Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by the Web Archive
Transcriber's Notes:
1. Page scan source:
http://www.archive.org/details/acaptiveromanea00dahngoog
2. Footnote is at the end of the book.
3. Diphthong oe is represented by [oe].
A CAPTIVE OF THE
ROMAN EAGLES
A Captive of the
Roman Eagles
_By_ FELIX DAHN
Translated from the German by
Mary J. Safford
TRANSLATOR OF
"Aspasia," "Cleopatra," etc.
Chicago
A. C. McClurg & Co.
1902
COPYRIGHT
A. C. McCLURG & CO.
1902
PUBLISHED Sept. 13, 1902
TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.
The author of the romance "A Captive of the Roman Eagles"--published in
Germany under the title of "Bissula"--is one of the most distinguished
novelists of the present day in his own country, and will doubtless be
equally appreciated by Americans.
Like Dr. Georg Ebers, he has based his historical novels upon the solid
foundation of earnest study. The field he has chosen is principally the
period of the conflicts between Germany and Rome, and the struggles for
supremacy of the various peoples in the territory now occupied by
Germany, Switzerland, and France, and he describes with vivid colors
and dramatic power the life of those far-off days.
Professor Dahn is a native of Hamburg, but spent his childhood in
Munich, always a centre of intellectual life, and, under the stimulus
of its circle of writers, his poetic talent developed early. He studied
law, philosophy, and history in Munich and Berlin. In 1862 he was made
Professor in the University of Wurzburg, in 1872 in Koenigsberg, and in
1888 he was called to a chair in the University of Breslau, where, in
the intervals of his professional duties, he has devoted himself to his
brilliant literary work.
The warm welcome accorded to my translations of the novels of Ebers,
whose hold upon the affections of American readers has proved so
enduring, inspires the hope that "A Captive of the Roman Eagles" may
also receive a cordial recognition from our public.
MARY J. SAFFORD.
_Washington, D. C., June 10, 1902._
A CAPTIVE OF THE ROMAN EAGLES
BOOK ONE
THE FREE WOMAN
CHAPTER I.
Whoever has been at Friedrichshafen on beautiful Lake Constance, on a
clear August day, and watched the sun setting in splendor behind the
tops of the beeches of Manzell; whoever has seen the waves of the lake
and the snow-capped peaks of the Alps from Sentis to the Allgau
Mountains glow in the crimson light, while the notes of the Ave Maria
float softly over forest, meadow, and water, will treasure the memory
of the peaceful scene throughout his whole life. To this region the
story of little Bissula leads us.
But in that period--the year 378--the whole northern shore of the
"Venetus Lacus" (Lake Constance) looked somewhat desolate, and often by
no means peaceful. The lowlands were covered with primeval forests and
fens--only here and there a few scattered settlements appeared on
patches of parched tilled land.
At that time the lake covered a much more extensive tract of country
than now, and a still larger space was occupied by a marshy territory
between the water and the meadow, which being for the greater portion
of the year a mere swamp afforded at the same time refuge and food to
flocks of wild swans, herons, and countless smaller water-fowl.
This region had already been a considerable time in the possession of
the Alemanni; but on the southern shore of the lake Rome still
maintained her supremacy. This was with the special object of
controlling the important roads leading from Gaul by way of Augst
(Augusta Rauracorum) to Basle, Windisch (Vindonissa) to Arbon (Arbor
Felix), Bregenz (Brigantium), and thence farther eastward, thus
preserving the connection between the Western and Eastern portions of
the Empire, and facilitating the movements of the troops. The men were
sometimes forced to hasten from the Rhine to the Danube to meet the
Goths in the East, and anon from the Danube to the Rhine to contend
with the Franks on the lower, or the Alemanni on the upper portion of
the stream.
This year also such assistance seemed necessary--this time in the
eastern provinces, where the Gothic tribes, especially the Visigoths,
fleeing before the Huns, had found refuge on Roman territory, but,
driven to desperation by the ill-treatment of the Roman governor, had
risen in arms.
