泰西50軼事(二十四之一)辛辛那圖斯的故事 江銘輝 五夢網
泰西50軼事(Fifty Famous Stories Retold)，是永恆的短篇故事，它收集的故事：包括浩瀚歷史的著名英雄和他們的羅曼史，故事內容有勇氣、毅力和情感。故事人物包括拿破崙、羅賓漢，喬治華盛頓、成吉思汗等人。這些故事都是老少咸宜的故事，我將它逐篇翻譯，並配合圖畫，供大家欣賞。
泰西50軼事(二十四)辛辛那圖斯的故事
原文及翻譯如下：
The Story of Cincinnatus
THERE was a man named Cin cin na tus who lived on a little farm not far from the city of Rome. He had once been rich, and had held the highest office in the land; but in one war or another he had lost all his wealth.
從前—個名叫辛辛那圖斯(圖1)的人，住在離羅馬城不遠的一個小農莊裡。他曾經很富有，掌管著當地的大權。但在幾次戰爭中他失去了全部財產。
圖1：辛辛那圖斯
He was now so poor that he had to do all the work on his farm with his own hands. But in those days it was thought to be a noble thing to till the soil.
現在他變得很窮，不得不靠自己的雙手做農莊裡的所有工作。但是在那個時候，耕種田地還被認為是一件高尚的事呢。
Cincinnatus was so wise and just that everybody trusted him, and asked his advice; and when any one was in trouble, and did not know what to do, his neighbours would say，“Go and tell Cincinnatus. He will help you.”
辛辛那圖斯是如此的聰明和公正，所以人人都信任他，請求他的建議。當有人遇到麻煩不知道該怎麼辦時，他的鄰居就會說：
“去找辛辛那圖斯吧，他會幫助你的。”
Now there lived among the mountains, not far away, a tribe of fierce, halfwild men, who were at war with the Roman people. They persuaded another tribe of bold warriors to help them, and then marched towards the city, plundering and robbing as they came.
當時，在離群山不遠處的地方，住著一個兇猛、半野蠻的部落，正與羅馬開戰。他們說服了另一個勇猛好鬥的部落來幫助他們，然後向羅馬城進軍，一路上任意地掠奪搶劫。
They boasted that they would tear down the walls of Rome, and burn the houses, and kill all the men, and make slaves of the women and children.
他們揚言要拆掉羅馬的城牆，燒毀房子，殺死所有的男人，和將女人和小孩當奴隸。
At first the Romans, who were very proud and brave, did not think there was much danger. Every man in Rome was a soldier, and the army which went out to fight the robbers was the finest in the world.
一開始，羅馬人非常驕傲和勇敢，並不認為遇到了多大的危險。羅馬的每個男人都是戰士；而那些出去和強盜打戰的，也是世界上最好的部隊。
No one stayed at home with the women and children and boys but the white-haired “Fathers,”as they were called, who made the laws for the city, and a small company of men who guarded the walls. Everybody thought that it would be an easy thing to drive the men of the mountains back to the place where they belonged.
除了他們所說的元老院白髮元老，負責制定羅馬城的法律，和一小隊看守城牆的人之外，沒有男人留在家裡與婦女兒童在一起。每個人都認為要把那些山裡人趕回自己住的地方，是件很容易的事。
But one morning five horsemen came riding down the road from the mountains. They rode with great speed; and both men and horses were covered with dust and blood. The watchman at the gate knew them, and shout ed to them as they galloped in. Why did they ride thus? And what had happened to the Roman army?
但在一個早晨，五個騎兵騎著馬從山裡而來(圖2)。他們飛快騎著，他們人和馬都佈滿灰塵，且渾身是血。城門上的看守人認識他們，當他們飛奔過來時，就向他們大聲地呼喊著：為什麼跑得這麼快？羅馬的軍隊發生了什麼事呢？
圖2：五個騎兵騎著馬從山裡而來
They did not answer him, but rode into the city and along the quiet streets; and everybody ran after them, eager to find out what was the matter.
他們沒有回答他，只是沿著靜靜的街道奔進了城。眾人都跟在他們後面奔跑，急於知道到底發生了什麼。
Rome was not a large city at that time; and soon they reached the market place where the white-haired Fathers were sitting. Then they leaped fromtheir horses, and told their story.
那時羅馬城還不是大城，所以很快他們就到了集市，白髮元老們都坐在那兒。他們跳下馬，開始講述親身的經歷。
“Only yesterday,”they said,“our army was marching through a narrow valley between two steep mountains. All at once a thousand savage men sprange out from among the rocks before us and above us. They hadblocked up the way; and the pass was so narrow that we could not fight. We tried to come back; but they had blocked up the way on this side of us too.
“就在昨天，”他們說，“我們的軍隊行進到一個狹窄的山谷裡，兩邊都是陡峭的高山。突然，一千個野蠻人從我們的前方及上面的岩石堆中跳了出來，堵住了去路，那通道是如此狹窄，使我們不能還擊。我們想返回，但是敵人把來路也堵死了。
The fierce men of the mountains were before us and behind us, and theywere throwing rocks down upon us from above. We had been caught in atrap. Then ten of us set spurs to our horses; and five of us forced our way through, but the other five fell before the spears of the mountain men. And now, O Roman Fathers! Send help to our army at once, or every man will be slain, and our city will be taken.”
