history of the britons(布利顿史)-第7节
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Ambrosius。
41。 In consequence of this reply； the king sent messengers through… out
Britain； in search of a child born without a father。 After having inquired in
all the provinces； they came to the field of Aelecti；＇1＇ in the district of
Glevesing；＇2＇ where a party of boys were playing at ball。 And two of them
quarrelling； one said to the other； 〃O boy without a father； no good will
ever happen to you。〃 Upon this； the messengers diligently inquired of the
mother and the other boys； whether he had had a father？ Which his mother
denied； saying； 〃In what manner he was conceived I know not； for I have
never had intercourse with any man；〃 and then she solemnly affirmed that
he had no mortal father。 The boy was； therefore； led away； and conducted
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before Vortigern the king。 ＇1＇ V。R。 Elleti； Electi； Gleti。 Supposed to be
Bassalig in Monmouthshire。 ＇2＇ The district between the Usk and Rumney；
in Monmouthshire。
42。 A meeting took place the next day for the purpose of putting him to
death。 Then the boy said to the king； 〃Why have your servants brought me
hither？〃 〃That you may be put to death；〃 replied the king； 〃and that the
ground on which my citadel is to stand； may be sprinkled with your blood；
without which I shall be unable to build it。〃 〃Who；〃 said the boy；
〃instructed you to do this？〃 〃My wise men；〃 answered the king。 〃Order
them hither；〃 returned the boy； this being complied with； he thus
questioned them： 〃By what means was it revealed to you that this citadel
could not be built； unless the spot were previously sprinkled with my
blood？ Speak without disguise； and declare who discovered me to you；〃
then turning to the king； 〃I will soon；〃 said he； 〃unfold to you every thing；
but I desire to question your wise men； and wish them to disclose to you
what is hidden under this pavement：〃 they acknowledging their ignorance；
〃there is；〃 said he； 〃a pool； come and dig：〃 they did so； and found the pool。
〃Now；〃 continued he； 〃tell me what is in it；〃 but they were ashamed； and
made no reply。 〃I；〃 said the boy； 〃can discover it to you： there are two
vases in the pool；〃 they examined and found it so： continuing his questions；
〃What is in the vases？〃 they were silent： 〃there is a tent in them；〃 said the
boy； 〃separate them； and you shall find it so；〃 this being done by the king's
command； there was found in them a folded tent。 The boy； going on with
his questions； asked the wise men what was in it？ But they not knowing
what to reply； 〃There are；〃 said he； 〃two serpents； one white and the other
red； unfold the tent；〃 they obeyed； and two sleeping serpents were
discovered； 〃consider attentively；〃 said the boy； 〃what they are doing。〃
The serpents began to struggle with each other； and the white one； raising
himself up； threw down the other into the middle of the tent； and
sometimes drove him to the edge of it； and this was repeated thrice。 At
length the red one； apparently the weaker of the two； recovering his
strength； expelled the white one from the tent； and the latter being pursued
through the pool by the red one； disappeared。 Then the boy； asking the
wise men what was signified by this wonderful omen； and they expressing
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their ignorance； he said to the king； 〃I will now unfold to you the meaning
of this mystery。 The pool is the emblem of this world； and the tent that of
your kingdom： the two serpents are two dragons； the red serpent is your
dragon； but the white serpent is the dragon of the people who occupy
several provinces and districts of Britain； even almost from sea to sea： at
length； however； our people shall rise and drive away the Saxon race from
beyond the sea； whence they originally came； but do you depart from this
place； where you are not permitted to erect a citadel； I； to whom fate has
allotted this mansion； shall remain here； whilst to you it is incumbent to
seek other provinces； where you may build a fortress。〃 〃What is your
name？〃 asked the king； 〃I am called Ambrose （in British Embresguletic）；〃
returned the boy； and in answer to the king's question； 〃What is your
origin？〃 he replied； 〃A Roman consul was my father。〃
Then the king assigned him that city； with all the western Provinces of
Britain； and departing with his wise men to the sinistral district； he arrived
in the region named Gueneri； where he built a city which； according to his
name； was called Cair Guorthegirn。* * An ancient scholiast adds； 〃He then
built Guasmoric； near Lugubalia ＇Carlisle＇； a city which in English is
called Palmecaster。〃 Some difference of opinion exists among antiquaries
respecting the site of vortigern's castle or city。 Usher places it at Gwent；
Monmouthshire； which name； he ways； was taken from Caer…Went； near
Chepstow。 This appears to agree with Geoffrey's account； ｛illegible｝ See
Usher's Britan。 Eccles。 cap。 v。 p。23。 According to others； supposed to be
the city from the ruins of which arose the castle of Gurthrenion； in
Radnorshire； Camden's Britannia； p。479。 Whitaker； however； says that
Cair Guorthegirn was the Maridunum of the Romans； and the present
Caermarthen。 （Hist。 Of Manchester； book ii。 c。 1。） See also Nennius；
sec。47。
43。 At length Vortimer； the son of Vortigern； valiantly fought against
Hengist； Horsa； and his people； drove them to the isle of Thanet； and
thrice enclosed them within it； and beset them on the Western side。
The Saxons now despatched deputies to Germany to solicit large
reinforcements； and an additional number of ships： having obtained these；
they fought against the kings and princes of Britain； and sometimes
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extended their boundaries by victory； and sometimes were conquered and
driven back。
44。 Four times did Vortimer valorously encounter the enemy；＇1＇ the
first has been mentioned； the second was upon the river Darent； the third
at the Ford； in their language called Epsford； though in ours Set
thirgabail；＇2＇ there Horsa fell； and Catigern； the son of Vortigern； the
fourth battle he fought was near the stone＇3＇ on the shore of the Gallic sea；
where the Saxons being defeated； fled to their ships。 ＇1＇ Some MSS。 here
add； 〃This Vortimer； the son of Vortigern； in a synod held at Guartherniaun；
after the wicked king； on account of the incest committed with his
daughter； fled from the face of Germanus and the British clergy； would not
consent to his father's wickedness； but returning to St。 Germanus； and
falling down at his feet； he sued for pardon； and in atonement for the
calumny brought upon Germanus by his father and sister； gave him the
land； in which the forementioned bishop had endured such abuse； to be his
for ever。 Whence； in memory of St。 Germanus； it received the name
Guarenniaun （Guartherniaun； Gurthrenion； Gwarth Ennian） which
signifies； a calumny justly retorted； since； when he thought to reproach the
bishop； he covered himself with reproach。〃 ＇2＇ According to Langhorne；
Epsford was afterwards called； in the British tongue； Saessenaeg habail； or
'the slaughter of the Saxons。' ＇3＇ V。R。 〃The stone of Titulus； thought to be
Stone in Kent； or Larger…stone in Suffolk。
After a short interval Vortimer died； before his decease； anxious for the
future prosperity of his country； he charged his friends to inter his body at
the entrance of the Saxon port； viz。 upon the rock where the Saxons first
landed； 〃for though；〃 said he； 〃they may inhabit other parts of Britain； yet
if you follow my commands； they will never remain in this island。〃 They
imprudently disobeyed this last injunction； and neglected to bury him
where he had ap… pointed。* * Rapin says he was buried at Lincoln；
Geoffrey； at London。
