Great Britain -- History -- Anglo-Saxon period, 449-1066; Middle Ages -- Sources
But Brutus, as I said before, having possessed himself of the king's
tent, made it his business to keep him a safe prisoner; for he knew he
could more easily attain his ends by preserving his life than by killing
him; but the party that was with him, allowing no quarter, made an utter
destruction in that part which they had gained. The night being spent in
this manner, when the next morning discovered to their view so great an
overthrow of the enemy, Brutus, in transports of joy, gave full liberty
to his men to do what they pleased with the plunder, and then entered
the town with the king, to stay there till they had shared it among
them; which done, he again fortified the castle, gave orders for burying
the slain, and retired with his forces to the woods in great joy for the
victory. After the rejoicings of his people on this occasion, their
renowned general summoned the oldest of them and asked their advice,
what he had best desire of Pandrasus, who, being now in their power,
would readily grant whatever they would request of him, in order to
regain his liberty. They, according to their different fancies, desired
different things; some urged him to request that a certain part of the
kingdom might be assigned them for their habitation; others that he
would demand leave to depart, and to be supplied with necessaries for
their voyage. After they had been a long time in suspense what to do,
one of them, named Mempricius, rose up, and having made silence, spoke
to them thus:--
"What can be the occasion of your suspense, fathers, in a matter which I
think so much concerns your safety? The only thing you can request, with
any prospect of a firm peace and security to yourselves and your
posterity, is liberty to depart. For if you make no better terms with
Pandrasus for his life than only to have some part of the country
assigned you to live among the Greeks, you will never enjoy a lasting
peace while the brothers, sons, or grandsons of those whom you killed
yesterday shall continue to be your neighbours. So long as the memory of
their fathers' deaths shall remain, they will be your mortal enemies,
and upon the least trifling provocation will endeavour to revenge
themselves. Nor will you be sufficiently numerous to withstand so great
a multitude of people. And if you shall happen to fall out among
yourselves, their number will daily increase, yours diminish. I propose,
therefore, that you request of him his eldest daughter, Ignoge, for a
wife for our general, and with her, gold, silver, corn, and whatever
else shall be necessary for our voyage. If we obtain this, we may with
his leave remove to some other country."
CHAP. XI.--_Pandrasus gives his daughter Ignoge in marriage to Brutus,
who, after his departure from Greece, falls upon a desert island, where
he is told by the oracle of Diana what place he is to inhabit._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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