Trapped.
Perhaps all is fair in war, and the end justifies6 the means, and the eleventh commandment “Do to the enemy what he’d like to do to you”, being altogether heartless and godless is peculiarly applicable to war: nevertheless the victory won by treachery never sounds so clarionly joyous7 adown the ages as the victory following a fair fight; and the deadly defeat that came by treachery has in it a pathos8 that redeems9 defeat from disgrace. Time is just.
When Varus started out at the head of his legions to quell10, as he thought, an insurrection of a few unimportant tribes scattered along the Weser and the Ems rivers, Germany seemed comparatively at peace; and Arminius, the most dreaded11 war-lord[34] of the barbarians, seemed to have been won over by the blandishments of the Roman camp.
It was a gala day for the troops as with ample supplies, generous baggage-wagons, plenty of camp followers12, jesters, entertainers, they turned away from the frontier and plunged13 into the Black Forest. There was nothing to indicate that concerted action on the part of the Germans was the cause of that far distant uprising against Roman authority, and that within their ranks were half-Romanized barbarians who would desert at a given signal and use their arms against their present comrades; above all, that Arminius had secretly instigated14 a general uprising and that the Black Forests were blackly alive with the foe15.
On went the Roman troops following their treacherous16 guides who purposely led them into the dense17 marshy18 depths of the woods; and when thus lost and entangled19, their cavalry20 unable to advance, and while all the troops were called upon to construct a rude causeway over which the horses might proceed—suddenly from the gloom encompassing21 them on all sides came deadly arrows, missiles, javelins22 hurled23 by an unseen foe.
Varus seems to have been unable to realize that he was the victim of a stratagem24. His best men, officers and soldiers, were falling around him; his cavalry slipping in slimy blood lay floundering on the way; his light-armed auxiliaries25, composed in great part of brawny26 German youth, were slinking away and becoming strangely one with the forces whence came the arrows, missiles, javelins. Still Varus urged on the work on the causeway, and still veterans advanced to the work as veterans fell and at last the gloomy march resumed.
The attack seemed over and Varus thought some isolated27 tribe of barbarians had taken advantage of their hour of disability to harass28 them on the march. On reaching a declivity29 of the woody plain Varus drew up his forces as best he could in battle[35] line and thus awaited the coming of the foe. But Arminius was not prepared to meet the Romans in battle; his rude warriors30 were no match for the trained Roman soldiers fully31 protected by helmet, cuirass, greaves, and shield. There could have been but one result to such an encounter—victory for the Romans, defeat for the cause of liberty and native land.
Arminius held in leash32 his blood-hounds all thro’ the night. The Romans halted on the slope and, perceiving no enemy near, pitched their camp with true Roman precision and then slept long and well the heavy sleep of worn out nature that last night of mortal life.
At early dawn, while the Roman camp yet lay moveless, undreaming of the savage33 blood-hounds around or the deadly ambush34 ahead,—Arminius despatched men to the farther end of the defile35 with orders to fell trees and erect36 an impassable barricade37. He then sent troops to different points of advantage on either side of the defile thro’ which the fated army would advance; he gave instructions as to concerted action at the sound of the agreed-upon signal, and thus awaited the coming of morn and the renewed activities of the Roman camp.
There is something sternly terrible in the human heart which can thus joyfully38 contemplate39 the destruction of thousands upon thousands of one’s fellow mortals. And yet, in this case, these Roman soldiers were the concrete embodiment of a cause which would enslave Arminius’ native land, intrude40 deadly enervation41 into the integrity of a German home; and more—much more: Rome had deeply wronged Arminius, lover of liberty, lover of native land; but even more deeply had she wronged Arminius, the lover, and the man. His wife, Thusnelda, was held a captive in Rome and his child, a fair haired boy of only five years, had been made to grace a Roman triumph. Rivers of blood could not wash away such seared yet burning memories from the heart.
[36]
With fierce exultation42 did Arminius watch the waking of the camp, the taking up of pickets43, formation of line, and the slow winding44 motion towards the way, the fatal way, he had foreseen they must go. Had Varus even then become suspicious of concerted treachery, he would have hastened back, would have plunged into the heart of the unknown wood, would have remained in camp, would have done anything under the sun rather than advance right into that narrow densely45 wooded way ambushed46 at every vantage point on both sides and shut in at the farther end by that barricade high as the tops of the trees. But he looked and knew not; Arminius saw and knew and exulted47.