True, Valens, the Emperor of the Eastern Empire, hoped to cope
successfully with them alone; he would have been reluctant to share the
fame of victory with his young nephew and fellow-ruler Gratianus, lord
of the Western portion. Yet, nevertheless, he had been compelled to ask
the latter to hold himself in readiness to come to his uncle's
assistance with his Gallic legions in the territory bordering on the
Danube.
Gratianus, however, thought that he could not leave Gaul and the Rhine
until he had first punished the Alemanni for their recent incursions
across the frontier, and--at least for a while--deterred them from
making new inroads. At the same time he desired, in case the summons
for help should arrive, to have traversed a portion of the long
distance and thus be able to give his uncle aid more speedily. So,
toward the end of July, he left his residence, Trier, with the larger
portion of his troops, and marched by way of Zabern and Strassburg to
the left bank of the Rhine near Augst and Basle. Here and at Windisch
he formed two camps and kept the main body of his troops near him,
busying himself in the reorganization of the province and eagerly
awaiting news from the East.
The expedition against the Alemanni on the northern shore of the lake
was entrusted to a small band of troops which, being able to move more
swiftly, seemed better suited for the marches through swamp and forest
and, moreover, amply sufficient in number; for the attack was directed
against only the Linzgau, so called from the little river, which at the
present time is still known as the Linz, or more frequently the Ach.
This was the home of the Lentian Alemanni, who lived on the northern
and western shores of the lake and, during that very spring, had
harried the Roman frontier. The command of the expedition had been
entrusted to experienced generals who had chosen their own force of
foot and horse, while a large baggage train conveyed the provisions and
the remainder of the luggage. In all, there were probably more than
three thousand men.
According to the old victorious Roman strategy--whose success was
proved by the conquest of nearly half the world known at that
day--this small force was to assail the foe from several directions at
once, the same as in great campaigns, as if seized by claws, a favorite
comparison in Roman military literature. Part of the troops--the
cavalry, several squadrons of cataphractarii (mailed riders, who were
completely sheathed in armor), cohorts of the Twenty-Second Legion,
picked German mercenaries, Batavians (they were considered the best of
all the foreign soldiers), and lastly the flower of the Imperial Guard,
foot-soldiers, mainly Illyrians and Thracians, were to march northward
from Windisch, cross the Rhine, move along the old road to the north,
then, suddenly turning eastward, skirt the western shore of the lake to
gain its northern side, thus penetrating the whole Linzgau from the
west to the east, halting at an appointed place in the heart of the
enemy's country and awaiting the second division. Meanwhile this second
body was to march along the great highway bordering the southern shore
from Windisch to Arbon, cross the lake in boats, land on the northern
shore, and pass through the Linzgau from east to west till they reached
the first division.
Thus the escape of the Barbarians, whose tilled lands would all be laid
waste, would be cut off both eastward and westward. Those who attempted
flight southward in their boats across the lake would be intercepted by
the Roman Bodensee[1] Fleet. Year after year, the last time that very
March, the most brilliant reports of its strength and prowess had been
sent to Gaul. The remnant of the foe remaining after the assault from
two or three directions were to be driven by the united bands as far as
possible into the inhospitable northern forests, or forced into the
Danube.
The place of meeting appointed for both divisions was the lofty hill,
half a league north of Friedrichshafen, whence at the present day the
church of Berg dominates the lowlands. At that time it was known as the
Idisenhang,--the hill of the wood-goddesses. The Roman ships, in
crossing directly from Arbon, were obliged to run into the bay of what
we know as Friedrichshafen. For the land forces the leaders hoped to
find a passable route along the remains of an old military road, which
formerly--in Rome's better days--had extended also around the northern
shore of the lake. This steep hill, affording an unimpeded view in
every direction and dominating the whole neighborhood, was a model of
the positions where the Roman eagle was fain to alight for a brief rest
during its flights in quest of prey. Here a camp was to be formed,
whence the land of the Barbarians would be ravaged by small bodies of
troops in every direction, while the strong fortified camp should
maintain the connection with the lake, the fleet, and the southern
shore, until the whole enterprise was completed and the Romans could
return to the Emperor at Windisch.