Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 3
'The path of my departure was free,' and there was none to lament my annihilation.
«El camino de mi partida era libre», y no había nadie que lamentara mi aniquilación.
My person was hideous and my stature gigantic.
Mi figura era horrible y mi estatura gigantesca.
What did this mean?
¿Qué significaba esto?
Who was I?
¿Quién era yo?
What was I?
¿Qué era yo?
Whence did I come?
¿De dónde venía?
What was my destination?
¿Cuál era mi destino?
These questions continually recurred, but I was unable to solve them.
Estas preguntas se repetían continuamente, pero yo era incapaz de resolverlas.
"The volume of _Plutarch's Lives_ which I possessed contained the histories of the first founders of the ancient republics.
«El volumen de las _Vidas de Plutarco_ que poseía contenía las historias de los primeros fundadores de las repúblicas antiguas.
This book had a far different effect upon me from the _Sorrows of Werter_.
Este libro tuvo en mí un efecto muy distinto al de _Las desventuras del joven Werther_.
I learned from Werter's imaginations despondency and gloom, but Plutarch taught me high thoughts; he elevated me above the wretched sphere of my own reflections, to admire and love the heroes of past ages.
De las imaginaciones de Werther aprendí el abatimiento y la melancolía, pero Plutarco me enseñó pensamientos elevados; me elevó por encima de la miserable esfera de mis propias reflexiones, para admirar y amar a los héroes de épocas pasadas.
Many things I read surpassed my understanding and experience.
Muchas cosas que leí superaban mi comprensión y mi experiencia.
I had a very confused knowledge of kingdoms, wide extents of country, mighty rivers, and boundless seas.
Tenía un conocimiento muy confuso de los reinos, las vastas extensiones de territorio, los caudalosos ríos y los mares sin límites.
But I was perfectly unacquainted with towns and large assemblages of men.
Pero desconocía por completo las ciudades y las grandes concentraciones de hombres.
The cottage of my protectors had been the only school in which I had studied human nature, but this book developed new and mightier scenes of action.
La cabaña de mis protectores había sido la única escuela en la que había estudiado la naturaleza humana, pero este libro me descubrió escenas de acción nuevas y más grandiosas.
I read of men concerned in public affairs, governing or massacring their species.
Leí sobre hombres involucrados en los asuntos públicos, gobernando o masacrando a su propia especie.
I felt the greatest ardour for virtue rise within me, and abhorrence for vice, as far as I understood the signification of those terms, relative as they were, as I applied them, to pleasure and pain alone.
Sentí surgir en mí el mayor ardor por la virtud y la repugnancia por el vicio, en la medida en que comprendía el significado de esos términos, relativos como eran, según yo los aplicaba, únicamente al placer y al dolor.
Vocabulary
- camino
- Road, path, or way to a destination.
- partida
- Departure or the act of leaving a place.
- libre
- Free, unobstructed, or not constrained.
- nadie
- Indefinite pronoun meaning 'nobody' or 'no one'.
- lamentara
- Past subjunctive of 'lamentar'; to mourn or grieve.
- aniquilación
- Complete destruction or total annihilation of something.
- figura
- Figure, shape, or physical appearance of a person.
- horrible
- Horrible, dreadful, or causing feelings of disgust.
- estatura
- Height or stature of a person's body.
- gigantesca
- Gigantic, enormous, or of extraordinary size.
- significaba
- Imperfect of 'significar'; meant or signified something.
- venía
- Imperfect of 'venir'; was coming or came from.
- destino
- Destiny, fate, or intended destination of someone.
- preguntas
- Questions or inquiries asked to seek information.
- repetían
- Imperfect of 'repetir'; were repeated or kept recurring.
- continuamente
- Continuously, without interruption or stopping.
- incapaz
- Incapable or unable to do something.
- resolverlas
- To resolve or solve them (feminine plural pronoun).
- volumen
- Volume, a single book or tome.
- _Vidas
- 'Lives'; title word referring to Plutarch's biographical work.
- poseía
- Imperfect of 'poseer'; possessed or owned something.
- contenía
- Imperfect of 'contener'; contained or held within.
- historias
- Stories, histories, or accounts of past events.
- primeros
- First (masculine plural); earliest or foremost ones.
- fundadores
- Founders, those who established or created something.
- repúblicas
- Republics, states governed by elected representatives.
- antiguas
- Ancient, old, or belonging to a distant past.
- libro
- Book, a written or printed literary work.
- efecto
- Effect, result, or impact of something on someone.
- distinto
- Different, distinct, or unlike something else.
- desventuras
- Misfortunes, misadventures, or unhappy experiences.
- joven
- Young person or youth; adjective meaning young.
- imaginaciones
- Imaginations, fancies, or products of creative thinking.
