The Boys' and Girls' Pliny
 小说分类
选择字号：【大】【中】【小】
关灯
护眼
CHAPTER VII. INSTANCES OF LUXURY IN SILVER PLATE.

关注小说网官方公众号（noveltingroom），原版名著免费领。


 The caprice of the human mind is marvellously exemplified in the varying fashions of silver plate; the work of no individual manufactory being for any long time in vogue1. At one period, the Furnian[207] plate, at another the Clodian, and at another the Gratian, is all the rage—for we borrow the shop even at our tables. Now again, it is embossed plate that we are in search of, and silver deeply chiselled2 around the marginal lines of the figures painted upon it; and now we are building up on our sideboards fresh tiers of shelves for supporting the various dishes.
 
We find the orator3 Calvus complaining that the saucepans are made of silver; but it has been left for us to invent a plan of covering our very carriages with chased silver, and in our own age Popp?a, the wife of the Emperor Nero, ordered her favorite mules4 to be shod with gold!
 
266
The younger Scipio Africanus left to his heir thirty-two pounds’ weight of silver: the same person who, on his triumph over the Carthaginians, displayed four thousand three hundred and seventy pounds’ weight of that metal. Such was the sum total of the silver possessed5 by the whole of the inhabitants of Carthage, that rival of Rome for the empire of the world! How many a Roman since then has surpassed her in his display of plate for a single table! After the destruction of Numantia, the same Africanus gave to his soldiers, on the day of his triumph, a largess of seven denarii each—and right worthy6 were they of such a general, when satisfied with such a sum! His brother, Scipio Allobrogicus, was the very first who possessed one thousand pounds’ weight of silver, but Drusus Livius, when he was tribune of the people, possessed ten thousand. That an ancient warrior7, Rufinus the consul8, a man, too, who had enjoyed a triumph, should have

