美国学生人类历史 第143期:骑士精神(2)

 A young knight¹ therefore was asked to swear that he would be faithful as a servant to God and as a servant to his King.  因此，一个年轻骑士起誓，他将永远做上帝忠实的仆人，同时也将终其一生忠心耿耿侍奉他的国王。

Furthermore, he promised to be generous to those whose need was greater than his own. 此外，他还允诺向那些比自己更穷苦的人们慷慨解囊。

He pledged his word that he would be humble² in his personal behaviour and would never boast of his own accomplishments³ 他发誓要行为谦卑，言辞适当，永不夸耀自己的功绩。

and that he would be a friend of all those who suffered, (with the exception of the Mohammedans, whom he was expected to kill on sight). 他将与所有的受苦大众做朋友，但穆斯林除外。他们是他一见到就该杀掉的凶险敌人。

Around these vows⁴, which were merely the Ten Commandments expressed in terms which the people of the Middle Ages could understand, 究其实质，这些誓词不过是把十诫的内容，以中世纪人民能够理解的语言通俗化地表达出来。

there developed a complicated system of manners and outward behaviour. 围绕着它们，骑士们还发展出一套关于礼貌和行为举止的复杂礼仪。

The knights⁵ tried to model their own lives after the example of those heroes of Arthur's Round Table and Charlemagne's court 中世纪的骑士努力以亚瑟王的圆桌武士和查理曼大帝的宫廷贵族为榜样，

of whom the Troubadours had told them and of whom you may read in many delightful⁶ books which are enumerated⁷ at the end of this volume. 正如普罗旺斯骑士的抒情诗或骑士英雄的史诗向他们述说的那样。

They hoped that they might prove as brave as Lancelot and as faithful as Roland. 他们期望自己勇敢如朗斯洛特，忠诚如罗兰伯爵。

They carried themselves with dignity and they spoke⁸ careful and gracious words that they might be known as True Knights, however humble the cut of their coat or the size of their purse. 不管他们衣着多么简朴甚至褴楼，不管他们是不是囊中羞涩，腹中空空，但他们总是态度尊严，言语优雅，行为有节，保持着骑士的声誉。

In this way the order of Knighthood became a school of those good manners which are the oil of the social machinery⁹. 这样，骑士团 成了一所培养优雅举止的大学校，而礼貌仪态正好是保持社会机器正常运作的润滑剂。

Chivalry¹⁰ came to mean courtesy and the feudal¹¹ castle showed the rest of the world what clothes to wear, how to eat, 骑士精神意味着谦虚有礼，向周围世界展示着如何搭配衣着、如何优雅进餐、

how to ask a lady for a dance and the thousand and one little things of every-day behaviour which help to make life interesting and agreeable. 如何彬彬有礼地邀女士共舞以及其他成百上千日常生活的礼节。这些东西都有助于使生活变得更有趣，更宜人。

1 knight   

n.骑士，武士；爵士

参考例句：

• He was made an honourary knight.他被授予荣誉爵士称号。
• A knight rode on his richly caparisoned steed.一个骑士骑在装饰华丽的马上。

2 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

3 accomplishments   

n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就

参考例句：

• It was one of the President's greatest accomplishments. 那是总统最伟大的成就之一。
• Among her accomplishments were sewing,cooking,playing the piano and dancing. 她的才能包括缝纫、烹调、弹钢琴和跳舞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

4 vows   

誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿

参考例句：

• Matrimonial vows are to show the faithfulness of the new couple. 婚誓体现了新婚夫妇对婚姻的忠诚。
• The nun took strait vows. 那位修女立下严格的誓愿。

5 knights   

骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马

参考例句：

• stories of knights and fair maidens 关于骑士和美女的故事
• He wove a fascinating tale of knights in shining armour. 他编了一个穿着明亮盔甲的骑士的迷人故事。

6 delightful   

adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的

参考例句：

• We had a delightful time by the seashore last Sunday.上星期天我们在海滨玩得真痛快。
• Peter played a delightful melody on his flute.彼得用笛子吹奏了一支欢快的曲子。

7 enumerated   

v.列举，枚举，数( enumerate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• A spokesperson enumerated the strikers' demands. 发言人列数罢工者的要求。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He enumerated the capitals of the 50 states. 他列举了50个州的首府。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

9 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

10 chivalry   

n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤

参考例句：

• The Middle Ages were also the great age of chivalry.中世纪也是骑士制度盛行的时代。
• He looked up at them with great chivalry.他非常有礼貌地抬头瞧她们。

11 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。