VOA词汇掌故2023 如果你“跨过卢比肯河”，事情就会很严重

Things Are Serious If You 'Cross the Rubicon'

如果你“跨过卢比肯河”，事情就会很严重

And now, Words and Their Stories, from VOA Learning¹ English.

现在，《词汇掌故》，来自美国之音学习英语。

On this program we explore words and expressions in the English language. We give examples and notes on usage². Sometimes we tell about their origin story – where they come from. But origins are often a lot of guesswork. We often don't know how some expressions began.

在这个节目中，我们探索英语中的单词和表达。我们给出了有关用法的示例和注释。有时我们讲述他们的起源故事——他们来自哪里。但起源往往是很多猜测。我们常常不知道一些表达是如何开始的。

That is not the case with today's expression – to cross the Rubicon.

今天的表达并非如此——跨过卢比肯河。

But before we talk about its origin, let's talk about its meaning.

但在我们谈论它的起源之前，让我们先谈谈它的含义。

To cross the Rubicon means to make a decision of permanence. It cannot be changed. It is irreversible - a done deal – no cancellations!

跨过卢比肯河意味着做出永久的决定。无法更改。这是不可逆转的-交易已完成-没有取消！

Someone who has crossed the Rubicon has reached a point where they cannot change a course of action. In other words, there is no going back.

有些人越过了卢比肯河，已经到了无法改变行动方向的地步。换句话说，没有回头路。

Now for its origin.

现在谈谈它的起源。

This expression comes from a story about Julius Caesar. Rubicon is the name of the river he crossed with his army. Experts say this started a civil war in Rome in 49 BCE.

这个表达来自一个关于凯撒大帝的故事。卢比肯河是他与军队一起渡过的河流的名字。专家表示，这在公元前49年的罗马引发了一场内战。

When our enemies draw a line in the sand and we pass over that line, we could also say we have crossed the Rubicon.

当我们的敌人在沙地上划出一条线，我们越过这条线时，我们也可以说我们已经越过了卢比肯河。

Therefore, the result or consequence of the decision or action is severe. It has weight. If I cross the Rubicon, I have made a fateful and final decision.

因此，决定或行动的结果或后果是严重的。它有重量。如果我越过卢比肯河，我已经做出了一个决定性的决定。

Therefore, we don't use this expression for low-stakes³ situations – times when nothing is at stake⁴. If nothing is at stake, nothing important is at risk. For those lighter⁵ times, we can say, that ship has sailed or that train has left the station.

因此，我们不会在低风险的情况下使用这个表达式——在没有风险的情况。如果没有什么危险，那么没有什么重要的危险。在那些轻松的时候，我们可以说，那艘船已经航行，或者火车已经离开了车站。

So, save cross the Rubicon for a heavy, meaningful decision or action.

所以，为了一个重大的、有意义的决定或行动，别再犹豫了。

Here are two friends using the expression.

这里有两个朋友在使用这个表达式。

A: Did you about Angela and Dimitry? They broke up.

A： 你有关于安吉拉和迪米特里的事吗？他们分手了。

B: What?? They seemed like such a great couple. What happened?

B： 什么？？他们看起来真是一对好夫妻。怎么搞的？

A: Well, Angela accepted a dream job out in Alaska. She's going to be researching polar bears.

A： 安吉拉在阿拉斯加接受了一份理想的工作。她将研究北极熊。

B: That sounds great!

B： 听起来很棒！

A: It is great. For her. The problem is ... she didn't tell Dimitry. He found out from some guy who works⁶ at their favorite coffee shop.

A： 太棒了。为了她。问题是。。。她没有告诉迪米特里。他从一个在他们最喜欢的咖啡店工作的人那里得知。

B: Oh, that's not good.

B： 哦，这不好。

A: Yeah. Dimitry said he can forgive a lot but not this. She crossed the Rubicon when she decided⁷ to move without telling him first.

A： 是的。迪米特里说他可以原谅很多，但这不是。当她决定在没有事先通知他的情况下搬家时，她犯了大错。

B: I like Angela. But Dimitry has a point.

B： 我喜欢安吉拉。但迪米特里说得有道理。

And that brings us to the end of this Words and Their Stories.

这就给我们带来了这篇《词汇掌故》的结尾。

Until next time ... I'm Anna Matteo.

直到下次。。。我是安娜·马泰奥。

Words in This Story

origin – n. a rising, beginning, or coming from a source

起源--起源、开始或来自某一来源

irreversible – adj. not capable⁸ of going back or backward

不可逆的--不能后退或后退

consequence – n. something produced by a cause or necessarily⁹ following from a set of conditions

结果，后果--由一个原因产生或必然由一系列条件产生的东西

fateful – adj. having serious results

致命的--有严重后果的

stakes – n. something that is at risk for gain or loss

利害关系--有得失风险的东西

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 usage   

n.惯用法，使用，用法

参考例句：

• I am clear about the usage of this word at last.这个词的用法我算是弄明白了。
• The usage is now firmly established.这种用法现已得到确认。

3 stakes   

n.（赛马、竞赛等的）奖金；桩( stake的名词复数 )；刑柱；股份；（在公司、计划等中的）重大利益

参考例句：

• An amateur shouldn't play roulette for high stakes. 外行不该下大赌注赌轮盘赌。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The game was usually played for high stakes between two large groups. 游戏通常在两大集团之间进行，下的赌注一般都很大。 来自辞典例句

4 stake   

n.木柱；赌注，奖金；v.打赌，下赌注

参考例句：

• A wooden stake was driven firmly into the ground.木桩被牢牢钉进土地里。
• He put up a stake to support the newly planted tree.他竖了一根桩支撑新种的树。

5 lighter   

n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级

参考例句：

• The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
• The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。

6 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

7 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。

8 capable   

adj.有能力的，有才能的

参考例句：

• The new woman secretary was extremely clever and capable.这位新来的女秘书很是精明强干。
• Jim is capable at sports.吉姆擅长运动。

9 necessarily   

adv.必要地，必需地；必定地，必然地

参考例句：

• More work does not necessarily call for more men.增加工作量不一定就要增添人员。
• A voter must necessarily be no younger than eighteen.选民必须在18岁以上。