HEN men had learned to cultivate the earth, to herd2 cattle, to enclose their holy places within walls, and to recognise the gods by their beauty, I withdrew to that smiling land girdled with dark woods and watered by the Stymphalos, the Olbios, the Erymanthus, and the proud Crathis, swollen3 with the icy waters of the Styx, and there, in a green valley at the foot of a hill planted with arbutus, olive, and pine, beneath a cluster of white poplars and plane trees, by the side of a stream flowing with soft murmur4 amid tufted mastic trees, I sang to the shepherds and the nymphs of the birth of the world, the origin of fire, of the tenuous5 air, of water and of earth. I told them how primeval men had lived wretched and naked in the woods, before the ingenious spirits had taught them the arts; of God, too, I sang to them, and why they gave Dionysus Semele to mother, because his desire to befriend mankind was born amid the thunder.
"It was not without effort that this people, more[182] pleasing than all the others in the eyes of the gods, these happy Greeks, achieved good government and a knowledge of the arts. Their first temple was a hut composed of laurel branches; their first image of the gods, a tree; their first altar, a rough stone stained with the blood of Iphigenia. But in a short time they brought wisdom and beauty to a point that no nation had attained6 before them, that no nation has since approached. Whence comes it, Arcade7, this solitary8 marvel9 on the earth? Wherefore did the sacred soil of Ionia and of Attica bring forth10 this incomparable flower? Because nor priesthood, nor dogma, nor revelation ever found a place there, because the Greeks never knew the jealous God.
"It was his own grace, his own genius that the Greek enthroned and deified as his God, and when he raised his eyes to the heavens it was his own image that he saw reflected there. He conceived everything in due measure; and to his temples he gave perfect proportion. All therein was grace, harmony, symmetry, and wisdom; all were worthy11 of the immortals12 who dwelt within them and who under names of happy choice, in realised shapes, figured forth the genius of man. The columns which bore the marble architrave, the frieze14 and the cornice were touched with something human, which made them venerable; and sometimes one might see, as at Athens and at Delphi, beautiful[183] young girls strong-limbed and radiant upstaying the entablature of treasure house and sanctuary15. O days of splendour, harmony, and wisdom!
"Dionysus resolved to repair to Italy, whither he was summoned under the name of Bacchus by a people eager to celebrate his mysteries. I took passage in his ship decked with tendrils of the vine, and landed under the eyes of the two brothers of Helen at the mouth of the yellow Tiber. Already under the teaching of the god, the inhabitants of Latium had learned to wed16 the vine to the young stripling elm. It was my pleasure to dwell at the foot of the Sabine hills in a valley crowned with trees and watered with pure springs. I gathered the verbena and the mallow in the meadows. The pale olive-trees twisting their perforated trunks on the slope of the hill gave me of their unctuous17 fruit. There I taught a race of men with square heads, who had not, like the Greeks, a fertile mind, but whose hearts were true, whose souls were patient, and who reverenced18 the gods. My neighbour, a rustic19 soldier, who for fifteen years had bowed under the burden of his haversack, had followed the Roman eagle over land and sea, and had seen the enemies of the sovereign people flee before him. Now he drove his furrow20 with his two red oxen, starred with white between their spreading horns, while beneath the cabin's thatch21 his spouse22, chaste23 and sedate24 of mien25, pounded garlic in a bronze[184] mortar26 and cooked the beans upon the sacred hearth27, And I, his friend, seated near by under an oak, used to lighten his labours with the sound of my flute28, and smile on his little children, when the sun, already low in the sky, was lengthening29 the shadows, and they returned from the wood all laden30 with branches. At the garden gate where the pears and pumpkins31 ripened33, and where the lily and the evergreen34 acanthus bloomed, a figure of Priapus carved out of the trunk of a fig13 tree menaced thieves with his formidable emblem35, and the reeds swaying with the wind over his head scared away the plundering36 birds. At new moon the pious37 husbandman made offering of a handful of salt and barley38 to his household gods crowned with myrtle and with rosemary.
"I saw his children grow up, and his children's children, who kept in their hearts their early piety39 and did not forget to offer sacrifice to Bacchus, to Diana, and to Venus, nor omit to pour fresh wines and scatter40 flowers into the fountains. But slowly they fell away from their old habits of patient toil41 and simplicity42.
"I heard them complain when the torrent43, swollen with many rains, compelled them to construct a dyke44 to protect the paternal45 fields, and the rough Sabine wine grew unpleasing to their delicate palate. They went to drink the wines of Greece at the neighbouring tavern46; and the hours slipped unheeded by, while within the arbour shade they[185] watched the dance of the flute player, practised at swaying her supple47 limbs to the sound of the castanets.
"Lulled48 by murmuring leaves and whispering streams, the tillers of the soil took sweet repose49, but between the poplars we saw along borders of the sacred way vast tombs, statues, and altars arise, and the rolling of the chariot wheels grew more frequent over the worn stones. A cherry sapling brought home by a veteran told us of the far-distant conquests of a Consul50, and odes sung to the lyre related the victories of Rome, mistress of the world.
