THE BATTLE of Borodino with the occupation of Moscow and the flight of the French, that followed without any more battles, is one of the most instructive phenomena¹ in history.

All historians are agreed that the external activity of states and peoples in their conflicts finds expression in wars; that the political power of states and peoples is increased or diminished as the immediate² result of success or defeat in war.

Strange are the historical accounts that tell us how some king or emperor, quarrelling with another king or emperor, levies³ an army, fights a battle with the army of his foe⁴, gains a victory, kills three, five, or ten thousand men, and consequently subdues⁵ a state and a whole people consisting of several millions; and incomprehensible it seems that the defeat of any army, one hundredth of the whole strength of a people, should force that people to submit. Yet all the facts of history (so far as we know it) confirm the truth of the statement, that the successes or defeats of a nation's army are the causes or, at least, the invariable symptoms of the increase or diminution⁶ of the power of a nation. An army gains a victory, and immediately the claims of the conquering people are increased to the detriment⁷ of the conquered. An army is defeated, and at once the people loses its rights in proportion to the magnitude of the defeat; and if its army is utterly⁸ defeated, the people is completely conquered. So (according to history) it has been from the most ancient times up to the present. All Napoleon's earlier wars serve as illustrations of the rule. As the Austrian armies were defeated, Austria was deprived of her rights, and the rights and power of France were increased. The victories of the French at Jena and at Auerstadt destroyed the independent existence of Prussia.

But suddenly, in 1812, the French gained a victory before Moscow. Moscow was taken, and in consequence of that, with no subsequent battles, not Russia, but the French army of six hundred thousand, and then Napoleonic France itself ceased to exist. To strain the facts to fit the rules of history, to maintain that the field of Borodino was left in the hands of the Russians, or that after the evacuation of Moscow, there were battles that destroyed Napoleon's army—is impossible.

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1 phenomena
n.现象
参考例句：
Ade couldn't relate the phenomena with any theory he knew.艾德无法用他所知道的任何理论来解释这种现象。 The object of these experiments was to find the connection,if any,between the two phenomena.这些实验的目的就是探索这两种现象之间的联系，如果存在着任何联系的话。

2 immediate
adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的
参考例句：
His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。 We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

3 levies
（部队）征兵( levy的名词复数 )； 募捐； 被征募的军队
参考例句：
At that time, taxes and levies were as many as the hairs on an ox. 那时，苛捐杂税多如牛毛。 Variable levies can insulate farmers and consumers from world markets. 差价进口税可以把农民和消费者与世界市场隔离开来。

4 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。

5 subdues
征服( subdue的第三人称单数 )； 克制； 制服
参考例句：
In China postman subdues all wearing green color. 在中国邮递员都穿绿色制服。 He is the God who avenges me, who subdues nations under me. 这位神、就是那为我伸冤、使众民服在我以下的。

6 diminution
n.减少；变小
参考例句：
They hope for a small diminution in taxes.他们希望捐税能稍有减少。 He experienced no diminution of his physical strength.他并未感觉体力衰落。

7 detriment
n.损害；损害物，造成损害的根源
参考例句：
Smoking is a detriment to one's health.吸烟危害健康。 His lack of education is a serious detriment to his career.他的未受教育对他的事业是一种严重的妨碍。

8 utterly
adv.完全地，绝对地
参考例句：
Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民，把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。 I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。

9 cavalry
n.骑兵；轻装甲部队
参考例句：
We were taken in flank by a troop of cavalry. 我们翼侧受到一队骑兵的袭击。 The enemy cavalry rode our men down. 敌人的骑兵撞倒了我们的人。

10 artillery
n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)
参考例句：
This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。 The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

11 forage
n.(牛马的)饲料，粮草；v.搜寻，翻寻
参考例句：
They were forced to forage for clothing and fuel.他们不得不去寻找衣服和燃料。 Now the nutritive value of the forage is reduced.此时牧草的营养价值也下降了。

12 forth
adv.向前；向外，往外
参考例句：
The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。 He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

13 pillage
v.抢劫；掠夺；n.抢劫，掠夺；掠夺物
参考例句：
The invading troops were guilty of rape and pillage.侵略军犯了抢劫和强奸的罪。 It was almost pillage.这简直是一场洗劫。

14 duel
n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争
参考例句：
The two teams are locked in a duel for first place.两个队为争夺第一名打得难解难分。 Duroy was forced to challenge his disparager to duel.杜洛瓦不得不向诋毁他的人提出决斗。

15 brandish
v.挥舞，挥动；n.挥动，挥舞
参考例句：
She answered with a brandish of her umbrella.她挥动着伞回答。 Come on together! Brandish the florid youth together!一起舞动绚丽的青春吧！

16 attainment
n.达到，到达；［常pl.］成就，造诣
参考例句：
We congratulated her upon her attainment to so great an age.我们祝贺她高寿。 The attainment of the success is not easy.成功的取得并不容易。

17 chivalry
n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤
参考例句：
The Middle Ages were also the great age of chivalry.中世纪也是骑士制度盛行的时代。 He looked up at them with great chivalry.他非常有礼貌地抬头瞧她们。

18 duellist
n.决斗者；[体]重剑运动员
参考例句：

19 warfare
n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突
参考例句：
He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。 Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。

20 victorious
adj.胜利的，得胜的
参考例句：
We are certain to be victorious.我们定会胜利。 The victorious army returned in triumph.获胜的部队凯旋而归。

21 slaughter
n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀
参考例句：
I couldn't stand to watch them slaughter the cattle.我不忍看他们宰牛。 Wholesale slaughter was carried out in the name of progress.大规模的屠杀在维护进步的名义下进行。

22 shameful
adj.可耻的，不道德的
参考例句：
It is very shameful of him to show off.他向人炫耀自己，真不害臊。 We must expose this shameful activity to the newspapers.我们一定要向报社揭露这一无耻行径。

23 skilful
(=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的
参考例句：
The more you practise,the more skilful you'll become.练习的次数越多，熟练的程度越高。 He's not very skilful with his chopsticks.他用筷子不大熟练。

24 majestic
adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的
参考例句：
In the distance rose the majestic Alps.远处耸立着雄伟的阿尔卑斯山。 He looks majestic in uniform.他穿上军装显得很威风。

25 simplicity
n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯
参考例句：
She dressed with elegant simplicity.她穿着朴素高雅。 The beauty of this plan is its simplicity.简明扼要是这个计划的一大特点。

26 consistency
n.一贯性，前后一致，稳定性；(液体的)浓度
参考例句：
Your behaviour lacks consistency.你的行为缺乏一贯性。 We appreciate the consistency and stability in China and in Chinese politics.我们赞赏中国及其政策的连续性和稳定性。

27 saluting
v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂
参考例句：
'Thank you kindly, sir,' replied Long John, again saluting. “万分感谢，先生。”高个子约翰说着又行了个礼。 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛 He approached the young woman and, without saluting, began at once to converse with her. 他走近那年青女郎，马上就和她攀谈起来了，连招呼都不打。 来自辞典例句

28 gracefully
ad.大大方方地；优美地
参考例句：
She sank gracefully down onto a cushion at his feet. 她优雅地坐到他脚旁的垫子上。 The new coats blouse gracefully above the hip line. 新外套在臀围线上优美地打着褶皱。

29 conqueror
n.征服者，胜利者
参考例句：
We shall never yield to a conqueror.我们永远不会向征服者低头。 They abandoned the city to the conqueror.他们把那个城市丢弃给征服者。

30 resentment
n.怨愤，忿恨
参考例句：
All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。 She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。