The Adventures of Roderick Random — Page 3

English → Chinese Preface Level 8/10

As learning advanced, and genius received cultivation, these stories were embellished with the graces of poetry, that they might the better recommend themselves to the attention;

随着学问的进步，才智得到培育，这些故事被诗歌的优雅所装饰，以便更好地引起人们的注意；

they were sung in public, at festivals, for the instruction and delight of the audience;

它们在公共场合、节庆之时被吟唱，以教化听众并给他们带来愉悦；

and rehearsed before battle, as incentives to deeds of glory.

并在战前被朗诵，以激励将士建功立业。

Thus tragedy and the epic muse were born, and, in the progress of taste, arrived at perfection.

悲剧与史诗缪斯由此诞生，并随着审美趣味的发展而臻于完美。

It is no wonder that the ancients could not relish a fable in prose, after they had seen so many remarkable events celebrated in verse by their best poets;

难怪古人无法欣赏散文寓言，因为他们已见识过众多杰出诗人以诗句颂扬的无数非凡事迹；

we therefore find no romance among them during the era of their excellence, unless the _Cyropædia_ of Xenophon may be so called;

因此，在古代文明的鼎盛时期，我们在其中找不到什么传奇作品，除非色诺芬的《居鲁士的教育》可以被称为此类；

and it was not till arts and sciences began to revive after the irruption of the barbarians into Europe, that anything of this kind appeared.

直到蛮族入侵欧洲之后，文艺与科学开始复兴，此类作品才得以出现。

But when the minds of men were debauched by the imposition of priestcraft to the most absurd pitch of credulity, the authors of romance arose, and losing sight of probability, filled their performances with the most monstrous hyperboles.

然而，当人们的心智被僧侣权术腐化，轻信到荒唐至极的地步时，传奇作者应运而生，他们全然不顾真实性，将作品塞满了最为骇人的夸张之词。

If they could not equal the ancient poets in point of genius they were resolved to excel them in fiction, and apply to the wonder, rather than the judgment, of their readers.

若在才华上无法与古代诗人比肩，他们便决心在虚构上超越前人，诉诸读者的惊叹之情，而非其理性判断。

Accordingly, they brought necromancy to their aid, and instead of supporting the character of their heroes by dignity of sentiment and practice, distinguished them by their bodily strength, activity, and extravagance of behaviour.

