street," is so satisfactory as that which connects them with the deified Arminius. We know for certain of the existence of other columns of an analogous character. Thus there was the Rolandseule in North Germany; there was a Thor-seule in Sweden, and (what is more important) there was an Athelstan-seule in Saxon England.* There is at the present moment a song respecting the Irminsul current in the bishopric of Minden, one version of which might seem only to refer to Charlemagne having pulled down the Irmin-sul. Herman, sla dermen, But there is another version, which probably is the oldest, and which clearly refers to the great Arminius. Un Herman slaug dermen, Slaug pipen, slaug trummen; About ten centuries and a half after the demolition of the Irmin-sul, and nearly eighteen after the death of Arminius, the modern Germans conceived the idea of rendering tardy homage to their great hero; and accordingly, some eight or ten years ago, a general subscription was organized in Germany for the purpose of erecting on the Osning-a conical mountain, which forms the highest summit of the Teutoberger Wald, and is eighteen hunded feet above the level of the sea-a colossal bronze statue of Arminius. The statue was designed by Bandel. The hero was to stand uplifting a sword in his right hand, and looking toward the Rhine. The height of the statue was to be eighty feet from the base to the point of the sword, and was to stand on a circular Gothic temple ninety feet high, and supported by oak trees as columns. The mountain, where it was to be erected, is wild and stern, and overlooks the scene of the battle. It was calculated * See Lappenburg's "Anglo-Saxons," p. 376. For nearly all the philological and ethnographical facts respecting Arminius, I am indebted to my friend, Dr. R. G. Latham. + See Grimm, "Deutsche Mythologie," 329. that the statue would be clearly visible at a distance of sixty miles. The temple is nearly finished, and the statue itself has been cast at the copper works at Lemgo. But there, through want of funds to set it up, it has lain for some years, in disjointed fragments, exposed to the mutilating homage of relic-seeking travelers. The idea of honoring a hero, who belongs to all Germany, is not one which the present rulers of that divided country have any wish to encourage; and the statue may long continue to lie there, and present too true a type of the condition of Germany herself.* Surely this is an occasion in which Englishmen might well prove, by acts as well as words, that we also rank Arminius among our heroes. I have quoted the noble stanzas of one of our modern English poets on Arminius, and I will conclude this memoir with one of the odes of the great poet of modern Germany, Klopstock, on the victory to which we owe our freedom, and Arminius mainly owes his fame. Klopstock calls it the "Battle of Winfeld." The epithet of "sister of Canna" shows that Klopstock followed some chronologers, according to whom Varus was defeated on the anniversary of the day on which Paulus and Varro were defeated by Hannibal. SONG OF TRIUMPH AFTER THE VICTORY OF HERRMAN, THE DELIVERER OF GERMANY FROM THE ROMANS. FROM KLOPSTOCK'S "HERRMAN UND DIE FURSTEN." Supposed to be sung by a chorus of Bards. A CHORUS. Sister of Cannæ !† Winfeld's‡ fight! Herrman outspake: "Now Victory or Death!" And onward rushed their eagles with the cry. * On the subject of this statue, I must repeat an acknowledgment of my obligations to my friend, Mr. Henry Pearson. + The battle of Cannæ, B.C. 216-Hanbal's victory over the Romans. Winfeld-the probable site of the "Herrmanschladt ;” see supra. 66 Victory or Death!" began Then, first, the Roman chief; and Herrman spake TWO CHORUSES. And the third came... the cry was "Flight or Death!" TWO BARDS. Yet spared they messengers: they came to Rome- High in his hall the imperator sat- They filled up wine-cups, wine-cups filled they up The flutes of Lydia hushed before their voice, And now the world-wide conquerors shrunk and feared The lance to raise; and 'mongst those false to Rome "For she her face hath turned The victor goddess," cried those cowards-(for aye Be it!)" from Rome and Romans, and her day Is done"-and still be mourned, And cried aloud in anguish, "Varus! Varus! * Augustus was worshiped as a deity in his lifetime. + See supra, p. 139. I have taken this translation from an anonymous writer in "Frazer " two years ago. SYNOPSIS OF EVENTS BETWEEN ARMINIUS'S VICTORY OVER VARUS AND THE BATTLE OF CHALONS. A.D. 43. The Romans commence the conquest of Britain, Claudius being then Emperor of Rome. The population of this island was then Celtic. In about forty years all the tribes south of the Clyde were subdued, and their land made a Roman province. 58-60. Successful campaigns of the Roman general Corbulo against the Parthians. 64. First persecution of the Christians at Rome under Nero. 68-70. Civil wars in the Roman world. The Emperors Nero, Galba, Otho, and Vitellius cut off successively by violent deaths. Vespasian becomes emperor. 70. Jerusalem destroyed by the Romans under Titus. 83. Futile attack of Domitian on the Germans. 86. Beginning of the wars between the Romans and the Dacians. 98-117. Trajan emperor of Rome. Under him the empire acquires its greatest territorial extent by his conquests in Dacia and in the East. His successor, Hadrian, abandons the provinces beyond the Euphrates which Trajan had conquered. 138-180. Era of the Antonines. 167-176. A long and desperate war between Rome and a great confederacy of the German nations. Marcus Antoninus at last succeeds in repelling them. 192-197. Civil wars throughout the Roman world. Severus becomes emperor. He relaxes the discipline of the soldiers. After his death in 211, the series of military insurrections, civil wars, and murders of emperors recommences. 226. Artaxerxes (Ardisheer) overthrows the Parthian, and restores the Persian kingdom in Asia. He attacks the Roman pos. sessions in the East. 250. The Goths invade the Roman provinces. The Emperor Decius is defeated and slain by them. 253-260. The Franks and Alemanni invade Gaul, Spain, and Africa. The Goths attack Asia Minor and Greece. The Persians conquer Armenia. Their king, Sapor, defeats the Roman Emperor Valerian, and takes him prisoner. General distress of the Roman empire. 268-283. The Emperors Claudius, Aurelian, Tacitus, Probus, and Carus defeat the various enemies of Rome, and restore order in the Roman state. 285. Diocletian divides and reorganizes the Roman empire After his abdication in 305 a fresh series of civil wars and confusion ensues. Constantine, the first Christian emperor, reunites the empire in 324. 330. Constantine makes Constantinople the seat of empire in stead of Rome. 363. The Emperor Julian is killed in action against the Persians. 364-375. The empire is again divided, Valentinian being Emperor of the West, and Valens of the East. Valentinian repulses the Alemanni, and other German invaders from Grul. Splendor of the Gothic kingdom under Hermanric, north of the Danube. 375-395. The Huns attack the Goths, who irnplore the protection of the Roman emperor of the East. The Goths are allowed to pass the Danube, and to settle in the Roman provinces. A war soon breaks out between them and the Romans, and the Emperor Valens and his army are destroyed by them. They ravage the Roman territories. The Emperor Theodosius reduces them to submission. They retain settlements in Thrace and Asia Minor. 395. Final division of the Roman empire between Arcadius and Honorius, the two sons of Theodosius. The Goths revolt, and under Alaric attack various parts of both the Roman empires. 410. Alaric takes the city of Rome. 412. The Goths march into Gaul, and in 414 into Spain, which had been invaded by hosts of Vandals, Suevi, Alani, and other Germanic nations. Britain is formally abandoned by the Roman empire of the West. 428. Genseric, king of the Vandals, conquers the Roman province of North Africa. 441. The Huns attack the Eastern empire. |