Frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus — Page 8
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My courage and perseverance were invigorated by these scoffing words; I resolved not to fail in my purpose, and calling on Heaven to support me, I continued with unabated fervour to traverse immense deserts, until the ocean appeared at a distance and formed the utmost boundary of the horizon.
Mi valor y perseverancia fueron fortalecidos por estas palabras burlescas; resolví no fallar en mi propósito, e invocando al Cielo para que me sostuviera, continué con fervor inagotable atravesando inmensas soledades, hasta que el océano apareció a lo lejos y formó el límite más extremo del horizonte.
Oh! How unlike it was to the blue seasons of the south!
¡Oh! ¡Cuán diferente era a las azules estaciones del sur!
Covered with ice, it was only to be distinguished from land by its superior wildness and ruggedness.
Cubierto de hielo, solo podía distinguirse de la tierra por su mayor agreste aspereza y rudeza.
The Greeks wept for joy when they beheld the Mediterranean from the hills of Asia, and hailed with rapture the boundary of their toils.
Los griegos lloraron de alegría cuando contemplaron el Mediterráneo desde las colinas de Asia, y saludaron con arrebato el límite de sus fatigas.
I did not weep, but I knelt down and with a full heart thanked my guiding spirit for conducting me in safety to the place where I hoped, notwithstanding my adversary's gibe, to meet and grapple with him.
Yo no lloré, sino que me arrodillé y con el corazón rebosante agradecí a mi espíritu guía por conducirme con seguridad al lugar donde esperaba, a pesar de la burla de mi adversario, encontrarme y enfrentarme con él.
Some weeks before this period I had procured a sledge and dogs and thus traversed the snows with inconceivable speed.
Algunas semanas antes de este momento había conseguido un trineo y perros, y así atravesé las nieves con una velocidad inconcebible.
I know not whether the fiend possessed the same advantages, but I found that, as before I had daily lost ground in the pursuit, I now gained on him, so much so that when I first saw the ocean he was but one day's journey in advance, and I hoped to intercept him before he should reach the beach.
No sé si el demonio poseía las mismas ventajas, pero descubrí que, mientras antes había perdido terreno día a día en la persecución, ahora lo ganaba, tanto que cuando vi el océano por primera vez él llevaba apenas una jornada de ventaja, y esperaba interceptarlo antes de que alcanzara la playa.
With new courage, therefore, I pressed on, and in two days arrived at a wretched hamlet on the seashore.
Con renovado valor, por lo tanto, seguí adelante, y en dos días llegué a una miserable aldea en la orilla del mar.
Vocabulary
- valor
- Courage or bravery in the face of difficulty.
- perseverancia
- Steadfast persistence in pursuing a goal despite obstacles.
- fueron
- Third person plural preterite of 'ser/ir', meaning 'were/went'.
- fortalecidos
- Past participle of 'fortalecer'; strengthened or made stronger.
- palabras
- Plural noun meaning 'words' or spoken/written expressions.
- burlescas
- Adjective meaning mocking, ridiculing, or done in jest.
- resolví
- First person preterite of 'resolver'; I resolved or decided firmly.
- fallar
- To fail, miss, or not succeed in an attempt.
- propósito
- A purpose, intention, or goal one sets out to achieve.
- invocando
- Present participle of 'invocar'; calling upon or appealing to.
- Cielo
- Sky or Heaven, often used in a spiritual or religious sense.
- sostuviera
- Past subjunctive of 'sostener'; to sustain, support, or uphold.
- continué
- First person preterite of 'continuar'; I continued or kept going.
- fervor
- Intense enthusiasm, passion, or religious zeal.
- inagotable
- Inexhaustible; impossible to use up or deplete.
- atravesando
- Present participle of 'atravesar'; crossing or passing through.
- inmensas
- Feminine plural adjective meaning immense, vast, or enormous.
- soledades
- Plural noun meaning solitudes, lonely or desolate places.
- océano
- A vast body of saltwater; the ocean.
- apareció
- Third person preterite of 'aparecer'; appeared or came into view.
- lejos
- Adverb meaning 'far away' or 'in the distance'.
- formó
- Third person preterite of 'formar'; formed or shaped something.
- límite
- A boundary, limit, or edge of something.
- extremo
- An extreme point, end, or outermost edge of something.
- horizonte
- The horizon; the line where earth and sky appear to meet.
- Cuán
- Exclamatory adverb meaning 'how' used to express degree.
- diferente
- Adjective meaning different, distinct, or unlike something else.
- era
- Third person singular imperfect of 'ser'; was or used to be.
- azules
- Plural adjective meaning blue in color.
- estaciones
- Plural noun meaning seasons of the year or stations.
- sur
- Cardinal direction meaning south.
- Cubierto
- Past participle of 'cubrir'; covered or hidden beneath something.
- hielo
- Ice; water frozen into a solid state.
- solo
- Adjective or adverb meaning alone, only, or by oneself.
- podía
- Imperfect of 'poder'; was able to or could do something.
- distinguirse
- Reflexive infinitive of 'distinguir'; to be distinguished or discerned.
- tierra
- Earth, land, or ground; the physical surface underfoot.
- mayor
- Adjective meaning greater, larger, older, or most significant.
- agreste
- Wild, rugged, or uncultivated in character or appearance.
