The power of the Druids
Elizabeth Lewis / The Druids
- Created on 2018-01-28 22:16:21
- Modified on 2018-03-01 14:31:23
- Aligned by Elizabeth Lewis
Latin
English
Druides rebus divinis intersunt , sacrificia publica ac privata procurant , religiones interpretantur : ad hos magnus numerus adulescentium discendi causa concurrit , magnoque hi sunt apud--eos honore . nam fere de omnibuscontroversiis publicis privatisque constituunt , et , si quod facinus admissum--est , si caedes facta , si de hereditate , de finibus controversia est , Druides rem decernunt , praemia poenasque constituunt . si quis aut privatus aut publicus eorum decreto non stetit , sacrificiis interdicunt : haec poena apud eos est gravissima . ei quibus ita interdictum est numero impiorum ac scelestorum habentur ; eis omnes decedunt , aditum sermonemque fugiunt , ne quid ex contagione incommodi accipiant ; neque eis petentibus ius redditur neque honos ullus datur . his autem omnibus Druidibus praeest unus , qui summam inter eos habet auctoritatem . hoc mortuo , aut is qui ex reliquis excellit dignitate succedit , aut , si sunt multi pares , suffragio Druidum , nonnumquam etiam armis , de principatu
contendunt . disciplina eorum in Britannia reperta atque inde in Galliam translata--esse existimatur , et nunc ei , qui
diligentius eam rem cognoscere volunt , plerumque in Britanniam discendi causa proficiscuntur .
contendunt . disciplina eorum in Britannia reperta atque inde in Galliam translata--esse existimatur , et nunc ei , qui
diligentius eam rem cognoscere volunt , plerumque in Britanniam discendi causa proficiscuntur .
The
Druids
are
concerned
with
divine
activities
,
they
look
after
public
and
private
sacrifices
,
they
explain
religious
questions
:
to
these
Druids
a
great
number
of
young
men
flock
to
learn
,
and
these
Druids
are
held by them in great honour . For they decide about almost all public and private disputes , and , if any
crime has been committed , if murder has been carried out , if there is a dispute about inheritance , about boundaries , the Druids settle the problem , they decide the rewards and punishments . If anyone , either a private or public citizen , does not stand by their decision , they ban them from sacrifices : this punishment is very serious among the people . Those who have been banned in this way are considered the same as the wicked and criminal ; everybody avoids them , they flee their approach and conversation in case they receive any harm from the contact ; justice is not given to them seeking it nor is any honour given them . However ,
in charge of all these Druids is one man , who has the greatest authority over them . When he dies , either he who stands out from the rest in dignity succeeds , or , if there are many equals , they compete for the leadership in a vote of the Druids , sometimes even at arms . Their training is thought to have been invented in Britain and from there to have been transferred into Gaul , and now those , who want to find out more carefully about that matter for the most part set out to Britain to learn .
held by them in great honour . For they decide about almost all public and private disputes , and , if any
crime has been committed , if murder has been carried out , if there is a dispute about inheritance , about boundaries , the Druids settle the problem , they decide the rewards and punishments . If anyone , either a private or public citizen , does not stand by their decision , they ban them from sacrifices : this punishment is very serious among the people . Those who have been banned in this way are considered the same as the wicked and criminal ; everybody avoids them , they flee their approach and conversation in case they receive any harm from the contact ; justice is not given to them seeking it nor is any honour given them . However ,
in charge of all these Druids is one man , who has the greatest authority over them . When he dies , either he who stands out from the rest in dignity succeeds , or , if there are many equals , they compete for the leadership in a vote of the Druids , sometimes even at arms . Their training is thought to have been invented in Britain and from there to have been transferred into Gaul , and now those , who want to find out more carefully about that matter for the most part set out to Britain to learn .