拉丁语翻译笔记 喀提林阴谋 (1)

背景、符号标记等见序言

1.1 Omnis homines, qui sese student praestare ceteris animalibus, summa ope niti decet, ne vitam silentio transeant veluti pecora, quae natura prona atque ventri oboedientia finxit.

洛：It behooves all men who wish to excel the other animal to strive with might and main not to pass through life unheralded, like the beasts, which Nature has fashioned grovelling and slaves to the belly.

试：It is right that all men, who desire to excel other animals, endeavor with the greatest power, so that they may not go over their life in silence as cattle, which nature has formed sloping and obedient to the belly.

思考：

1. summa ope是状语，不是niti的宾语？

2. quae(n.p.c)的先行词是pecora(n.p.)，谓语是finxit。

1.2 Sed nostra omnis vis in animo et corpore sita est: animi imperio, corporis servitio magis utimur; alterum nobis cum dis, alterum cum beluis commune est.

洛：All our power, on the contrary, lies in both mind and body; we employ the mind to rule, the body rather to serve; the one we have in common with gods, the other with the brutes.

试：But all our power is lying in the mind and the body: we more use the command of the mind and the service of the body; on for us is common with gods, the other the beasts.

1.3 Quo mihi rectius videtur ingeni quam virium opibus gloriam quaerere et, quoniam vita ipsa, qua fruimur, brevis est, memoriam nostri quam maxume longam efficere.

洛：Therefore I find it becoming, in seeking renown, that we should employ the resources of the intellect rather than those of brute strength, to the end that, since the span of life which we enjoy is short, we make the memory of our lives as long as possible.

试：It seems more reasonable to me to pursue the glory by the intellectual talent than the strength of body, and since the life which we enjoy is short, to make the remembrance of us long at our best.

思考：

1.quo的先行词是ingeni。这里quo位于句首可能是为了强调，也可能暗示了上句的animi？

1.4 Nam divitiarum et formae gloria fluxa atque fragilis est, virtus clara aeternaque habetur.

洛：For the renown which riches or beauty confer is fleeting and frail; mental excellence is a splendid and lasting possession.

试：For the glory of wealth and beauty is unstable and weak, the excellence of mind is held bright and immortal.

1.5 Sed diu magnum inter mortalis certamen fuit, vine corporis an virtute animi res militaris magis procederet.

洛：Yet for a long time mortal men have discussed the question whether success in arms depends more on strength of body or excellence of mind;

试：But there has been a great contest between humans for a long time, whether the strength of body or the excellence of mind succeed more in military affairs.

1.6 Nam et, prius quam incipias, consulto et, ubi consulueris, mature facto opus est.

洛：for before you begin, deliberation is necessary, when you have deliberated, prompt action.

试：For there is the need for plan before you begin, and action early when you have planned.

思考：

1. opus est为固定搭配，可接名词与格。

2. prius quam为固定搭配。

3. mature为副词，它可能将facto视同动词一般修饰？

1.7 Ita utrumque per se indigens alterum alterius auxilio eget.

洛：Thus each of these, being incomplete in itself, requires the other’s aid.

试：Thus, each of the two being indigent from one’s view, one needs the help of the other.

段落大意 (1)：

人类应追求成就与荣誉，而借以实现的途径有两种：智谋与武力。作者认为前者更伟大。而在历史上，特别是军事史上，这两者谁更胜一筹有着长期的争论。

2.1 Igitur initio reges – nam in terris nomen imperi id primum fuit – divorsi pars ingenium, alii corpus exercebant: etiam tum vita hominum sine cupiditate agitabatur; sua cuique satis placebant.

洛：Accordingly in the beginning kings (for that was the first title of sovereignty among men), took different courses, some training their minds and others their bodies. Even at that time men’s lives were still free from covetousness; each was quite content with his own possessions.

试：Therefore, in the beginning kings (for it was the first name of power in the land) were different, some exercised their genius, others the body: and at that time the life of humans was spent without desire; they were quite satisfied with each life.

2.2 Postea vero quam in Asia Cyrus, in Graecia Lacedaemonii et Athenienses coepere urbis atque nationes subigere, lubidinem dominandi causam belli habere, maxumam gloriam in maxumo imperio putare, tum demum periculo atque negotiis compertum est in bello plurumum ingenium posse.

