The language, the manners, the laws of the Romans (said he) were spread over the world. The nations, conquered and settled, became members of the empire; and all the known world 117made but one family. By what fatality4 was Augustus’s peace, which seemed so unalterable, of so short a duration? Mankind only breathed, and were soon inflicted5 with new wounds. When Rome had no more kingdoms to subdue6, she had rebels to reduce. Several nations, thinking it a great happiness or a great glory to be parted from the body of the empire, rebelled in Europe, in Asia, in Africa: all were repressed. Thus most of the nations, formerly7 attacked and defeated, now the aggressors and reduced, continued to be hurled8 from one misfortune to another; and the following pictures, those which represent the more celebrated9 times of the first Emperors, will still go on to present to thee spectacles of blood. The three reigns11 of Titus, Antoninus, and Marcus Aurelius, were three fine Days in a severe Winter.
118Those times, nevertheless, were times of peace, in comparison of those that had gone before and those that came after. The empire was like a body with a good constitution, but which however is attacked with some disorders13, and shews that it is not far from its decline.
Whilst the Romans, at first to extend, then to support and sometimes to inrich themselves, kept the world in awe14, pulled down what attempted to rise, and penetrated15 wherever they were allured16 by rich spoils; towards the North, in those frozen climates where nature seems to reach only to expire, there arose and increased, in the bosom17 of peace and silence, nations who were one day to humble18 the pride of the masters of the world. Three centuries had not yet passed since Augustus’s peace, when, 119in the reign10 of Valerianus, the deceitful hope of a more commodious19 and happy life armed these unpolished people. See where they are coming out of their huts, tumultuously gathering20 together, marching in disorder12, and showing the way to the hideous21 multitudes who followed one another from age to age.
These foreign enemies, coming when the empire was rent with internal rebellions, shook the Colossus. It withstood however, for some time, the weight which pulled it down, and one while ready to fall, and another while erect22, it seemed sometimes to be going to stand firm again.
Among the emperors who signalized themselves against the Barbarians23, Probus contributed the most to support the 120Majesty of the Roman name. Valiant24, but still more humane25, he abhorred26 war and continually waged it. Dost thou observe, in the picture before thee, that bald old man, his air of candor27, his respectable countenance28, the plainness of every thing about him? It is Probus represented in the moment when, beholding30 Rome’s enemies humbled31, full of the idea of that general peace he always desired, he said: “yet a few days and the empire will have no farther occasion for soldiers.” Words which rendered him worthy32 of the veneration33 of the whole earth, but which caused him to be murdered. Time passed, the efforts of the Barbarians redoubled, and blood continued to be shed.
Mean while, the enemies of Rome grew warlike, and her defenders34 degenerated35. 121Of this the chief causes were pride, which increasing wants, forces the citizen to refer every thing to his private interest; the folly36 of most of the emperors, which bred in the people a numbness37 which a few years confirm, and which whole ages cannot remove; perhaps too a weariness of the spirits; for that ambition, that haughtiness38, or, if you please, that Roman grandeur39, was in the course of things an excessive effort, which, like an epidemical distemper come to its height, must necessarily abate40 by degrees.
However this may be, a century and half after their first invasions, the Barbarians began to make real progresses, and dismember the Western part of the empire. Amidst the troubles that then existed, some kingdoms were established 122which still remain to this day. Just as Earthquakes, which raising the sea drown whole regions, produce also new Islands amidst the waves.
See the Goths, who after traversing sword in hand, part of Asia and all Europe, are settling in Spain: see the Angles, a people of Germany, who are passing into Great Britain, and, under pretence41 of aiding, are seizing it: see the Franks, other Germans, who are coming to free the Gauls from the Roman yoke42 and making them to submit to theirs. In these unhappy times, Rome herself shares the same fate which she had made so many cities undergo; she is plundered43 and sacked at several times[10].
123But the next pictures present to thee, in a point of view still more dreadful, regions laid waste, fields bathed in blood, and cities in ashes. These are the exploits of Attila and his rapid incursions in Macedonia, Mysia, Thrace, Italy, and almost through the whole world which he ravaged44. So many desolations, proceeding45 from several conquerors47, would have made so many heroes: coming from a single hand, they form a terrible monster. It is thus that military virtues48 show themselves in their true colours, and become horrible when they meet in a center[11].
124During Attila’s ravages49, certain Italians flying from his fury, withdraw to the Adriatic sea-side. Behold29 in this picture the men pale, the women dishevelled, and the children in tears. Some hide themselves among the rocks; others dig themselves subterraneous retreats; some ascend50 the hills, and, as far as their eyes can reach, look whither the merciless conqueror46, whose name alone makes them tremble, is still pursuing them to those desolate51 places, so little proper for the habitation of men. On every side thou canst see nothing but destruction 125and horror: very soon however proud Venice is going to rise out of these melancholy52 ruins.
