英语短文名人故事 政界精英 第14期:奥利弗.克伦威尔

 　　Oliver Cromwell 奥利弗.克伦威尔

　　Born in Huntingdon in 1599 to a relatively¹ poor squirearchal family, 1599年，克伦威尔出生于亨延顿一个比较穷困的地主家庭。

　　Cromwell found religious zeal² as a Puritan while studying at Cambridge. 在剑桥学习的时候，克伦威尔感受到了清教徒们的宗教。

　　His faith influenced his appearance: he was conservative in his clothing and austere³ in composure; 他的宗教信仰影响了他的外表：他衣着保守，简朴沉静；

　　his commanding voice and fervour proved a trademark⁴ in parliament. 他那颇具权威性的声音和热情成为他在议会的标志。

　　But it was in the conduct of war that he excelled. 但是战争的爆发才使他脱颖而出。

　　Following Charles’failed attempt to arrest five MPs —among them Cromwell’s relative John Pym — civil war ensued. 在查理一世试图逮捕5名下院议员的行动失败之后，战争接着就发生了，这5个人当中有一个就是克伦威尔的亲戚John Pym.

　　Cromwell acted after losing the battle at Edge Hill to a superior Royalist cavalry⁵. 在与高傲自大的保皇党派骑士们 在艾吉希尔的战役失利后，克伦威尔开始了他的行动。

　　By adding 60 horses to the Roundhead cause, the Battle of Marston Moor⁶ became a Roundhead victory. 通过给圆颅党议会派分子多送的60匹战马，圆颅党分子获得了 1644年马斯顿荒原战役的胜利。

　　The final Cavalier defeat came at Naseby in 1645 and Cromwell had a major part to play in the negotiations⁷ that followed. 保皇党1645 年最终在纳斯比彻底失败，克伦威尔在其后的谈判中扮演了主要的角色，起到重要作用。

　　He was, however, accused by all sides of conspiracy⁸.  但是，他却受到协议 各方的指责。

　　Cromwell’s stature⁹ was confirmed at Preston when the New Model Army triumphed under his command. 克伦威尔的声望在普瑞斯顿战役中得到确立，当时 在他的指挥下，新模范军队取得了胜利。

　　Thus his controversial career began. 他从而开始了 自己颇具争议的政治生涯。

　　After the execution of Charles in 1649，he ordered the subjugation¹⁰ of Ireland, massacring civilians¹¹,  1649年处决查理以后，他下令征服爱尔兰，大肆屠杀平民，

　　and the remaining population was constrained¹² by the Act of Settlement in 1653. 并在1653年通过颁发 《安置令》对当地剩余的人口进行管制。

　　Scotland was invaded and the nobility forced to submit. 入侵苏格兰， 贵族阶级被迫顺从。

　　Cromwell muzzled¹³ the press and defeated the rebels. 克伦威尔还钳制新闻言论，并打败了叛乱。

　　In response Cromwell further asserted his power and established the Instrument of Government,  作为回应，克伦威尔进一步维护自己的权力和力量，并颁布了政府文书，

　　awarding himself the office of Lord Protector supported by a single-chamber parliament. 自封护国主。

　　At the same time, his expensive army and failed trade wars with the Dutch proved expensive. 同时，他的军队 和与荷兰人之间的失败的贸易战也花费甚巨。

　　Despite himself Cromwell had re-established the monarchy¹⁴ in all but name and returned England to the unhappy days of Charles I，s reign¹⁵. 克伦威尔还重新建立独裁统治，又使英国回到了查理一世统治时 期的不幸时光。

　　Even so, his benevolent¹⁶ despotism was acceptable to a weary nation and went uncontested. 尽管如此,他这种仁慈的专制仍然被疲乏的民众所接受，并淡有进行任何反抗。

　　Cromwell’s death in September 1658 was the only close to this particular chapter. 直到克伦威尔1658年9月去世，这一特殊的篇章才得以结束。

1 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

2 zeal   

n.热心，热情，热忱

参考例句：

• Revolutionary zeal caught them up,and they joined the army.革命热情激励他们，于是他们从军了。
• They worked with great zeal to finish the project.他们热情高涨地工作，以期完成这个项目。

3 austere   

adj.艰苦的；朴素的，朴实无华的；严峻的

参考例句：

• His way of life is rather austere.他的生活方式相当简朴。
• The room was furnished in austere style.这间屋子的陈设都很简单朴素。

4 trademark   

n.商标；特征；vt.注册的…商标

参考例句：

• The trademark is registered on the book of the Patent Office.该商标已在专利局登记注册。
• The trademark of the pen was changed.这钢笔的商标改了。

5 cavalry   

n.骑兵；轻装甲部队

参考例句：

• We were taken in flank by a troop of cavalry. 我们翼侧受到一队骑兵的袭击。
• The enemy cavalry rode our men down. 敌人的骑兵撞倒了我们的人。

6 moor   

n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊

参考例句：

• I decided to moor near some tourist boats.我决定在一些观光船附近停泊。
• There were hundreds of the old huts on the moor.沼地上有成百上千的古老的石屋。

7 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

8 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

9 stature   

n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材

参考例句：

• He is five feet five inches in stature.他身高5英尺5英寸。
• The dress models are tall of stature.时装模特儿的身材都较高。

10 subjugation   

n.镇压，平息，征服

参考例句：

• The Ultra-Leftist line was a line that would have wrecked a country, ruined the people, and led to the destruction of the Party and national subjugation. 极左路线是一条祸国殃民的路线，亡党亡国的路线。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• This afflicted German intelligence with two fatal flaws: inefficiency, and subjugation to a madman. 这给德国情报工作造成了两个致命的弱点，一个是缺乏效率，另一个是让一个疯子总管情报。 来自辞典例句

11 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

12 constrained   

adj.束缚的,节制的

参考例句：

• The evidence was so compelling that he felt constrained to accept it. 证据是那样的令人折服，他觉得不得不接受。
• I feel constrained to write and ask for your forgiveness. 我不得不写信请你原谅。

13 muzzled   

给（狗等）戴口套( muzzle的过去式和过去分词 )； 使缄默，钳制…言论

参考例句：

• The newspapers were effectively muzzled by strict censorship laws. 严厉的新闻审查法有效地使那些报纸沉默了下来。
• Whenever in the street our dog is muzzled. 每当上街时，我们的狗总是戴上嘴套。

14 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。

15 reign   

n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势

参考例句：

• The reign of Queen Elizabeth lapped over into the seventeenth century.伊丽莎白王朝延至17世纪。
• The reign of Zhu Yuanzhang lasted about 31 years.朱元璋统治了大约三十一年。

16 benevolent   

adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的

参考例句：

• His benevolent nature prevented him from refusing any beggar who accosted him.他乐善好施的本性使他不会拒绝走上前向他行乞的任何一个乞丐。
• He was a benevolent old man and he wouldn't hurt a fly.他是一个仁慈的老人，连只苍蝇都不愿伤害。