Identifier: ancientcivilizat00wolf (find matches)
Title: Ancient civilization; an introduction to modern history
Year: 1916 (1910s)
Authors: Wolfson, Arthur Mayer, 1873-
Subjects: Civilization, Ancient History, Ancient
Publisher: New York, Cincinnati (etc.) American book company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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hunger. They lived in the marshes on the border ofthe North Sea and in the dense unbroken forests inland. Theydevoted their lives to hunting and fishing, and to war. Ofagriculture they knew little or nothing; what little wealth theyhad was represented by herds of half-wild cattle. Their houseswere nothing but rude huts; their clothing was made of the skinsof animals or coarsely woven cloths. There were no greatcities in Germany, and commerce was almost unknown. The Germans were intensely fond of fighting. To earn bythe sweat of your brow what you may gain by the price of yourblood, says Tacitus, was unworthy of a soldier. Yet thisbrave warrior, who in the field braves every danger, becomes intimes of peace a listless sluggard. The management of his houseand land he leaves to his women, to the old men, and to the infirmof the family; he himself lounges in stupid repose. When not engaged in fighting or hunting, the German de-voted himself to drinking and gambling; quarrels and bloodshed
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Life in a Germanic Forest103 I04 TRANSITION TO MODERN CTVTLIZATTON frequently resulted, and many men were willing to stake even their freedom on a throw of the dice. This was the worst vice of the Germans; their greatest virtue was the purity of their family life. Absolute faithfulness to the marriage tie was the pride of every household. Besides, they were great lovers of liberty and every man respected his neighbors rights. The ancient German religion was similar to that of the early Greek which is described in the poems of Homer (see page 36). Their reli- Their chief god, as might be expected, was the great warrior, gion and Wotan, the father of gods and the ancestor of the chief government j^gj-^gg ^f ^^^ ^^^j^^j^ Next to him in importance was Thor, the god of storms and of thunder, who often hurled his great hammer from heaven in anger and caused the earth to tremble at his wrath. All the gods dwelt together in a great heavenly castle surrounded by the spirits of warriors who had died in

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