泰西50軼事(二十五之一)雷古拉斯的故事 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(二十五)雷古拉斯的故事
原文及翻譯如下：
雷古拉斯的故事
The Story of Regulus
ON the other side of the sea from Rome there was once a great city named Carthage. The Roman people were never very friendly to the people of Carthage, and at last a war began between them.
從前，在羅馬的對岸有一個大城市叫做迦太基。羅馬人對迦太基人從來就不友好，最後，他們之間爆發了一場戰爭。
For a longtime it was hard to tell which would prove the stronger. First the Romanswould gain a battle, and then the men of Carthage would gain a battle; and so the war went on for many years.
經過很久，很難說誰叫較強。首先是羅馬人贏得了一場戰役，接著迦太基人也打了一場勝仗，因此這場戰爭持續了很多年。
Among the Romans there was a brave general named Regulus, — a man of whom it was said that he never broke his word. It so happened after a while, that Regulus was taken prisoner and carried to Carthage. Ill and very lonely, he dreamed of his wife and little children so far away beyond the sea; and he had but little hope of ever seeing them again.羅馬人中有一個勇敢的將軍叫雷古拉斯(圖1)，他是一個從不違背自己諾言的人。在戰爭發生不久以後，雷古拉斯被俘虜了，並被帶到了迦太基。他在疾病和非常孤獨中，他夢想著遙遠海洋的對岸的妻子和小孩子，而他幾乎沒有希望再見到她們了。
圖1：雷古拉斯
He loved his home dearly, but he believed that his first duty was to his country; and so he had left all, to fight in this cruel war.
他熱愛他的家庭，但他認為其首要職責是為國家效力，因此他拋開一切，投入到這場殘酷的戰爭中。
He had lost a battle, it is true, and had been taken pris oner.
Yet he knew that the Romans were gaining ground, and the people of Carthage were afraid of being beaten in the end. They had sent into other countries to hire soldiers to help them; but even with these they would not be able to fight much longer against Rome.
這是真的，他輸掉了一場戰爭，而且還成了俘虜。然而他知道羅馬人獲得好轉，而迦太基人很怕自己最終會被打敗。他們派人到別的國家雇兵來幫忙，但是即使這樣，他們也不再持久地跟羅馬打戰。
One day some of the rulers of Carthage came to the prison to talk with Regulus.
“We should like to make peace with the Roman people,”they said, “and we are sure, that, if your rulers at home knew how the war is going, they would be glad to make peace with us. We will set you free and let you go home, if you will agree to do as we say.”
一天，迦太基的幾個執政者到監牢裡去與雷古拉斯談話。(圖2)
“我們很樂意與羅馬人言和，”他們說，“並且相信，如果你們的統治者在國內知道這次戰爭進行的情形，他們也會很高興與我們和解的。如果你同意照我們說的去做，我們將會放你回家。”
圖2：迦太基的幾個執政者到監牢裡去與雷古拉斯談話
“What is that?”asked Regulus.
“In the first place,”they said, “you must tell the Romans about the battles which you have lost, and you must make it plain to them that they anything by the war.
In the second place, you must promise us, that, if they will not make peace, you will come back to your prison.”
“怎麼做？”雷古拉斯問。
“首先，”他們說，“你必須告訴羅馬人這場戰役你輸掉了，要讓他們明白，他們沒有從這場戰爭中得到任何東西。其次，你必須向我們保證，如果他們拒絕和解，你仍要回到牢房中來。”
“Very well,”said Regulus, “I promise you, that, if they will not make peace, I will come back to prison.”
“好吧！”雷古拉斯說，“我保證，如果他們不願和解，我將回到這牢房裡。”
And so they let him go; for they knew that a great Roman would keep
his word.
When he came to Rome, all the people greeted him gladly. His wife and children were very happy, for they thought that now they would not be parted again.
於是他們讓他走了，因為他們知道一個真正的羅馬人將會遵守自己的諾言。
當他回到羅馬，人人都高興地迎接他。他的妻子和孩子非常高興，因為他們以為現在他們再也不會被分開了。
The white- haired Fathers who made the laws for the city came to see him. They asked him about the war.
“I was sent from Carthage to ask you to make peace, ”he said.“But it will not be wise to make peace. True, we have been beaten in a few battles, but our army is gaining ground every day. The people of Carthage are afraid, and well they may be. Keep on with the war a little while longer, and Carthage shall be yours. As for me, I have come to bid my wife and children and Rome farewell.
這個城市制定法律的白髮元老們也前來看望他，詢問關於戰爭的情況。(圖3)
圖3：羅馬城市制定法律的白髮元老們也前來看望他。
“我是從迦太基被派來向你們要求和解的，”他說，“但是和解並不明智。確實，我們會輸掉了幾次戰役，但是我們的軍隊每天在壯大。迦太基人害怕了，而且越來越怕。
繼續戰鬥吧，用不了多久，迦太基就是你們的了。至於我，我是前來向我的妻兒和羅馬告別的。
Tomorrow I will start back to Carthage and to prison; for I have promised.”
Then the Fathers tried to persuade him to stay.
“Let us send another man in your place,”they said.
“Shall a Roman not keep his word?”answered Regulus.“I am ill, and at the best have not long to live. I will go back, as I promised.”
明天我將起身回迦太基的監獄，因為我作了承諾。”
元老們嘗試勸他留下。
“讓我們派另一個人代替你吧！”他們說。
“一個羅馬人會不守諾言嗎？”雷古拉斯答道，“我已病了，最多也活不了多久了。我情願回去，遵守我的諾言。”
His wife and little children wept, and his sons begged him not to leave them again.
“I have given my word,”said Regulus. “The rest will be taken care of.”
Then he bade them goodby, and went bravely back to the prison and the cruel death which he expected.
This wasthe kind of courage that made Rome the greatest city in the world.
他的妻子兒女都哭了，他的兒子們乞求他不要再離開他們。
“我已許下了諾言，”雷古拉斯說，“我不能再考慮別的了，”
然後，他告別了他們，毅然地回到監獄裡，等待他的是殘酷的死刑。
這種勇氣，使羅馬成為世界上最偉大的城市。