世界小史 第120期:戈尔迪乌姆城

 It went like this.

故事是这样的。

In the city of Gordium there was a temple, and in it an old chariot whose shaft¹ was held fast by a strap² that was tightly and intricately knotted.

在戈尔迪乌姆城的一座神庙里有一辆旧马车，辕杆用一条皮带缚紧并紧紧地打了一个复杂的结。

Now it had been foretold³ that he who could untie⁴ the enchanted⁵ knot would become master of the world.

曾有人预言说谁能解开这个死结谁就能统治世界。

Alexander wasted little time fiddling⁶ with a knot that was clearly far worse than the sort you get in your shoelace when you are in a hurry.

亚历山大没多费时间去解这个结，看样子它比你鞋带上的一个死结还难解开，如果你正好很急的话。

He did something my mother never let me do: he took his sword and simply chopped it through.

他做了我的母亲从来也不曾允许我做的事：他拿着他的剑，简简单单地砍断了这个结。

The story's meaning is twofold: Alexander would conquer the world in fulfilment of the ancient prophecy, and he would do it with the sword.

这个故事有双层意义：亚历山大将征服世界以此来应验这个古老的预言，他将用剑来完成它。

As indeed he did.

他确实也这样做了。

You might find it easier to follow the rest of this story of conquest if you take a look at a map of the Middle East.

如果你看一看中东地图这征服的剩下的故事你很容易理解。

Alexander could have gone on to attack Persia directly,

亚历山大本可以向波斯直接进军，

but rather than risk an attack from the rear by the Persian provinces of Phoenicia and Egypt, he chose to subdue⁷ them first.

但他却冒险进攻波斯帝国的省份腓尼基和埃及的后方，他选择先征服它们。

1 shaft   

n.(工具的)柄，杆状物

参考例句：

• He was wounded by a shaft.他被箭击中受伤。
• This is the shaft of a steam engine.这是一个蒸汽机主轴。

2 strap   

n.皮带，带子；v.用带扣住，束牢；用绷带包扎

参考例句：

• She held onto a strap to steady herself.她抓住拉手吊带以便站稳。
• The nurse will strap up your wound.护士会绑扎你的伤口。

3 foretold   

v.预言，预示( foretell的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She foretold that the man would die soon. 她预言那人快要死了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Must lose one joy, by his life's star foretold. 这样注定：他，为了信守一个盟誓／就非得拿牺牲一个喜悦作代价。 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学

4 untie   

vt.解开，松开；解放

参考例句：

• It's just impossible to untie the knot.It's too tight.这个结根本解不开。太紧了。
• Will you please untie the knot for me?请你替我解开这个结头，好吗？

5 enchanted   

adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• She was enchanted by the flowers you sent her. 她非常喜欢你送给她的花。
• He was enchanted by the idea. 他为这个主意而欣喜若狂。

6 fiddling   

微小的

参考例句：

• He was fiddling with his keys while he talked to me. 和我谈话时他不停地摆弄钥匙。
• All you're going to see is a lot of fiddling around. 你今天要看到的只是大量的胡摆乱弄。 来自英汉文学 - 廊桥遗梦

7 subdue   

vt.制服，使顺从，征服；抑制，克制

参考例句：

• She tried to subdue her anger.她尽力压制自己的怒火。
• He forced himself to subdue and overcome his fears.他强迫自己克制并战胜恐惧心理。