第 8 节
作者:当当当当      更新:2021-02-20 17:03      字数:9322
  where     he   had   ap…   pointed。*    *  Rapin    says   he   was   buried    at  Lincoln;
  Geoffrey; at London。
  45。   After   this   the   barbarians   became   firmly   incorporated;   and   were
  assisted by foreign pagans; for Vortigern was their friend; on account of
  the daughter* of Hengist; whom he so much loved; that no one durst fight
  against him…in the meantime they soothed the imprudent king; and whilst
  24
  … Page 25…
  History Of The Britons
  practising every appearance of fondness; were plotting with his enemies。
  And   let   him  that   reads understand;   that   the   Saxons   were   victorious;   and
  ruled Britain; not from their superior prowess; but on account of the great
  sins of the Britons: God so permitting it。
  For   what   wise   man   will   resist   the   wholesome   counsel   of   God?   The
  Almighty is the King of kings; and the Lord of lords; ruling and judging
  every one; according to his own pleasure。
  After    the   death    of  Vortimer;    Hengist     being    strengthened      by   new
  accessions; collected his ships; and calling his leaders together; consulted
  by   what   stratagem   they   might   overcome   Vortigern   and   his   army;   with
  insidious intention they sent messengers to the king; with offers of peace
  and   perpetual   friendship;   unsuspicious   of   treachery;   the   monarch;   after
  advising with his elders; accepted the proposals。 * V。R。 Of his wife; and no
  one was able manfully to drive them off because they had occupied Britain
  not from their own valour; but by God's permission。
  46。    Hengist;    under    pretence     of   ratifying   the   treaty;   prepared     an
  entertainment;       to  which    he   invited   the   king;   the  nobles;    and   military
  officers; in number about three hundred; speciously concealing his wicked
  intention; he ordered three hundred Saxons to conceal each a knife under
  his   feet;   and   to   mix   with   the   Britons;   〃and   when;〃   said   he;   〃they   are
  sufficiently inebriated; &c。 cry out; 'Nimed eure Saxes;' then let each draw
  his knife; and kill his man; but spare the king; on account of his marriage
  with my daughter; for it is better that he should be ransomed than killed。〃*
  * The VV。 RR。 Of this section are too numerous to be inserted。
  The king with his company; appeared at the feast; and mixing with the
  Saxons;      who;    whilst   they    spoke    peace    with   their   tongues;    cherished
  treachery in their hearts; each man was placed next to his enemy。
  After they had eaten and drunk; and were much intoxicated; Hengist
  suddenly   vociferated;   〃Nimed   eure   Saxes!〃   and   instantly   his   adherents
  drew  their   knives;  and   rushing   upon   the   Britons;  each   slew  him  that   sat
  next to him; and there was slain three hundred of the nobles of Vortigern。
  The king being a captive; purchased his redemption; by delivering up the
  three provinces of East; South; and Middle Sex; besides other districts at
  the option of his betrayers。
  25
  … Page 26…
  History Of The Britons
  47。 St。 Germanus   admonished Vortigern to turn to the   true God;  and
  abstain from all unlawful intercourse with his daughter; but the unhappy
  wretch fled for refuge to the province Guorthegirnaim;* so called from his
  own name; where he concealed himself with his wives: but St。 Germanus
  followed him with all the British clergy; and upon a rock prayed for his
  sins    during   forty   days   and   forty   nights。   *  A   district  of  Radnorshire;
  forming the present hundred of Rhaiadr。
  The   Blessed   man   was   unanimously   chosen   commander   against   the
  Saxons。 And then; not by the clang of trumpets; but by praying; singing
  hallelujah; and by the cries of the army to God; the enemies were routed;
  and driven even to the sea。* *V。R。 This paragraph is omitted in the MSS。
  Again     Vortigern     ignominiously       flew   from    St。   Germanus       to  the
  kingdom   of   the   Dimetae;   where;   on   the   river   Towy;*   he   built   a   castle;
  which he named Cair Guothergirn。 The saint; as usual; followed him there;
  and with his clergy fasted and prayed to the Lord three days; and as many
