Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 1
I am by birth a Genevese, and my family is one of the most distinguished of that republic.
Soy ginebrino de nacimiento, y mi familia es una de las más distinguidas de esa república.
My ancestors had been for many years counsellors and syndics, and my father had filled several public situations with honour and reputation.
Mis antepasados habían sido durante muchos años consejeros y síndicos, y mi padre había desempeñado varios cargos públicos con honor y reputación.
He was respected by all who knew him for his integrity and indefatigable attention to public business.
Era respetado por todos los que le conocían por su integridad e infatigable dedicación a los asuntos públicos.
He passed his younger days perpetually occupied by the affairs of his country; a variety of circumstances had prevented his marrying early, nor was it until the decline of life that he became a husband and the father of a family.
Pasó sus años de juventud perpetuamente ocupado por los asuntos de su país; una variedad de circunstancias le habían impedido casarse joven, y no fue sino en el ocaso de su vida cuando se convirtió en esposo y padre de familia.
As the circumstances of his marriage illustrate his character, I cannot refrain from relating them.
Como las circunstancias de su matrimonio ilustran su carácter, no puedo abstenerme de relatarlas.
One of his most intimate friends was a merchant who, from a flourishing state, fell, through numerous mischances, into poverty.
Uno de sus amigos más íntimos era un comerciante que, desde una situación próspera, cayó, a través de numerosas desgracias, en la pobreza.
This man, whose name was Beaufort, was of a proud and unbending disposition and could not bear to live in poverty and oblivion in the same country where he had formerly been distinguished for his rank and magnificence.
Este hombre, cuyo nombre era Beaufort, tenía un carácter orgulloso e inflexible y no podía soportar vivir en la pobreza y el olvido en el mismo país donde anteriormente había sido distinguido por su rango y magnificencia.
Having paid his debts, therefore, in the most honourable manner, he retreated with his daughter to the town of Lucerne, where he lived unknown and in wretchedness.
Habiendo pagado sus deudas, por tanto, de la manera más honorable, se retiró con su hija a la ciudad de Lucerna, donde vivió en el anonimato y la miseria.
My father loved Beaufort with the truest friendship and was deeply grieved by his retreat in these unfortunate circumstances.
Mi padre amaba a Beaufort con la más sincera amistad y estaba profundamente afligido por su retiro en estas desafortunadas circunstancias.
He bitterly deplored the false pride which led his friend to a conduct so little worthy of the affection that united them.
Lamentaba amargamente el falso orgullo que llevó a su amigo a una conducta tan poco digna del afecto que los unía.
Vocabulary
- Soy
- First person singular of 'ser'; I am
- ginebrino
- Relating to or from Geneva, Switzerland
- de
- Preposition meaning of, from, or about
- nacimiento
- Birth; the event of being born
- y
- Conjunction meaning and
- mi
- Possessive adjective meaning my
- familia
- Family; a group of related individuals
- es
- Third person singular of 'ser'; is
- una
- Indefinite article meaning a or one (feminine)
- las
- Definite article meaning the (feminine plural)
- más
- Adverb meaning more or most
- distinguidas
- Distinguished; respected and notable in society
- esa
- Demonstrative adjective meaning that (feminine)
- república
- Republic; a state governed by elected representatives
- Mis
- Possessive adjective meaning my (plural)
- antepasados
- Ancestors; people from whom one is descended
- habían
- Third person plural past perfect auxiliary had
- sido
- Past participle of 'ser'; been
- durante
- Preposition meaning during or throughout a period
- muchos
- Adjective meaning many or a lot of
- años
- Years; plural of año
- consejeros
- Counselors; advisors who provide guidance or counsel
- síndicos
- Syndics; official representatives or administrative trustees
- padre
- Father; male parent
- había
- Third person singular past perfect auxiliary had
- desempeñado
- Performed or carried out duties or responsibilities
- varios
- Adjective meaning various or several
- cargos
- Positions or offices held in an organization
- públicos
- Public; related to the community or government
- con
- Preposition meaning with
- honor
- Honor; high respect and great esteem
- reputación
- Reputation; the beliefs held about someone publicly
- Era
- Third person singular imperfect of 'ser'; was
- respetado
- Respected; admired and held in high regard
- por
- Preposition meaning by, for, or through
- todos
- Adjective or pronoun meaning all or everyone
- los
- Definite article meaning the (masculine plural)
- que
- Relative pronoun meaning who, that, or which
- le
- Indirect object pronoun meaning him, her, or you
- conocían
- They knew him; imperfect of conocer
- su
- Possessive adjective meaning his, her, or their
- integridad
- Integrity; quality of being honest and having principles
- e
- Conjunction meaning and (used before i- or hi-)
- infatigable
- Tireless; unable to be tired or exhausted
- dedicación
- Dedication; committed devotion to a task or purpose
- a
- Preposition meaning to or at
- asuntos
- Affairs or matters; topics or issues at hand
- Pasó
