The Dawn in Britain by Charles M. Doughty |
 |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
 | XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
 | The Dawn in Britain |  |
Short are these summer nights: now early in Britain,
The morrow breaks. Dukes marshal, then, the legions;
And each pass forth, to their own bands and ensigns,
The soldiers. Now arrayed, without the vallum,
Aulus, on a white steed, before them, rides.
Blaming their errors past; he sharply exhorts,
To purge their fault, by valiancy in arms.
In Cæsar, pardon lies or punishment.
Then he, saluted the victorious eagles,
Spake; Rest they, this day, out, furbish their arms;
To-morrow march; the third day, look to fight.
All lifting then right hands, in glittering ranks,
In Britain's fields, raise, loud, long Latin shout!
The morrow breaks. Dukes marshal, then, the legions;
And each pass forth, to their own bands and ensigns,
The soldiers. Now arrayed, without the vallum,
217
Blaming their errors past; he sharply exhorts,
To purge their fault, by valiancy in arms.
In Cæsar, pardon lies or punishment.
Then he, saluted the victorious eagles,
Spake; Rest they, this day, out, furbish their arms;
To-morrow march; the third day, look to fight.
All lifting then right hands, in glittering ranks,
In Britain's fields, raise, loud, long Latin shout!
Being come all ships, now, in, to the Longport,
He, with his letters, sends, to Gaul, back, part;
Thence, to convey Vespasian's faithful legion,
And wings of the allies. The rest, drawn up,
Casts Aulus, round about them, long paled bank;
And cohorts leaves, to keep this naval camp.
He, with his letters, sends, to Gaul, back, part;
Thence, to convey Vespasian's faithful legion,
And wings of the allies. The rest, drawn up,
Casts Aulus, round about them, long paled bank;
And cohorts leaves, to keep this naval camp.
When, now, (pale Daughter of the East,) treads forth,
The silver-footed Dawn, in saffron stole,
Broidered with pearl, from threshold of the gods,
Of shining gold; and, soon, in heaven's steep path,
Roll burning wheels of Belin, daily god,
Whom living diadem crowns, of lightning rays:
At clarion's second sound! Rome's legions march;
With horsemen, guides, of Belgic Cogidubnos.
The silver-footed Dawn, in saffron stole,
Broidered with pearl, from threshold of the gods,
Of shining gold; and, soon, in heaven's steep path,
Roll burning wheels of Belin, daily god,
Whom living diadem crowns, of lightning rays:
218
With horsemen, guides, of Belgic Cogidubnos.
By field, by seeded plots, well-tilled, in guise,
Of Gaul, they hold; which Belges, with wheel-ploughs,
(Good husbands,) ear, and dress the stubborn clod,
With marle. Of Britons, few half-naked wights,
Were seen; men breeched with skins, whose wattled bowers,
High round-built cabans, thatcht with shining reeds.
Of Gaul, they hold; which Belges, with wheel-ploughs,
(Good husbands,) ear, and dress the stubborn clod,
With marle. Of Britons, few half-naked wights,
Were seen; men breeched with skins, whose wattled bowers,
High round-built cabans, thatcht with shining reeds.
Scouts go before; on either part, ride horse;
(Belges, are those whom Cogidubnos sends.)
Journey the Roman legions, long, armed trains:
And erst, where flows, by Caer Went street, clear stream,
They lodge. Is that best water, to bleach line,
In Belges' march. And, lo, a weavers' town,
Whose clattering looms; (for they, who there wont dwell,
Are fled,) to-day, in the forsaken place,
Lie silent. Aulus caused, to be, by trumpet,
Proclaimed: Are Romans friends to Belges' nation,
For which cause, he forbids their town his soldiers.
(Belges, are those whom Cogidubnos sends.)
Journey the Roman legions, long, armed trains:
And erst, where flows, by Caer Went street, clear stream,
They lodge. Is that best water, to bleach line,
In Belges' march. And, lo, a weavers' town,
Whose clattering looms; (for they, who there wont dwell,
Are fled,) to-day, in the forsaken place,
Lie silent. Aulus caused, to be, by trumpet,
Proclaimed: Are Romans friends to Belges' nation,
For which cause, he forbids their town his soldiers.
