纪录片《大英博物馆世界简史》 066圣荆棘之匣（2）

 

This week's programmes are about how we talk to our god, or our gods. The objects are, if you like, just aids to conversation, but these conversations are about very big subjects indeed. They are about salvation¹, not only of individuals but of communities and even empires. Around six hundred years ago, religion and society all round the world were so closely connected that it would have been impossible for most people to say where one ended and the other began. Perhaps that's why unworldly hopes were so often articulated through worldly wealth, and given shape in temples and precious objects. It's a paradox² that we see at its most extreme in the Holy Thorn Reliquary, now held here at the British Museum.

The Holy Thorn Reliquary is a one-foot (30 cm) -high theatre, made of solid gold and encrusted with jewels. In it we watch the terrifying drama of the end of the world, the day on which we, along with all the other dead, will be raised and will face judgement. This is a drama in which one day every spectator will be a participant. It's in three acts. At the bottom, as the angels blow their trumpets³ at the earth's imagined corners, graves open on an enamel⁴ hillside of vivid green. Four figures - two men, two women, naked, in white enamel and still in their coffins⁵ - look up and raise their hands in supplication⁶. Far above them, at the very top of the Reliquary, sits God the Father, enthroned in judgement, among radiant gold and precious gems⁷. And in between is the focus of the whole Reliquary.

六百年前，世界各地的宗教都与世俗密切相连，大多数人都无法划清二者之间的分水岭。也许这就是为什么超凡的希望常常表现为俗世的财富—一堂皇的神殿与贵重的物品。这种矛盾在这个圣荆棘之匣中被表现得淋漓尽致。制造此圣物匣的目的是存放一根荆棘。有人笃信这根荆棘取自耶酥被钉上十字架之前头戴的荆棘冠，是至高无上的圣物。

那顶荆棘冠如今保存在巴黎圣母院。但它起初被安放在圣礼拜堂，一座十三世纪四十年代由法国国王兴建、专门用来存放当时全欧洲顶极珍宝的教堂—一荆棘冠毫无疑问是重中之重。以中世纪基督教徒的视角来看，这一世人生的主要目的便是保证在下一世获得救赎。圣人的遗物无疑是通往天堂的捷径，而其中没有哪一件能与曾经见证基督苦难的物品相提并论。用于展示这些国王所收藏圣物的圣礼拜堂富丽堂皇，造价计四万枚法国银币，而仅为荆棘冠这一件物品所花费的钱财便三倍于此。它也许是全欧洲斥资最巨的物品。从荆棘冠上取下的一根刺是法兰西国王所能献出的最贵重的礼物。

 

1 salvation   

n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困

参考例句：

• Salvation lay in political reform.解救办法在于政治改革。
• Christians hope and pray for salvation.基督教徒希望并祈祷灵魂得救。

2 paradox   

n.似乎矛盾却正确的说法；自相矛盾的人(物)

参考例句：

• The story contains many levels of paradox.这个故事存在多重悖论。
• The paradox is that Japan does need serious education reform.矛盾的地方是日本确实需要教育改革。

3 trumpets   

喇叭( trumpet的名词复数 )； 小号； 喇叭形物； （尤指）绽开的水仙花

参考例句：

• A wreath was laid on the monument to a fanfare of trumpets. 在响亮的号角声中花圈被献在纪念碑前。
• A fanfare of trumpets heralded the arrival of the King. 嘹亮的小号声宣告了国王驾到。

4 enamel   

n.珐琅，搪瓷，瓷釉；(牙齿的)珐琅质

参考例句：

• I chipped the enamel on my front tooth when I fell over.我跌倒时门牙的珐琅质碰碎了。
• He collected coloured enamel bowls from Yugoslavia.他藏有来自南斯拉夫的彩色搪瓷碗。

5 coffins   

n.棺材( coffin的名词复数 )；使某人早亡[死，完蛋，垮台等]之物

参考例句：

• The shop was close and hot, and the atmosphere seemed tainted with the smell of coffins. 店堂里相当闷热，空气仿佛被棺木的味儿污染了。 来自辞典例句
• Donate some coffins to the temple, equal to the number of deaths. 到寺庙里，捐赠棺材盒给这些死者吧。 来自电影对白

6 supplication   

n.恳求，祈愿，哀求

参考例句：

• She knelt in supplication. 她跪地祷求。
• The supplication touched him home. 这个请求深深地打动了他。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

7 gems   

growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长

参考例句：

• a crown studded with gems 镶有宝石的皇冠
• The apt citations and poetic gems have adorned his speeches. 贴切的引语和珠玑般的诗句为他的演说词增添文采。