Der Mordkessel.
Fate is always on the winning side. As day advanced and the troops were all now fairly within the ravine, the heavens opened in streams of torrential rain. The Black Forest seemed to groan48 with impending49 doom50: old Thor and Odin seemed fighting for their altars in the Druid wood, and Roman Jove was no match for this grim Teutonic Thor.
Arminius watched from the height; and just as the vanguard rounded the curve at the summit of which rose the barricade of trees, the signal for general assault all along the line arose clear and decisive from the height.
The slaughter was appalling51. The bulk of the infantry52, fourteen thousand men, were slain53; while the cavalry which at first had numbered about eighteen hundred horsemen, partly Romans partly provincial54, made here its last dread stand against the foe and—lost.
Numonius Vola, a Roman cavalry officer, seeing the utter uselessness of the attempt to continue the unfair strife55, made a bold dash for deliverance. At the head of a small force, he turned away from the floundering mass of horses and men and[37] plunged into the unknown forest. He was, however, soon surrounded by the Germans, and he and his soldiers were cut to pieces.
A brave band of Romans, last of that death-devoted multitude of men, gained a point of vantage on a hill slope and arranging themselves in a solid circle presented to the foe an almost impenetrable line of glittering points of spears. The Germans, tho’ outnumbering them a hundred to one, yet quailed56 before that steely welcome. Perhaps, too, being themselves brave men, they were in awe57 and admiration58 of that heroic despair; perhaps, being perfectly59 sure of their prey60, they were loth to break the savage satisfaction of gloating upon its desperation; perhaps no Arnold Winkelreid opportunely61 came forth62 to offer himself in sacrifice upon those outstretched points and so wedge open the way; perhaps, and O most dread truth-perhaps! those wild children of the Druid wood saw safely entrenched63 behind that helpless steel—worthy victims for Odin. And thus the night passed—that awful last night upon earth for the last of the legions of Varus.
There is an open space on the flat top of an overhanging rock, darkly terrible even today and still the favorite haunt of century old oaks: and this place tradition points out as the spot upon which human sacrifices were of old offered to Thor and to Odin. And thither64 the blue eyed barbarians dragged those Roman soldiers, bravest of the brave, who had stood entrenched behind their helpless steel until exhaustion65 overcame them and who at last overpowered by sheer force of numbers, had been taken alive by the implacable foe and dragged to the altar of sacrifice.
Strange indeed is that delusion66, so often inextricably assimilable with religious fanaticism67, wherein a man makes himself believe that he honors or placates68 Deity69 by immolating70 thereto his own enemy! Truly the human-heart god is the deification[38] of its own desires. And that God-man upon the Cross who is essentially71 the everlasting72 antithesis73 of the desires of the human heart is not of man. We can understand Jove and Juno and Mars and Venus and even Odin and Thor—they are ourselves only more so: not so the Christ crucified on Calvary.
Effects.
Fifteen thousand eight hundred men are estimated to have formed the army lost in the Teutoberger Wald. This irreparable loss gave to the heart of C?sar Augustus its pathetic cry enduring even to the day of death, “Varus, Varus, give back my legions, Varus!”
Suetonius tells us that at the news of the Black Forest disaster, Augustus, in bitter grief, beat his head against the wall crying incessantly74 and inconsolably, “Bring back my legions, Varus”: and that after many years had passed and even to the day of his death he lamented75 the loss as irreparable. Not, indeed, because so many men had fallen; Rome was prodigal76 of human life; but because his prophetic eye saw in this defeat the beginning of the end of Roman supremacy77; the change of policy from aggressive to defensive78; the fatal turning of a tide which should roll down upon southern Europe in inundations of desolation.
Many other ancient writers attest79 the seriousness of this defeat to Rome and corroborate80 what Suetonius says as to its effect upon Augustus. Dion Cassius says, “Then Augustus, when he heard the calamity81 of Varus, rent his garment, and was in great affliction for the troops he had lost, and for terror respecting the Germans and the Gauls. And his chief alarm was, that he expected them to push on against Italy and Rome; and there were no Roman youth fit for military duty that were[39] worth speaking of, and the allied82 populations that were at all serviceable had been wasted away.”
Florus also expresses its effects: “Hac clade factum est ut imperium quod in litore oceani non steterat, in ripa Rheni fluminis staret.” (The result of this disaster was that the empire which had not been content that it be bounded by the shore of ocean was forced to accept as its boundary the River Rhine).