Shortly after, the last blow is given to the Western empire. Tyrannized by its rulers, rent by factions53, weakened by continual losses, and pressed by a fatal destiny, it shakes under some emperors, and falls under Augustulus. Rome and Italy, successively a prey54 to two Barbarians, are afterwards united to the Eastern empire, from which by fresh misfortunes they were soon after detached again.
Two centuries passed in cruel vicissitudes55, when a new scourge56, Mahomet, arose in the East. He was deemed at first but as an impostor worthy of contempt: but he had an understanding capable of 126the greatest things, and a boldness which carried him to the highest enterprizes. It was known how far he was able to go, when his progress could no longer be opposed. He over-ran part of the East, and out of the ruins founded the kingdom of the Khalifs. The nations, he subdued57 by force of arms, he won by seduction; and, more fatal still to mankind than all the heroes whose pernicious actions die with them, he sullied the human species with a stain which probably will never be effaced[12].
127In the West, the misfortunes of the Romans are renewed. The Lombards waste Italy, the Moors58 settle in Spain, from whence they threaten the French: new swarms59 of Barbarians are going to invade the finest countries of Europe.
At this time, from the bosom of France arises a Prince full of genius, and of that military ardor61 which, in a calm, would have brought on a storm; but which, finding the tempest formed, like an impetuous wind, blew it away: this was Charlemain. In this picture, he checks the Saracens; in that, he subdues62 Germany; moreover, he destroys in Italy the power of the Lombards, founds the temporal authority of the Popes, and 128receives the crown of the Western empire.
Charlemain’s empire soon fell to pieces. The partitions of the princes, and the ambition of some chiefs, detach whole nations from it. Weak or avaricious63 emperors give or sell liberty to others. The rest is under particular lords: the sovereign scarce keeps the title and shadow of authority.
Dost thou observe that battle? seest thou a numerous army defeated by fifteen hundred men? It is the ?ra of the liberty of the Helvetic body. Members of the empire, but oppressed by tyrants64, the Swiss shake off the yoke and form a government, the wisdom of which cannot be too much admired. Their commerce extends but to necessaries: they have 129soldiers only for their defence, and these too are trained among other nations: a constant peace reigns in the republic. Without covetousness65, without jealousy66, without ambition, liberty and necessaries content them. They are a people that talk the least of philosophy, and are the most philosophical67.
Whilst the new Western empire is rent, the Eastern is destroyed. Thou seest coming out of Asia the last swarm60 of Barbarians which were to fall upon Europe[13]. They advance: and, like huge 130masses which acquire more force in proportion to the height they fall from, they crush Constantinople and seize the Eastern empire, which they still possess to this day.
Such is the disastrous68 contexture of the compendious69 History of mankind: the crowd of particulars is only a crowd of less noted70 calamities71. The total of the nations, especially the European, is like a mass of quicksilver, which the lightest impression puts in motion, which the least shake divides and subdivides72, and of which chance unites again the parts in a thousand different manners. Who will find the means to fix them?
The End of the First Part.
