第 6 节
作者:当当当当      更新:2021-02-20 17:03      字数:9322
  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; from a servant
  he   became   a   king:   all   his   sons   were   kings;   and   from  their   offspring   the
  whole   country   of   Powys   has   been          governed   to   this   day。   *   Or    Cadell
  Deyrnllug; prince of the Vale Royal and the upper part of Powys。
  36。 After the Saxons had continued some time in the island of Thanet;
  Vortigern      promised       to  supply     them     with    clothing    and    provision;      on
  condition they would engage to fight against the enemies of his country。
  But the barbarians having greatly increased in number; the Britons became
  incapable of fulfilling their engagement; and when the Saxons; according
  to   the   promise   they   had   received;   claimed   a   supply   of   provisions   and
  clothing; the Britons replied; 〃Your number is increased; your assistance is
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  now unneccessary; you may; therefore; return home; for we can no longer
  support you;〃 and hereupon they began   to devise means of breaking   the
  peace between them。
  37。 But Hengist; in whom united craft and penetration; perceiving he
  had   to   act   with   an   ignorant   king;   and   a   fluctuating   people;   incapable   of
  opposing   much   resistance;   replied   to   Vortigern;   〃We   are;   indeed;   few   in
  number; but; if you will give us leave; we will send to our country for an
  additional number   of   forces;  with   whom  we   will   fight   for   you   and   your
  subjects。〃      Vortigern     assenting      to   this   proposal;     messengers        were
  despatched to Scythia;   where selecting   a number of   warlike troops; they
  returned with sixteen vessels; bringing with them the beautiful daughter of
  Hengist。 And now the Saxon chief prepared an entertainment; to which he
  invited     the   king;    his   officers;   and    Ceretic;    his   interpreter;    having
  previously enjoined his daughter to serve them so profusely with wine and
  ale;   that   they   might   soon   become   intoxicated。   This   plan   succeeded;   and
  Vortigern; at the instigation of the devil; and enamoured with the beauty of
  the damsel; demanded her; through the medium of his interpreter; of the
  father;  promising to   give   for   her   whatever he   should   ask。 Then   Hengist;
  who     had   already    consulted     with   the  elders    who    attended    him   of   the
  Oghgul'1' race; demanded for his daughter the province; called in English;
  Centland;   in   British;   Ceint;   (Kent。)   This   cession   was   made   without   the
  knowledge of the king; Guoyrancgonus;'2' who then reigned in Kent; and
  who     experienced      no    inconsiderable      share   of   grief;   from    seeing    his
  kingdom       thus   clandestinely;    fraudulently;     and   imprudently      resigned    to
  foreigners。 Thus the maid was delivered up to the king; who slept with her;
  and   loved   her   exceedingly。   '1'   V。R。   Who   had   come   with   him   from   the
  island of Oghgul; Oehgul (or Tingle); Angul。 According to Gunn; a small
  island in the duchy of Sleswick in Denmark; now called Angel; of which
  Flensburg   is   the   metropolis。   Hence   the   origin   of   the   Angles。   '2'   V。R。
  Gnoiram cono; Goiranegono; Guiracgono。 Malmesbury; Gorongi; Camden;
  Guorong; supposed to mean governor; or viceroy。
  38。 Hengist; after this; said to Vortigern; 〃I will be to you both a father
  and an adviser; despise not my counsels; and you shall have no reason to
  fear being conquered by any man or any nation whatever; for the people of
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  my country are strong; warlike; and robust: if you approve; I will send for
  my son and his brother; both valiant men; who at my invitation will fight
  against the Scots; and you can give them the countries in the north; near
  the wall called Gual。〃'1' The incautious sovereign having assented to this;
  Octa   and   Ebusa   arrived   with   forty   ships。   In   these   they   sailed   round   the
  country of the Picts; laid waste the Orkneys; and took possession of many
  regions;   even   to   the   Pictish   confines。'2'   '1' Antoninus's   wall。   '2'   Some
