The Adventures of Roderick Random — Page 3

学問が進歩し、才能が磨かれるにつれて、これらの物語は詩の優雅さで飾られ、より人々の注意を引くようになった。

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;

それらは祭典において公衆の前で歌われ、聴衆を教え楽しませた。

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

また、栄光の功績への鼓舞として、戦いの前に朗唱された。

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

こうして悲劇と叙事詩の詩神が生まれ、趣味の発展とともに完成の域に達した。

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

古代人が最も優れた詩人たちによって数多くの注目すべき出来事が韻文で称えられるのを目にした後、散文の物語を好まなかったのは不思議なことではない。

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;

それゆえ、彼らの全盛期にはロマンスの類は見当たらない。ただし、クセノポンの『キュロパイディア』がそう呼べるかもしれないが。

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

蛮族のヨーロッパ侵入後に芸術と学問が再び蘇り始めるまで、この種のものは現れなかった。

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.

しかし、人々の心が聖職者の押しつけによって最も馬鹿げた迷信の極みにまで堕落したとき、ロマンス作家たちが現れた。

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,

そして彼らは蓋然性を見失い、作品を最も途方もない誇張で満たした。

and losing sight of probability, filled their performances with the most monstrous hyperboles.

古代の詩人たちに才能の点で並ぶことができないなら、虚構においてそれを超えようと決意し、読者の判断力ではなく驚きに訴えようとした。

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.

そこで彼らは魔術を助けとして用い、英雄たちの品格を感情と行いの崇高さで支える代わりに、肉体的な強さや敏捷さ、そして常軌を逸した行動によって彼らを際立たせた。

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.