- He spent or passed; preterite of pasar
- sus
- Possessive adjective meaning his, her, their (plural)
- juventud
- Youth; the period of being young
- perpetuamente
- Perpetually; continuously without interruption or end
- ocupado
- Occupied or busy; engaged in an activity
- país
- Country; a nation or territory with its own government
- variedad
- Variety; a number of different things or types
- circunstancias
- Circumstances; conditions or facts affecting a situation
- impedido
- Prevented or hindered from doing something
- casarse
- To get married; reflexive verb for marriage
- joven
- Young; at an early stage of life
- no
- Adverb meaning no or not
- fue
- Third person singular preterite of ser or ir
- sino
- Conjunction meaning but rather or except
- en
- Preposition meaning in, on, or at
- el
- Definite article meaning the (masculine singular)
- ocaso
- Sunset or decline; the later stage of life
- vida
- Life; the state of being alive
- cuando
- Conjunction or adverb meaning when
- se
- Reflexive pronoun meaning himself, herself, or themselves
- convirtió
- He became; preterite of convertirse
- esposo
- Husband; a male spouse in a marriage
- Como
- Conjunction or adverb meaning as or like
- matrimonio
- Marriage; the legal union of two people
- ilustran
- They illustrate; to exemplify or demonstrate clearly
- carácter
- Character; the mental and moral qualities of someone
- puedo
- I can; first person singular of poder
- abstenerme
- To refrain or abstain from doing something
- relatarlas
- To recount or narrate them; tell those stories
- Uno
- One; the number one or an indefinite person
- amigos
- Friends; people with whom one has a bond
- íntimos
- Intimate; very close and personal friends
- era
- Was; third person singular imperfect of ser
- un
- Indefinite article meaning a or an (masculine)
- comerciante
- Merchant or trader; someone engaged in commerce
- desde
- Preposition meaning from or since
- situación
- Situation; a set of circumstances in a place
- próspera
- Prosperous; thriving financially or doing very well
- cayó
- He fell; preterite of caer
- través
- Through; used in 'a través de' meaning through
- numerosas
- Numerous; many in number (feminine plural)
- desgracias
- Misfortunes; unfortunate events causing suffering
- la
- Definite article meaning the (feminine singular)
- pobreza
- Poverty; the state of being extremely poor
- Este
- Demonstrative adjective or pronoun meaning this (masculine)
- hombre
- Man; an adult male human being
- cuyo
- Relative possessive pronoun meaning whose
- nombre
- Name; a word by which someone is known
- tenía
- He had; third person singular imperfect of tener
- orgulloso
- Proud; having or showing a high opinion of oneself
- inflexible
- Inflexible; unwilling to change or compromise
- podía
- He could; third person singular imperfect of poder
- soportar
- To bear or tolerate; endure something difficult
- vivir
- To live; the infinitive form of the verb
- olvido
- Oblivion or forgetfulness; state of being forgotten
- mismo
- Same or himself; used for emphasis or comparison
- donde
- Where; relative adverb indicating a place
- anteriormente
- Previously; at an earlier time or before
- distinguido
- Distinguished; notable and respected in society
- rango
- Rank; a position in a hierarchy or social scale
- magnificencia
- Magnificence; the quality of being impressively splendid
- Habiendo
- Having; gerund of haber used in perfect constructions
- pagado
- Paid; past participle of pagar
- deudas
- Debts; sums of money owed to others
- tanto
- So much or as much; indicating a large degree
- manera
- Manner or way; method of doing something
- honorable
- Honorable; deserving of respect and high regard
- retiró
- He withdrew or retired; preterite of retirarse
- hija
- Daughter; a female child of a parent
- ciudad
- City; a large and permanent human settlement
- vivió
- He lived; preterite of vivir
- anonimato
- Anonymity; state of being unknown or unacknowledged
- miseria
- Misery; a state of great suffering or poverty
- Mi
- Possessive adjective meaning my (singular)
- amaba
- He loved; third person singular imperfect of amar
- sincera
- Sincere; genuine and free from pretense
- amistad
- Friendship; a close relationship between people
- estaba
- He was; third person singular imperfect of estar
- profundamente
- Deeply or profoundly; to a great extent
- afligido
- Grieved or distressed; experiencing great sorrow
- retiro
- Retreat or withdrawal; act of retiring from society
- estas
- Demonstrative adjective meaning these (feminine plural)
- desafortunadas
- Unfortunate; having bad luck or unhappy circumstances
- Lamentaba
- He lamented; imperfect of lamentar, expressing sorrow
- amargamente
- Bitterly; in a way showing pain or resentment
- falso
- False; not true or based on wrong information
- orgullo
- Pride; a feeling of deep satisfaction in oneself
- llevó
- Led or took; preterite of llevar
- amigo
- Friend; a person one has a bond with
- conducta
- Conduct or behavior; the way someone acts
- tan
- So or as; used in comparisons or intensification
- poco
- Little or few; a small amount or degree
- digna
- Worthy or dignified; deserving respect (feminine)
- del
- Contraction of de + el meaning of the
- afecto
- Affection; a gentle feeling of fondness or liking
- unía
- United or bonded; imperfect of unir
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