Among the German tribes, the Fenni are strangely beastlike and squalidly poor. Neither arms nor homes have they. Their food is herbs, their clothing skins, their bed the earth. They trust wholly to their arrows, which, for want of iron, are pointed with bone. The men and the women are alike supplied by the chase, for the latter are always present, and demand a share of the prey. The little children have no shelter from wild beasts and storms but a covering of interlaced bows. Such are the homes of the young, such the resting place of the old. Yet they count this as greater happiness than groaning over field-labor, toiling at building, and poising the fortunes of themselves and others between hope and fear. Heedless of men, heedless of gods, they have attained that hardest of results, the not needing so much as a wish.

From Tacitus’ Annals and Histories, New York: Everyman’s Library, 2009 (first published in 1908), p. 688.

Addendum I (April 3, 2012)

I was quite stunned when I came to the last page of Tacitus’ admirable book, where I found many a bit of wisdom. He approves of the Fenni and he lauds their attainment, for they knew what they were renouncing. And not needing is the hardest of results, indeed. Living in the First and Second Century, when Rome was at the pinnacle of its power, he could see the world around him surprisingly clearly. So clearly, in fact, that he was ready to praise those who had renounced civilization. I am sure to keep returning to this quote for years. Bravo, Tacitus!

Addendum II (November 23, 2015)

When it comes to tribes worth learning from, the Fenni are good to remember. And when it comes to praise of the strangely beastlike and squalidly poor German tribe, Tacitus is good to remember. For he recognized their achievement from the vantage point of the greatest civilization of its time. And he did not mince his words in his praise, which only adds to his greatness as a student of humanity. I can only hope that this quote will help guide it, the forlorn species, in the years to come. The ravages of climate change and environmental degradation will eventually lead to rediscovery of the tribal mode of existence, and it is to be hoped that the most intrepid tribes will go the Fenni way. Heedless of both men and gods, they will attain once again the not needing so much as a wish.