纪录片《凡尔赛宫》 31上帝面前,人人平等

But as the rooms of Versailles filled up with Louis's offspring,

但当凡尔赛宫住满了路易的子孙后

the King's mind moved toaffairsof state.

国王的注意力转向了国家政务

He decided¹ to copy his illustrious predecessor² in another way,

他决定从另一方面模仿他杰出的祖父

by taking France to war.

将法国引入战火

The decision of Louis XV to go to war in 1744

路易十五1744年的开战决定

was hugely popular.

得到了广泛支持

This was what the King of France should do.

人们认为这就是法国国王该做的事

He should be seen at the head of his armies,

他应向世人展现他军队首领的姿态

fighting and leading his troops.

引领他的部队去战斗

Louis's declaration of war against France's traditional enemies,

路易决定向法国的老对手

of Britain, and Austria,

英国和奥地利宣战

made him a hero on the streets.

这使他成为了街头巷尾传诵的英雄

And so did his decision to lead his armies in person,

同样传为佳话的 还有他决定亲征

accompanied, of course, by two of the de Nesle sisters.

并且身边还带着内勒家两姐妹陪同

But war was to bring Louis his first brush with death.

但这场战争将路易首次推向了死亡边缘

While he was at Metz,

在梅斯时

he fell terribly ill,

他得了重病

and it was considered that he was going to die.

人们都认为他要死了

Certainly the doctors had given up hope,

医生也放弃了希望

and back in France, the population were shocked, genuinely,

在法国国内 人们极为震惊

absolutely frozen with fear that they would lose their king.

被失去国王的恐惧吓得手足无措

In order, as a Catholic, to receive the last sacraments,

作为天主教徒 要接受临终圣礼

he had to confess.

他必须忏悔

And, in order to confess, he had to send away his mistress

而要忏悔 他就要遣散情妇

and renounce³ her.

与之断绝关系

Louis didn't think much of his marriage vows⁴,

路易不甚在乎结婚誓言

but like most people of his age,

但像多数同时代的人一样

he did believe in heaven and hell.

他相信天堂和地狱

And he knew which one he wanted to avoid.

也清楚自己不想进地狱

The King,

国王

like the least of his subjects,

和他最卑微的臣民一样

was afraid of dying without absolution,

都害怕在未被赦免的情况下死去

and wasafraidfor the state of his immortal⁵ soul.

害怕他的永恒灵魂会下地狱

He knew that one day he would have to face God,

他知道他终有一天要面见上帝

and give an account of himself,

总结自己的一生

and then he would just be a man before God,

届时他只是上帝面前的一个普通人

like any other man.

与他人一般无二

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

3 renounce   

v.放弃；拒绝承认，宣布与…断绝关系

参考例句：

• She decided to renounce the world and enter a convent.她决定弃绝尘世去当修女。
• It was painful for him to renounce his son.宣布与儿子脱离关系对他来说是很痛苦的。

4 vows   

誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿

参考例句：

• Matrimonial vows are to show the faithfulness of the new couple. 婚誓体现了新婚夫妇对婚姻的忠诚。
• The nun took strait vows. 那位修女立下严格的誓愿。

5 immortal   

adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的

参考例句：

• The wild cocoa tree is effectively immortal.野生可可树实际上是不会死的。
• The heroes of the people are immortal!人民英雄永垂不朽！