By Further-Belges, yet uncertain friends,
Then Romans march. Them lead their guides, not far,
From Caer Calleva, of king Segontorix.
The legions halted, in a covert place,
Mongst hills, to rest; and cause this midday heat.
Some eat then bread; and all depose their arms.
219
From Caer Calleva, of king Segontorix.
The legions halted, in a covert place,
Mongst hills, to rest; and cause this midday heat.
Some eat then bread; and all depose their arms.
Sudden, with dreadful yells, cerulean Britons'
Shrill scythe-carts break out, on them, from thick woods.
Well can those drivers wield, in swift career;
Or hold, on an hill-bent, their rushing teams.
Their chariots leap and run, with hideous din,
Of creaking axe-trees. Ride, on each, two warriors:
Britons run hardily out, on their yoke beams,
To fight with Romans, or thence hurl forth javelins;
Or, lighted, as stout footmen, they contend.
Shrill scythe-carts break out, on them, from thick woods.
Well can those drivers wield, in swift career;
Or hold, on an hill-bent, their rushing teams.
Their chariots leap and run, with hideous din,
Of creaking axe-trees. Ride, on each, two warriors:
Britons run hardily out, on their yoke beams,
To fight with Romans, or thence hurl forth javelins;
Or, lighted, as stout footmen, they contend.
And whom they slay, in view of all the army,
Their off-lopt polls, all-bloody, (atrocious sight!)
They, on dire hooks, hang round their furious warcarts.
Upleapt, with scornful vaunt, then, those drive forth:
And their bronze whirling naves, whereon be set
Sharp sickles, Romans reap, with griesly deaths;
And pierce long scythes, before their horses' breasts:
And scourging, here and there, with rattling wheels;
All bloody, they o'erdrive who fallen of Romans.
Their off-lopt polls, all-bloody, (atrocious sight!)
They, on dire hooks, hang round their furious warcarts.
Upleapt, with scornful vaunt, then, those drive forth:
And their bronze whirling naves, whereon be set
Sharp sickles, Romans reap, with griesly deaths;
And pierce long scythes, before their horses' breasts:
And scourging, here and there, with rattling wheels;
All bloody, they o'erdrive who fallen of Romans.
220
Last Roman virtue, with inclinéd shields,
And javelins'-cast, repulsed the Britons' war-carts;
Which, few, draw off, to breathe their smoking steeds.
And javelins'-cast, repulsed the Britons' war-carts;
Which, few, draw off, to breathe their smoking steeds.
He who durst, erst, encounter with Rome's legions,
Swart Guledig is, renowned Segontorix,
Calleva's king, of Atrebatan nation,
Semblant divine, of hardy strength and skill,
In arms: and nephew of old Commius;
Who vowed eternal enmity to Romans.
Is his that helm, of bronze, which two-horned seen.
Swart Guledig is, renowned Segontorix,
Calleva's king, of Atrebatan nation,
Semblant divine, of hardy strength and skill,
In arms: and nephew of old Commius;
Who vowed eternal enmity to Romans.
Is his that helm, of bronze, which two-horned seen.
Issued the legions' trains, from cumbered paths,
They march few leagues; and now, by a brook side,
In meadows, lodge. Here, seemed it good, to Aulus,
In fenced camp, Flavius, certain days, abide:
For brought-in Cogidubnos' scouts have tiding,
Of great approaching host, of woad-stained Britons;
Led by young warlike son of dead Cunobelin.
They march few leagues; and now, by a brook side,
In meadows, lodge. Here, seemed it good, to Aulus,
In fenced camp, Flavius, certain days, abide:
For brought-in Cogidubnos' scouts have tiding,
Of great approaching host, of woad-stained Britons;
Led by young warlike son of dead Cunobelin.
Strenuous Vespasian hath, with thousand horse,
Of Roman Gaul, and stout Batavians, passed,
(Twelve hundred spearmen,) now, in those sent ships,
Britannic seas; and, with his faithful legion,
Disbarked, at the Longport. This ninth eve, he,
His army leads, into the legate's castrum!
