The Republic — Page 10

English → Chinese INTRODUCTION AND ANALYSIS. Level 9/10

There is no absurdity in supposing that he may have laid his labours aside for a time, or turned from one work to another; and such interruptions would be more likely to occur in the case of a long than of a short writing.

假设他可能曾一度搁置其著述工作，或从一部作品转向另一部作品，这并无任何荒谬之处；而且此类中断在长篇著作中比在短篇著作中更容易发生。

In all attempts to determine the chronological order of the Platonic writings on internal evidence, this uncertainty about any single Dialogue being composed at one time is a disturbing element, which must be admitted to affect longer works, such as the Republic and the Laws, more than shorter ones.

在所有试图依据内证来确定柏拉图著作写作年代顺序的努力中，关于任何一篇对话录是否系一次性写就的这种不确定性，都是一个令人困扰的因素，而且必须承认，这一因素对《理想国》和《法律篇》等长篇作品的影响要大于对短篇作品的影响。

But, on the other hand, the seeming discrepancies of the Republic may only arise out of the discordant elements which the philosopher has attempted to unite in a single whole, perhaps without being himself able to recognise the inconsistency which is obvious to us.

但另一方面，《理想国》中表面上的矛盾，也许仅仅源于这位哲学家试图融合为一个整体的那些彼此不协调的因素，而他自己或许根本未能察觉到那种在我们看来显而易见的矛盾。

For there is a judgment of after ages which few great writers have ever been able to anticipate for themselves.

因为后世的评判是少有伟大作家能够预先为自己料及的。

They do not perceive the want of connexion in their own writings, or the gaps in their systems which are visible enough to those who come after them.

他们察觉不到自己著述中缺乏连贯之处，也看不出其思想体系中的漏洞，而这些对后来者来说却是一目了然的。

In the beginnings of literature and philosophy, amid the first efforts of thought and language, more inconsistencies occur than now, when the paths of speculation are well worn and the meaning of words precisely defined.

在文学与哲学的草创之初，在思想与语言最初的探索之中，所出现的矛盾不一致之处要多于今日——而今日思辨之路已被踩踏得平坦顺畅，词语的含义也已得到精确界定。

For consistency, too, is the growth of time; and some of the greatest creations of the human mind have been wanting in unity.

