冰与火之歌系列之《权力的游戏》第1069期:第五十章 布兰(15)

 　　But some twelve thousand years ago, the First Men appeared from the east, crossing the Broken Arm of Dorne before it was broken. “大约一万两千年前，‘先民’出现了，他们通过当时还没断裂的多恩断臂角自东方跨海而来。

　　They came with bronze swords and great leathern shields¹, riding horses. 先民骑着马，带着青铜宝剑和皮革巨盾。

　　No horse had ever been seen on this side of the narrow sea. 狭海这边的生物还没有见过马匹，

　　No doubt the children were as frightened by the horses as the First Men were by the faces in the trees. 森林之子对他们的马儿，想必和他们对树上刻画的脸同样感到害怕吧。

　　As the First Men carved out holdfasts and farms, they cut down the faces and gave them to the fire. 当先民建造房舍和农田时，他们把有脸的树砍下来当柴烧。

　　Horror-struck, the children went to war. 惊骇万分的森林之子，随即与他们开战。

　　The old songs say that the greenseers used dark magics to make the seas rise and sweep away the land, 古老的歌谣传说绿先知施展强力魔法，使海平面上升，横扫陆地，

　　shattering² the Arm, but it was too late to close the door. 粉碎了多恩之臂，然而为时已晚。

　　The wars went on until the earth ran red with blood of men and children both, but more children than men, 战争持续下去，直到人类和森林之子的鲜血染红大地。

　　for men were bigger and stronger, and wood and stone and obsidian³ make a poor match for bronze. 因为人类更加高大强壮，木材、石头和黑曜石又无法与青铜匹敌，所以森林之子死伤惨重。

　　Finally the wise of both races prevailed⁴, and the chiefs and heroes of the First Men 终于，双方的有识之士提议讲和，于是先民的酋长、英雄，

　　met the greenseers and wood dancers amidst the weirwood groves⁵ of a small island in the great lake called Gods Eye." 以及森林之子的绿先知和木舞者来到神眼湖中的小岛，在岛上的鱼梁木森林间会面。”

1 shields   

n.盾( shield的名词复数 )；护罩；盾形奖牌；保护人v.掩护( shield的第三人称单数 )；庇护；给…加防护罩

参考例句：

• Spears hurtled against shields. 矛猛击在盾上。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Radiation shields are commonly used to reduce radiation errors. 辐射屏蔽罩一般用于降低辐射误差。 来自辞典例句

2 shattering   

“shatter”的派生

参考例句：

• The news of his death came as a shattering blow. 他的死讯让人惊愕不已。
• No tempest is capable of shattering his firm determination. 任何惊涛骇浪都不能动摇他坚如磐石的决心。

3 obsidian   

n.黑曜石

参考例句：

• Obsidian is sacred to the Maoris.黑曜石是毛利人的神圣之物。
• Once you have enough obsidian,activate the idols.一旦你有足够的黑曜石，激活神像。

4 prevailed   

v.获胜( prevail的过去式和过去分词 )；盛行；说服；（ 思想、观点等）被接受

参考例句：

• Justice has prevailed; the guilty man has been punished. 正义得到伸张，罪犯受到惩罚。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He was prevailed upon to deliver us a lecture. 他被说服为我们作一次演讲。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 groves   

树丛，小树林( grove的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The early sun shone serenely on embrowned groves and still green fields. 朝阳宁静地照耀着已经发黄的树丛和还是一片绿色的田地。
• The trees grew more and more in groves and dotted with old yews. 那里的树木越来越多地长成了一簇簇的小丛林，还点缀着几棵老紫杉树。