"All the countries where the great Dionysus had journeyed, changing wild beasts into men, and making the fruit and grain bloom and ripen32 beneath the passing of his M?nads, now breathed the Pax Romana. The nursling of the she-wolf, soldier and labourer, friend of conquered nations, laid out roads from the margin51 of the misty52 sea to the rocky slopes of the Caucasus; in every town rose the temple of Augustus and of Rome, and such was the universal faith in Latin justice that in the gorges53 of Thessaly or on the wooded borders of the Rhine, the slave, ready to succumb54 under his iniquitous55 burden, called aloud on the name of C?sar.
"But why must it be that on this ill-starred globe of land and water, all should perish and die and the fairest things be ever the most fleeting56? O adorable[186] daughters of Greece! O Science! O Wisdom! O Beauty! kindly57 divinities, you were wrapt in heavy slumber58 ere you submitted to the outrages59 of the barbarians60, who already in the marshy61 wastes of the North and on the lonely steppes, ready to assail62 you, bestrode bare-backed their little shaggy horses.
"While, dear Arcade, the patient legionary camped by the borders of the Phasis and the Tanais, the women and the priests of Asia and of monstrous63 Africa invaded the Eternal City and troubled the sons of Remus with their magic spells. Until now, Iahveh, the persecutor64 of the laborious65 demons66, was unknown to the world that he pretended to have created, save to certain miserable67 Syrian tribes, ferocious68 like himself, and perpetually dragged from servitude to servitude. Profiting by the Roman peace which assured free travel and traffic everywhere, and favoured the exchange of ideas and merchandise, this old God insolently69 made ready to conquer the Universe. He was not the only one, for the matter of that, to attempt such an undertaking70. At the same time a crowd of gods, demiurges, and demons, such as Mithra, Thammuz, the good Isis, and Eubulus, meditated71 taking possession of the peace-enfolded world. Of all the spirits, Iahveh appeared the least prepared for victory. His ignorance, his cruelty, his ostentation72, his Asiatic luxury, his disdain73 of laws, his affectation of rendering74 himself invisible, all these things were calculated[187] to offend those Greeks and Latins who had absorbed the teaching of Dionysus and the Muses75. He himself felt he was incapable76 of winning the allegiance of free men and of cultivated minds, and he employed cunning. To seduce77 their souls he invented a fable78 which, although not so ingenious as the myths wherewith we have surrounded the spirits of our disciples79 of old, could, nevertheless, influence those feebler intellects which are to be found everywhere in great masses. He declared that men having committed a crime against him, an hereditary80 crime, should pay the penalty for it in their present life and in the life to come (for mortals vainly imagine that their existence is prolonged in hell); and the astute81 Iahveh gave out that he had sent his own son to earth to redeem82 with his blood the debt of mankind. It is not credible83 that a penalty should redress84 a fault, and it is still less credible that the innocent should pay for the guilty. The sufferings of the innocent atone85 for nothing, and do but add one evil to another. Nevertheless, unhappy creatures were found to adore Iahveh and his son, the expiator86, and to announce their mysteries as good tidings. We should not be surprised at this folly87. Have we not seen many times indeed human beings who, poor and naked, prostrate88 themselves before all the phantoms89 of fear, and rather than follow the teaching of well-disposed demons, obey the commandments of cruel demiurges? Iahveh, by his[188] cunning, took souls as in a net. But he did not gain therefrom, for his glorification90, all that he expected. It was not he, but his son, who received the homage91 of mankind, and who gave his name to the new cult1. He himself remained almost unknown upon earth."
点击收听单词发音
1 cult | |
n.异教,邪教;时尚,狂热的崇拜 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2 herd | |
n.兽群,牧群;vt.使集中,把…赶在一起 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3 swollen | |
adj.肿大的,水涨的;v.使变大,肿胀 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4 murmur | |
n.低语,低声的怨言;v.低语,低声而言 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5 tenuous | |
adj.细薄的,稀薄的,空洞的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6 attained | |
(通常经过努力)实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 ); 达到; 获得; 达到(某年龄、水平、状况) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7 arcade | |
n.拱廊;(一侧或两侧有商店的)通道 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8 solitary | |
adj.孤独的,独立的,荒凉的;n.隐士 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9 marvel | |
vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异;n.令人惊异的事 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11 worthy | |
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12 immortals | |
不朽的人物( immortal的名词复数 ); 永生不朽者 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13 fig | |
n.无花果(树) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
14 frieze | |
n.(墙上的)横饰带,雕带 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
15 sanctuary | |
n.圣所,圣堂,寺庙;禁猎区,保护区 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
16 wed | |
v.娶,嫁,与…结婚 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
17 unctuous | |
adj.油腔滑调的,大胆的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
18 reverenced | |
v.尊敬,崇敬( reverence的过去式和过去分词 );敬礼 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
19 rustic | |
adj.乡村的,有乡村特色的;n.乡下人,乡巴佬 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
20 furrow | |
n.沟;垄沟;轨迹;车辙;皱纹 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
21 thatch | |
vt.用茅草覆盖…的顶部;n.茅草(屋) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
22 spouse | |
n.配偶(指夫或妻) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
23 chaste | |
