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Having Discoursed Upon The Quality And Quantity Of The Land, The
Genealogies Of The Princes, The Sources Of The Rivers, And The
Derivation Of The Names Of This Country, We Shall Now Consider The
Nature And Character Of The Nation.
CHAPTER VIII
Concerning the nature, manners, and dress, the boldness, agility,
and courage, of this nation
This people is light and active, hardy rather than strong, and
entirely bred up to the use of arms; for not only the nobles, but
all the people are trained to war, and when the trumpet sounds the
alarm, the husbandman rushes as eagerly from his plough as the
courtier from his court; for here it is not found that, as in other
places,
"Agricolis labor actus in orbem,"
returns; for in the months of March and April only the soil is once
ploughed for oats, and again in the summer a third time, and in
winter for wheat. Almost all the people live upon the produce of
their herds, with oats, milk, cheese, and butter; eating flesh in
larger proportions than bread. They pay no attention to commerce,
shipping, or manufactures, and suffer no interruption but by
martial exercises. They anxiously study the defence of their
country and their liberty; for these they fight, for these they
undergo hardships, and for these willingly sacrifice their lives;
they esteem it a disgrace to die in bed, an honour to die in the
field of battle; using the poet's expressions, -
"Procul hinc avertite pacem,
Nobilitas cum pace perit."
Nor is it wonderful if it degenerates, for the ancestors of these
men, the AEneadae, rushed to arms in the cause of liberty. It is
remarkable that this people, though unarmed, dares attack an armed
foe; the infantry defy the cavalry, and by their activity and
courage generally prove victors. They resemble in disposition and
situation those conquerors whom the poet Lucan mentions:
- "Populi quos despicit Arctos,
Felices errore suo, quos ille timorum
Maximus haud urget leti metus, inde ruendi
In ferrum, mens prona viris, amimaeque capaces,
Mortis et ignavum rediturae parsere vitae."
They make use of light arms, which do not impede their agility,
small coats of mail, bundles of arrows, and long lances, helmets
and shields, and more rarely greaves plated with iron. The higher
class go to battle mounted on swift and generous steeds, which
their country produces; but the greater part of the people fight on
foot, on account of the marshy nature and unevenness of the soil.
The horsemen as their situation or occasion requires, willingly
serve as infantry, in attacking or retreating; and they either walk
bare-footed, or make use of high shoes, roughly constructed with
untanned leather. In time of peace, the young men, by penetrating
the deep recesses of the woods, and climbing the tops of mountains,
learn by practice to endure fatigue through day and night; and as
they meditate on war during peace, they acquire the art of fighting
by accustoming themselves to the use of the lance, and by inuring
themselves to hard exercise.
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