  MSS。 add; 〃beyond the Frenesic; Fresicum (or Fresic) sea;〃 i。e。 which is
  between       us  and    the   Scotch。    The    sea   between      Scotland     and    Ireland。
  Camden translates it 〃beyond the Frith;〃 Langhorne says; 〃Solway Frith。〃
  But     Hengist     continued;     by   degrees;    sending     for   ships    from    his  own
  country;      so  that   some     islands    whence      they    came    were     left  without
  inhabitants; and whilst his people were increasing in power and number;
  they   came   to   the   above…named   province   of   Kent。   39。   In   the   meantime;
  Vortigern; as if desirous of adding to the evils he had already occasioned;
  married his own daughter; by whom he had a son。 When this was made
  known to   St。  Germanus; he   came;  with   all   the   British   clergy;  to   reprove
  him: and whilst a numerous assembly of the ecclesiastics and laity were in
  consultation;  the  weak king   ordered his daughter  to   appear  before   them;
  and in the presence of all to present her son to St。 Germanus; and declare
  that he was the father of the child。 The immodest* woman obeyed; and St。
  Germanus; taking the child; said; 〃I will be a father to you; my son; nor
  will I dismiss you till a razor; scissors; and comb; are given to me; and it is
  allowed   you   to   give   them   to   your   carnal   father。〃   The   child   obeyed   St。
  Germanus;  and   going   to   his   father Vortigern; said   to   him;   〃Thou   art   my
  father;   shave   and   cut   the   hair   of   my   head。〃   The   king   blushed;   and   was
  silent;   and;   without   replying   to   the   child;   arose   in   great   anger;   and   fled
  from   the   presence   of   St。   Germanus;   execrated   and   condemned   by   the
  whole synod。 '1' V。R。 〃Immodest〃 is omitted in some MSS。
  40。   But   soon   after;   calling   together   his   twelve   wise   men;   to   consult
  what was to be done; they said to him; 〃Retire to the remote boundaries of
  your kingdom; there build and fortify a city'1' to defend yourself; for the
  people you have received are treacherous; they are seeking to subdue you
  by  stratagem;  and;   even during   your   life;  to   seize   upon   all   the   countries
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  subject     to  your   power;     how    much     more    will  they   attempt;     after  your
  death!〃 The  king;   pleased   with   this   advice;   departed   with   his   wise   men;
  and   travelled   through   many   parts   of   his   territories;   in   search   of   a   place
  convenient for  the purpose of building   a  citadel。 Having; to no purpose;
  travelled far and wide; they came at length to a province called Guenet;'2'
  and   having   surveyed   the   mountains   of   Heremus;'3'   they   discovered;   on
  the summit   of   one of   them;  a   situation;  adapted to the consturction of   a
  citadel。 Upon this; the wise men said to the king; 〃Build here a city: for; in
  this place; it will ever be secure against the barbarians。〃 Then the king sent
  for   artificers;   carpenters;   stone…masons;         and   collected    all   the  materials
  requisite to building; but the whole of these disappeared in one night; so
  that nothing remained of what had been provided for the constructing of
  the   citadel。   Materials   were;   therefore;   from   all   parts;   procured   a   second
  and third time; and again vanished as before; leaving and rendering every
  effort   ineffectual。   Vortigern   inquired   of   his   wise   men   the   cause   of   this
  opposition to his undertaking; and of so much useless expense of labour?
  They   replied;   〃You   must   find   a   child   born   without   a   father;   put   him   to
  death; and sprinkle with his blood the ground on which the citadel is to be
  built; or you will never accomplish your purpose。〃 '1' V。R。 You shall find
  a   fortified   city   in  which     you   may    defend     yourself。    '2'  V。R。    Guined;
  Guoienet;       Guenez;     North     Wales。    '3'   V。R。    Heremi;     Heriri;    or   Eryri;
  signifying eagle rocks; the mountains of Snowdon; in Carnarvonshire。 The
  spot    alluded     to  is  supposed      to   be   Dinas    Emrys;     or   the   fortress   of
  Ambrosius。
  41。 In consequence of this reply; the k