那些兇惡的山裡人，把我們前後的圍住，還從我們的上面扔下石頭。我們落入了陷阱。接著我們當中的十人策馬揚鞭，五人強行殺出重圍，而另五人卻倒在了山裡人的長矛下。現在，阿！羅馬的元老，請趕快派人去拯救我們的軍隊吧，否則每個人都會被殺死的，我們的城市也會被佔領了。”
“What shall we do?”said the white-haired Fathers. “Whom can we send but the guards and the boys? And who is wise enough to lead them, and thus save Rome?”
“我們該怎麼辦呢？”白髮元老們說，“除了守城的人和男孩們，還能派誰去呢？誰有那麼聰明能領導他們來拯救羅馬？”
All shook their heads and were very grave; for it seemed as if there was no hope. Then one said,“Send for Cincinnatus. He will help us.” Cincinnatus was in the field plowing when the men who had been sent to him came in great haste. He stopped and greeted them kindly, and waited for them to speak.
所有的人都搖著頭，覺得很沉重，似乎已經沒有希望了。這時，一個人說道：“派辛辛那圖斯去，他能幫助我們。”
他停下來，友好地向他們打招呼，等著聆聽他們說話。
圖3：當派去的那些人急匆匆地跑來時，辛辛那圖斯正在田裡犁地。
“Put on your cloak, Cininnatus,”they said,“and hear the words of the Roman people.”
Then Cincinnatus wondered what they could mean. “Is all well with Rome?”he asked; and he called to his wife to bring him his cloak.
“穿上你的外套吧，辛辛那圖斯，”他們說，“去聽聽羅馬人的聲音。”
西辛辛那圖斯不明白他們的來意。“羅馬一切都好嗎？”他問。然後他叫妻子拿外套給他。
She brought the cloak; and Cincinnatus wiped the dust from his hands and arms, and threw it over his shoulders. Then the men told their errand.
她拿來了外套，辛辛那圖斯擦去手上和胳臂上的塵土，把它披上肩頭。然後，那些人說出他的來意。
They told him how the army with all the noblest men of Rome had been entrapped in the mountain pass. They told him about the great dangerthe city was in. Then they said, “The people of Rome make you their ruler and the ruler of their city, to do with everything as you choose; and theFathers bid you come at once and go out against our enemies, the fiercemen of the mauntains.”
他們告訴他羅馬的軍隊和貴族們如何陷在山裡的道路，他們告訴他羅馬城正處在空前的危險之中。接著又說：“羅馬人將把城市和他們自己都交給你領導，你可以按照你的想法去做。元老命你立刻來，去抵抗我們的敵人，那些兇猛的山裡人。”
So Cincinnatus left his plow standing where it was, and hurried to the city. When he passed through the streets, and gave orders as to what should be done, some of the people were afraid, for they knew that he had all power in Rome to do what he pleased. But he armed the guards and the boys, and went out at their head to flight the fierce mountain men, and free the Roman army from the trap
into which it had fallen.
於是辛辛那圖斯將耕具放回原來的地方，急忙趕往羅馬城裡。當他一邊穿過街道，一邊指揮該做些什麼時，有的人卻害怕了，認為他已掌握了羅馬的最高權力，可以隨心所欲，為所欲為了。可是他僅僅是把留守的衛兵和男孩們武裝起來，率領他們出發去打擊那些兇猛的山裡人；解救陷入重圍的羅馬軍隊。
A few days afterward there was great joy in Rome. There was good news from Cincinnatus. The men of the mountains had been beaten with great loss. They had been driven back into their own place.
.
幾天以後，羅馬充滿在巨大的歡樂之中。從辛辛那圖斯那兒傳來了好消息。那些山裡人被打敗了，並且損失慘重。他們被趕回了自己的地盤。
And now the Roman army, with the boys and the guards, was coming home with banners flying, and shouts of victory; and at their head rode Cincinnatus. He had saved Rome.
現在，包括男孩以及衛兵的羅馬軍隊，揮舞著旗幟，高喊著勝利的口號，凱旋而歸了。騎馬走在他們前面的正是辛辛那圖斯。他拯救了羅馬(圖4)。
圖4：男孩以及衛兵的羅馬軍隊，揮舞著旗幟，高喊著勝利的口號，凱旋而歸了。騎馬走在他們前面的正是辛辛那圖斯。
Cincinnatus might then have made himself king; for his word was law, and no man dared lift a finger against him. But, before the people could thank him enough for what he had done, he gave back the power to the white-haired Roman Fathers, and went again to his little farm and his plow.He had been the ruler of Rome for sixteen days.
本來辛辛那圖斯原本可以使自己成為國王的，因為他說的話就是法律，沒有一個人敢舉手反對他。可是，當人們還沒來得及感謝他的功績以前，他已把權力交還給白髮的羅馬元老們，又回到他的小農莊去耕田了。他只做了十六天羅馬的統治者。