洛：But when Cyrus in Asia and in Greece the Athenians and Lacedaemonians began to subdue cities and nations, to make the lust for dominion a pretext for war, to consider the greatest empire the greatest glory, then at last men learned from perilous enterprises that qualities of mind availed most in war.

试：However, after Cyrus in Asia, Lacedaemonians and Athenians in Greek began to constrain cities and tribes, to make the lust of dominion the reason of war, to consider the greatest glory in the greatest power, only then by trial and work in war, the intellectual talent was found to be the most powerful.

思考：

1. postea quam为固定搭配。

2. copere为历史不定式。

3. 从句意和结构上看，subigere，habere，putare，为copere引出的不定式，本身不是历史不定式。

2.3 Quod si regum atque imperatorum animi virtus in pace ita ut in bello valeret, aequabilius atque constantius sese res humanae haberent neque aliud alio ferri neque mutari ac misceri omnia cerneres.

洛：Now if the mental excellence with which kings and rulers are endowed were as potent in peace as in war, human affairs would run an evener and steadier course, and you would not see power passing from hand to hand and everything in turmoil and confusion;

试：And if the excellence of mind of kings and generals grew strong in peace just as in war, human affairs would hold themselves evener and more stable, and you would not see one thing being brought to another or everything being changed and mixed.

2.4 Nam imperium facile iis artibus retinetur, quibus initio partum est.

洛：for empire is easily retained by the qualities by which it was first won.

试：For the dominion is easily preserved by those arts, by which it was given in the beginning.

2.5 Verum ubi pro labore desidia, pro continentia et aequitate lubido atque superbia invasere, fortuna simul cum moribus inmutatur.

洛：But when sloth has usurped the place of industry, and lawlessness and insolence have have superseded self-restraint and justice, the fortune of princes changes with their character.

试：But actually, when idleness instead of laborious effort, desire and arrogance instead of moderation and evenness, the fortune is changed together with morals.

思考：

1. 介词pro的意义应被强调出来，而不是只译出invasere。

2.6 Ita imperium semper ad optumum quemque a minus bono transfertur.

洛：Thus the sway is always passing to the best man from the hands of his inferior.

试：Thus, dominion is always transferred from the less good to someone best.

思考：

1. minus bono应是：用副词minus修饰了名词化的形容词bonus。否则难以解释为何minus不与bono一致（都为夺格）？

2.7 Quae homines arant, navigant, aedificant, virtuti omnia parent.

洛：Success in agriculture, navigation, and architecture depends invariably upon mental excellence.

试：All things, which humans cultivate, navigate or build, obey that excellence.

思考：

1. quae(n.p.c)是omnia(n.p.)的先行词。这句话直译可能略显生硬？

2.8 Sed multi mortales, dediti ventri atque somno, indocti incultique vitam sicuti peregrinantes transiere; quibus profecto contra naturam corpus voluptati, anima oneri fuit. Eorum ego vitam mortemque iuxta aestumo, quoniam de utraque siletur.

洛：Yet many men, being slaves to appetite and sleep, have passed through life untaught and untrained, like mere wayfarers; in these men we see, contrary to Nature’s intent, the body a source of pleasure, the soul a burden. For my own part, I consider the lives and deaths of such men as about alike, since no record is made of either.

试：But many mortals, devoted to belly and sleep, untaught and uncultivated, have passed life as foreigners; to whom actually being against nature body was for pleasure, mind for burden. I think life and death is just the same for them, since silence is maintained with either.

思考：

1. transiere(..3.p.pef)是以-re结尾的完成时第三人称复数变位，且此处出现了紧缩现象（省略了v），注意不要与不定式混淆。

2. peregrinates(.p.)直译为foreigner，在句中显然为贬义，中文实际应译为异邦人/异族人/蛮族人。（“蛮族”这个概念机核有电台介绍，可以参考）

2.9 Verum enim vero is demum mihi vivere atque frui anima videtur, (qui (aliquo negotio intentus) (praeclari facinoris aut artis bonae) famam quaerit). Sed in magna copia rerum aliud alii natura iter ostendit.

洛：In very truth that man alone lives and makes the most of life, as it seems to me, who devotes himself to some occupation, courting the fame of a glorious deed or a noble career. But amid the wealth of opportunities Nature points out one path to one and another to another.

