut haec in foedera veni.\nMe si fata meis paterentur ducere vitam/So she had spoken. He was holding his eyes fixed because\nof the orders of Jupiter, he struggled to press his distress under his heart.\nFinally he gave a brief reply: "I will never deny, queen\nthat you deserve the utmost you could set out in speech: nor will it be unpleasant to me to remember Dido\nso long as I am myself, while breath controls these limbs.\nI will say a few things for my case. I did not hope to deceitfully\nconceal my flight - do not imagine it! Neither did I ever\nhold the torch of a bridegroom, or enter into these agreements\nif fate allowed me to lead my life"