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1 discourse | |
n.论文,演说;谈话;话语;vi.讲述,著述 | |
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2 inflamed | |
adj.发炎的,红肿的v.(使)变红,发怒,过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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3 darted | |
v.投掷,投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 );向前冲,飞奔 | |
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4 fatality | |
n.不幸,灾祸,天命 | |
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5 inflicted | |
把…强加给,使承受,遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6 subdue | |
vt.制服,使顺从,征服;抑制,克制 | |
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7 formerly | |
adv.从前,以前 | |
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8 hurled | |
v.猛投,用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 );大声叫骂 | |
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9 celebrated | |
adj.有名的,声誉卓著的 | |
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10 reign | |
n.统治时期,统治,支配,盛行;v.占优势 | |
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11 reigns | |
n.君主的统治( reign的名词复数 );君主统治时期;任期;当政期 | |
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12 disorder | |
n.紊乱,混乱;骚动,骚乱;疾病,失调 | |
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13 disorders | |
n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 );凌乱;骚乱;(身心、机能)失调 | |
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14 awe | |
n.敬畏,惊惧;vt.使敬畏,使惊惧 | |
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15 penetrated | |
adj. 击穿的,鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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16 allured | |
诱引,吸引( allure的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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17 bosom | |
n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的 | |
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18 humble | |
adj.谦卑的,恭顺的;地位低下的;v.降低,贬低 | |
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19 commodious | |
adj.宽敞的;使用方便的 | |
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20 gathering | |
n.集会,聚会,聚集 | |
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21 hideous | |
adj.丑陋的,可憎的,可怕的,恐怖的 | |
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22 erect | |
n./v.树立,建立,使竖立;adj.直立的,垂直的 | |
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23 barbarians | |
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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24 valiant | |
adj.勇敢的,英勇的;n.勇士,勇敢的人 | |
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25 humane | |
adj.人道的,富有同情心的 | |
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26 abhorred | |
v.憎恶( abhor的过去式和过去分词 );(厌恶地)回避;拒绝;淘汰 | |
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27 candor | |
n.坦白,率真 | |
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28 countenance | |
n.脸色,面容;面部表情;vt.支持,赞同 | |
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29 behold | |
v.看,注视,看到 | |
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30 beholding | |
v.看,注视( behold的现在分词 );瞧;看呀;(叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现)哎哟 | |
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31 humbled | |
adj. 卑下的,谦逊的,粗陋的 vt. 使 ... 卑下,贬低 | |
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32 worthy | |
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
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33 veneration | |
n.尊敬,崇拜 | |
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34 defenders | |
n.防御者( defender的名词复数 );守卫者;保护者;辩护者 | |
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35 degenerated | |
衰退,堕落,退化( degenerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36 folly | |
n.愚笨,愚蠢,蠢事,蠢行,傻话 | |
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37 numbness | |
n.无感觉,麻木,惊呆 | |
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38 haughtiness | |
n.傲慢;傲气 | |
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39 grandeur | |
n.伟大,崇高,宏伟,庄严,豪华 | |
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40 abate | |
vi.(风势,疼痛等)减弱,减轻,减退 | |
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41 pretence | |
n.假装,作假;借口,口实;虚伪;虚饰 | |
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42 yoke | |
n.轭;支配;v.给...上轭,连接,使成配偶 | |
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43 plundered | |
掠夺,抢劫( plunder的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44 ravaged | |
毁坏( ravage的过去式和过去分词 ); 蹂躏; 劫掠; 抢劫 | |
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45 proceeding | |
n.行动,进行,(pl.)会议录,学报 | |
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46 conqueror | |
n.征服者,胜利者 | |
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47 conquerors | |
征服者,占领者( conqueror的名词复数 ) | |
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48 virtues | |
美德( virtue的名词复数 ); 德行; 优点; 长处 | |
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49 ravages | |
劫掠后的残迹,破坏的结果,毁坏后的残迹 | |
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50 ascend | |
vi.渐渐上升,升高;vt.攀登,登上 | |
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51 desolate | |
adj.荒凉的,荒芜的;孤独的,凄凉的;v.使荒芜,使孤寂 | |
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52 melancholy | |
n.忧郁,愁思;adj.令人感伤(沮丧)的,忧郁的 | |
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53 factions | |
组织中的小派别,派系( faction的名词复数 ) | |
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54 prey | |
n.被掠食者,牺牲者,掠食;v.捕食,掠夺,折磨 | |
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55 vicissitudes | |
n.变迁,世事变化;变迁兴衰( vicissitude的名词复数 );盛衰兴废 | |
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56 scourge | |
n.灾难,祸害;v.蹂躏 | |
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57 subdued | |
adj. 屈服的,柔和的,减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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58 moors | |
v.停泊,系泊(船只)( moor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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59 swarms | |
蜂群,一大群( swarm的名词复数 ) | |
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60 swarm | |
n.(昆虫)等一大群;vi.成群飞舞;蜂拥而入 | |
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61 ardor | |
n.热情,狂热 | |
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62 subdues | |
征服( subdue的第三人称单数 ); 克制; 制服 | |
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63 avaricious | |
adj.贪婪的,贪心的 | |
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64 tyrants | |
专制统治者( tyrant的名词复数 ); 暴君似的人; (古希腊的)僭主; 严酷的事物 | |
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65 covetousness | |
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66 jealousy | |
n.妒忌,嫉妒,猜忌 | |
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67 philosophical | |
adj.哲学家的,哲学上的,达观的 | |
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68 disastrous | |
adj.灾难性的,造成灾害的;极坏的,很糟的 | |
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69 compendious | |
adj.简要的,精简的 | |
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70 noted | |
adj.著名的,知名的 | |
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71 calamities | |
n.灾祸,灾难( calamity的名词复数 );不幸之事 | |
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72 subdivides | |
再分,细分( subdivide的第三人称单数 ) | |
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