泰西50轶事(二十四之一)辛辛那图斯的故事 江铭辉 五梦网
泰西50轶事(Fifty Famous Stories Retold)，是永恒的短篇故事，它收集的故事：包括浩瀚历史的著名英雄和他们的罗曼史，故事内容有勇气、毅力和情感。故事人物包括拿破仑、罗宾汉，乔治华盛顿、成吉思汗等人。这些故事都是老少咸宜的故事，我将它逐篇翻译，并配合图画，供大家欣赏。
泰西50轶事(二十四)辛辛那图斯的故事
原文及翻译如下：
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.
从前—个名叫辛辛那图斯(图1)的人，住在离罗马城不远的一个小农庄里。他曾经很富有，掌管着当地的大权。但在几次战争中他失去了全部财产。
图1：辛辛那图斯
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.
现在他变得很穷，不得不靠自己的双手做农庄里的所有工作。但是在那个时候，耕种田地还被认为是一件高尚的事呢。
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.”
辛辛那图斯是如此的聪明和公正，所以人人都信任他，请求他的建议。当有人遇到麻烦不知道该怎么办时，他的邻居就会说：
“去找辛辛那图斯吧，他会帮助你的。”
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.
当时，在离群山不远处的地方，住着一个凶猛、半野蛮的部落，正与罗马开战。他们说服了另一个勇猛好斗的部落来帮助他们，然后向罗马城进军，一路上任意地掠夺抢劫。
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.
他们扬言要拆掉罗马的城墙，烧毁房子，杀死所有的男人，和将女人和小孩当奴隶。
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.
一开始，罗马人非常骄傲和勇敢，并不认为遇到了多大的危险。罗马的每个男人都是战士；而那些出去和强盗打战的，也是世界上最好的部队。
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.
除了他们所说的元老院白发元老，负责制定罗马城的法律，和一小队看守城墙的人之外，没有男人留在家里与妇女儿童在一起。每个人都认为要把那些山里人赶回自己住的地方，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?
但在一个早晨，五个骑兵骑着马从山里而来(图2)。他们飞快骑着，他们人和马都布满灰尘，且浑身是血。城门上的看守人认识他们，当他们飞奔过来时，就向他们大声地呼喊着：为什么跑得这么快？罗马的军队发生了什么事呢？
图2：五个骑兵骑着马从山里而来
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.
他们没有回答他，只是沿着静静的街道奔进了城。众人都跟在他们后面奔跑，急于知道到底发生了什么。
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.
那时罗马城还不是大城，所以很快他们就到了集市，白发元老们都坐在那儿。他们跳下马，开始讲述亲身的经历。
“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，”他们说，“我们的军队行进到一个狭窄的山谷里，两边都是陡峭的高山。突然，一千个野蛮人从我们的前方及上面的岩石堆中跳了出来，堵住了去路，那通道是如此狭窄，使我们不能还击。我们想返回，但是敌人把来路也堵死了。
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.”
那些凶恶的山里人，把我们前后的围住，还从我们的上面扔下石头。我们落入了陷阱。接着我们当中的十人策马扬鞭，五人强行杀出重围，而另五人却倒在了山里人的长矛下。现在，阿！罗马的元老，请赶快派人去拯救我们的军队吧，否则每个人都会被杀死的，我们的城市也会被占领了。”
“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?”
“我们该怎么办呢？”白发元老们说，“除了守城的人和男孩们，还能派谁去呢？谁有那么聪明能领导他们来拯救罗马？”
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.
所有的人都摇着头，觉得很沉重，似乎已经没有希望了。这时，一个人说道：“派辛辛那图斯去，他能帮助我们。”
当派去的那些人急匆匆地跑来时，辛辛那图斯正在田里犁地。(图3)
他停下来，友好地向他们打招呼，等着聆听他们说话。
图3：当派去的那些人急匆匆地跑来时，辛辛那图斯正在田里犁地。
“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，辛辛那图斯，”他们说，“去听听罗马人的声音。”
西辛辛那图斯不明白他们的来意。“罗马一切都好吗？”他问。然后他叫妻子拿外套给他。
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.
她拿来了外套，辛辛那图斯擦去手上和胳臂上的尘土，把它披上肩头。然后，那些人说出他的来意。
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.”
他们告诉他罗马的军队和贵族们如何陷在山里的道路，他们告诉他罗马城正处在空前的危险之中。接着又说：“罗马人将把城市和他们自己都交给你领导，你可以按照你的想法去做。元老命你立刻来，去抵抗我们的敌人，那些凶猛的山里人。”
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.
于是辛辛那图斯将耕具放回原来的地方，急忙赶往罗马城里。当他一边穿过街道，一边指挥该做些什么时，有的人却害怕了，认为他已掌握了罗马的最高权力，可以随心所欲，为所欲为了。可是他仅仅是把留守的卫兵和男孩们武装起来，率领他们出发去打击那些凶猛的山里人；解救陷入重围的罗马军队。
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.
.
几天以后，罗马充满在巨大的欢乐之中。从辛辛那图斯那儿传来了好消息。那些山里人被打败了，并且损失惨重。他们被赶回了自己的地盘。
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.
现在，包括男孩以及卫兵的罗马军队，挥舞着旗帜，高喊着胜利的口号，凯旋而归了。骑马走在他们前面的正是辛辛那图斯。他拯救了罗马(图4)。
图4：男孩以及卫兵的罗马军队，挥舞着旗帜，高喊着胜利的口号，凯旋而归了。骑马走在他们前面的正是辛辛那图斯。
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.
本来辛辛那图斯原本可以使自己成为国王的，因为他说的话就是法律，没有一个人敢举手反对他。可是，当人们还没来得及感谢他的功绩以前，他已把权力交还给白发的罗马元老们，又回到他的小农庄去耕田了。他只做了十六天罗马的统治者。