泰西50轶事(二十五之一)雷古拉斯的故事 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(二十五)雷古拉斯的故事
原文及翻译如下：
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.
从前，在罗马的对岸有一个大城市叫做迦太基。罗马人对迦太基人从来就不友好，最后，他们之间爆发了一场战争。
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.
经过很久，很难说谁叫较强。首先是罗马人赢得了一场战役，接着迦太基人也打了一场胜仗，因此这场战争持续了很多年。
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.罗马人中有一个勇敢的将军叫雷古拉斯(图1)，他是一个从不违背自己诺言的人。在战争发生不久以后，雷古拉斯被俘虏了，并被带到了迦太基。他在疾病和非常孤独中，他梦想着遥远海洋的对岸的妻子和小孩子，而他几乎没有希望再见到她们了。
图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.
他热爱他的家庭，但他认为其首要职责是为国家效力，因此他抛开一切，投入到这场残酷的战争中。
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.
这是真的，他输掉了一场战争，而且还成了俘虏。然而他知道罗马人获得好转，而迦太基人很怕自己最终会被打败。他们派人到别的国家雇兵来帮忙，但是即使这样，他们也不再持久地跟罗马打战。
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，迦太基的几个执政者到监牢里去与雷古拉斯谈话。(图2)
“我们很乐意与罗马人言和，”他们说，“并且相信，如果你们的统治者在国内知道这次战争进行的情形，他们也会很高兴与我们和解的。如果你同意照我们说的去做，我们将会放你回家。”
图2：迦太基的几个执政者到监牢里去与雷古拉斯谈话
“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.”
“怎么做？”雷古拉斯问。
“首先，”他们说，“你必须告诉罗马人这场战役你输掉了，要让他们明白，他们没有从这场战争中得到任何东西。其次，你必须向我们保证，如果他们拒绝和解，你仍要回到牢房中来。”
“Very well,”said Regulus, “I promise you, that, if they will not make peace, I will come back to prison.”
“好吧！”雷古拉斯说，“我保证，如果他们不愿和解，我将回到这牢房里。”
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.
于是他们让他走了，因为他们知道一个真正的罗马人将会遵守自己的诺言。
当他回到罗马，人人都高兴地迎接他。他的妻子和孩子非常高兴，因为他们以为现在他们再也不会被分开了。
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.
这个城市制定法律的白发元老们也前来看望他，询问关于战争的情况。(图3)
图3：罗马城市制定法律的白发元老们也前来看望他。
“我是从迦太基被派来向你们要求和解的，”他说，“但是和解并不明智。确实，我们会输掉了几次战役，但是我们的军队每天在壮大。迦太基人害怕了，而且越来越怕。
继续战斗吧，用不了多久，迦太基就是你们的了。至于我，我是前来向我的妻儿和罗马告别的。
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.”
明天我将起身回迦太基的监狱，因为我作了承诺。”
元老们尝试劝他留下。
“让我们派另一个人代替你吧！”他们说。
“一个罗马人会不守诺言吗？”雷古拉斯答道，“我已病了，最多也活不了多久了。我情愿回去，遵守我的诺言。”
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.
他的妻子儿女都哭了，他的儿子们乞求他不要再离开他们。
“我已许下了诺言，”雷古拉斯说，“我不能再考虑别的了，”
然后，他告别了他们，毅然地回到监狱里，等待他的是残酷的死刑。
这种勇气，使罗马成为世界上最伟大的城市。