En 15b Princes and Priests
Ott 2023
15b. Hellenia: Princes and Priests
[134/22] These are Hellenia’s writings, which I have put first since they are the oldest:
All true Fryas, hail!
In early times, the slave peoples knew nothing of freedom. Like oxen they were brought under the yoke. Into Earth’s bowels they were driven to delve for metal, and from the hard rock of the mountains they were compelled to chisel out plush residences as homes for princes and priests. Nothing of all their work [135] was for themselves; all was to make the princes and priests ever richer and more powerful, and to their own detriment. Working in such a way, they turned gray and rigid in their early years, and they died without ever experiencing joy in life, despite the abundance Earth offers to all her children.
But our displaced and banished people passed through the Twisklands into their territories, and our steersmen arrived in their harbors. From these, they heard talk of equal freedom,[1] justice, and laws that none should do without. All of this was absorbed by the wretched and troubled people like dew on arid fields. When they were saturated, the most daring began to clank their chains such that it hurt the princes.
The princes were proud and audacious, so there was still some virtue left in their hearts.[2] They deliberated and shared some of their surplus wealth. But the cowardly and pseudo-pious priests could not stand for that. Among their invented gods, they had also created bitter-cruel deities. A pestilence broke out in the lands and they claimed that the gods were [136] furious about the disobedience of the protesters. Then, the most rebellious were strangled with their chains.
Earth drank their blood. From that blood she grew fruits and grains, and all who ate thereof became wise.[3]
Sandbach 1876
[p.183 cont.] These are the writings of Hellenia. I have put them first because they are the oldest.
Hail to all true Frisians.
In the olden times, the Slavonic race knew nothing of liberty. They were brought under the yoke like oxen. They were driven into the bowels of the earth to dig metals, and had to build houses of stone as dwelling-places for princes and priests. Of all that they did nothing came to themselves, everything must serve to enrich and make more powerful the priests and the princes, and to satisfy them. Under this treatment they grew [p.185] gray and old before their time, and died without any enjoyment; although the earth produces abundantly for the good of all her children. But our runaways and exiles came through Twiskland to their boundaries, and our sailors came to their harbours. From them they heard of liberty, of justice, and laws, without which men cannot exist. This was all absorbed by the unhappy people like dew into an arid soil. When they fully understood this, the most courageous among them began to clank their chains, which grieved the princes. The princes are proud and warlike; there is therefore some virtue in their hearts. They consulted together and bestowed some of their superfluity; but the cowardly hypocritical priests could not suffer this. Among their false gods they had invented also wicked cruel monsters. Pestilence broke out in the country; and they said that the gods were angry with the domineering of the wicked. Then the boldest of the people were strangled in their chains. The earth drank their blood, and that blood produced corn and fruits that inspired with wisdom those who ate them.
Notes
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