History Of The Britons(布利顿史)

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History Of The Britons

Nennius

Translated by J. A. Giles

History Of The Britons

I. The Prologue.

1. Nennius, the lowly minister and servant of the servants of God, by

the grace of God, disciple of St. Elbotus,* to all the followers of truth

sendeth health. * Or Elvod, bishop of Bangor, A.D. 755, who first adopted

in the Cambrian church the new cycle for regulating Easter.

Be it known to your charity, that being dull in intellect and rude of

speech, I have presumed to deliver these things in the Latin tongue, not

trusting to my own learning, which is little or none at all, but partly from

traditions of our ancestors, partly from writings and monuments of the

ancient inhabitants of Britain, partly from the annals of the Romans, and

the chronicles of the sacred fathers, Isidore, Hieronymus, Prosper,

Eusebius, and from the histories of the Scots and Saxons, although our

enemies, not following my own inclinations, but, to the best of my ability,

obeying the commands of my seniors; I have lispingly put together this

history from various sources, and have endeavored, from shame, to deliver

down to posterity the few remaining ears of corn about past transactions,

that they might not be trodden under foot, seeing that an ample crop has

been snatched away already by the hostile reapers of foreign nations. For

many things have been in my way, and I, to this day, have hardly been able

to understand, even superficially, as was necessary, the sayings of other

men; much less was I able in my own strength, but like a barbarian, have I

murdered and defiled the language of others. But I bore about with me an

inward wound, and I was indignant, that the name of my own people,

formerly famous and distinguished, should sink into oblivion, and like

smoke be dissipated. But since, however, I had rather myself be the

historian of the Britons than nobody, although so many are to be found

who might much more satisfactorily discharge the labour thus imposed on

me; I humbly entreat my readers, whose ears I may offend by the

inelegance of my words, that they will fulfil the wish of my seniors, and

grant me the easy task of listening with candour to my history. For zealous

efforts very often fail: but bold enthusiasm, were it in its power, would not

suffer me to fail. May, therefore, candour be shown where the inelegance

History Of The Britons

of my words is insufficient, and may the truth of this history, which my

rustic tongue has ventured, as a kind of plough, to trace out in furrows,

lose none of its influence from that cause, in the ears of my hearers. For it

is better to drink a wholesome draught of truth from the humble vessel,

than poison mixed with honey from a golden goblet.

2. And do not be loath, diligent reader, to winnow my chaff, and lay up

the wheat in the storehouse of your memory: for truth regards not who is

the speaker, nor in what manner it is spoken, but that the thing be true; and

she does not despise the jewel which she has rescued from the mud, but

she adds it to her former treasures.

For I yield to those who are greater and more eloquent than myself,

who, kindled with generous ardour, have endeavoured by Roman

eloquence to smooth the jarring elements of their tongue, if they have left

unshaken any pillar of history which I wished to see remain. This history

therefore has been compiled from a wish to benefit my inferiors, not from

envy of those who are superior to me, in the 858th year of our Lord's

incarnation, and in the 24th year of Mervin, king of the Britons, and I hope

that the prayers of my betters will be offered up for me in recompence of

my labour. But this is sufficient by way of preface. I shall obediently

accomplish the rest to the utmost of my power.

History Of The Britons

II. The Apology of Nennius

Here begins the apology of Nennius, the historiographer of the Britons,

of the race of the Britons.

3. I, Nennius, disciple of St. Elbotus, have endeavoured to write some

extracts which the dulness of the British nation had cast away, because

teachers had no knowledge, nor gave any information in their books about

this island of Britain. But I have got together all that I could find as well

from the annals of the Romans as from the chronicles of the sacred fathers,

Hieronymus, Eusebius, Isidorus, Prosper, and from the annals of the Scots

and Saxons, and from our ancient traditions. Many teachers and scribes

have attempted to write this, but somehow or other have abandoned it

from its difficulty, either on account of frequent deaths, or the often

recurring calamities of war. I pray that every reader who shall read this

book, may pardon me, for having attempted, like a chattering jay, or like

some weak witness, to write these things, after they had failed. I yield to

him who knows more of these things than I do.

History Of The Britons

III. The History.

4, 5. From Adam to the flood, are two thousand and forty-two years.