Arminius.
There was an attempt made many years ago to erect a statue to the memory of Arminius. The site chosen for this imposing83 monument was, of course, the Teutoberger Wald. It was suggested that contributions be received only from the English and German nations and that the statue should stand as a memorial of the common ancestry84 and heritage of the German-English races.
Arminius is indeed more truly an English national hero than was Caractacus, if the Saxon genealogy85 be properly traced.
However, the project fell through. England and Germany are not yet amicably86 one under the tutelage of a far off German war-lord: and no colossal87 statue of Arminius—successful strategist and wholesale88 slaughterer—rises today in gloomy Teutoberger Wald from out the dark depths of Der Mordkessel.
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1
barbarians
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| n.野蛮人( barbarian的名词复数 )；外国人；粗野的人；无教养的人 | |
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slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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reminders
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| n.令人回忆起…的东西( reminder的名词复数 )；提醒…的东西；（告知该做某事的）通知单；提示信 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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justifies
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| 证明…有理( justify的第三人称单数 )； 为…辩护； 对…作出解释； 为…辩解（或辩护） | |
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joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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pathos
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| n.哀婉，悲怆 | |
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redeems
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| 补偿( redeem的第三人称单数 )； 实践； 解救； 使…免受责难 | |
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quell
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| v.压制，平息，减轻 | |
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dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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instigated
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| v.使（某事物）开始或发生，鼓动( instigate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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marshy
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| adj.沼泽的 | |
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entangled
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| adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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encompassing
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| v.围绕( encompass的现在分词 )；包围；包含；包括 | |
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javelins
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| n.标枪( javelin的名词复数 ) | |
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hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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stratagem
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| n.诡计，计谋 | |
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auxiliaries
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| n.助动词 ( auxiliary的名词复数 )；辅助工，辅助人员 | |
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brawny
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| adj.强壮的 | |
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isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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harass
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| vt.使烦恼，折磨，骚扰 | |
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declivity
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| n.下坡，倾斜面 | |
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warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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leash
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| n.牵狗的皮带，束缚；v.用皮带系住 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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ambush
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| n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击 | |
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defile
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| v.弄污，弄脏；n.(山间)小道 | |
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erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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37
barricade
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| n.路障，栅栏，障碍；vt.设路障挡住 | |
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38
joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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39
contemplate
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| vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视 | |
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40
intrude
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| vi.闯入；侵入；打扰，侵扰 | |
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41
enervation
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| n.无活力，衰弱 | |
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42
exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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43
pickets
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| 罢工纠察员( picket的名词复数 ) | |
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44
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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45
densely
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| ad.密集地；浓厚地 | |
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46
ambushed
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| v.埋伏( ambush的过去式和过去分词 )；埋伏着 | |
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47
exulted
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| 狂喜，欢跃( exult的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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49
impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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50
doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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51
appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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52
infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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53
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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54
provincial
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| adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人 | |
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55
strife
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| n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争 | |
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56
quailed
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| 害怕，发抖，畏缩( quail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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opportunely
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| adv.恰好地，适时地 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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entrenched
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| adj.确立的，不容易改的(风俗习惯) | |
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64
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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delusion
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| n.谬见，欺骗，幻觉，迷惑 | |
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fanaticism
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| n.狂热，盲信 | |
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68
placates
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| v.安抚，抚慰，使平静( placate的第三人称单数 ) | |
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deity
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| n.神，神性；被奉若神明的人(或物) | |
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immolating
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| v.宰杀…作祭品( immolate的现在分词 ) | |
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essentially
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| adv.本质上，实质上，基本上 | |
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everlasting
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| adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的 | |
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antithesis
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| n.对立；相对 | |
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incessantly
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| ad.不停地 | |
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lamented
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| adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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76
prodigal
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| adj.浪费的，挥霍的，放荡的 | |
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supremacy
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| n.至上；至高权力 | |
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defensive
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| adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的 | |
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attest
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| vt.证明，证实；表明 | |
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corroborate
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| v.支持，证实，确定 | |
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calamity
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| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
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82
allied
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| adj.协约国的；同盟国的 | |
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imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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ancestry
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| n.祖先，家世 | |
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genealogy
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| n.家系，宗谱 | |
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amicably
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| adv.友善地 | |
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colossal
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| adj.异常的，庞大的 | |
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wholesale
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| n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售 | |
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