- aprendí
- Preterite of 'aprender'; I learned something specific.
- abatimiento
- Dejection, despondency, or a state of low spirits.
- melancolía
- Melancholy, deep sadness or prolonged pensive mood.
- enseñó
- Preterite of 'enseñar'; taught or showed something.
- pensamientos
- Thoughts, ideas, or mental reflections about something.
- elevados
- Elevated, lofty, or high-minded thoughts or ideals.
- elevó
- Preterite of 'elevar'; raised or lifted to higher level.
- encima
- Above, over, or on top of something.
- miserable
- Miserable, wretched, or extremely unhappy state.
- esfera
- Sphere, realm, or domain of activity or thought.
- propias
- Own (feminine plural); belonging to oneself.
- reflexiones
- Reflections, meditations, or careful thoughts about something.
- admirar
- To admire or regard with great respect and wonder.
- amar
- To love deeply or feel strong affection for someone.
- héroes
- Heroes, people admired for courage or noble qualities.
- épocas
- Epochs, eras, or distinct periods of historical time.
- pasadas
- Past (feminine plural); belonging to a former time.
- leí
- Preterite of 'leer'; I read something in the past.
- superaban
- Imperfect of 'superar'; surpassed or exceeded limits.
- comprensión
- Comprehension, understanding, or ability to grasp meaning.
- experiencia
- Experience, practical knowledge gained through living.
- conocimiento
- Knowledge or awareness of facts and information.
- confuso
- Confused, unclear, or not fully understood.
- reinos
- Kingdoms or realms ruled by a monarch.
- vastas
- Vast (feminine plural); immense or extremely large areas.
- extensiones
- Extensions or stretches of land or territory.
- territorio
- Territory, a defined area of land or jurisdiction.
- caudalosos
- Full-flowing, describing rivers with abundant water volume.
- ríos
- Rivers, large natural streams of flowing water.
- mares
- Seas, large bodies of saltwater smaller than oceans.
- límites
- Limits, boundaries, or restrictions on something.
- desconocía
- Imperfect of 'desconocer'; was unaware or ignorant of.
- completo
- Complete; used in phrase 'por completo' meaning completely.
- ciudades
- Cities, large urban settlements with many inhabitants.
- concentraciones
- Concentrations or large gatherings of people together.
- hombres
- Men or human beings collectively.
- cabaña
- Cabin, hut, or small rustic shelter to live in.
- protectores
- Protectors, people who defend or care for others.
- única
- Only or unique (feminine); the sole one available.
- escuela
- School, an institution for education and learning.
- estudiado
- Past participle of 'estudiar'; studied or examined carefully.
- naturaleza
- Nature, the natural world or inherent character of something.
- humana
- Human (feminine); relating to people or humankind.
- descubrió
- Preterite of 'descubrir'; discovered or revealed something new.
- escenas
- Scenes, settings, or dramatic situations depicted in narrative.
- acción
- Action, activity, or the process of doing something.
- grandiosas
- Grandiose, magnificent, or impressively large and splendid.
- Leí
- Preterite of 'leer'; I read something at a time.
- involucrados
- Involved or implicated in affairs or situations.
- asuntos
- Affairs, matters, or issues requiring attention.
- públicos
- Public (masculine plural); relating to society or community.
- gobernando
- Gerund of 'gobernar'; governing or ruling over people.
- masacrando
- Gerund of 'masacrar'; massacring or slaughtering many people.
- propia
- Own (feminine); belonging to or characteristic of oneself.
- especie
- Species or kind; referring to humankind as a group.
- Sentí
- Preterite of 'sentir'; I felt an emotion or sensation.
- surgir
- To surge, arise, or emerge suddenly within oneself.
- mayor
- Greater, larger, or more intense in degree.
- ardor
- Ardor, burning passion, or intense enthusiasm for something.
- virtud
- Virtue, moral excellence, or a good quality of character.
- repugnancia
- Repugnance, strong disgust, or intense aversion to something.
- vicio
- Vice, immoral behavior, or a bad habit or fault.
- medida
- Measure; used in 'a medida que' meaning 'as' or 'while'.
- comprendía
- Imperfect of 'comprender'; was understanding or grasping meaning.
- significado
- Meaning or significance of a word or concept.
- términos
- Terms, words, or expressions with specific meanings.
- relativos
- Relative (masculine plural); not absolute, depending on context.
- según
- Preposition or conjunction meaning 'according to' or 'as'.
- aplicaba
- Imperfect of 'aplicar'; applied or used in a context.
- únicamente
- Only, solely, or exclusively in a particular way.
- placer
- Pleasure, enjoyment, or a feeling of happy satisfaction.
- dolor
- Pain, suffering, or physical and emotional discomfort.
Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.
Create free account →