adj.贞洁的;有道德的;善良的;简朴的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
24 sedate | |
adj.沉着的,镇静的,安静的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
25 mien | |
n.风采;态度 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
26 mortar | |
n.灰浆,灰泥;迫击炮;v.把…用灰浆涂接合 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
27 hearth | |
n.壁炉炉床,壁炉地面 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
28 flute | |
n.长笛;v.吹笛 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
29 lengthening | |
(时间或空间)延长,伸长( lengthen的现在分词 ); 加长 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
30 laden | |
adj.装满了的;充满了的;负了重担的;苦恼的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
31 pumpkins | |
n.南瓜( pumpkin的名词复数 );南瓜的果肉,南瓜囊 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
32 ripen | |
vt.使成熟;vi.成熟 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
33 ripened | |
v.成熟,使熟( ripen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
34 evergreen | |
n.常青树;adj.四季常青的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
35 emblem | |
n.象征,标志;徽章 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
36 plundering | |
掠夺,抢劫( plunder的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
37 pious | |
adj.虔诚的;道貌岸然的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
38 barley | |
n.大麦,大麦粒 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
39 piety | |
n.虔诚,虔敬 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
40 scatter | |
vt.撒,驱散,散开;散布/播;vi.分散,消散 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
41 toil | |
vi.辛劳工作,艰难地行动;n.苦工,难事 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
42 simplicity | |
n.简单,简易;朴素;直率,单纯 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
43 torrent | |
n.激流,洪流;爆发,(话语等的)连发 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
44 dyke | |
n.堤,水坝,排水沟 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
45 paternal | |
adj.父亲的,像父亲的,父系的,父方的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
46 tavern | |
n.小旅馆,客栈;小酒店 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
47 supple | |
adj.柔软的,易弯的,逢迎的,顺从的,灵活的;vt.使柔软,使柔顺,使顺从;vi.变柔软,变柔顺 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
48 lulled | |
vt.使镇静,使安静(lull的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
49 repose | |
v.(使)休息;n.安息 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
50 consul | |
n.领事;执政官 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
51 margin | |
n.页边空白;差额;余地,余裕;边,边缘 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
52 misty | |
adj.雾蒙蒙的,有雾的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
53 gorges | |
n.山峡,峡谷( gorge的名词复数 );咽喉v.(用食物把自己)塞饱,填饱( gorge的第三人称单数 );作呕 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
54 succumb | |
v.屈服,屈从;死 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
55 iniquitous | |
adj.不公正的;邪恶的;高得出奇的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
56 fleeting | |
adj.短暂的,飞逝的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
57 kindly | |
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
58 slumber | |
n.睡眠,沉睡状态 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
59 outrages | |
引起…的义愤,激怒( outrage的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
60 barbarians | |
n.野蛮人( barbarian的名词复数 );外国人;粗野的人;无教养的人 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
61 marshy | |
adj.沼泽的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
62 assail | |
v.猛烈攻击,抨击,痛斥 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
63 monstrous | |
adj.巨大的;恐怖的;可耻的,丢脸的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
64 persecutor | |
n. 迫害者 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
65 laborious | |
adj.吃力的,努力的,不流畅 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
66 demons | |
n.恶人( demon的名词复数 );恶魔;精力过人的人;邪念 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
67 miserable | |
adj.悲惨的,痛苦的;可怜的,糟糕的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
68 ferocious | |
adj.凶猛的,残暴的,极度的,十分强烈的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
69 insolently | |
adv.自豪地,自傲地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
70 undertaking | |
n.保证,许诺,事业 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
71 meditated | |
深思,沉思,冥想( meditate的过去式和过去分词 ); 内心策划,考虑 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
72 ostentation | |
n.夸耀,卖弄 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
73 disdain | |
n.鄙视,轻视;v.轻视,鄙视,不屑 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
74 rendering | |
n.表现,描写 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
75 muses | |
v.沉思,冥想( muse的第三人称单数 );沉思自语说(某事) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
76 incapable | |
adj.无能力的,不能做某事的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
77 seduce | |
vt.勾引,诱奸,诱惑,引诱 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
78 fable | |
n.寓言;童话;神话 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
79 disciples | |
n.信徒( disciple的名词复数 );门徒;耶稣的信徒;(尤指)耶稣十二门徒之一 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
80 hereditary | |
adj.遗传的,遗传性的,可继承的,世袭的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
81 astute | |
adj.机敏的,精明的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
82 redeem | |
v.买回,赎回,挽回,恢复,履行(诺言等) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
83 credible | |
adj.可信任的,可靠的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
84 redress | |
n.赔偿,救济,矫正;v.纠正,匡正,革除 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
85 atone | |
v.赎罪,补偿 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
86 expiator | |
n.偿罪者,补偿者 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
87 folly | |
n.愚笨,愚蠢,蠢事,蠢行,傻话 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
88 prostrate | |
v.拜倒,平卧,衰竭;adj.拜倒的,平卧的,衰竭的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
89 phantoms | |
n.鬼怪,幽灵( phantom的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
90 glorification | |
n.赞颂 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
91 homage | |
n.尊敬,敬意,崇敬 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
欢迎访问英文小说网 |