第 5 节
作者:当当当当      更新:2021-02-20 17:03      字数:9322
  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
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  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
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  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 remonstrating him。 When the man of God; with his attendants;
  arrived   at   the   gate   of   the   city;   they   were   respectfully   received   by   the
  keeper of it; who came out and saluted them。 Him they commissioned to
  communicate   their   intention   to   the   king;   who   returned   a   harsh   answer;
  declaring;   with   an   oath;   that   although   they   remained   there   a   year;   they
  should not enter the city。 While waiting for an answer; the evening came
  on;   and   they   knew   not   where   to   go。  At   length;   came   one   of   the   king's
  servants;   who   bowing   himself   before   the   man   of   God;   announced   the
  words of the tyrant; inviting them; at the same time; to his own house; to
  which they went; and were kindly received。 It happened; however; that he
  had   no   cattle;   except   one   cow   and   a   calf;   the   latter   of   which;   urged   by
  generous hospitality to his guests; he killed; dressed and set before them。
  But holy St。 Germanus ordered his companions not to break a bone of the
  calf; and; the next morning; it was found alive uninjured; and standing by
  its   mother。     *   King     of  Powys。      V。R。    Benli    in   the   district   of   Ial  (in
  Derbyshire); in the district of Dalrieta; Belinus; Beluni; and Benty。
  33。   Early   the   same   day;   they   again   went   to   the   gate   of   the   city;   to
  solicit audience of the wicked king; and; whilst engaged in fervent prayer
  they  were   waiting   for   admission;   a   man;   covered   with   sweat;   came   out;
  and prostrated himself before them。 Then St。 Germanus; addressing him;
  said   〃Dost   thou   believe   in   the   Holy  Trinity?〃 To   which   the   man   having
  replied; 〃I do believe;〃 he baptized; and kissed him; saying; 〃Go in peace;
  within this hour thou shalt die: the angels of God are waiting for thee in
  the    air;  with    them    thou    shalt   ascent    to  that   God    in   whom      thou   has
  believed。: He;  overjoyed;  entered the   city; and   being   met   by  the   prefect;
  was   seized;   bound;   and   conducted   before   the  tyrant;   who   having   passed
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  sentence upon him; he was immediately put to death; for it was a law of
  this   wicked   king;   that   whoever   was   not   at   his   labour   before   sun…rising
  should be beheaded in the citadel。 In the meantime; St。 Germanus; with his
  attendants;      waited     the   whole     day    before    the   gate;   without     obtaining
  admission to the tyrant。
  34。 The   man   above…mentioned;   however;  remained   with them。   〃Take
  care;〃   said   St。   Germanus   to   him;   〃that   none   of   your   friends   remain   this
  night within these walls。 Upon this he hastily entered the city; brought out
  his nine sons; and with them retired to the house where he had exercised
  such   generous   hospitality。   Here   St。   Germanus   ordered   them  to   continue;
  fasting;   and   when   the   gates   were   shut;   〃Watch;〃   said   he;   〃and   whatever
  shall   happen   in   the   citadel;   turn   not   thither   your   eyes;   but   pray   without
  ceasing; and invoke the protection of the true God。〃 And; behold; early in
  the night; fire fell from heaven; and burned the city; together with all those
  who   were   with   the   tyrant;   so   that   not   one   escaped;   and   that   citadel   has
  never been rebuilt even to this day。
  35。 The following day; the hospitable man who had been converted by
  the  preaching   of   St。   Germanus;   was   baptized;   with   his   sons;   and   all   the
  inhabitants   of   that   part   of   the   country;   and   St。   Germanus   blessed   him;
  saying; 〃a king shall not be wanting of thy seed for ever。〃 The name of this
  person is Catel Drunlue:* 〃from hence… forward thou shalt be a king all the
  days   of   thy   life。〃   Thus   was   fulfilled   the   prophecy   of   the   Psalmist:   〃He
  raiseth   up   the   poor   out   of   the   dust;   and   lifteth   up   the   needy   out   of   the
  dunghill。〃 And agreeably to the prediction of St。 Germanus; fr