  nights。 On the third night; at the third hour; fire fell suddenly from heaven;
  and totally burned the castle。 Vortigern; the daughter of Hengist; his other
  wives; and all the inhabitants; both men and women; miserably perished:
  such was the end of this unhappy king; as we find written in the life of St。
  Germanus。 *The Tobias of Ptolemy
  47。 Others assure us; that being hated by all the people of Britain; for
  having received the Saxons; and being publicly charged by St。 Germanus
  and the clergy in the sight of God; he betook himself to flight; and; that
  deserted and a wanderer; he sought a place of refuge; till broken hearted;
  he made an ignominious end。
  Some accounts state; that the earth opened and swallowed him up; on
  the   night    his  castle  was    burned;    as  no   remains    were    discovered     the
  following morning; either of him; or of those who were burned with him。
  He   had   three   sons:   the   eldest   was   Vortimer;   who;   as   we   have   seen;
  fought four times against the Saxons; and put them to flight; the second
  Categirn;   who   was   slain   in   the   same   battle   with   Horsa;   the   third   was
  Pascent; who reigned in the two provinces Builth and Guorthegirnaim;'1'
  after the death of his father。 These were granted him by Ambrosius; who
  was   the   great   king   among   the   kings of   Britain。 The   fourth   was   Faustus;
  26
  … Page 27…
  History Of The Britons
  born of an incestuous marriage with his daughter; who was brought up and
  educated by St。 Germanus。 He built a large monastery on the banks of the
  river    Renis;   called    after  his   name;    and   which     remains     to  the   present
  period。'2' '1' In the northern part of the present counties of Radnor and
  Brecknock。 '2' V。R。 The MSS。 add; 'and he had one daughter; who was the
  mother of St。 Faustus。'
  49。 This is the genealogy of Vortigern; which goes back to Fernvail;'1'
  who   reigned   in   the   kingdom   of   Guorthegirnaim;'2'   and   was   the   son   of
  Teudor; Teudor was the son of Pascent; Pascent of Guoidcant; Guoidcant
  of Moriud; Moriud of Eltat; Eltat of Eldoc; Eldoc of Paul; Paul of Meuprit;
  Meuprit       of   Braciat;     Braciat     of   Pascent;      Pascent     of    Guorthegirn;
  Guorthegirn of Guortheneu; Guortheneu of Guitaul; Guitaul of Guitolion;
  Guitolion   of   Gloui。   Bonus;   Paul;   Mauron;   Guotelin;   were   four   brothers;
  who built Gloiuda; a great city upon the banks of the river Severn; and in
  Birtish is called Cair Gloui; in Saxon; Gloucester。 Enough has been said of
  Vortigern。 '1' Fernvail; or Farinmail; appears to have been king of Gwent
  or Monmouth。 '2' V。R。 'Two provinces; Builth and Guorthegirnaim。'
  50。 St。 Germanus; after his death; returned into his own country。 *At
  that   time;   the   Saxons   greatly   increased   in   Britain;   both   in   strength   and
  numbers。 And Octa; after the death of his father Hengist; came from the
  sinistral   part   of   the   island   to   the   kingdom   of   Kent;   and   from   him   have
  proceeded all the kings of that province; to the present period。 * V。R。 All
  this   to   the   word   'Amen;'   in   other   MSS。   is   placed   after   the   legend   of   St。
  Patrick。
  Then   it   was;   that   the   magnanimous   Arthur;   with   all   the   kings   and
  military   force   of   Britain;   fought   against   the   Saxons。   And   though   there
  were many more noble than himself; yet he was twelve times chosen their
  commander; and was as often conqueror。 The first battle in which he was
  engaged; was at the mouth of the river Gleni。'1' The second; third; fourth;
  and   fifth;   were   on   another   river;   by  the   Britons   called   Duglas;'2'   in   the
  region Linuis。 The sixth; on the river Bassas。'3' The seventh in the wood
  Celidon; which the Britons call Cat Coit Celidon。'4' The eighth was near
  Gurnion   castle;'5'   where   Arthur   bore   the   image   of   the   Holy   Virgin;'6'
  mother   of   God;   upon   his   shoulders;   and   through   the   power  of   our   Lord
  27
  … Page 28…
  History Of The Britons
  Jesus   Christ;   and   the   holy   Mary;   put   the   Saxons   to   flight;   and   pursued
  them the whole day with great slaughter。'7' The ninth was at the Ci