试：Actually, but only he seems to live and enjoy life to me, who intent with some work, seeks fame of splendid deed or good skill. Also in great many of things, nature shows different road to different individual.

段落大意 (2)：

最初，不同的统治者任意从这两种力量中选择一种来辅佐统治。而之后，在波斯与希腊人成就霸业的过程中，智谋之力被证明更为强大。事实上，从政治到实业到技术，智力活动决定了人类世界诸多领域的走向和发展。与无知的庸碌之辈相比，有知、有志者在命运的引导下，利用自己的才智各成就一番事业。

3.1 Pulchrum est bene facere rei publicae, etiam bene dicere haud absurdum est; vel pace vel bello clarum fieri licet; et qui fecere et qui facta aliorum scripsere, multi laudantur.

洛：It is glorious to serve one’s country by deeds; even to serve her by words is a thing not to be despised; one may become famous in peace as well as in war. Not only those who have acted, but those also who have recorded the acts of others oftentimes receive our approbation.

试：It is beautiful to do well for public affair, and it is not senseless at all to speak well for it; it is permitted to be made either in peace or in war, and those who have done well and wrote these things, are praised by the many.

3.2 Ac mihi quidem, tametsi haudquaquam par gloria sequitur scriptorem et actorem rerum, tamen in primis arduum videtur res gestas scribere: primum, quod facta dictis exaequanda sunt; dehinc, quia plerique, (quae delicta reprehenderis), <malevolentia et invidia dicta> putant, [ubi de magna virtute atque gloria bonorum memores], (quae <sibi> quisque <facilia factu> putat), [aequo animo] accipit, supra ea <veluti ficta pro falsis> ducit.

洛：And for myself, although I am well aware that by no means equal repute attends the narrator and the doer of deeds, yet I regard the writing of history as one of the most difficult of tasks: first, because the style and diction must be equal to the deeds recorded; and in the second place, because such criticisms as you make of others’ shortcomings are thought by most men to be due to malice and envy. Furthermore, when you commemorate the distinguished merit and fame of good men, while every one is quite ready to believe you when you tell of things which he thinks he could easily do himself, everything beyond that he regards as fictitious, if not false.

试：And to me, actually, though equal glory by no means follows the writer and the performer of those deeds, it still seems difficult in most cases to write the happened things: first, because the facts should be equal to words; then, because many people consider the defects you censured as envy and ill-will words, when you mention about the great excellence and glory of the good men, each one accepts things which he thinks easy to be done for himself with calm, and considers those upper as fiction, as good as false.

思考：

1. quia plerique...分句中quae引导的定语从句的先行词应该是delicta？照此理解的语法分析如上，先行词在主句中出现而在从句中省略。另有理解先行词是dicta，但从翻译角度看后者不佳？

2. ubi de magna...分句中quae引导的定语从句的先行词在主句和从句中都省略了，通过quae(n.p.c)和从句句意判断先行词应该是ea(n.p.c)，这也在之后supra ea得到了印证。同时注意目的动名词factu(n..d)的使用。语法分析如上。

3.3 Sed ego adulescentulus initio, sicuti plerique, studio ad rem publicam latus sum ibique mihi multa advorsa fuere. Nam pro pudore, pro abstinentia, pro virtute audacia, largitio, avaritia vigebant.

洛：When I myself was a young man, my inclinations at first led me, like many another, into public life, and there I encountered many obstacles; for instead of modesty, incorruptibility and honesty, shamelessness, bribery and rapacity held sway.

试：But being young at first, like many people, I was brought to public affair and there were many unfavorable things for me. For instead of modesty, abstinence and daring courage, bribery and greed flourished.

3.4 Quae tametsi animus aspernabatur insolens malarum artium, tamen inter tanta vitia imbecilla aetas ambitione corrupta tenebatur;

洛：And although my soul, a stranger to evil ways, recoiled from such faults, yet amid so many vices my youthful weakness was led astray and held captive by ambition;

试：Although the unaccustomed mind despised those of evil skills, the week age was still held in such evil deeds;

思考：

1. quae tamesti...分句中quae(n.p.c)引导的定语从句的先行词应该是vitia(n.p.c)？由于tamesti出现在定语从句中，直接翻译出来会不符合英语的习惯，故最终翻译舍弃了定语从句的形式。

3.5 ac me, cum ab reliquorum malis moribus dissentirem, nihilo minus honoris cupido eadem, qua ceteros, fama atque invidia vexabat.

