上句见:Day128
The Story of Philosophy的第129句:第1章Plato第2节II. Socrates第7段第3句:
No topics could have been more vital than these to the young Athenians of that generation. The Sophists had destroyed the faith these youths ha once had in the gods and goddesses of Olympus, and in the moral code that had taken its sanction so largely from the fear men had for these ubiquitous and innumerable deities; apparently there was no reason now why a man should not do as he pleased, so long as he remained within the law. A disintegrating individualism had weakened the Athenian character, and left the city a prey at last to the sternly-nurtured Spartans. And as for the state, what could have been more ridiculous than this mobbed, passion-ridden democracy, this government by a debating-society, this precipitate selection and dismissal and execution of generals, this unchoice choice of simple farmers and tradesmen, in alphabetical rotation, as members of the Supreme Court of the land? How could a new and natural morality be developed in Athens, and how could the state be saved?
浙江大学译本:这种离散式的个人主义大大削弱了雅典人民的个性,使其最终为剽悍的斯巴达人所征服。
解析
这句讲了智者学派之后的个人主义的特点以及后果。
1、A disintegrating individualism had weakened the Athenian character,
个人主义特点:离散,弱化雅典人个性。
disintegrate:to break apart into many small parts or pieces。
词根dis表示“分开,散开”,而integrate有“使完整,使成为一体”,两者合在一起表示“分裂,瓦解”。
As Hemingway's star elevated, his private life began to disintegrate. 海明威的星途不断发展时,他的个人生活开始出现问题。
2、and left the city a prey at last to the sternly-nurtured Spartans.
后果:被斯巴达人征服。这里用了比喻表达方式,雅典成为斯巴达的猎物。
prey:an animal that is hunted or killed by another animal for food猎物
It means they can quickly pick out prey in a vast landscape.这意味着它们可以在广阔的地形中快速辨识出猎物。
stern: very serious especially in an unfriendly way严厉的;
If minor errors were punished so sternly, what would be the fate of this arch rebel?
如果说一些细小的过错都要受到严厉的惩罚的话,那么,干出这种大逆不道的事来,结果又该怎样呢。《福尔摩斯》
nurture: Feed, nourish; support and bring up to maturity;养育;培育
This simple exercise nurtures your innovative spirit.这个简单的练习可以培养你的创新精神。
the sternly-nurtured Spartans.:严格训练培养出来的斯巴达人。这让我像想起来《斯巴达300勇士》里的士兵培训场景。
这种分散的个人主义削弱了雅典的个性,使这座城市成为以严厉训练著称的斯巴达人的猎物。
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