The Works of Tacitus
tr. by Alfred John Church and William Jackson Brodribb
[1864-1877]
Tacitus: Germany Book 1 [30]
30. Beyond them are the Chatti, whose settlements begin at the Hercynian forest,
where the country is not so open and marshy as in the other cantons into which
Germany stretches. They are found where there are hills, and with them grow
less frequent, for the Hercynian forest keeps close till it has seen the last
of its native Chatti. Hardy frames, close-knit limbs, fierce countenances, and
a peculiarly vigorous courage, mark the tribe. For Germans, they have much intelligence
and sagacity; they promote their picked men to power, and obey those whom they
promote; they keep their ranks, note their opportunities, check their impulses,
portion out the day, intrench themselves by night, regard fortune as a doubtful,
valour as an unfailing, resource; and what is most unusual, and only given to
systematic discipline, they rely more on the general than on the army. Their
whole strength is in their infantry, which, in addition to its arms, is laden
with iron tools and provisions. Other tribes you see going to battle, the Chatti
to a campaign. Seldom do they engage in mere raids and casual encounters. It
is indeed the peculiarity of a cavalry force quickly to win and as quickly to
yield a victory. Fleetness and timidity go together; deliberateness is more
akin to steady courage.
31. A practice, rare among the other German tribes, and simply characteristic
of individual prowess, has become general among the Chatti, of letting the hair
and beard grow as soon as they have attained manhood, and not till they have
slain a foe laying aside that peculiar aspect which devotes and pledges them
to valour. Over the spoiled and bleeding enemy they show their faces once more;
then, and not till then, proclaiming that they have discharged the obligations
of their birth, and proved themselves worthy of their country and of their parents.
The coward and the unwarlike remain unshorn. The bravest of them also wear an
iron ring (which otherwise is a mark of disgrace among the people) until they
have released themselves by the slaughter of a foe. Most of the Chatti delight
in these fashions. Even hoary-headed men are distinguished by them, and are
thus conspicuous alike to enemies and to fellow-countrymen. To begin the battle
always rests with them; they form the first line, an unusual spectacle. Nor
even in peace do they assume a more civilised aspect. They have no home or land
or occupation; they are supported by whomsoever they visit, as lavish of the
property of others as they are regardless of their own, till at length the feebleness
of age makes them unequal to so stern a valour.
32. Next to the Chatti on the Rhine, which has now a well-defined channel,
and serves as a boundary, dwell the Usipii and Tencteri. The latter, besides
the more usual military distinctions, particularly excel in the organisation
of cavalry, and the Chatti are not more famous for their foot-soldiers than
are the Tencteri for their horsemen. What their forefathers originated, posterity
maintain. This supplies sport to their children, rivalry to their youths: even
the aged keep it up. Horses are bequeathed along with the slaves, the dwelling-house,
and the usual rights of inheritance; they go to the son, not to the eldest,
as does the other property, but to the most warlike and courageous.
33. After the Tencteri came, in former days, the Bructeri; but the general
account now is, that the Chamavi and Angrivarii entered their settlements, drove
them out and utterly exterminated them with the common help of the neighbouring
tribes, either from hatred of their tyranny, or from the attractions of plunder,
or from heaven’s favourable regard for us. It did not even grudge us the spectacle
of the conflict. More than sixty thousand fell, not beneath the Roman arms and
weapons, but, grander far, before our delighted eyes. May the tribes, I pray,
ever retain if not love for us, at least hatred for each other; for while the
destinies of empire hurry us on, fortune can give no greater boon than discord
among our foes.
34. The Angrivarii and Chamavi are bounded in the rear by the Dulgubini and
Chasuarii, and other tribes not equally famous. Towards the river are the Frisii,
distinguished as the Greater and Lesser Frisii, according to their strength.
Both these tribes, as far as the ocean, are skirted by the Rhine, and their
territory also embraces vast lakes which Roman fleets have navigated. We have
even ventured on the ocean itself in these parts. Pillars of Hercules, so rumour
commonly says, still exist; whether Hercules really visited the country, or
whether we have agreed to ascribe every work of grandeur, wherever met with,
to his renown. Drusus Germanicus indeed did not lack daring; but the ocean barred
the explorer’s access to itself and to Hercules. Subsequently no one has made
the attempt, and it has been thought more pious and reverential to believe in
the actions of the gods than to inquire.