洛：for while I took no part in the evil practices of the others, yet the desire for preferment made me the victim of the same ill-repute and jealousy as they.

试：and though I differed from the evil behaviors of others, no less than the desire of honour, fame and envy, which troubled others, troubled me.

思考：

1. ac me...分句中有一个cum引导的让步状语从句。在主句中qua引导的定语从句省略了谓语vexabat。

段落大意 (3)：

作者认为，记述历史和建功立业一样伟大，都能彰显自己的才能。但记述历史不仅不如创造历史来得震撼人心，却还有着相似的实现难度。作者年轻时凭着一腔热血进入官场，对其中的种种恶习感到厌恶与无奈。

4.1 Igitur ubi animus ex multis miseriis atque periculis requievit et mihi (reliquam) aetatem [a re publica procul] (habendam) decrevi, non fuit consilium <socordia atque desidia bonum otium conterere> neque vero <agrum colundo aut venando servilibus officiis, intentum aetatem agere>;

洛：Accordingly, when my mind found peace after many troubles and perils and I had determined that I must pass what was left to my life aloof from public affairs, it was not my intention to waste my precious leisure in indolence and sloth, nor yet by turning to farming or the chase, to lead a life devoted to slavish employments.

试：Therefore, when my soul rested from many miseries and risks again, and for myself I decided the remaining life should be spent far away from public affair, the plan was neither to waste the valuable leisure in silliness and indolence, certainly nor being strained, to spend life in tilling lands, hunting or servile duties.

思考：

1. 句末的intentum应当与前一个分句中的consilium一致？或许有更合理的理解。

2. non fuit...分句末servilibus officiis应该是方式夺格，做状语。但在缺少连词/介词/标点的情况下显得很奇怪？或许有更好的理解。

4.2 sed, ([a quo incepto studioque] me ambitio mala detinuerat), eodem (regressus) statui res gestas (populi Romani carptim), ut quaeque memoria digna videbantur, perscribere, eo magis, quod mihi a spe, metu, partibus rei publicae animus liber erat.

洛：On the contrary, I resolved to return to a cherished purpose from which ill-starred ambition had diverted me, and write a history of the Roman people, selecting such portions as seemed to me worthy of record; and I was confirmed in this resolution by the fact that my mind was free from hope, and fear, and partisanship.

试：But, from which the evil ambition kept me, I, returning back to the beginning and the enthusiasm again, decided to write the happened things of Roman people at length by pieces, as any memory seemed deserving, all the more, because for myself my soul was free from hope, fear, and the parties of public affair.

思考：

1. a quo incepto...分句中quo(n..b)的先行词是inceptum(n..b)，先行词在从句中出现而在主句中省略。注意主句中的eodem是副词，不是指示代词，当心混淆！

2. eo magis是固定搭配，其中eo是副词。整句中成分省略和eo的多次出现极大增大了分析难度。

4.3 Igitur de Catilinae coniuratione, quam verissume potero, paucis absolvam;

洛：I shall therefore write briefly and as truthfully as possible of the conspiracy of Catiline;

试：Therefore I shall and will be able to complete the conspiracy of Catiline in short and truthfully as possible.

思考：

1. absolvam(sj....)应是祈愿虚拟式。potero(....fut)未接不定式，若直译则生硬，试译改动稍大但尝试尽量保留原意。

4.4 nam id facinus in primis ego memorabile existumo sceleris atque periculi novitate.

洛：for I regard that event as worthy of special notice because of the extraordinary nature of the crime and of the danger arising from it.

试：for I appraise it as the crime especially with the remarkable rareness of evil and danger.

 

4.5 De cuius hominis moribus pauca prius explananda sunt, quam initium narrandi faciam.

洛：But before beginning my narrative I must say a few words about the man’s character.

试：A few about the characters of that man should be expounded previously, which I shall make as the beginning of narration.

思考：

1. cuius(m..g)的先行词应是上一句中的Catilinae(m..g)，但此处翻译为指示代词更符合习惯。

 

段落大意 (4)：

在经历了政治生活的种种险恶后，作者决定回归到历史写作这一最初的志愿上来。下文叙述了喀提林阴谋，首先是对喀提林这个人性格的阐述。