Gay Fish Refers To Which Song

vendetta Rugova and ready

One of the most interesting periods of the early European history, perhaps we could call the great migration of peoples. However, it was truly make or break period - many people have gone forever from the historical arena, there are new barbaric state. In this era laid the foundation for all European Middle Ages.

History of the Great Migrations full tragic events. But, perhaps, especially implacable against each another led by two of the tribe. The feud between them flared up everywhere they've met. And in the Baltic and the Danube, and in Northern Italy. They were Russes rugi and Goths .





standoff between rugami and Goths was not just a struggle between the barbarian tribes, such as a shaky Roman throne. Sources show us a picture of this vendetta, to pass from generation to generation. Evgippy in the Life of St. Severin tells the numerous wars between the Goths in rugami and Danube. But the most exemplary feud began in the later period. Father Theodoric kills father Odoacer. Then Theodoric, showing guile, cracked down on by Odoacer and his entourage. Moreover, this example clearly shows that the initiative belonged to the Goths.

AG Kuz'min suggested that "the Goths considered one of the main enemies of Rugova, apparently, ever since their collision in the Baltic States." ( Kuzmin, AG At the dying waves of the great migrations / Where have gone the Russian land. Book. I. - M., 1986. - S. 546. ) would therefore be logical to start from scratch and apply to the Gothic historian Jordanes:

«From the island Skandsa, as if out of the shop, [manufactures] tribes, or rather, as if from the womb, [generate] tribes, according to legend once came the Goths with their king by name Berig. As soon as he came down with the ships, they set foot on the ground as soon as nickname given to the place. They say that to this day it is called Gotiskandza. Soon they moved from there to the place ulmerugov who was sitting on the shores of the ocean, where they camped, and fought [with ulmerugami], drove them from their own settlements. Then they subdued their neighbors, the Vandals, and attaching them to their victories. "

Talking about the relocation to the southern Baltic coast, Jordan says that the Goths have faced up there with "ulmerugami» ( ulmerugi - literally "island rugi »). However, the history of a victorious invasion of the Gothic must be treated critically. Jordan is well known for his literary pathos. In addition, long survive in the south of the Baltic Goths failed. While rugi a long time to maintain their position in the region, including the island of Ruegen. Appear with the island and should be connected "ulmerugov.


Island of Ruegen

Then Jordan talks about the subsequent history of the Gothic tribe, and on his first kings. And here the fun begins! The author is very sensitive about any evidence that could somehow diminish the "glory of the willing." However, one of them he makes a reservation. And this testimony, expressed literally in the same sentence, it is extremely important. Although Jordan, that he relates it to fairy tale fabulis anilibus:

«... However, we have not found records of those fables, which states that they [the Goths] were converted into slavery in Brittany, or at some of the islands, and then released by someone at the cost of one horse. "

's probably not worth the wake of Jordan as quickly reject interesting information. Especially given the general nature of the source, namely, it may be the most objective. So, what do we have?

• Jordan negotiated the existence of some (apparently unpleasant) "fables" about the Goths.
• they deal on some islands (if it can be compared with Britain), which there was quite unpleasant for the ready event.
• And finally, in "fables" featured a horse that has enormous value, which corresponds with the price of freedom of the whole tribe.

Accordingly, if the simulated historical situation, it must match all of these conditions: a) a large island, and b) a horse; c) some kind of will, capable of "liberating at the price of a horse." And they find a direct analogy to the other source. Saxo Grammaticus describes a custom , existing на острове Рюген:

«Cum bellum adversum aliquam provinciam suscipi placuisset, ante fanum triplex hastarum ordo ministrorum opera disponi solebat, in quorum quolibet binae e transverso iunctae conversis in terram cuspidibus figebantur, aequali spatiorum magnitudine ordines disparante. Ad quos equus ductandae expeditionis tempore, sollemni precatione praemissa, a sacerdote e vestibulo cum loramentis productus, si propositos ordines ante dextro quam laevo pede transscenderet, faustum gerendi belli omen accipiebatur; sin laevum vel semel dextro praetulisset, petendae provinciae propositum mutabatur, nec prius certa navigatio praefigebatur, quam tria continue potioris incessus vestigia cernerentur. (Dan. 14.39.10) ».

«set out to make war, ordered the ministers to stick to the ground in front of the temple of three pairs of copies at the same distance: in each the pair tied the third spear across. Before the start of the campaign, the priest, uttering a solemn prayer, we derive a horse by the bridle from the entrance of the temple and led to the cross spear: if a horse stepping each transverse spear, lifted his right foot first, and then left, then saw it as a happy sign and were confident of success war, if he even once played with his left foot, then terminated conceived venture. Also, the sea voyage was regarded as a reliable not only as if the three consecutive steps of the horse predicted success. " (Translated by A. Hilferding)

This tradition was widespread throughout the South Baltic coast. A similar description is found in Titmara Merzeburgskogo:

«... They take a horse, characterized by particularly high growth and revered by them as sacred, and with reverence and prayer to make him step over the folded edge of the two cross stuck into the ground copies; it as if inspired by the deity horse peregadyvayut them that it was found the same fortune-telling, and if you come out the same thing, then execute our plans work, otherwise the aggrieved people refuse to from their enterprise. " (Translated by A. Hilferding)


from the work of Giulio Ferrario (Milan, 1826)

Thus, important decisions have been taken by Rugova behavior of the sacred horse. Most likely, this divination was used in all the principal cases. We can therefore assume that once the Goths defeated and were enslaved, they could be pardoned "at the cost of a horse» , that is due consisted of the ritual, the reported historical sources.

approximate reconstruction of events shows that the "fable" Jordan might well be based on a historical basis. Goths entered the war with the island rugami "and, of course, could be defeated, especially on foreign soil. Most likely the island, which includes rugi - is Ruegen where Pagans used the sacred horse to deal with important issues. And, apparently, in the case of the Goths there was a favorable combination of circumstances (Otherwise they would be unlikely to continue its historic path).

on further developments can only guess. However, if there was just so that "the glorious Goths" could perceive a happy release "at the cost of one horse as a very serious offense. Motive for the start of a vendetta here is obvious.

© varing first published

UPD: Good addition from colleagues ulmerug