世界小史 第121期:波斯人

 The Persians tried to block his way near a town called Issus, but Alexander crushed them.

波斯人试图在一座名叫伊苏斯的城市附近阻挡他的道路，但亚历山大击溃了他们。

He plundered¹ the magnificent royal tents and made off with the king's treasure.

他掳获了波斯国王的华美帐篷和财宝。

He captured the king's wife and sisters, too, and treated them with the utmost respect and courtesy.

他也俘虏了国王的妻子和姐妹，并很礼貌很尊敬地对待她们。

That was in 333 BC, an easy date to remember.

这是在公元前333年, 一个很好记的日子。

Phoenicia was less easy to conquer.

腓尼基不是那么容易被占领的。

For seven long months Alexander laid siege to the city of Tyre.

亚历山大围困提尔城达七个月之久。

Its destruction, when it came, was all the more brutal². Egypt was easier.

后来他更加残酷地摧毁了这座城市。他在埃及比较顺利。

Glad to be rid of the Persians, the Egyptians soon surrendered to Persia's foe³.

埃及人为摆脱波斯人感到高兴，不久埃及人便自愿臣服于他，波斯人的敌人。

But Alexander was determined⁴ to be a true ruler of Egypt, the sort they were used to.

但亚历山大决定成为一个真正的埃及人的统治者，一如埃及人所习惯的那样的统治者。

He marched across the desert to a temple of the sun god and had the priests proclaim him Son of the Sun, and therefore righteous Pharaoh.

所以他穿越沙漠来到一座太阳神神庙并让祭司们宣布他是太阳之子，是真正的法老。

1 plundered   

掠夺，抢劫( plunder的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Many of our cultural treasures have been plundered by imperialists. 我国许多珍贵文物被帝国主义掠走了。
• The imperialists plundered many valuable works of art. 帝国主义列强掠夺了许多珍贵的艺术品。

2 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

3 foe   

n.敌人，仇敌

参考例句：

• He knew that Karl could be an implacable foe.他明白卡尔可能会成为他的死敌。
• A friend is a friend;a foe is a foe;one must be clearly distinguished from the other.敌是敌，友是友，必须分清界限。

4 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。