From the flood of Abraham, nine hundred and forty-two. >From Abraham

to Moses, six hundred.* From Moses to Solomon, and the first building of

the temple, four hundred and forty-eight. >From Solomon to the

rebuilding of the temple, which was under Darius, king of the Persians, six

hundred and twelve years are computed. From Darius to the ministry of

our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the fifteenth year of the emperor Tiberius,

are five hundred and forty-eight years. So that from Adam to the ministry

of Christ and the fifteenth year of the emperor Tiberius, are five thousand

two hundred and twenty-eight years. From the passion of Christ are

completed nine hundred and forty-six; from his incarnation, nine hundred

and seventy-six: being the fifth year of Edmund, king of the Angles. * And

forty, according to Stevenson's new edition. The rest of this chronology is

much contracted in several of the manuscripts, and hardly two of them

contain it exactly the same.

6. The first age of the world is from Adam to Noah; the second from

Noah to Abraham; the third from Abraham to David; the fourth from

David to Daniel; the fifth to John the Baptist; the sixth from John to the

judgment, when our Lord Jesus Christ will come to judge the living and

the dead, and the world by fire.

The first Julius. The second Claudius. The third Severus. The fourth

Carinus. The fifth Constantius. The sixth Maximus. The seventh

Maximianus. The eighth another Severus Aequantius. The ninth

Constantius.* * This list of the Roman emperors who visited Britain, is

omitted in many of the MSS.

Here beginneth the history of the Britons, edited by Mark the anchorite,

a holy bishop of that people.

7. The island of Britain derives its name from Brutus, a Roman consul.

Taken from the south-west point it inclines a little towards the west, and to

its northern extremity measures eight hundred miles, and is in breadth two

hundred. It contains thirty three cities,[1] viz.

History Of The Britons

1. Cair ebrauc (York). 2. Cair ceint (Canterbury). 3. Cair gurcoc

(Anglesey?). 4. Cair guorthegern [2] 5. Cair custeint (Carnarvon). 6. Cair

guoranegon (Worcester). 7. Cair segeint (Silchester). 8. Cair guin truis

(Norwich, or Winwick). 9. Cair merdin (Caermarthen). 10. Cair peris

(Porchester). 11. Cair lion (Caerleon-upon-Usk). 12. Cair mencipit

(Verulam). 13. Cair caratauc (Catterick). 14. Cair ceri (Cirencester). 15.

Cair glout (Gloucester). 16. Cair luillid (Carlisle). 17. Cair grant

(Grantchester, now Cambridge). 18. Cair daun (Doncaster), or Cair dauri

(Dorchester). 19. Cair britoc (Bristol). 20. Cair meguaid (Meivod). 21.

Cair mauiguid (Manchester). 22. Cair ligion (Chester). 23. Cair guent

(Winchester, or Caerwent, in Monmouthshire). 24. Cair collon (Colchester,

or St. Colon, Cornwall). 25. Cair londein (London). 26. Cair guorcon

(Worren, or Woran, in Pembrokeshire). 27. Cair lerion (Leicester). 28. Cair

draithou (Drayton). 29. Cair pensavelcoit (Pevensey, in Sussex). 30.

Cairtelm (Teyn-Grace, in Devonshire). 31. Cair Urnahc (Wroxeter, in

Shropshire). 32. Cair colemion (Camelet, in Somersetshire). 33. Cair loit

coit (Lincoln). [1] V.R. Twenty-eight, twenty-one. [2] Site unknown.

These are the names of the ancient cities of the island of Britain. it has

also a vast many promontories, and castles innumerable, built of brick and

stone. Its inhabitants consist of four different people; the Scots, the Picts,

the Saxons and the ancient Britons.

8. Three considerable islands belong to it; one, on the south, opposite

the Armorican shore, called Wight;* another between Ireland and Britain,

called Eubonia or Man; and another directly north, beyond the Picts,

named Orkney; and hence it was anciently a proverbial expression, in

reference to its kings and rulers, "He reigned over Britain and its three

islands." * Inis-gueith, or Gueith.

6. It is fertilized by several rivers, which traverse it in all directions, to

the east and west, to the south and north; but there are two pre-eminently

distinguished among the rest, the Thames and the Severn, which formerly,

like the two arms of Britain, bore the ships employed in the conveyance of

riches acquired by commerce. The Britons were once very populous, and

exercised extensive dominion from sea to sea.