35. Thus far we have taken note of Western Germany. Northwards the country
takes a vast sweep. First comes the tribe of the Chauci, which, beginning at
the Frisian settlements, and occupying a part of the coast, stretches along
the frontier of all the tribes which I have enumerated, till it reaches with
a bend as far as the Chatti. This vast extent of country is not merely possessed,
but densely peopled, by the Chauci, the noblest of the German races, a nation
who would maintain their greatness by righteous dealing. Without ambition, without
lawless violence, they live peaceful and secluded, never provoking a war or
injuring others by rapine and robbery. Indeed, the crowning proof of their valour
and their strength is, that they keep up their superiority without harm to others.
Yet all have their weapons in readiness, and an army if necessary, with a multitude
of men and horses; and even while at peace they have the same renown of valour.
36. Dwelling on one side of the Chauci and Chatti, the Cherusci long cherished,
unassailed, an excessive and enervating love of peace. This was more pleasant
than safe, for to be peaceful is self-deception among lawless and powerful neighbours.
Where the strong hand decides, moderation and justice are terms applied only
to the more powerful; and so the Cherusci, ever reputed good and just, are now
called cowards and fools, while in the case of the victorious Chatti success
has been identified with prudence. The downfall of the Cherusci brought with
it also that of the Fosi, a neighbouring tribe, which shared equally in their
disasters, though they had been inferior to them in prosperous days.
37. In the same remote corner of Germany, bordering on the ocean dwell the
Cimbri, a now insignificant tribe, but of great renown. Of their ancient glory
widespread traces yet remain; on both sides of the Rhine are encampments of
vast extent, and by their circuit you may even now measure the warlike strength
of the tribe, and find evidence of that mighty emigration. Rome was in her 640th
year when we first heard of the Cimbrian invader in the consulship of Cilius
Metellus and Papirius Carbo, from which time to the second consulship of the
Emperor Trajan we have to reckon about 210 years. So long have we been in conquering
Germany. In the space of this long epoch many losses have been sustained on
both sides. Neither Samnite nor Carthaginian, neither Spain nor Gaul, not even
the Parthians, have given us more frequent warnings. German independence truly
is fiercer than the despotism of an Arsaces. What else, indeed, can the East
taunt us with but the slaughter of Crassus, when it has itself lost Pacorus,
and been crushed under a Ventidius? But Germans, by routing or making prisoners
of Carbo, Cassius, Scaurus Aurelius, Servilius Cio, and Marcus Manlius, deprived
the Roman people of five consular armies, and they robbed even a Car of Varus
and his three legions. Not without loss to us were they discomfited by Marius
in Italy, by the great Julius in Gaul, and by Drusus, Nero, and Germanicus,
on their own ground. Soon after, the mighty menaces of Caius Car were turned
into a jest. Then came a lull, until on the occasion of our discords and the
civil war, they stormed the winter camp of our legions, and even designed the
conquest of Gaul. Again were they driven back; and in recent times we have celebrated
triumphs rather than won conquests over them.
38. I must now speak of the Suevi, who are not one nation as are the Chatti
and Tencteri, for they occupy the greater part of Germany, and have hitherto
been divided into separate tribes with names of their own, though they are called
by the general designation of “Suevi.” A national peculiarity with them is to
twist their hair back, and fasten it in a knot This distinguishes the Suevi
from the other Germans, as it also does their own freeborn from their slaves.
With other tribes, either from some connection with the Suevic race, or, as
often happens, from imitation, the practice is an occasional one, and restricted
to youth. The Suevi, till their heads are grey, affect the fashion of drawing
back their unkempt locks, and often they are knotted on the very top of the
head. The chiefs have a more elaborate style; so much do they study appearance,
but in perfect innocence, not with any thoughts of love-making; but arranging
their hair when they go to battle, to make themselves tall and terrible, they
adorn themselves, so to speak, for the eyes of the foe.
39. The Semnones give themselves out to be the most ancient and renowned
branch of the Suevi. Their antiquity is strongly attested by their religion.
At a stated period, all the tribes of the same race assemble by their representatives
in a grove consecrated by the auguries of their forefathers, and by immemorial
associations of terror. Here, having publicly slaughtered a human victim, they
celebrate the horrible beginning of their barbarous rite. Reverence also in
other ways is paid to the grove. No one enters it except bound with a chain,
as an inferior acknowledging the might of the local divinity. If he chance to
fall, it is not lawful for him to be lifted up, or to rise to his feet; he must
crawl out along the ground. All this superstition implies the belief that from
this spot the nation took its origin, that here dwells the supreme and all-ruling
deity, to whom all else is subject and obedient. The fortunate lot of the Semnones
strengthens this belief; a hundred cantons are in their occupation, and the
vastness of their community makes them regard themselves as the head of the
Suevic race.
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