The Scarlet Banner Read online

  Produced by Charles Bowen, from page scans provided by the Web Archive

  Transcriber's notes:1. Page scan source: https://www.archive.org/details/scarletbanner00dahngoog2. The diphthongs OE and oe is represented by [OE] and [oe].

  THE SCARLET BANNER

  _Novels by Felix Dahn_

  TRANSLATED BY MARY J. SAFFORD

  A CAPTIVE OF THE ROMAN EAGLES. $1.50

  FELICITAS. $1.50

  THE SCARLET BANNER. $1.50

  PUBLISHED BY A. C. MCCLURG & CO.

  The Scarlet Banner

  _By_ FELIX DAHN

  Translated from the German by MARY J. SAFFORD

  TRANSLATOR OF "A Captive of the Roman Eagles," "Felicitas," etc.

  Chicago A. C. McClurg & Co. 1903

  COPYRIGHT A. C. MCCLURG & CO. 1903

  _Right of Dramatization Reserved_

  Published October 14, 1903

  UNIVERSITY PRESS . JOHN WILSON AND SON . CAMBRIDGE . U.S.A.

  DEDICATED IN DEEP REVERENCE AND WARM FRIENDSHIP TO HIS EXCELLENCY ACTING PRIVY-COUNCILLOR AND PROFESSOR HERR DR. KARL HASE OF JENA

  _Only through the same virtues by which they were founded will kingdomsbe maintained._ SALLUSTIUS, Catilina.

  _O, what a noble mind is here o'erthrown!_ SHAKESPEARE, Hamlet.

  PREFACE

  This story, published in Germany under the title of _Gelimer_ is thethird volume in the group of romances to which "Felicitas" and "TheCaptive of the Roman Eagles" belong, and, like them, deals with thelong-continued conflict between the Germans and the Romans.

  But in the present novel the scene of the struggle is transferred fromthe forests of Germania to the arid sands of Africa, and, inwonderfully vivid pen-pictures, the author displays the marvellousmagnificence surrounding the descendants of the Vandal Genseric, thesuperb pageants of their festivals, and the luxury whose enervatinginfluence has gradually sapped the strength and courage of the rude,invincible warriors--once the terror of all the neighboring coasts andislands--till their enfeebled limbs can no longer support the weight oftheir ancestors' armor, and they cast aside their helmets to crownthemselves with the rose-garlands of Roman revellers.

  The pages glow with color as the brilliant changeful vision of life inCarthage, under the Vandal rule, rises from the mists of the vanishedcenturies, and the characters which people this ancient world are noless varied. The noble king, the subtle Roman, Verus, the gallantwarrior, Zazo, Hilda, the beautiful, fearless Ostrogoth Princess, thewily Justinian, his unscrupulous Empress, Theodora, and their brave,impetuous general, Belisarius, are clearly portrayed; and, underlyingthe whole drama, surges the fierce warfare between Roman Catholic andArian, while the place and the period in which the scenes of theromance are laid, both comparatively little known, lend a peculiarcharm and freshness to the gifted author's narrative.

  MARY J. SAFFORD.

  HIGHFIELD COTTAGE, DOUGLAS HILL, MAINE, August 24, 1903.

  THE SCARLET BANNER

  _BOOK ONE_ BEFORE THE WAR