The Prince — Page 10

English → Chinese Preface Level 8/10

In a letter to Francesco Vettori, dated 13th December 1513, he has left a very interesting description of his life at this period, which elucidates his methods and his motives in writing _The Prince_.

在一封写给弗朗切斯科·韦托里、日期为1513年12月13日的信中，他留下了一段关于这一时期生活的极为有趣的描述，阐明了他写作《君主论》的方法与动机。

After describing his daily occupations with his family and neighbours, he writes: "The evening being come, I return home and go to my study;

在描述了他与家人和邻居的日常事务之后，他写道："傍晚来临，我回到家中，走进书房；

at the entrance I pull off my peasant-clothes, covered with dust and dirt, and put on my noble court dress, and thus becomingly re-clothed I pass into the ancient courts of the men of old,

在门口我脱下沾满尘土污垢的农夫衣裳，换上我那高贵的朝服，如此得体地重新着装后，我步入古人的殿堂，

where, being lovingly received by them, I am fed with that food which is mine alone;

在那里，承蒙他们热情款待，我得以享用那唯属于我的精神食粮；

where I do not hesitate to speak with them, and to ask for the reason of their actions, and they in their benignity answer me;

在那里我毫不迟疑地与他们交谈，询问他们行动背后的缘由，而他们也以仁慈之心作答；

and for four hours I feel no weariness, I forget every trouble, poverty does not dismay, death does not terrify me;

在那四个小时里，我感不到丝毫疲倦，忘却了一切烦恼，贫困不能使我沮丧，死亡也不能令我恐惧；

I am possessed entirely by those great men.