- aspereza
- Roughness, harshness, or ruggedness of terrain or manner.
- rudeza
- Roughness, coarseness, or lack of refinement.
- griegos
- Plural noun meaning Greeks; people from ancient or modern Greece.
- lloraron
- Third person plural preterite of 'llorar'; they cried or wept.
- alegría
- Joy, happiness, or cheerful delight.
- contemplaron
- Third person plural preterite of 'contemplar'; they gazed upon.
- Mediterráneo
- The Mediterranean Sea, located between Europe and Africa.
- desde
- Preposition meaning 'from' or 'since' indicating origin or time.
- colinas
- Plural noun meaning hills; small elevated landforms.
- saludaron
- Third person plural preterite of 'saludar'; they greeted or hailed.
- arrebato
- A sudden burst of passion, excitement, or frenzy.
- fatigas
- Plural noun meaning fatigue, exhaustion, or hardships endured.
- lloré
- First person preterite of 'llorar'; I cried or wept.
- sino
- Conjunction meaning 'but rather' or 'but instead'.
- arrodillé
- First person preterite of 'arrodillarse'; I knelt down.
- corazón
- The heart; both the physical organ and seat of emotion.
- rebosante
- Overflowing or brimming with a feeling or substance.
- agradecí
- First person preterite of 'agradecer'; I thanked or expressed gratitude.
- espíritu
- Spirit, soul, or inner essence of a person or being.
- guía
- A guide; one who leads or directs others along a path.
- conducirme
- Infinitive with pronoun; to lead or guide me somewhere.
- seguridad
- Safety, security, or certainty in a situation.
- lugar
- A place, location, or specific spot.
- esperaba
- Imperfect of 'esperar'; was waiting for or hoping for.
- pesar
- Sorrow, regret, or grief; also 'despite' in 'a pesar de'.
- burla
- A mockery, taunt, or act of ridicule aimed at someone.
- adversario
- An adversary, opponent, or enemy one must confront.
- encontrarme
- Reflexive infinitive of 'encontrar'; to meet or encounter me.
- enfrentarme
- Reflexive infinitive of 'enfrentar'; to face or confront me.
- Algunas
- Feminine plural indefinite adjective meaning 'some' or 'a few'.
- semanas
- Plural noun meaning weeks; units of seven days.
- antes
- Adverb meaning 'before' or 'previously' in time.
- momento
- A moment; a brief or specific point in time.
- había
- Imperfect of 'haber'; had, used to form past perfect tense.
- conseguido
- Past participle of 'conseguir'; obtained, achieved, or managed to.
- trineo
- A sled or sleigh used for traveling over snow or ice.
- perros
- Plural noun meaning dogs, domestic animals.
- así
- Adverb meaning 'thus', 'so', or 'in this way'.
- atravesé
- First person preterite of 'atravesar'; I crossed or went through.
- nieves
- Plural noun meaning snows or snowfields.
- velocidad
- Speed or velocity at which something moves.
- inconcebible
- Inconceivable; impossible to imagine or comprehend.
- sé
- First person present of 'saber'; I know a fact.
- si
- Conjunction meaning 'if' or 'whether' in conditional clauses.
- demonio
- A demon or devil; an evil supernatural being.
- poseía
- Imperfect of 'poseer'; possessed or owned something.
- mismas
- Feminine plural of 'mismo'; same or identical ones.
- ventajas
- Plural noun meaning advantages or favorable circumstances.
- descubrí
- First person preterite of 'descubrir'; I discovered or found out.
- mientras
- Conjunction meaning 'while' or 'whereas' indicating simultaneity.
- perdido
- Past participle of 'perder'; lost or no longer had something.
- terreno
- Ground, terrain, or territory; also figurative advantage.
- día
- Day; a 24-hour period or daytime hours.
- persecución
- Pursuit or chase; act of following someone to catch them.
- ahora
- Adverb meaning 'now' or 'at this moment in time'.
- ganaba
- Imperfect of 'ganar'; was gaining, winning, or earning.
- tanto
- Adjective or adverb meaning 'so much' or 'so many'.
- vi
- First person preterite of 'ver'; I saw or observed.
- primera
- Feminine ordinal adjective meaning 'first' in a sequence.
- vez
- Time or instance; as in 'first time' or 'one time'.
- llevaba
- Imperfect of 'llevar'; was carrying or had a lead of.
- apenas
- Adverb meaning 'barely', 'hardly', or 'scarcely'.
- jornada
- A day's journey or a full day's work or travel.
- ventaja
- An advantage or lead over someone else.
- interceptarlo
- Infinitive with pronoun; to intercept or cut him off.
- alcanzara
- Past subjunctive of 'alcanzar'; to reach or catch up to.
- playa
- A beach or sandy shore along the sea or lake.
- renovado
- Past participle of 'renovar'; renewed or restored in strength.
- seguí
- First person preterite of 'seguir'; I continued or followed.
- adelante
- Adverb meaning 'forward', 'ahead', or 'onward'.
- días
- Plural of 'día'; days.
- llegué
- First person preterite of 'llegar'; I arrived or reached.
- miserable
- Wretched, miserable, or in a very poor condition.
- aldea
- A small village or hamlet; a tiny rural settlement.
- orilla
- The shore, bank, or edge of a body of water.
- mar
- The sea; a large body of saltwater.
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