Atlantis: The Antedeluvian World — Page 1

English → Chinese CHAPTER I. Level 7/10

THE PURPOSE OF THE BOOK.

本书的目的。

This book is an attempt to demonstrate several distinct and novel propositions.

本书试图阐明几个独特而新颖的命题。

These are:

这些命题如下：

1. That there once existed in the Atlantic Ocean, opposite the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea, a large island, which was the remnant of an Atlantic continent, and known to the ancient world as Atlantis.

一、在大西洋中，地中海入口的对面，曾经存在一座大岛，它是大西洋大陆的残余，古代世界称之为亚特兰蒂斯。

2. That the description of this island given by Plato is not, as has been long supposed, fable, but veritable history.

二、柏拉图对这座岛屿的描述并非长久以来人们所认为的寓言，而是真实的历史。

3. That Atlantis was the region where man first rose from a state of barbarism to civilization.

三、亚特兰蒂斯是人类最初从野蛮状态上升至文明的地区。

4. That it became, in the course of ages, a populous and mighty nation, from whose overflowings the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi River, the Amazon, the Pacific coast of South America, the Mediterranean, the west coast of Europe and Africa, the Baltic, the Black Sea, and the Caspian were populated by civilized nations.

四、经过漫长的岁月，它发展成为一个人口众多、强大无比的国家，其向外扩张的移民使墨西哥湾沿岸、密西西比河流域、亚马逊河流域、南美太平洋沿岸、地中海沿岸、欧洲和非洲西海岸、波罗的海沿岸、黑海沿岸以及里海沿岸都兴起了文明民族。

5. That it was the true Antediluvian world; the Garden of Eden; the Gardens of the Hesperides; the Elysian Fields; the Gardens of Alcinous; the Mesomphalos; the Olympos; the Asgard of the traditions of the ancient nations; representing a universal memory of a great land, where early mankind dwelt for ages in peace and happiness.

五、它是真正的洪水前世界；是伊甸园；是赫斯珀里得斯的花园；是极乐世界；是阿尔基诺俄斯的花园；是世界的肚脐；是奥林匹斯；是古代各民族传说中的阿斯加德；它代表着人类对一片伟大土地的共同记忆，早期人类曾在那里安居乐业，度过了漫长的岁月。

6. That the gods and goddesses of the ancient Greeks, the Phoenicians, the Hindoos, and the Scandinavians were simply the kings, queens, and heroes of Atlantis; and the acts attributed to them in mythology are a confused recollection of real historical events.