10.* Respecting the period when this island became inhabited

History Of The Britons

subsequently to the flood, I have seen two distinct relations. According to

the annals of the Roman history, the Britons deduce their origin both from

the Greeks and Romans. On the side of the mother, from Lavinia, the

daughter of Latinus, king of Italy, and of the race of Silvanus, the son of

Inachus, the son of Dardanus; who was the son of Saturn, king of the

Greeks, and who, having possessed himself of a part of Asia, built the city

of Troy. Dardanus was the father of Troius, who was the father of Priam

and Anchises; Anchises was the father of Aeneas, who was the father of

Ascanius and Silvius; and this Silvius was the son of Aeneas and Lavinia,

the daughter of the king of Italy. From the sons of Aeneas and Lavinia

descended Romulus and Remus, who were the sons of the holy queen

Rhea, and the founders of Rome. Brutus was consul when he conquered

Spain, and reduced that country to a Roman province. He afterwards

subdued the island of Britain, whose inhabitants were the descendants of

the Romans, from Silvius Posthumus. He was called Posthumus because

he was born after the death of Aeneas his father; and his mother Lavinia

concealed herself during her pregnancy; he was called Silvius, because he

was born in a wood. Hence the Roman kings were called Silvan, and the

Britons from Brutus, and rose from the family of Brutus. * The whole of

this, as far as the end of the paragraph, is omitted in several MSS.

Aeneas, after the Trojan war, arrived with his son in Italy; and Having

vanquished Turnus, married Lavinia, the daughter of king Latinus, who

was the son of Faunus, the son of Picus, the son of Saturn. After the death

of Latinus, Aeneas obtained the kingdom Of the Romans, and Lavinia

brought forth a son, who was named Silvius. Ascanius founded Alba, and

afterwards married. And Lavinia bore to Aeneas a son, named Silvius; but

Ascanius [1] married a wife, who conceived and became pregnant. And

Aeneas, having been informed that his daughter-in-law was pregnant,

ordered his son to send his magician to examine his wife, whether the

child conceived were male or female. The magician came and examined

the wife and pronounced it to be a son, who should become the most

valiant among the Italians, and the most beloved of all men. [2] In

consequence of this prediction, the magician was put to death by Ascanius;

but it happened that the mother of the child dying at its birth, he was

History Of The Britons

named Brutus; ad after a certain interval, agreeably to what the magician

had foretold, whilst he was playing with some others he shot his father

with an arrow, not intentionally but by accident. [3] He was, for this cause,

expelled from Italy, and came to the islands of the Tyrrhene sea, when he

was exiled on account of the death of Turnus, slain by Aeneas. He then

went among the Gauls, and built the city of the Turones, called Turnis. [4]

At length he came to this island named from him Britannia, dwelt there,

and filled it with his own descendants, and it has been inhabited from that

time to the present period. [1] Other MSS. Silvius. [2] V.R. Who should

slay his father and mother, and be hated by all mankind. [3] V.R. He

displayed such superiority among his play-fellows, that they seemed to

consider him as their chief. [4] Tours.

11. Aeneas reigned over the Latins three years; Ascanius thirty three

years; after whom Silvius reigned twelve years, and Posthumus thirty-nine

* years: the latter, from whom the kings of Alba are called Silvan, was

brother to Brutus, who governed Britain at the time Eli the high-priest

judged Israel, and when the ark of the covenant was taken by a foreign

people. But Posthumus his brother reigned among the Latins. * V.R.

Thirty-seven.

12. After an interval of not less than eight hundred years, came the

Picts, and occupied the Orkney Islands: whence they laid waste many

regions, and seized those on the left hand side of Britain, where they still

remain, keeping possession of a third part of Britain to this day. * * See

Bede's Eccles. Hist.

13. Long after this, the Scots arrived in Ireland from Spain. The first

that came was Partholomus,[1] with a thousand men and women; these

increased to four thousand; but a mortality coming suddenly upon them,

they all perished in one week. The second was Nimech, the son of...,[2]

who, according to report, after having been at sea a year and a half, and

having his ships shat- tered, arrived at a port in Ireland, and continuing

there several years, returned at length with his followers to Spain. After

these came three sons of a Spanish soldier with thirty ships, each of which

contained thirty wives; and having remained there during the space of a

year, there appeared to them, in the middle of the sea, a tower of glass, the

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HistoryOfTheBritons1HistoryOfTheBritonsNenniusTranslatedbyJ.A.GilesHistoryOfTheBritons2I.ThePrologue.1.Nennius,thelowlyministerandservantoftheservantsofGod,bythegraceofGod,discipleofSt.Elbotus,*toallthefollowersoftruthsendethhealth.*OrElvod,bishopofBangor,A.D.755,whofirstadoptedintheCambrianchurchth...

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