Rome had fallen: effete6 in her withered7 hand lay the rod of empire: and swarming8 about her, now quarrelling among themselves and with her, now fraternizing, but always more or less in awe9 of her prostrate10 majesty11 were her barbarous children—Franks, Burgundians, Alans, Lombards, Gauls, Alemanni, Visigoths, and Ostrogoths. These had known Rome in the hour of her pride and power; they revered12 the Rome that was for the sake of the Rome that had been; they had imbibed13 something of her culture, her military discipline, her laws, her religion. Semi-civilized, semi-Christianized, with the bold Teutonic virtues14 yet pristine15 from the Black Forests of Germany,—they were the possible material of an excellence16 surpassing that of Rome, even when Rome could boast of excellence.
But about 450 A. D. hordes17, innumerable hordes, velut unda supervenit undam (even as wave upon wave) of hideously18 ugly, lithe19, little, wiry, imp-like men poured into Europe from the Asiatic lands north of the Black Sea. By their numbers, their lightning-like rapidity, their uncanny appearance, and their brute20 ferocity, they quickly swept the countries before them, put to flight the Alans, the Ostrogoths, and other tribes dwelling21 along the course of the Danube, and finally under their terrible[49] leader Atzel (Attila), Scourge22 of God, they confronted the civilized and semi-civilized world in arms on the plain of Chalons.
Battle.
From early dawn even until darkness frowned over the field the blood-feast flowed: and Death was satiated.
Attila withdrew to his camp. He left an effective guard around his wagons23 and outposts and made every thing ready for a prolonged and obstinate24 resistance to the attack anticipated at early dawn. Nevertheless he built for himself a massive funeral pile, placed upon it his most valued treasures and his favorite wives, and was fully25 prepared and resolute26 to apply the torch, ascend27 the pyre, and so perish in the flames—should defeat fall to his fortune on the following day.
Morning dawned. The awful work of death on the preceding day appalled28 both armies; miles upon miles of outstretched plain lay covered with carnage; the all-night-writhing mounds29 of men were ominously30 still. Sullenly32 did foe33 gaze upon foe; but each recoiled34 from renewal35 of the slaughter36.
Still the advantage was with the allies; for Attila, so late the fierce aggressor, was barricaded37 in his camp—tho’ grimly awaiting attack indeed, and prepared to resist to the end and die like a lion in his den38.
Did the Romans know of that funeral pile? They may not, indeed, have known the peculiar39 manner in which Attila would seek death, but they knew that he would die by his own hand—if the worst came. Cato had done so and Varus and Brutus and Cassius and Hannibal and Anthony and Cleopatra—ad infinitum.
Addison, in his tragedy Cato, has graphically40 portrayed41 the conflicting thoughts and emotions in the mind of a man who[50] feels that life cannot longer be borne and yet shrinks back from the horror and the dread42 unknown.
Cato had lost the battle of Utica. He had been true to Pompey, he had fought the last battle for the cause of Pompey—and lost. And C?sar was indeed god of this world, and the morrow held no place on all this so vast earth for Cato; this lost-battle night must end it all. He read Plato’s discourse43 on the immortality44 of the soul, and in the lines of Addison, thus soliloquized:
“It must be so. Plato, thou reason’st well:
Else whence this pleasing hope, this fond desire,
This longing46 after immortality?
Or whence this secret dread and inward horror
Of falling into naught47? Why shrinks the soul
Back on herself and startles at destruction?
’Tis the divinity that stirs within us;
’Tis Heaven itself that points out an hereafter,
And intimates eternity48 to man.
* * * * *
The soul, secured in her existence, smiles
At the drawn49 dagger50 and defies its point.
The stars shall fade away, the sun himself
Grow dim with age and nature sink in years;
But thou shalt flourish in immortal45 youth
Unhurt amidst the war of elements,
The wreck51 of matter and the crash of worlds.”
But Attila did not mount his funeral pile. The day passed without attack upon Attila’s formidable position. King Theodoric lay dead upon the plain and his son Prince Thorismund, who had distinguished52 himself in the battle, was victoriously53 proclaimed King of the Visigoths.
?tius, Valentinian’s able general, held in leash54 both the Romans and the Visigoths even while Attila slowly broke up camp and withdrew in long lines leading northward55.
Effect.