于是，他们借助巫术魔法，不以高尚的情操与行为来塑造英雄形象，而是以其体魄之强健、行动之敏捷以及行为之放诞来彰显英雄。

Vocabulary

随着: suí zhe — along with; following a change or development
学问: xué wèn — knowledge; learning; scholarship
的: de — structural particle indicating possession or modification
进步: jìn bù — progress; advancement; to improve
才智: cái zhì — talent and wisdom; intellectual ability
得到: dé dào — to obtain; to receive; to gain something
培育: péi yù — to cultivate; to nurture; to foster growth
这些: zhè xiē — these; referring to plural nearby things
故事: gù shì — story; tale; narrative
被: bèi — passive marker; indicates action done to subject
诗歌: shī gē — poetry; poems; verse
优雅: yōu yǎ — elegant; graceful; refined in style
所: suǒ — particle used in passive or nominal constructions
装饰: zhuāng shì — to decorate; ornament; embellishment
以便: yǐ biàn — so as to; in order to facilitate something
更好: gèng hǎo — better; even more effectively or suitably
地: de — adverbial particle linking adverb to verb
引起: yǐn qǐ — to arouse; to trigger; to attract attention
人们: rén men — people; the public; human beings collectively
注意: zhù yì — attention; to pay attention; to notice
它们: tā men — they; them; referring to non-human things
在: zài — at; in; on; indicating location or time
公共: gōng gòng — public; communal; shared by all
场合: chǎng hé — occasion; setting; social situation
节庆: jié qìng — festival; festive celebration; holiday occasion
之时: zhī shí — at the time of; during a particular moment
吟唱: yín chàng — to chant; to sing or recite poetry melodically
以: yǐ — in order to; by means of; using
教化: jiào huà — to educate and morally enlighten; civilize people
听众: tīng zhòng — audience; listeners; those who listen
并: bìng — and; furthermore; simultaneously
给: gěi — to give; for; to provide to someone
他们: tā men — they; them; third-person plural pronoun
带来: dài lái — to bring; to bring about; to introduce
愉悦: yú yuè — joy; delight; pleasurable feeling
战前: zhàn qián — before battle; pre-war; prior to combat
朗诵: lǎng sòng — to recite aloud; to read poetry expressively
激励: jī lì — to inspire; to motivate; to encourage someone
将士: jiàng shì — officers and soldiers; warriors; military personnel
建功立业: jiàn gōng lì yè — to achieve great merit and establish lasting accomplishments
悲剧: bēi jù — tragedy; tragic drama; sorrowful outcome
与: yǔ — and; with; together with
史诗: shǐ shī — epic poem; heroic narrative poetry
由此: yóu cǐ — from this; hereby; as a result of this
诞生: dàn shēng — to be born; to come into existence; originate
审美: shěn měi — aesthetic; appreciation of beauty; artistic taste
趣味: qù wèi — taste; interest; sense of aesthetic preference
发展: fā zhǎn — to develop; development; growth and expansion
而: ér — and; but; linking clauses in progression
完美: wán měi — perfect; flawless; ideal
难怪: nán guài — no wonder; it is not surprising that
古人: gǔ rén — ancient people; people of former times
无法: wú fǎ — unable to; no way to; cannot
欣赏: xīn shǎng — to appreciate; to enjoy; to admire something
散文: sǎn wén — prose; non-poetic literary writing
寓言: yù yán — fable; allegory; moralistic story
因为: yīn wèi — because; since; due to the fact that
已: yǐ — already; having previously done something
见识过: jiàn shi guò — to have experienced; to have seen and known
众多: zhòng duō — numerous; a great many; multitude of
杰出: jié chū — outstanding; remarkable; exceptionally talented
诗人: shī rén — poet; person who writes poetry
诗句: shī jù — poetic lines; verses; lines of a poem
颂扬: sòng yáng — to praise; to extol; to glorify someone
无数: wú shù — countless; innumerable; too many to count
非凡: fēi fán — extraordinary; exceptional; remarkable; above ordinary
事迹: shì jì — deeds; achievements; notable acts or exploits
因此: yīn cǐ — therefore; consequently; for this reason
古代: gǔ dài — ancient times; antiquity; historical era
文明: wén míng — civilization; culture; enlightened society
鼎盛: dǐng shèng — at its peak; flourishing; in prime prosperity
时期: shí qī — period; era; a span of historical time
我们: wǒ men — we; us; first-person plural pronoun
其中: qí zhōng — among them; within it; in the middle of
找不到: zhǎo bu dào — cannot find; unable to locate something
什么: shén me — what; anything; used in rhetorical questions
传奇: chuán qí — legend; romance; legendary tale or fiction
作品: zuò pǐn — work; literary or artistic creation; piece
除非: chú fēi — unless; except if; only if condition met
教育: jiào yù — education; upbringing; to educate someone
可以: kě yǐ — can; may; to be allowed or able to
称为: chēng wéi — to be called; to be referred to as
此类: cǐ lèi — this type; such kind; this category of thing
直到: zhí dào — until; up to the point in time when
入侵: rù qīn — to invade; invasion; hostile incursion into territory
欧洲: Ōu zhōu — Europe; the European continent
之后: zhī hòu — after; afterward; following that time
文艺: wén yì — literature and art; cultural arts; belles-lettres
科学: kē xué — science; scientific knowledge and inquiry
开始: kāi shǐ — to begin; to start; the beginning of something
复兴: fù xīng — revival; renaissance; to rise again after decline
才: cái — only then; not until; just barely
得以: dé yǐ — to be able to; managed to; thus made possible
出现: chū xiàn — to appear; to emerge; to come into existence
然而: rán ér — however; yet; but; nevertheless
当: dāng — when; at the time that; while
心智: xīn zhì — mind; intellect; mental faculties
腐化: fǔ huà — to corrupt; corruption; moral decay
轻信: qīng xìn — credulous; gullible; to believe too easily
到: dào — to; until; reaching a degree or place
荒唐: huāng táng — absurd; preposterous; ridiculous and unreasonable
至极: zhì jí — to the extreme; utmost degree; in the extreme
地步: dì bù — degree; extent; a state of affairs reached
时: shí — when; at the time; temporal marker
作者: zuò zhě — author; writer; creator of a work
应运而生: yìng yùn ér shēng — to emerge at the right moment; arise as needed
全然: quán rán — completely; entirely; wholly; with total disregard
不顾: bù gù — to disregard; to ignore; regardless of
真实性: zhēn shí xìng — truthfulness; authenticity; veracity of something
将: jiāng — about to; will; particle indicating future action
塞满: sāi mǎn — to stuff full; to cram; to fill completely
了: le — particle indicating completed action or change
最为: zuì wéi — most; the most extremely; to the greatest degree
骇人: hài rén — frightening; shocking; terrifying to people
夸张: kuā zhāng — exaggeration; to exaggerate; overstatement
若: ruò — if; should; in case; supposing that
才华: cái huá — talent; literary or artistic brilliance
上: shàng — on; above; in terms of; regarding
比肩: bǐ jiān — to stand shoulder to shoulder; to be equal to
便: biàn — then; consequently; as soon as; right away
决心: jué xīn — determination; resolve; to be determined to do
虚构: xū gòu — to fabricate; fiction; invented and unreal content
超越: chāo yuè — to surpass; to transcend; to go beyond limits
前人: qián rén — predecessors; those who came before; forebears
诉诸: sù zhū — to appeal to; to resort to; to invoke something
读者: dú zhě — reader; readers; those who read a text
惊叹: jīng tàn — to marvel; to exclaim in wonder; astonishment
而非: ér fēi — rather than; instead of; but not
其: qí — their; its; his or her; third-person possessive
理性: lǐ xìng — reason; rationality; rational thinking
判断: pàn duàn — judgment; to judge; to assess and decide
于是: yú shì — thus; thereupon; as a result; consequently
借助: jiè zhù — to rely on; with the help of; by means of
魔法: mó fǎ — magic; sorcery; supernatural power or spells
高尚: gāo shàng — noble; lofty; morally elevated character
情操: qíng cāo — moral sentiment; integrity; noble character and virtue
行为: xíng wéi — behavior; conduct; actions and deeds
来: lái — to come; used to indicate purpose or means
塑造: sù zào — to shape; to mold; to portray a character
英雄: yīng xióng — hero; heroic person; brave and admirable individual
形象: xíng xiàng — image; figure; portrayal; public or artistic image
而是: ér shì — but rather; instead it is; on the contrary
体魄: tǐ pò — physique; physical constitution; bodily strength
之: zhī — literary possessive particle; equivalent to 的
强健: qiáng jiàn — strong and healthy; robust; physically powerful
行动: xíng dòng — action; movement; to act; physical activity
敏捷: mǐn jié — agile; nimble; quick and dexterous in movement
以及: yǐ jí — as well as; and also; together with
彰显: zhāng xiǎn — to manifest; to highlight; to make clearly evident

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