六、古希腊人、腓尼基人、印度人和斯堪的纳维亚人的诸神与女神，不过是亚特兰蒂斯的国王、王后和英雄；神话中归于他们名下的事迹，是对真实历史事件的模糊回忆。

Vocabulary

本书: běn shū — This book; the present volume being discussed
的: de — Structural particle indicating possession or modification
目的: mùdì — Purpose; goal; objective of an action
试图: shìtú — To attempt; to try to do something
阐明: chǎnmíng — To clarify; to explain clearly and thoroughly
几个: jǐ gè — Several; a few items or things
独特: dútè — Unique; distinctive; one of a kind
而: ér — Conjunction meaning 'and' or 'but; yet'
新颖: xīnyǐng — Novel; fresh; original and innovative
命题: mìngtí — Proposition; thesis; a stated claim or argument
这些: zhèxiē — These; referring to multiple nearby things
如下: rúxià — As follows; listed below as stated
一: yī — One; first; the number one
在: zài — At; in; located at a place
大西洋: Dàxīyáng — The Atlantic Ocean
中: zhōng — In; within; middle of something
地中海: Dìzhōnghǎi — The Mediterranean Sea
入口: rùkǒu — Entrance; the opening to enter a place
对面: duìmiàn — Opposite side; directly across from something
曾经: céngjīng — Once; formerly; at a past time
存在: cúnzài — To exist; to be present or real
一座: yī zuò — One (large structure or landmass); a single
大岛: dà dǎo — Large island; a big landmass surrounded by water
它: tā — It; third-person pronoun for objects or animals
是: shì — Is; to be; linking verb
大陆: dàlù — Continent; large landmass; mainland
残余: cányú — Remnant; leftover remains of something larger
古代: gǔdài — Ancient times; antiquity; the old era
世界: shìjiè — World; the entire earth or realm
称之为: chēng zhī wéi — Called; referred to as; named something
二: èr — Two; second; the number two
柏拉图: Bólātú — Plato; ancient Greek philosopher
对: duì — Regarding; toward; about something
这座: zhè zuò — This (large structure or landmass)
岛屿: dǎoyǔ — Island; islands; landmass surrounded by water
描述: miáoshù — Description; to describe something in detail
并非: bìngfēi — Is not; definitely not; contrary to belief
长久: chángjiǔ — For a long time; lasting; enduring
以来: yǐlái — Since; ever since a point in time
人们: rénmen — People; the general public; folks
所: suǒ — Particle used before a verb for nominalization
认为: rènwéi — To believe; to consider; to think that
寓言: yùyán — Fable; allegory; a story with moral lesson
而是: érshì — But rather; instead it is something else
真实: zhēnshí — Real; true; factual and genuine
历史: lìshǐ — History; historical record of past events
三: sān — Three; third; the number three
人类: rénlèi — Humanity; humankind; the human species
最初: zuìchū — Originally; at first; in the beginning
从: cóng — From; starting from a point or state
野蛮: yěmán — Barbaric; savage; uncivilized and primitive
状态: zhuàngtài — State; condition; current situation or status
上升: shàngshēng — To rise; to ascend; to move upward
至: zhì — To; until; reaching a destination or state
文明: wénmíng — Civilization; civilized; advanced human society
地区: dìqū — Region; area; a specific geographic zone
四: sì — Four; fourth; the number four
经过: jīngguò — After; through; passing through time or process
漫长: màncháng — Long; lengthy; seemingly endless period of time
岁月: suìyuè — Years; passage of time; months and years
发展: fāzhǎn — Development; to develop; growth over time
成为: chéngwéi — To become; to turn into something
一个: yī gè — One; a single unit of something
人口: rénkǒu — Population; the number of inhabitants
众多: zhòngduō — Numerous; many; a large number of
强大: qiángdà — Powerful; strong; mighty and formidable
无比: wúbǐ — Incomparable; unmatched; beyond comparison
国家: guójiā — Country; nation; a sovereign state
其: qí — Its; their; referring to something previously mentioned
向外: xiàng wài — Outward; toward the outside; expanding outward
扩张: kuòzhāng — Expansion; to expand; to extend territory or influence
移民: yímín — Immigration; migrants; people who relocate permanently
使: shǐ — To cause; to make; to enable something
墨西哥湾: Mòxīgē Wān — Gulf of Mexico; body of water near Mexico
沿岸: yán àn — Along the coast; coastal areas along shores
流域: liúyù — River basin; watershed; area drained by a river
南美: Nán Měi — South America; the southern American continent
太平洋: Tàipíngyáng — The Pacific Ocean
欧洲: Ōuzhōu — Europe; the European continent
和: hé — And; together with; connecting nouns
非洲: Fēizhōu — Africa; the African continent
西海岸: xī hǎi'àn — West coast; the western coastal shoreline
波罗的海: Bōluódì Hǎi — The Baltic Sea; sea in northern Europe
黑海: Hēi Hǎi — The Black Sea; sea between Europe and Asia
以及: yǐjí — As well as; and also; in addition to
里海: Lǐ Hǎi — The Caspian Sea; large landlocked body of water
都: dōu — All; both; every one without exception
兴起: xīngqǐ — To rise; to emerge; to come into prominence
了: le — Particle indicating completed action or change
民族: mínzú — Ethnic group; nation; people sharing culture
五: wǔ — Five; fifth; the number five
真正: zhēnzhèng — True; genuine; real and authentic
洪水前: hóngshuǐ qián — Antediluvian; before the great flood
伊甸园: Yīdiànyuán — Garden of Eden; paradise in biblical tradition
花园: huāyuán — Garden; an outdoor area with plants and flowers
极乐: jílè — Bliss; extreme happiness; paradise or utopia
肚脐: dùqí — Navel; belly button; center or origin point
各: gè — Each; every; various individual items
传说: chuánshuō — Legend; myth; a traditional story handed down
代表着: dàibiǎozhe — Representing; symbolizing; standing for something
一片: yī piàn — A stretch of; an expanse of land or area
伟大: wěidà — Great; magnificent; grand and admirable
土地: tǔdì — Land; earth; a piece of ground or territory
共同: gòngtóng — Common; shared; jointly held by multiple parties
记忆: jìyì — Memory; recollection; the ability to remember
早期: zǎoqī — Early period; early stage; the beginning phase
曾: céng — Once; formerly; used to indicate past experience
那里: nàlǐ — There; that place; a location mentioned before
安居乐业: ānjū lèyè — Live and work in peace and contentment
度过: dùguò — To spend time; to pass through a period
六: liù — Six; sixth; the number six
古希腊人: gǔ Xīlà rén — Ancient Greeks; people of ancient Greece
印度人: Yìndù rén — Indians; people from India
诸神: zhūshén — Gods; all the deities in a pantheon
与: yǔ — And; with; together with something else
女神: nǚshén — Goddess; a female deity or divine being
不过: búguò — However; but; merely; no more than
国王: guówáng — King; male monarch of a kingdom
王后: wánghòu — Queen; the wife of a king
英雄: yīngxióng — Hero; a person of great courage or achievement
神话: shénhuà — Myth; mythology; traditional sacred stories
归于: guīyú — Attributed to; credited to; assigned under something
他们: tāmen — They; them; third-person plural pronoun
名下: míng xià — Under one's name; credited to someone's account
事迹: shìjì — Deeds; achievements; notable acts performed
事件: shìjiàn — Event; incident; a significant occurrence
模糊: móhu — Vague; blurry; unclear and indistinct
回忆: huíyì — Recollection; to recall; memories of the past

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