The effect was that of victory for the allies. Rome was saved from a fresh infusion56 of barbarism whilst her Teutonic element[51] was still semi-barbarous. The German characteristics—love of liberty, independence, and reverential regard for women—thus dominated the Christian2 civilization which now began to flourish vigorously out from the decadence57 of pagan Rome.
If, as Byron says,
“Cervantes laughed Spain’s chivalry58 away,”
then also it may be said that Lucan laughed Rome’s gods and goddesses away. The laugh is the most insidiously59 potent60 of all destructive forces when the laugher is loved and the times are attuned61 to hear. Not satire62, not personal bitterness, not even the withering63 invectives of a Juvenal are as sweepingly64 effective as the quills65 of ridicule66, the inescapable miasma67 of the laugh. Once let the grin distort the frown of Zeus and majesty trembles, awe smiles, reverence68 dies.
And so the pagan deities69 were dead; their temples empty and meaningless; and thundering Jove and jealous Juno and murderous Mars and all the other deifications of the all too human heart of man were impotently silent under the spell of the solemn central figure of the new religion—Christ on the Cross.
And the Church in the name and with the power of that sublime70 Sufferer taught the reverse of all that paganism had taught; of all that the world had hitherto heard and heeded71; of all that the all too human heart of man held as dearest and best. “Love your enemies,” said the Church to the men who had fought at Chalons. “Blessed are the merciful, Blessed are the clean of heart, Blessed are the peacemakers”, reiterated73 the Church to her semi-barbarous children. And they understood only in part, and they did deeds of appalling74 atrocity75 even while acquiescing76 to her teachings: for the will to do good was, indeed, emotionally present with them, but the power so to do failed them crucially. Yet their sins were of surface-passions[52] not of the inmost heart; for they were ever in reverential awe of the sublime Sufferer on the Cross; for he spoke77 as no man ever yet had spoken, and he lived what he said, and he died praying for his murderers: and all this is not of man—as none knew better than they who knew the naked human heart.
Attila.
History has not done justice to Attila. History has not done justice to any lost cause. For the winners, not the losers, are the writers as well as the makers72 of history, and all forces combine to make them unjust to the lost cause.
Herodotus gives us the story of Marathon, Thermopyl?, Plat?a, Salamis; Persia had no Herodotus: Homer extols78 the exploits of the Grecian army, the valor79 of Achilles; but Hector had no Homer: Roman historians tell the story of the Punic wars; Carthage from her desolate80 site sown with salt cares not what they say, whilst Hannibal, bravest of the brave, and supreme81 military genius, speaks on the historic page only from the lips of the hated Romans.
When Protestantism finally won in England and the long able reign82 of Elizabeth established it firmly upon a political basis, then were fulminated against the Church of Rome all those unjust accusations83 and gross misrepresentations which, crystallized in history and in literature, seem ineradicable as fate. But truth is older than history or literature, and more analytically84 powerful than the synthetic85 forces of crystallization, and patiently prevalent even over fate.
Elizabeth’s very legitimacy86 depended upon the establishment of Protestantism in England and the overthrow87 of Catholicity; and to this two-fold end the energies of the very astute88 daughter of Henry VIII. were undeviatingly directed.
It takes about three hundred years from the time of a cataclysmic[53] upheaval89 of any kind before the minds of men can view it dispassionately or estimate it without bias90. But what are three hundred years to age-old Truth?
Elizabeth possessed91, in addition to the terse92 Tudor qualities, the rare gift of foresight93. She knew the power of the pen and the possibilities for fame or infamy94 in the men of genius of her time. And so her court was open to the great men of that day and her smile of patronage95 was ever ready to welcome poet, artist, dramatist, politician, warrior96, traveler, historian, and statesman: she became all to all and she won all.
As Gloriana in Spenser’s immortal “F?rie Queen” she reigns97 forever. Bacon, Spenser, Sidney Smith, Raleigh, Voltaire—as Voices having a thousand echoes throughout the years—have amply rewarded that patient foresight and have fixed98 her in fame as—what she was to them—Good Queen Bess.
And so Attila and his Huns in low long sinuously99 winding100 northern lines left behind them the carnage strewn plain of Chalons, and the camp with its ominous31 pyre, and the dazed foe. And thus victory remained to ?tius, last of the Romans: and the field of Chalons which saved civilization and semi-civilization from an untimely intrusion of rank barbarism; which secured domination to the Teutonic race rather than to the Sarmatic; which freed Europe from Asia—was the last victory of imperial Rome.
