纪录片《文明》 第136期 艺术的胜利（13）

and he's looking respectfully in the direction of Jahangir,

他恭敬地朝着贾汉吉尔的方向看去

but most significant is

但最重要的

that the gesture he's making with his hands,

是他做出的手势

like that, are the gesture of Indian deferential¹ respect.

他那样的手势在印度代表着恭敬的姿态

No Turk would ever have done that.

没有土耳其人会那样做

But if the Ottoman sultan is belittled²

但如果奥斯曼苏丹是被贾汉吉尔的

by Jahangir's court painter,

宫廷画家所故意贬低

it says nothing compared

这跟发生在英国国王

to what happens to King James I of England,

詹姆士一世身上的事相比并不算什么

who is placed below the emperor's feet,

国王身处大帝的脚下

wearing a look of what can only be described as sour resentment³

他的表情只能说是对于自己在社会等级中

at his low place in the pecking order.

低下的地位而感到的心酸和怨恨

And the artist who's doing this and who was enjoying it all,

这幅画的创作者是乐在其中的

has an exquisite⁴ self-portrait at the bottom of the painting.

他在这幅画的底部有一幅精致的自画像

His name is Bichitra. He's a Hindu,

他叫比奇特拉 是个印度人

we know that by the saffron robe.

可以从他身着的橘黄色长袍判断出来

And it's a beautiful, beautiful profile self-portrait.

这是一幅极美的侧面自画像

Exquisite details of the beard, of the turban,

胡须 头巾和他作画的手

of his painterly hand,

都刻画得非常精细

almost as refined as the

几乎能与他在描绘大帝时

technique he's used for the emperor himself.

所用的精妙绘画技巧相媲美

In fact, this is a doubly reflective self-portrait -

事实上 这是一幅具有双重意义的自画像

a miniature of a miniature,

是一种精细刻画的小型绘画

the one Bichitra is holding and which tells us everything

比奇特拉手中拿着的这幅画告诉了我们

about the ambiguous status of the Mughal artist.

莫卧儿艺术家模棱两可的地位

There are the signs of favour -

这些都是恩惠的象征

an elephant and two horses

一头象和两匹马

which the emperor has given his painter

这是大帝赐予他的画家的

but on an understood condition.

但有一个心照不宣的条件

Ultimately for all that he's slipstreaming behind the power

他可以享受贾汉吉尔权力和荣耀的荫庇

and the glory of Jahangir, he knows his place

但最终他要知道自己的位置

and that's defined by the last detail in that tiny

这点可以从一个极小的细节中看出来

frame of him kneeling, prostrating⁵ himself

他那细小的身躯拜倒在

at the feet of the Seizure⁶ of the World.

这位世界征服者的脚下

And look where he is.

再看看他所处的位置

He has literally⁷ backed himself into a corner.

他把自己放在了最角落的地方

For when all is said and done,

因为说到底

these intricate beautiful paintings are miniatures,

这些复杂精美的画只是细密画

book illustrations contained within the framing page,

是书籍扉页的插画

and their enjoyment⁸ confined to the emperor,

它们的欣赏者仅限于大帝

his court and anyone he sought to impress.

他的宫廷和他想要打动的人

Only once, albeit⁹ spectacularly,

仅有一次 尤为壮观地

did Jahangir make art visible to all of his subjects.

贾汉吉尔将艺术呈现在了他所有子民眼前

On the outer wall of Lahore Fort,

在拉合尔堡的外墙上

1 deferential   

adj. 敬意的，恭敬的

参考例句：

• They like five-star hotels and deferential treatment.他们喜欢五星级的宾馆和毕恭毕敬的接待。
• I am deferential and respectful in the presence of artists.我一向恭敬、尊重艺术家。

2 belittled   

使显得微小，轻视，贬低( belittle的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She felt her husband constantly belittled her achievements. 她觉得她的丈夫时常贬低她的成就。
• A poor but honest man is not to be belittled. 穷而诚实的人是不该让人小看的。

3 resentment   

n.怨愤，忿恨

参考例句：

• All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。
• She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。

4 exquisite   

adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的

参考例句：

• I was admiring the exquisite workmanship in the mosaic.我当时正在欣赏镶嵌画的精致做工。
• I still remember the exquisite pleasure I experienced in Bali.我依然记得在巴厘岛所经历的那种剧烈的快感。

5 prostrating   

v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的现在分词 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力

参考例句：

• The pain associated with pancreatitis has been described as prostrating. 胰腺炎的疼痛曾被描述为衰竭性的。 来自辞典例句

6 seizure   

n.没收；占有；抵押

参考例句：

• The seizure of contraband is made by customs.那些走私品是被海关没收的。
• The courts ordered the seizure of all her property.法院下令查封她所有的财产。

7 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

8 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。

9 albeit   

conj.即使；纵使；虽然

参考例句：

• Albeit fictional,she seemed to have resolved the problem.虽然是虚构的，但是在她看来好象是解决了问题。
• Albeit he has failed twice,he is not discouraged.虽然失败了两次，但他并没有气馁。