Cæsar's new rescript added Flavius' cohorts,
Hath, to Britannic army of Aulus Plautius.
Of Roman Gaul, and stout Batavians, passed,
(Twelve hundred spearmen,) now, in those sent ships,
Britannic seas; and, with his faithful legion,
Disbarked, at the Longport. This ninth eve, he,
His army leads, into the legate's castrum!
Cæsar's new rescript added Flavius' cohorts,
Hath, to Britannic army of Aulus Plautius.
221
At day, now, the four legions levied camps;
March forth, few leagues, in warlike ordinance.
Ere noon, explorers, sent before, renounce;
They saw lodged, not far off, cerulean Britons,
Caterfs of footfolk, with much power of chariots!
March forth, few leagues, in warlike ordinance.
Ere noon, explorers, sent before, renounce;
They saw lodged, not far off, cerulean Britons,
Caterfs of footfolk, with much power of chariots!
And now the legate, past hill-brow, discerns
Great camps of barbare host, wide-shining arms!
Whom four-wheel wains fence, in vast circuit, round.
Then Aulus, tribunes of his marching trains,
Bade, halt the va'ward, without trumpet sound;
And passing, each, to part, on either hand;
Range them those former legions. The third, then,
Valens, which cometh on, the middle hold:
The fourth, to-day, their carriage shall defend.
Great camps of barbare host, wide-shining arms!
Whom four-wheel wains fence, in vast circuit, round.
Then Aulus, tribunes of his marching trains,
Bade, halt the va'ward, without trumpet sound;
And passing, each, to part, on either hand;
Range them those former legions. The third, then,
Valens, which cometh on, the middle hold:
The fourth, to-day, their carriage shall defend.
The legions thus arraying them, rides Aulus,
Before their orders; and exhorts his soldiers,
Saying; Lies yonder, the blue Britons' army!
Nations, whom virtue and fortune of great Julius,
In old days, of our grandsires, overcame.
Ye ninth, ye fourteenth and ye twentieth legions,
This day blot out the memory of your revolt,
Showing yourselves, as erewhile valiant soldiers;
That I, to-morrow, writing to the Senate,
At large; may set forth your victorious merit!
Before their orders; and exhorts his soldiers,
Saying; Lies yonder, the blue Britons' army!
Nations, whom virtue and fortune of great Julius,
In old days, of our grandsires, overcame.
Ye ninth, ye fourteenth and ye twentieth legions,
This day blot out the memory of your revolt,
Showing yourselves, as erewhile valiant soldiers;
222
At large; may set forth your victorious merit!
Seems, straightway, all that Roman field, in Britain,
To burn; for myriad hands do-on bright helms,
(Which cast broad brazen gleam, against the sun,)
At once! Draw veils, then, of their Sabine shields.
Sith, with swift foot, and eager angry heart,
And clenchéd teeth, at clarions' voice, advance,
Impatient unto battle, in thick ranks,
Like to one man, the Power of mighty Rome!
To burn; for myriad hands do-on bright helms,
(Which cast broad brazen gleam, against the sun,)
At once! Draw veils, then, of their Sabine shields.
Sith, with swift foot, and eager angry heart,
And clenchéd teeth, at clarions' voice, advance,
Impatient unto battle, in thick ranks,
Like to one man, the Power of mighty Rome!
Blue Britons rise up, dreadful, with strange ensigns,
By tribes, caterfs and kindreds; that might, thus,
Of every one, the valour more appear,
Before his people. Station the island horse,
On the two wings. In Britons' battle front,
Are shining squadroned chariots: glittering dukes,
Drawn of white steeds, before them, slowly ride.
By tribes, caterfs and kindreds; that might, thus,
Of every one, the valour more appear,
Before his people. Station the island horse,
On the two wings. In Britons' battle front,
Are shining squadroned chariots: glittering dukes,
Drawn of white steeds, before them, slowly ride.
| The Dawn in Britain | |