Attila died two years later; some say as the victim of poison secretly mixed with his food by ?tius’ ever vigilant101 spies. With him his vast empire passed away: and the leader who once claimed as proud titles,—“Atzel, Descendant of the Great Nimrod. By the Grace of God, King of the Huns, the Goths, the Danes, and the Medes. The Dread of the World”—died ignominiously102 one carousal103 wedding night: and history, ever unjust to a lost cause, writes his name among the Almosts and calmly commends the destiny by which Attila and his Hunnish hordes were defeated in the great battle of Chalons.
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1 victorious | |
adj.胜利的,得胜的 | |
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2 Christian | |
adj.基督教徒的;n.基督教徒 | |
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3 dominantly | |
有统治权地,占优势地 | |
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4 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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5 civilized | |
a.有教养的,文雅的 | |
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6 effete | |
adj.无生产力的,虚弱的 | |
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7 withered | |
adj. 枯萎的,干瘪的,(人身体的部分器官)因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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8 swarming | |
密集( swarm的现在分词 ); 云集; 成群地移动; 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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9 awe | |
n.敬畏,惊惧;vt.使敬畏,使惊惧 | |
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10 prostrate | |
v.拜倒,平卧,衰竭;adj.拜倒的,平卧的,衰竭的 | |
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11 majesty | |
n.雄伟,壮丽,庄严,威严;最高权威,王权 | |
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12 revered | |
v.崇敬,尊崇,敬畏( revere的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13 imbibed | |
v.吸收( imbibe的过去式和过去分词 );喝;吸取;吸气 | |
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14 virtues | |
美德( virtue的名词复数 ); 德行; 优点; 长处 | |
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15 pristine | |
adj.原来的,古时的,原始的,纯净的,无垢的 | |
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16 excellence | |
n.优秀,杰出,(pl.)优点,美德 | |
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17 hordes | |
n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 );部落 | |
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18 hideously | |
adv.可怕地,非常讨厌地 | |
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19 lithe | |
adj.(指人、身体)柔软的,易弯的 | |
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20 brute | |
n.野兽,兽性 | |
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21 dwelling | |
n.住宅,住所,寓所 | |
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22 scourge | |
n.灾难,祸害;v.蹂躏 | |
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23 wagons | |
n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 );铁路货车;小手推车 | |
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24 obstinate | |
adj.顽固的,倔强的,不易屈服的,较难治愈的 | |
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25 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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26 resolute | |
adj.坚决的,果敢的 | |
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27 ascend | |
vi.渐渐上升,升高;vt.攀登,登上 | |
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28 appalled | |
v.使惊骇,使充满恐惧( appall的过去式和过去分词)adj.惊骇的;丧胆的 | |
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29 mounds | |
土堆,土丘( mound的名词复数 ); 一大堆 | |
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30 ominously | |
adv.恶兆地,不吉利地;预示地 | |
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31 ominous | |
adj.不祥的,不吉的,预兆的,预示的 | |
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32 sullenly | |
不高兴地,绷着脸,忧郁地 | |
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33 foe | |
n.敌人,仇敌 | |
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34 recoiled | |
v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 );退缩;报应;返回 | |
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35 renewal | |
adj.(契约)延期,续订,更新,复活,重来 | |
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36 slaughter | |
n.屠杀,屠宰;vt.屠杀,宰杀 | |
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37 barricaded | |
设路障于,以障碍物阻塞( barricade的过去式和过去分词 ); 设路障[防御工事]保卫或固守 | |
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38 den | |
n.兽穴;秘密地方;安静的小房间,私室 | |
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39 peculiar | |
adj.古怪的,异常的;特殊的,特有的 | |
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40 graphically | |
adv.通过图表;生动地,轮廓分明地 | |
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41 portrayed | |
v.画像( portray的过去式和过去分词 );描述;描绘;描画 | |
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42 dread | |
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 | |
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43 discourse | |
n.论文,演说;谈话;话语;vi.讲述,著述 | |
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44 immortality | |
n.不死,不朽 | |
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45 immortal | |
adj.不朽的;永生的,不死的;神的 | |
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46 longing | |
n.(for)渴望 | |
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47 naught | |
n.无,零 [=nought] | |
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48 eternity | |
n.不朽,来世;永恒,无穷 | |