我整个人完全沉浸于那些伟人之中。

Vocabulary

在: zài — At, in, on; indicates location or ongoing action.
一封: yī fēng — One (letter); measure word for letters.
写给: xiě gěi — Written to; addressed to someone.
日期: rìqī — Date; a specific calendar day.
为: wéi — To be; serves as; for.
12月: shí èr yuè — December; the twelfth month.
13日: shísān rì — The 13th day of a month.
的: de — Structural particle indicating possession or modification.
信中: xìn zhōng — In the letter; within a written correspondence.
他: tā — He; him; third-person masculine pronoun.
留下: liú xià — To leave behind; to retain something for later.
了: le — Particle indicating completed action or change of state.
一段: yī duàn — A passage; a section or segment of text.
关于: guānyú — About; regarding; concerning a topic.
这一: zhè yī — This particular; referring to a specific period or item.
时期: shíqī — Period; a span of time with distinct characteristics.
生活: shēnghuó — Life; daily living; way of life.
极为: jí wéi — Extremely; to a very great degree.
有趣: yǒuqù — Interesting; amusing; engaging.
描述: miáoshù — Description; to describe something in detail.
阐明: chǎnmíng — To clarify; to explain or illuminate clearly.
写作: xiězuò — Writing; the act of composing written work.
方法: fāngfǎ — Method; approach; way of doing something.
与: yǔ — And; together with; connecting nouns or phrases.
动机: dòngjī — Motive; motivation; reason behind an action.
家人: jiārén — Family members; relatives living together.
和: hé — And; with; linking words or phrases.
邻居: línjū — Neighbor; person living nearby.
日常: rìcháng — Daily; everyday; routine matters.
事务: shìwù — Affairs; matters; routine business tasks.
之后: zhīhòu — After; afterward; following an event.
写道: xiě dào — Wrote; expressed in writing as follows.
傍晚: bàngwǎn — Evening; dusk; the time around sunset.
来临: láilín — To arrive; to come; onset of a time or event.
我: wǒ — I; me; first-person singular pronoun.
回到: huí dào — To return to; to go back to a place.
家中: jiā zhōng — At home; inside one's house.
走进: zǒu jìn — To walk into; to enter a place on foot.
书房: shūfáng — Study; a room used for reading and writing.
门口: ménkǒu — Doorway; entrance; the area at a door.
脱下: tuō xià — To take off; to remove clothing.
沾满: zhān mǎn — Covered with; soaked or stained all over.
尘土: chéntǔ — Dust; dirt particles on surfaces or clothing.
污垢: wūgòu — Grime; filth; accumulated dirt on surfaces.
农夫: nóngfū — Farmer; peasant; rural agricultural laborer.
衣裳: yīshang — Clothing; garments; clothes worn daily.
换上: huàn shàng — To put on; to change into different clothing.
那: nà — That; those; referring to something previously mentioned.
高贵: gāoguì — Noble; dignified; of high social status.
朝服: cháofú — Court robes; formal attire worn at royal court.
如此: rúcǐ — Like this; in such a manner; thus.
得体: détǐ — Appropriate; fitting; proper in manner or dress.
地: de — Adverbial particle linking adverb to verb.
重新: chóngxīn — Again; anew; to start over or redo.
着装: zhuózhuāng — To dress; attire; manner of wearing clothes.
后: hòu — After; afterward; following in time or order.
步入: bù rù — To step into; to walk into formally.
古人: gǔrén — Ancients; people of ancient times.
殿堂: diàntáng — Hall; palace; grand or sacred gathering place.
那里: nàlǐ — There; in that place.
承蒙: chéngméng — To be graciously received; honored by someone's kindness.
他们: tāmen — They; them; third-person plural pronoun.
热情: rèqíng — Enthusiasm; warmth; passionate and welcoming attitude.
款待: kuǎndài — To entertain; to treat guests with hospitality.
得以: déyǐ — To be able to; to have the opportunity to.
享用: xiǎngyòng — To enjoy; to partake of something pleasurably.
唯: wéi — Only; solely; exclusively belonging to.
属于: shǔyú — To belong to; to be part of something.
精神: jīngshén — Spirit; mind; mental or intellectual nourishment.
食粮: shíliáng — Food; nourishment; sustenance for body or mind.
毫不迟疑: háo bù chíyí — Without any hesitation; decisively and promptly.
交谈: jiāotán — To converse; to talk with someone mutually.
询问: xúnwèn — To inquire; to ask questions seeking information.
行动: xíngdòng — Action; deed; movement toward a goal.
背后: bèihòu — Behind; at the back; hidden underlying reason.
缘由: yuányóu — Reason; cause; the origin of something.
而: ér — And; but; connecting contrasting or sequential clauses.
也: yě — Also; too; likewise; additionally.
以: yǐ — With; using; by means of.
仁慈: réncí — Benevolence; kindness; merciful and compassionate.
之心: zhī xīn — Heart of; spirit of; inner disposition toward something.
作答: zuòdá — To answer; to respond; to give a reply.
四个: sì gè — Four; a quantity of four items.
小时: xiǎoshí — Hour; a unit of sixty minutes.
里: lǐ — Inside; within; used after time or space words.
感: gǎn — To feel; to sense; to perceive emotionally.
不到: bú dào — Cannot feel or reach; not even a trace of.
丝毫: sīháo — The slightest bit; not even a trace.
疲倦: píjuàn — Fatigue; weariness; feeling tired and exhausted.
忘却: wàngquè — To forget entirely; to put out of mind completely.
一切: yīqiè — Everything; all; without exception.
烦恼: fánnǎo — Worries; troubles; feelings of annoyance or distress.
贫困: píkùn — Poverty; destitution; state of being very poor.
不能: bù néng — Cannot; unable to; incapable of doing something.
使我: shǐ wǒ — To make me; to cause me to feel or do.
沮丧: jǔsàng — Dejected; discouraged; feeling low and dispirited.
死亡: sǐwáng — Death; dying; the end of life.
令我: lìng wǒ — To make me; causing me to feel something.
恐惧: kǒngjù — Fear; dread; feeling of terror or fright.
整个人: zhěnggè rén — The whole person; entirely; one's entire being.
完全: wánquán — Completely; entirely; totally without reservation.
沉浸: chénjìn — To immerse; to be deeply absorbed in something.
于: yú — In; at; from; classical preposition of location.
那些: nàxiē — Those; referring to specific plural items or people.
伟人: wěirén — Great person; historical figure of outstanding achievement.
之中: zhī zhōng — Among; within; in the midst of something.

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