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 Vogue 6hMwC     
n.时髦，时尚；adj.流行的
参考例句：
  • Flowery carpets became the vogue.花卉地毯变成了时髦货。
  • Short hair came back into vogue about ten years ago.大约十年前短发又开始流行起来了。
2 chiselled 9684a7206442cc906184353a754caa89     
adj.凿过的，凿光的； （文章等）精心雕琢的v.凿，雕，镌( chisel的过去式 )
参考例句：
  • A name was chiselled into the stone. 石头上刻着一个人名。
  • He chiselled a hole in the door to fit a new lock. 他在门上凿了一个孔，以便装一把新锁。 来自《简明英汉词典》
3 orator hJwxv     
n.演说者，演讲者，雄辩家
参考例句：
  • He was so eloquent that he cut down the finest orator.他能言善辩，胜过最好的演说家。
  • The orator gestured vigorously while speaking.这位演讲者讲话时用力地做手势。
4 mules be18bf53ebe6a97854771cdc8bfe67e6     
骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者
参考例句：
  • The cart was pulled by two mules. 两匹骡子拉这辆大车。
  • She wore tight trousers and high-heeled mules. 她穿紧身裤和拖鞋式高跟鞋。
5 possessed xuyyQ     
adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的
参考例句：
  • He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
  • He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。
6 worthy vftwB     
adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的
参考例句：
  • I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
  • There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。
7 warrior YgPww     
n.勇士，武士，斗士
参考例句：
  • The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。
  • A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。
8 consul sOAzC     
n.领事；执政官
参考例句：
  • A consul's duty is to help his own nationals.领事的职责是帮助自己的同胞。
  • He'll hold the post of consul general for the United States at Shanghai.他将就任美国驻上海总领事(的职务)。
9 incurred a782097e79bccb0f289640bab05f0f6c     
[医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式
参考例句：
  • She had incurred the wrath of her father by marrying without his consent 她未经父亲同意就结婚，使父亲震怒。
  • We will reimburse any expenses incurred. 我们将付还所有相关费用。
10 censor GrDz7     
n./vt.审查，审查员；删改
参考例句：
  • The film has not been viewed by the censor.这部影片还未经审查人员审查。
  • The play was banned by the censor.该剧本被查禁了。
11 fabulous ch6zI     
adj.极好的；极为巨大的；寓言中的，传说中的
参考例句：
  • We had a fabulous time at the party.我们在晚会上玩得很痛快。
  • This is a fabulous sum of money.这是一笔巨款。
12 entirely entirely     
ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地
参考例句：
  • The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
  • His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。
13 upwards lj5wR     
adv.向上，在更高处...以上
参考例句：
  • The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。
  • The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。
14 proscribed 99c10fdb623f3dfb1e7bbfbbcac1ebb9     
v.正式宣布（某事物）有危险或被禁止( proscribe的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • They are proscribed by federal law from owning guns. 根据联邦法律的规定，他们不准拥有枪支。 来自辞典例句
  • In earlier days, the church proscribed dancing and cardplaying. 从前，教会禁止跳舞和玩牌。 来自辞典例句
15 vices 01aad211a45c120dcd263c6f3d60ce79     
缺陷( vice的名词复数 )； 恶习； 不道德行为； 台钳
参考例句：
  • In spite of his vices, he was loved by all. 尽管他有缺点，还是受到大家的爱戴。
  • He vituperated from the pulpit the vices of the court. 他在教堂的讲坛上责骂宫廷的罪恶。
16 impute cyKyY     
v.归咎于
参考例句：
  • I impute his failure to laziness.我把他的失败归咎于他的懒惰。
  • It is grossly unfair to impute blame to the United Nations.把责任归咎于联合国极其不公。
17 reign pBbzx     
n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势
参考例句：
  • The reign of Queen Elizabeth lapped over into the seventeenth century.伊丽莎白王朝延至17世纪。
  • The reign of Zhu Yuanzhang lasted about 31 years.朱元璋统治了大约三十一年。
18 steward uUtzw     
n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员
参考例句：
  • He's the steward of the club.他是这家俱乐部的管理员。
  • He went around the world as a ship's steward.他当客船服务员，到过世界各地。
19 simplicity Vryyv     
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。
20 valor Titwk     
n.勇气，英勇
参考例句：
  • Fortitude is distinct from valor.坚韧不拔有别于勇猛。
  • Frequently banality is the better parts of valor.老生常谈往往比大胆打破常规更为人称道。
21 alas Rx8z1     
int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等)
参考例句：
  • Alas!The window is broken!哎呀！窗子破了！
  • Alas,the truth is less romantic.然而，真理很少带有浪漫色彩。
22 remarkable 8Vbx6     
adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的
参考例句：
  • She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
  • These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。
23 celebrity xcRyQ     
n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望
参考例句：
  • Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
  • He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。
24 renown 1VJxF     
n.声誉，名望
参考例句：
  • His renown has spread throughout the country.他的名声已传遍全国。
  • She used to be a singer of some renown.她曾是位小有名气的歌手。
25 mentor s78z0     
n.指导者，良师益友；v.指导
参考例句：
  • He fed on the great ideas of his mentor.他以他导师的伟大思想为支撑。
  • He had mentored scores of younger doctors.他指导过许多更年轻的医生。
26 conflagrations dd09fdd1e3cfab407b2c2616509f8376     
n.大火（灾）( conflagration的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Friction makes sparks and sparks start great creative conflagrations. 摩擦产生星星之火，星星之火点燃伟大创意的燎原巨焰。 来自互联网
27 engraved be672d34fc347de7d97da3537d2c3c95     
v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的过去式和过去分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中）
参考例句：
  • The silver cup was engraved with his name. 银杯上刻有他的名字。
  • It was prettily engraved with flowers on the back. 此件雕刻精美，背面有花饰图案。 来自《简明英汉词典》
28 remarkably EkPzTW     
ad.不同寻常地，相当地
参考例句：
  • I thought she was remarkably restrained in the circumstances. 我认为她在那种情况下非常克制。
  • He made a remarkably swift recovery. 他康复得相当快。
29 excellence ZnhxM     
n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德
参考例句：
  • His art has reached a high degree of excellence.他的艺术已达到炉火纯青的地步。
  • My performance is far below excellence.我的表演离优秀还差得远呢。
30 specimens 91fc365099a256001af897127174fcce     
n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人
参考例句：
  • Astronauts have brought back specimens of rock from the moon. 宇航员从月球带回了岩石标本。
  • The traveler brought back some specimens of the rocks from the mountains. 那位旅行者从山上带回了一些岩石标本。 来自《简明英汉词典》
31 esteem imhyZ     
n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作
参考例句：
  • I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
  • The veteran worker ranks high in public love and esteem.那位老工人深受大伙的爱戴。
32 distinguished wu9z3v     
adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的
参考例句：
  • Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
  • A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

分享到：


返回目录

英语听力 |  手机版  |  网页版
©英文小说网 2005-2010