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49 drawn | |
v.拖,拉,拔出;adj.憔悴的,紧张的 | |
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50 dagger | |
n.匕首,短剑,剑号 | |
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51 wreck | |
n.失事,遇难;沉船;vt.(船等)失事,遇难 | |
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52 distinguished | |
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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53 victoriously | |
adv.获胜地,胜利地 | |
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54 leash | |
n.牵狗的皮带,束缚;v.用皮带系住 | |
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55 northward | |
adv.向北;n.北方的地区 | |
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56 infusion | |
n.灌输 | |
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57 decadence | |
n.衰落,颓废 | |
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58 chivalry | |
n.骑士气概,侠义;(男人)对女人彬彬有礼,献殷勤 | |
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59 insidiously | |
潜在地,隐伏地,阴险地 | |
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60 potent | |
adj.强有力的,有权势的;有效力的 | |
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61 attuned | |
v.使协调( attune的过去式和过去分词 );调音 | |
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62 satire | |
n.讽刺,讽刺文学,讽刺作品 | |
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63 withering | |
使人畏缩的,使人害羞的,使人难堪的 | |
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64 sweepingly | |
adv.扫荡地 | |
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65 quills | |
n.(刺猬或豪猪的)刺( quill的名词复数 );羽毛管;翮;纡管 | |
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66 ridicule | |
v.讥讽,挖苦;n.嘲弄 | |
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67 miasma | |
n.毒气;不良气氛 | |
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68 reverence | |
n.敬畏,尊敬,尊严;Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称;v.尊敬,敬畏,崇敬 | |
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69 deities | |
n.神,女神( deity的名词复数 );神祗;神灵;神明 | |
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70 sublime | |
adj.崇高的,伟大的;极度的,不顾后果的 | |
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71 heeded | |
v.听某人的劝告,听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 );变平,使(某物)变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72 makers | |
n.制造者,制造商(maker的复数形式) | |
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73 reiterated | |
反复地说,重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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74 appalling | |
adj.骇人听闻的,令人震惊的,可怕的 | |
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75 atrocity | |
n.残暴,暴行 | |
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76 acquiescing | |
v.默认,默许( acquiesce的现在分词 ) | |
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77 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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78 extols | |
v.赞颂,赞扬,赞美( extol的第三人称单数 ) | |
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79 valor | |
n.勇气,英勇 | |
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80 desolate | |
adj.荒凉的,荒芜的;孤独的,凄凉的;v.使荒芜,使孤寂 | |
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81 supreme | |
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的 | |
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82 reign | |
n.统治时期,统治,支配,盛行;v.占优势 | |
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83 accusations | |
n.指责( accusation的名词复数 );指控;控告;(被告发、控告的)罪名 | |
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84 analytically | |
adv.有分析地,解析地 | |
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85 synthetic | |
adj.合成的,人工的;综合的;n.人工制品 | |
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86 legitimacy | |
n.合法,正当 | |
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87 overthrow | |
v.推翻,打倒,颠覆;n.推翻,瓦解,颠覆 | |
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88 astute | |
adj.机敏的,精明的 | |
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89 upheaval | |
n.胀起,(地壳)的隆起;剧变,动乱 | |
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90 bias | |
n.偏见,偏心,偏袒;vt.使有偏见 | |
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91 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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92 terse | |
adj.(说话,文笔)精炼的,简明的 | |
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93 foresight | |
n.先见之明,深谋远虑 | |
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94 infamy | |
n.声名狼藉,出丑,恶行 | |
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95 patronage | |
n.赞助,支援,援助;光顾,捧场 | |
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96 warrior | |
n.勇士,武士,斗士 | |
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97 reigns | |
n.君主的统治( reign的名词复数 );君主统治时期;任期;当政期 | |
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98 fixed | |
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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99 sinuously | |
弯曲的,蜿蜒的 | |
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100 winding | |
n.绕,缠,绕组,线圈 | |
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101 vigilant | |
adj.警觉的,警戒的,警惕的 | |
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102 ignominiously | |
adv.耻辱地,屈辱地,丢脸地 | |
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103 carousal | |
n.喧闹的酒会 | |
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