万物简史 第514期:丰富多彩的生命(10)

 Rarely has a man been more comfortable with his own greatness. 很少有人像他那样心安理得地对待自己的名气。

He spent much of his leisure time penning long and flattering portraits of himself, 他花了很多业余时间来绘制和美化自己的肖像，

declaring that there had never "been a greater botanist¹ or zoologist," 宣称从来没有出过“一个更伟大的植物学家或动物学家”，

and that his system of classification was "the greatest achievement in the realm of science." 他的分类体系是“科学领域最伟大的成就”。

Modestly he suggested that his gravestone should bear the inscription² Princeps Botanicorum, "Prince of Botanists³." 他还谦虚地提出，他的墓碑上应当写上“植物王子”的墓志铭。

It was never wise to question his generous self-assessments. 对他的赞扬备至的自我评估提出质疑绝对不是一件明智的事。

Those who did so were apt to find they had weeds named after them. 这么做的人往往发现自己的名字被用来命名野草。

Linnaeus's other striking quality was an abiding⁴ — at times, one might say, a feverish⁵ — preoccupation with sex. 林奈的另一个鲜明特点是他持久不变地——有时候可以说是狂热地——对性感兴趣。

He was particularly struck by the similarity between certain bivalves and the female pudenda. 某些双壳类动物和女性外阴的相似性给他留下了尤其深刻的印象。

To the parts of one species of clam⁶ he gave the names vulva, labia, pubes, anus, and hymen. 有一种蛤蜊的一些部位他给起名为“外阴”、“阴唇”、“阴毛”、“肛门”，以及“处女膜”。

He grouped plants by the nature of their reproductive organs and endowed them with an arrestingly anthropomorphic amorousness⁷. 他按照生殖器官来对植物进行分类，把它描述述得会像人那样谈情说爱。

His descriptions of flowers and their behavior are full of references to "promiscuous⁸ intercourse," "barren concubines," and "the bridal bed." 他在描述花朵及其行为时，经常提到“乱交”、“不能生育的情妇”和“新婚之床”。

In spring, he wrote in one oft-quoted passage: 到了春天，他在一段经常被引用的话里写道：

Love comes even to the plants. Males and females ... hold their nuptials⁹ ... showing by their sexual organs which are males, which females. 爱情甚至来到植物中间。男男女女……举行婚礼……以性器官来显示谁是男的，谁是女的。

 

1 botanist   

n.植物学家

参考例句：

• The botanist introduced a new species of plant to the region.那位植物学家向该地区引入了一种新植物。
• I had never talked with a botanist before,and I found him fascinating.我从没有接触过植物学那一类的学者，我觉得他说话极有吸引力。

2 inscription   

n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文

参考例句：

• The inscription has worn away and can no longer be read.铭文已磨损，无法辨认了。
• He chiselled an inscription on the marble.他在大理石上刻碑文。

3 botanists   

n.植物学家，研究植物的人( botanist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Botanists had some difficulty categorizing the newly found plant. 植物学家们不大容易确定这种新发现的植物的种类。 来自辞典例句
• Botanists refer this flower to the rose family. 植物学家将这花归入蔷薇科。 来自辞典例句

4 abiding   

adj.永久的，持久的，不变的

参考例句：

• He had an abiding love of the English countryside.他永远热爱英国的乡村。
• He has a genuine and abiding love of the craft.他对这门手艺有着真挚持久的热爱。

5 feverish   

adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的

参考例句：

• He is too feverish to rest.他兴奋得安静不下来。
• They worked with feverish haste to finish the job.为了完成此事他们以狂热的速度工作着。

6 clam   

n.蛤，蛤肉

参考例句：

• Yup!I also like clam soup and sea cucumbers.对呀！我还喜欢蛤仔汤和海参。
• The barnacle and the clam are two examples of filter feeders.藤壶和蛤类是滤过觅食者的两种例子。

7 amorousness   

参考例句：

• The age of brisk amorousness had given way to that of storm and stress. 活泼多情的时代已让位于动乱的时代。 来自互联网

8 promiscuous   

adj.杂乱的，随便的

参考例句：

• They were taking a promiscuous stroll when it began to rain.他们正在那漫无目的地散步，突然下起雨来。
• Alec know that she was promiscuous and superficial.亚历克知道她是乱七八糟和浅薄的。

9 nuptials   

n.婚礼；婚礼( nuptial的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Their nuptials were performed by the local priest. 他们的婚礼由当地牧师主持。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• If he married, when the nuptials would take place, and under what circumstances? 如果他结婚，那么什么时候举行婚礼？在什么情况下举行婚礼？ 来自辞典例句