因为一致性也是随时间积累而成长的；而人类心智的一些最伟大的创造，也曾在统一性上有所欠缺。

Vocabulary

假设: jiǎshè — to assume or suppose; a hypothesis
他: tā — he; him; third-person singular masculine pronoun
可能: kěnéng — possibly; maybe; possibility
曾: céng — once; formerly; at some past time
一度: yīdù — at one time; once; for a period
搁置: gēzhì — to shelve; to set aside temporarily
其: qí — his; her; its; their; that
著述: zhùshù — written works; scholarly writings and compositions
工作: gōngzuò — work; job; to work
或: huò — or; either; perhaps
从: cóng — from; since; to follow
一部: yī bù — one volume or piece of a work
作品: zuòpǐn — a work; a literary or artistic creation
转向: zhuǎnxiàng — to shift direction; to turn toward something else
另一部: lìng yī bù — another volume; a different work
这: zhè — this; referring to something nearby
并无: bìng wú — there is simply none; not at all
任何: rènhé — any; whatever; whichever
荒谬: huāngmiù — absurd; ridiculous; preposterous
之处: zhī chù — in this regard; in this aspect or place
而且: érqiě — moreover; furthermore; in addition
此类: cǐ lèi — this type; such kinds; of this sort
中断: zhōngduàn — interruption; to break off midway
在: zài — at; in; on; located at
长篇: chángpiān — long-form; a lengthy literary work
著作: zhùzuò — a written work; a scholarly publication
中: zhōng — in; within; among; middle
比: bǐ — compared to; than; to compare
短篇: duǎnpiān — short-form; a brief literary piece
更: gèng — even more; still more; further
容易: róngyì — easy; likely; prone to happen
发生: fāshēng — to occur; to happen; to take place
所有: suǒyǒu — all; every; all of something
试图: shìtú — to attempt; to try to do something
依据: yījù — based on; according to; grounds for
来: lái — to come; used to indicate purpose or means
确定: quèdìng — to determine; to confirm; certain
写作: xiězuò — writing; the act of composing texts
年代: niándài — era; decade; period in time
顺序: shùnxù — order; sequence; arrangement in order
的: de — possessive or attributive structural particle
努力: nǔlì — effort; to strive hard; endeavor
关于: guānyú — regarding; concerning; about
一篇: yī piān — one piece; one article or dialogue
对话录: duìhuàlù — a dialogue; a recorded philosophical conversation
是否: shìfǒu — whether or not; if
系: xì — to be; to constitute; to tie (literary)
一次性: yīcìxìng — one-time; done in a single sitting
这种: zhè zhǒng — this kind of; this type of
不确定性: bù quèdìngxìng — uncertainty; lack of certainty or definiteness
都是: dōu shì — all are; everything is
一个: yī gè — one; a single (general measure word)
令人: lìng rén — causing people to feel; making one feel
困扰: kùnrǎo — to trouble; to perplex; a vexing problem
因素: yīnsù — factor; element contributing to a result
必须: bìxū — must; have to; it is necessary
承认: chéngrèn — to acknowledge; to admit; to recognize
这一: zhè yī — this one; this particular point
对: duì — toward; with regard to; correct
和: hé — and; together with; harmonious
等: děng — and so on; et cetera; to wait
影响: yǐngxiǎng — influence; impact; to affect
要: yào — want; need; will; important
大于: dàyú — greater than; larger than
但: dàn — but; however; yet
另一方面: lìng yī fāngmiàn — on the other hand; from another perspective
表面上: biǎomiàn shàng — on the surface; apparently; seemingly
矛盾: máodùn — contradiction; conflict; contradictory
也许: yěxǔ — perhaps; maybe; possibly
仅仅: jǐnjǐn — merely; only; just; no more than
源于: yuányú — to originate from; to stem from
这位: zhè wèi — this person; this (polite measure word)
哲学家: zhéxuéjiā — philosopher; a thinker of philosophy
融合: rónghé — to merge; to integrate; to blend together
为: wéi — to be; to become; to act as
整体: zhěngtǐ — a whole; entirety; as a whole
那些: nàxiē — those; referring to plural things afar
彼此: bǐcǐ — each other; one another; mutually
不协调: bù xiétiáo — disharmonious; inconsistent; not in accord
而: ér — and; yet; but; a conjunction
自己: zìjǐ — oneself; one's own; self
或许: huòxǔ — perhaps; maybe; it is possible
根本: gēnběn — fundamentally; at all; basic foundation
未能: wèi néng — failed to; was unable to; did not manage
察觉到: chájué dào — to perceive; to become aware of something
那种: nà zhǒng — that kind of; that sort of
我们: wǒmen — we; us; our
看来: kànlái — it seems; it appears; in one's view
显而易见: xiǎn ér yì jiàn — obviously; clearly evident; self-evident
因为: yīnwèi — because; since; due to
后世: hòushì — later generations; posterity; future ages
评判: píngjuàn — to judge; to evaluate; critical judgment
是: shì — to be; is; am; are
少有: shǎo yǒu — rare; seldom seen; few possess
伟大: wěidà — great; magnificent; grand in stature
作家: zuòjiā — writer; author; literary creator
能够: nénggòu — to be able to; to be capable of
预先: yùxiān — in advance; beforehand; ahead of time
他们: tāmen — they; them; third-person plural
察觉: chájué — to notice; to perceive; to detect
不到: bù dào — cannot; failing to reach or achieve
缺乏: quēfá — to lack; to be short of; deficiency
连贯: liánguàn — coherent; consistent; flowing logically
也: yě — also; too; as well
看不出: kàn bu chū — cannot tell; unable to see or discern
思想: sīxiǎng — thought; ideology; ideas; thinking
体系: tǐxì — system; framework; organized structure
漏洞: lòudòng — loophole; flaw; gap in reasoning
这些: zhèxiē — these; referring to nearby plural things
后来者: hòuláizhě — those who come later; successors; latecomers
来说: lái shuō — for; from the perspective of; speaking of
却是: què shì — but is; yet it is; on the contrary
一目了然: yī mù liǎo rán — clear at a glance; immediately obvious
文学: wénxué — literature; literary studies
与: yǔ — and; with; together with
哲学: zhéxué — philosophy; the study of fundamental questions
之初: zhī chū — at the beginning; in the early stage
语言: yǔyán — language; speech; linguistic expression
最初: zuìchū — at first; initially; in the beginning
探索: tànsuǒ — to explore; to probe; exploration
之中: zhī zhōng — within; in the midst of
所: suǒ — that which; used before verbs for nominalization
出现: chūxiàn — to appear; to emerge; to occur
不一致: bù yīzhì — inconsistency; lack of agreement; discrepancy
多于: duō yú — more than; greater in number than
今日: jīnrì — today; the present day; nowadays
之路: zhī lù — the path of; the road to
已: yǐ — already; by now; (literary: has been)
被: bèi — passive marker; by (someone/something)
得: de — structural particle indicating result or degree
平坦: píngtǎn — flat; smooth; level; even
顺畅: shùnchàng — smooth; unimpeded; flowing without obstruction
词语: cíyǔ — words and phrases; vocabulary items
含义: hányì — meaning; connotation; implication of a word
也已: yě yǐ — also already; has likewise already been done
得到: dédào — to obtain; to receive; to get
精确: jīngquè — precise; exact; accurate; with precision
界定: jièdìng — to define clearly; to set boundaries of meaning
一致性: yīzhìxìng — consistency; uniformity; coherence over time
也是: yě shì — is also; likewise is
随: suí — to follow; along with; as something progresses
时间: shíjiān — time; duration; a period of time
积累: jīlěi — to accumulate; to build up over time
成长: chéngzhǎng — to grow; to develop; growth
人类: rénlèi — humanity; humankind; the human race
心智: xīnzhì — mind; intellect; mental faculty
一些: yīxiē — some; a few; a number of
最: zuì — most; the most; superlative marker
创造: chuàngzào — to create; to invent; creative production
也曾: yě céng — also once; likewise at some past time
统一性: tǒngyīxìng — unity; uniformity; coherent wholeness
上: shàng — on; above; in terms of; regarding
有所: yǒusuǒ — to have some; to be somewhat; to some degree
欠缺: qiànquē — to lack; to be deficient in; a shortcoming

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