tacitus on germany-第8节

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pitch　or　rosin。

Upon　the　Suiones；　border　the　people　Sitones；　and；　agreeing　with　them
in　all　other　things；　differ　from　them　in　one；　that　here　the
sovereignty　is　exercised　by　a　woman。　So　notoriously　do　they　degenerate
not　only　from　a　state　of　liberty；　but　even　below　a　state　of　bondage。
Here　end　the　territories　of　the　Suevians。

Whether　amongst　the　Sarmatians　or　the　Germans　I　ought　to　account　the
Peucinians；　the　Venedians；　and　the　Fennians；　is　what　I　cannot
determine；　though　the　Peucinians；　whom　some　call　Basstarnians；　speak
the　same　language　with　the　Germans；　use　the　same　attire；　build　like
them；　and　live　like　them；　in　that　dirtiness　and　sloth　so　common　to
all。　Somewhat　they　are　corrupted　into　the　fashion　of　the　Sarmatians　by
the　inter…marriages　of　the　principal　sort　with　that　nation：　from
whence　the　Venedians　have　derived　very　many　of　their　customs　and　a
great　resemblance。　For　they　are　continually　traversing　and　infesting
with　robberies　all　the　forests　and　mountains　lying　between　the
Peucinians　and　Fennians。　Yet　they　are　rather　reckoned　amongst　the
Germans；　for　that　they　have　fixed　houses；　and　carry　shields；　and
prefer　travelling　on　foot；　and　excel　in　swiftness。　Usages　these；　all
widely　differing　from　those　of　the　Sarmatians；　who　live　on　horseback
and　dwell　in　waggons。　In　wonderful　savageness　live　the　nation　of　the
Fennians；　and　in　beastly　poverty；　destitute　of　arms；　of　horses；　and　of
homes；　their　food；　the　common　herbs；　their　apparel；　skins；　their　bed；
the　earth；　their　only　hope　in　their　arrows；　which　for　want　of　iron
they　point　with　bones。　Their　common　support　they　have　from　the　chase；
women　as　well　as　men；　for　with　these　the　former　wander　up　and　down；
and　crave　a　portion　of　the　prey。　Nor　other　shelter　have　they　even　for
their　babes；　against　the　violence　of　tempests　and　ravening　beasts；
than　to　cover　them　with　the　branches　of　trees　twisted　together；　this　a
reception　for　the　old　men；　and　hither　resort　the　young。　Such　a
condition　they　judge　more　happy　than　the　painful　occupation　of
cultivating　the　ground；　than　the　labour　of　rearing　houses；　than　the
agitations　of　hope　and　fear　attending　the　defence　of　their　own
property　or　the　seizing　that　of　others。　Secure　against　the　designs　of
men；　secure　against　the　malignity　of　the　Gods；　they　have　accomplished
a　thing　of　infinite　difficulty；　that　to　them　nothing　remains　even　to
be　wished。

What　further　accounts　we　have　are　fabulous：　as　that　the　Hellusians　and
Oxiones　have　the　countenances　and　aspect　of　men；　with　the　bodies　and
limbs　of　savage　beasts。　This；　as　a　thing　about　which　I　have　no　certain
information；　I　shall　leave　untouched。







End