纪录片《大英博物馆世界简史》 062希伯来星盘（2）

 

This week's programmes are about high-status objects, from all over the world, that belonged to the leaders and thinkers of around seven hundred years ago - objects that offer profound insights into the society that made them. We don't know exactly who owned the Hebrew astrolabe in today's programme, but it tells us a great deal about how Jewish and Islamic scholars revitalised science and astronomy by developing the inheritance of classical Greece and Rome. This instrument speaks of a great intellectual synthesis, and it can also tell us about a time when the three religions Christianity, Judaism and Islam all peacefully co-existed. There was, in fact, no religious synthesis, but the three faiths lived together in fruitful tension, and the friction¹ between them made medieval Spain the intellectual powerhouse of Europe.

An astrolabe makes accessible in compact form the sum total of medieval astronomical² lore³. Like the latest developments today - of phone, web and particularly sat nav - this was a must-have technology, a demonstration⁴ that you were right on the cutting edge. There's a wonderfully funny and touching⁵ letter written by Chaucer to his ten-year-old son Lewis, who is obviously like techie boys in every generation, and is clamouring to get to grips with an astrolabe. As well as writing him a letter, Chaucer also wrote him a little instruction manual, telling the boy how to use the instrument, and warning him just how difficult he was going to find it. Although I suspect that, like most children today, little Lewis quickly left his father behind:

我们不能确定这块希伯来星盘的原主人是谁，但能从中了解犹太学者和伊斯兰学者是如何继承古希腊与古罗马的知识传统，重振科学与天文学的发展的。它是各门学科智慧的结晶，也是三大宗教—一基督教、犹太教和伊斯兰教相安无事的时代的产物。这三大宗教当然并没有相互融合，但它们之间的摩擦带来了丰富成果，共同将中世纪西班牙打造成了欧洲的知识文明强国。

星盘是让人一目了然地看到中世纪天文知识成就的集大成者。如同现在的最新科研成就，这是一件必备的科技产品，表明你处于潮流最前端。乔叟曾给他十岁的儿子刘易斯写过一封诙谐而又感人的信，因为刘易斯和每个对科学抱有浓厚兴趣的孩子一样，一直嚷着要家人给他买一块星盘。除了信以外，乔叟还写了一份简单的说明，告诉孩子如何使用星盘以及会遇到哪些困难。虽然我怀疑刘易斯很可能会像今天的大多数孩子一样，把父亲的话当作耳旁风。

 

1 friction   

n.摩擦，摩擦力

参考例句：

• When Joan returned to work,the friction between them increased.琼回来工作后，他们之间的摩擦加剧了。
• Friction acts on moving bodies and brings them to a stop.摩擦力作用于运动着的物体，并使其停止。

2 astronomical   

adj.天文学的，（数字）极大的

参考例句：

• He was an expert on ancient Chinese astronomical literature.他是研究中国古代天文学文献的专家。
• Houses in the village are selling for astronomical prices.乡村的房价正在飙升。

3 lore   

n.传说；学问，经验，知识

参考例句：

• I will seek and question him of his lore.我倒要找上他，向他讨教他的渊博的学问。
• Early peoples passed on plant and animal lore through legend.早期人类通过传说传递有关植物和动物的知识。

4 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

5 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。