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The Irmin Way, between Cricklade and Gloucester, viâ Cirencester. Acman Street connects Cirencester with Bath. Icknield Street, running to Oxford. The Fossway, extending far into the north of England. This magnificent road may be said to connect Exeter in the south with Lincoln in the north.
They stopped again. "A word!" replied the Saxon, folding his immense arms across his breast, and relaxing the menace beginning to blacken his face. "A word! Speak." "You are Thord the Northman." The giant opened his blue eyes. "You were lanista in Rome." Thord nodded. "I was your scholar." "No," said Thord, shaking his head. "By the beard of Irmin, I had never a Jew to make a fighting-man of."
About ten centuries and a half after the demolition of the Irmin- sul, and nearly eighteen after the death of Arminius, the modern Germans conceived the idea of rendering tardy homage to their great hero; and, accordingly some eight or ten years ago, a general subscription was organized in Germany, for the purpose of erecting on the Osning a conical mountain, which forms the highest summit of the Teutoberger Wald, and is eighteen hundred feet above the level of the sea a colossal bronze statue of Arminius.
By the beard of Irmin!" the latter cried, in astonishment, rising to a sitting posture. Then he laughed. "Ha, ha, ha! I could not have done it better myself." He viewed Ben-Hur coolly from head to foot, and, rising, faced him with undisguised admiration. "It was my trick the trick I have practised for ten years in the schools of Rome. You are not a Jew. Who are you?"
The Egyptian obelisk, the pillars of “Irmin” or of “Roland,” set up now of wood, now of stone by the ancient Germans, the “red-painted great warpole” of the American Indians, the May-pole of Old England, the spire of sacred edifices, the staff planted on the grave, the terminus of the Roman landholders, all these objects have been interpreted to be symbols of life, or the life-force.
There is at the present moment a song respecting the Irmin-sul current in the bishopric of Minden, one version of which might seem only to refer to Charlemagne having pulled down the Irmin- sul: "Herman, sla dermen, Sla pipen, sla trummen, De Kaiser will kummen, Met hamer un stangen, Will Herman uphangen."
"Fail not, O son of Arrius, fail not the wine-shop near the Great Circus! Ha, ha, ha! By the beard of Irmin, there was never fortune gained so cheap. The gods keep you!" Upon leaving the atrium, Ben-Hur gave a last look at the myrmidon as he lay in the Jewish vestments, and was satisfied. The likeness was striking. If Thord kept faith, the cheat was a secret to endure forever.
And a wine-shop by the Great Circus! all for a lie without blood in it! Ha, ha, ha! Give me thy hand, O son of Arrius. Get on now, and ha, ha, ha! if ever you come to Rome, fail not to ask for the wine-shop of Thord the Northman. By the beard of Irmin, I will give you the best, though I borrow it from Caesar!" They shook hands again; after which the exchange of clothes was effected.
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