故事是这样的。

In the city of Gordium there was a temple, and in it an old chariot whose shaft was held fast by a strap that was tightly and intricately knotted.

在戈尔迪乌姆城的一座神庙里有一辆旧马车，辕杆用一条皮带缚紧并紧紧地打了一个复杂的结。

Now it had been foretold that he who could untie the enchanted knot would become master of the world.

曾有人预言说谁能解开这个死结谁就能统治世界。

Alexander wasted little time fiddling with a knot that was clearly far worse than the sort you get in your shoelace when you are in a hurry.

亚历山大没多费时间去解这个结，看样子它比你鞋带上的一个死结还难解开，如果你正好很急的话。

He did something my mother never let me do: he took his sword and simply chopped it through.

他做了我的母亲从来也不曾允许我做的事：他拿着他的剑，简简单单地砍断了这个结。

The story's meaning is twofold: Alexander would conquer the world in fulfilment of the ancient prophecy, and he would do it with the sword.

这个故事有双层意义：亚历山大将征服世界以此来应验这个古老的预言，他将用剑来完成它。

As indeed he did.

他确实也这样做了。

You might find it easier to follow the rest of this story of conquest if you take a look at a map of the Middle East.

如果你看一看中东地图这征服的剩下的故事你很容易理解。

Alexander could have gone on to attack Persia directly,

亚历山大本可以向波斯直接进军，

but rather than risk an attack from the rear by the Persian provinces of Phoenicia and Egypt, he chose to subdue them first.

但他却冒险进攻波斯帝国的省份腓尼基和埃及的后方，他选择先征服它们。