Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 9
On this occasion a man of great research in natural philosophy was with us, and excited by this catastrophe, he entered on the explanation of a theory which he had formed on the subject of electricity and galvanism, which was at once new and astonishing to me.
En esta ocasión estaba con nosotros un hombre de gran investigación en filosofía natural, y entusiasmado por esta catástrofe, se lanzó a la explicación de una teoría que había formado sobre el tema de la electricidad y el galvanismo, que era a la vez nueva y asombrosa para mí.
All that he said threw greatly into the shade Cornelius Agrippa, Albertus Magnus, and Paracelsus, the lords of my imagination; but by some fatality the overthrow of these men disinclined me to pursue my accustomed studies.
Todo lo que dijo eclipsó en gran medida a Cornelio Agripa, Alberto Magno y Paracelso, los señores de mi imaginación; pero por algún sino funesto, el derrumbe de estos hombres me quitó las ganas de continuar con mis estudios habituales.
It seemed to me as if nothing would or could ever be known.
Me parecía como si nada pudiera llegar a saberse jamás.
All that had so long engaged my attention suddenly grew despicable.
Todo aquello que durante tanto tiempo había ocupado mi atención se volvió de repente despreciable.
By one of those caprices of the mind which we are perhaps most subject to in early youth, I at once gave up my former occupations, set down natural history and all its progeny as a deformed and abortive creation, and entertained the greatest disdain for a would-be science which could never even step within the threshold of real knowledge.
Por uno de esos caprichos de la mente a los que quizás estamos más sujetos en la juventud temprana, abandoné de inmediato mis antiguas ocupaciones, consideré la historia natural y toda su progenie como una creación deforme y malograda, y albergué el mayor desdén por una pretendida ciencia que jamás podría siquiera cruzar el umbral del verdadero conocimiento.
In this mood of mind I betook myself to the mathematics and the branches of study appertaining to that science as being built upon secure foundations, and so worthy of my consideration.
Con este estado de ánimo me dediqué a las matemáticas y a las ramas del estudio pertenecientes a esa ciencia, por estar edificadas sobre fundamentos sólidos y ser así dignas de mi consideración.
Thus strangely are our souls constructed, and by such slight ligaments are we bound to prosperity or ruin.
Así de extrañamente están construidas nuestras almas, y por tan tenues ligamentos estamos atados a la prosperidad o a la ruina.
Vocabulary
- esta
- Demonstrative adjective meaning 'this' (feminine)
- ocasión
- A particular time or opportunity for something
- estaba
- Past imperfect of 'estar'; was (temporary state)
- investigación
- Systematic inquiry or research into a subject
- filosofía
- The study of knowledge, existence, and fundamental questions
- entusiasmado
- Feeling or showing great enthusiasm or excitement
- catástrofe
- A sudden disaster or extremely unfortunate event
- lanzó
- Past tense of 'lanzar'; threw or launched into something
- explicación
- A statement that makes something clear or understandable
- teoría
- A system of ideas intended to explain something
- había
- Past perfect auxiliary 'had'; third-person singular imperfect
- formado
- Past participle of 'formar'; formed or developed
- tema
- A subject or topic under discussion or study
- electricidad
- A form of energy produced by charged particles; electricity
- galvanismo
- Electricity produced by chemical action; early electrical science
- era
- Past imperfect of 'ser'; was (permanent or descriptive state)
- vez
- An instance or occurrence; time in a series
- asombrosa
- Causing great surprise or wonder; astonishing
- dijo
- Past tense of 'decir'; said or told
- eclipsó
- Past tense of 'eclipsar'; overshadowed or surpassed completely
- medida
- A measure, extent, or degree of something
- señores
- Plural of 'señor'; gentlemen or lords
- imaginación
- The faculty of forming mental images or ideas
- algún
- Indefinite adjective meaning 'some' or 'any' (masculine)
- sino
- Conjunction meaning 'but rather'; also fate or destiny
- funesto
- Causing or resulting in death, ruin, or misfortune
- derrumbe
- A collapse or fall; destruction of something built up
- estos
- Demonstrative adjective meaning 'these' (masculine plural)
- quitó
- Past tense of 'quitar'; took away or removed
- ganas
