美国学生人类历史第138期:封建制 度(1)

 Chapter 31 Feudalism 第三十一章 封建制度

How central Europe, attacked from sides, become an armed camp 欧洲中部受到来自三个方向的敌人威胁，变成了地道的大兵营。

and why Europe would have perished without those professional soldiers and administrators² who were part of the feudal¹ system 如果没有那些作为职业战士的骑士和封建体制之一的行政官员，欧洲早已不复存在。

The following, then, is the state of Europe in the year one thousand, 现在，我要讲讲公元1000年时欧洲的普遍景况。

when most people were so unhappy that they welcomed the prophecy foretelling³ the approaching end of the world and rushed to the monasteries⁴, 当时的大多数欧洲人过着悲惨困顿的生活，商业凋敝，农事荒废，关于世界末日即将到来的预言四处流传。人们惶恐不安，纷纷涌到修道院当僧侣。

that the Day of Judgement might find them engaged upon devout⁵ duties. 因为迎接末日审判的最为保险的办法，当然是在这一时刻来临时，自己正在虔诚地侍奉上帝。

At an unknown date, the Germanic tribes had left their old home in Asia and had moved westward⁶ into Europe. 在一个很久远的年代里，日尔曼部族离开了中亚的群山，向西迁移。

By sheer pressure of numbers they had forced their way into the Roman Empire. 凭着人数众多，他们强行敲开罗马帝国的大门，

They had destroyed the great western empire, 肆意推进，毁灭了庞大的西罗马帝国。

but the eastern part, being off the main route of the great migrations⁷, had managed to survive and feebly continued the traditions of Rome's ancient glory. 东罗马之所以能够幸兔，完全得益于他们远离日尔曼民族大迁徙的途径。

During the days of disorder⁸ which had followed, (the true "dark ages"of history, the sixth and seventh centuries of our era,) the German tribes had been persuaded to accept the Christian⁹ religion and had recognised the Bishop¹⁰ of Rome as the Pope or spiritual head of the world. 不过它也变成了昨日黄花，只能在苟延残在西罗马覆灭后的动乱年代（公元六、七世纪是欧洲历史上真正的黑暗年代），日尔曼人接受传教士们耐心的教导，皈依了基督教，承认罗马主教为教皇，也就是世界的精神领袖。

In the ninth century, the organising genius of Charlemagne had revived the Roman Empire and had united the greater part of western Europe into a single state. 到了公元9世纪，凭着出色的个人才能，查理曼大帝复兴了罗马帝国的光荣传统，将西欧大部分地区纳人一个统一的国家。

During the tenth century this empire had gone to pieces. 可到10世纪，这个苦心组织的帝国在查理曼不肖子孙的争权夺利中土崩瓦解。

The western part had become a separate kingdom, France. 其西半部分成为一个单独的王国--法兰西，

The eastern half was known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation, 其东半部分被称为日尔曼民族的神圣罗马帝国，

and the rulers of this federation¹¹ of states then pretended that they were the direct heirs of Ceasar and Augustus. 其境内的各国统治者都声称自己是恺撒和奥古斯都的直接继承人，以获得名正言顺的统治地位。

1 feudal   

adj.封建的，封地的，领地的

参考例句：

• Feudal rulers ruled over the country several thousand years.封建统治者统治这个国家几千年。
• The feudal system lasted for two thousand years in China.封建制度在中国延续了两千年之久。

2 administrators   

n.管理者( administrator的名词复数 )；有管理（或行政）才能的人；（由遗嘱检验法庭指定的）遗产管理人；奉派暂管主教教区的牧师

参考例句：

• He had administrators under him but took the crucial decisions himself. 他手下有管理人员，但重要的决策仍由他自己来做。 来自辞典例句
• Administrators have their own methods of social intercourse. 办行政的人有他们的社交方式。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

3 foretelling   

v.预言，预示( foretell的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Are you calling or foretelling? 你是否在召唤或者预言？ 来自互联网
• If the conclusion is right, there will be an important complement for the novel's foretelling ways. 这一结论如果成立，将是对《红楼梦》预示手法的一个重要补充。 来自互联网

4 monasteries   

修道院( monastery的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• In ancient China, there were lots of monasteries. 在古时候，中国有许多寺院。
• The Negev became a religious center with many monasteries and churches. 内格夫成为许多庙宇和教堂的宗教中心。

5 devout   

adj.虔诚的，虔敬的，衷心的 (n.devoutness)

参考例句：

• His devout Catholicism appeals to ordinary people.他对天主教的虔诚信仰感染了普通民众。
• The devout man prayed daily.那位虔诚的男士每天都祈祷。

6 westward   

n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西

参考例句：

• We live on the westward slope of the hill.我们住在这座山的西山坡。
• Explore westward or wherever.向西或到什么别的地方去勘探。

7 migrations   

n.迁移，移居( migration的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• It foundered during the turmoils accompanying the Great Migrations. 它在随着民族大迁徙而出现的混乱中崩溃。 来自辞典例句
• Birds also have built-in timepieces which send them off on fall and spring migrations. 鸟类也有天生的时间感应器指导它们秋春迁移。 来自互联网

8 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

9 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

10 bishop   

n.主教，（国际象棋）象

参考例句：

• He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。
• Two years after his death the bishop was canonised.主教逝世两年后被正式封为圣者。

11 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。