- Desire, wish, or eagerness to do something
- continuar
- To carry on or proceed without stopping; continue
- estudios
- Plural of 'estudio'; studies or academic subjects
- habituales
- Usual, customary, or regularly practiced activities or habits
- parecía
- Past imperfect of 'parecer'; seemed or appeared to be
- pudiera
- Imperfect subjunctive of 'poder'; could or might be able
- llegar
- To arrive at a place or reach a point
- saberse
- Reflexive infinitive of 'saber'; to be known or knowable
- jamás
- Adverb meaning 'never' or 'ever' (emphatic negative)
- aquello
- Neutral demonstrative pronoun meaning 'that' (distant or abstract)
- durante
- Preposition meaning 'during' or 'for' a period of time
- tanto
- Adjective or adverb meaning 'so much' or 'so many'
- ocupado
- Busy or engaged with a task; occupied
- atención
- The act of focusing the mind on something; attention
- volvió
- Past tense of 'volver'; returned or became again
- repente
- Used in 'de repente' meaning 'suddenly' or 'all at once'
- despreciable
- Deserving contempt or scorn; worthless or contemptible
- esos
- Demonstrative adjective meaning 'those' (masculine plural)
- caprichos
- Sudden, unpredictable changes of mood or behavior; whims
- mente
- The faculty of thinking and reasoning; mind
- quizás
- Adverb meaning 'perhaps' or 'maybe'; expressing uncertainty
- sujetos
- Subject to or prone to something; also subjects or individuals
- juventud
- The period of being young; youth or young people
- temprana
- Adjective meaning 'early' in time or development (feminine)
- abandoné
- First-person past of 'abandonar'; I abandoned or gave up
- inmediato
- Happening or done right away; immediate or instant
- antiguas
- Adjective meaning 'old,' 'ancient,' or 'former' (feminine plural)
- ocupaciones
- Plural of 'ocupación'; occupations, activities, or pursuits
- consideré
- First-person past of 'considerar'; I considered or regarded
- progenie
- Offspring or descendants; the product of something
- creación
- The act of bringing something into existence; creation
- deforme
- Disfigured, misshapen, or abnormally formed
- malograda
- Failed, ruined, or cut short before reaching potential
- albergué
- First-person past of 'albergar'; I harbored or held within
- mayor
- Adjective meaning 'greater,' 'larger,' or 'older'
- desdén
- A feeling of contempt or scorn toward something
- pretendida
- Claimed or supposed but not genuinely proven; so-called
- ciencia
- A branch of knowledge based on systematic study; science
- podría
- Conditional of 'poder'; could or would be able to
- siquiera
- Adverb meaning 'even' or 'at least' (often in negatives)
- cruzar
- To cross or pass over a boundary or threshold
- umbral
- The threshold or entrance to a place or concept
- verdadero
- Adjective meaning 'true,' 'real,' or 'genuine'
- conocimiento
- Information, awareness, or understanding gained through experience
- estado
- A condition or state of being; also state or nation
- ánimo
- Mood, spirit, or frame of mind; encouragement
- dediqué
- First-person past of 'dedicar'; I devoted or dedicated myself
- matemáticas
- The study of numbers, quantities, and shapes; mathematics
- ramas
- Plural of 'rama'; branches or subdivisions of a subject
- estudio
- The act of learning or examining a subject; study
- pertenecientes
- Belonging or relating to a particular group or field
- estar
- Infinitive meaning 'to be' (temporary or variable states)
- edificadas
- Past participle of 'edificar'; built or constructed (feminine plural)
- fundamentos
- Plural of 'fundamento'; foundations or fundamental principles
- sólidos
- Adjective meaning 'solid,' 'firm,' or 'reliable' (masculine plural)
- así
- Adverb meaning 'thus,' 'so,' or 'in this way'
- dignas
- Adjective meaning 'worthy' or 'deserving' (feminine plural)
- consideración
- Careful thought or regard given to something or someone
- Así
- Adverb meaning 'thus,' 'so,' or 'in this way'
- extrañamente
- In a strange, odd, or unusual manner; strangely
- construidas
- Past participle of 'construir'; built or constructed (feminine plural)
- almas
- Plural of 'alma'; souls or inner spiritual selves
- tenues
- Adjective meaning 'thin,' 'faint,' or 'delicate' (plural)
- ligamentos
- Ligaments or bonds connecting things together; ties
- atados
- Past participle of 'atar'; tied or bound together
- prosperidad
- The state of being successful, wealthy, or thriving
- ruina
- The destruction or collapse of something; ruin or downfall
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