纪录片《大英博物馆世界简史》 066圣荆棘之匣（3）

 

For medieval Christians¹, the only hope of escaping the torments² of hell lay in the redeeming³ blood that Christ had shed. At the very centre of the Reliquary is Christ, showing us his wounds. And here, just below him, before your very eyes and only inches away from you, is one of the long, needle-like thorns that caused that holy blood to flow. 'Ista est una spinea corone Domini nostril⁴ Ihesu Christi', reads the enamel⁵ label: 'This is a thorn from the crown of our Lord Jesus Christ'.

It is, I think, impossible to exaggerate how powerfully this object would affect anyone kneeling in front of it. The blood drawn⁶ by this worthless thorn will save immortal⁷ souls, and so nothing earthly can be too precious for it. Neither the sapphire⁸ it stands on, nor the rock crystal that protects it, nor the rubies⁹ and the pearls that frame it. This is a sermon in gold and jewels, an aid to intense contemplation and a source of the deepest comfort. Here's the Roman Catholic Bishop¹⁰ of Leeds, the Right Reverend Arthur Roche:

"I'm sure that the devotion to a relic¹¹ such as this thorn has actually in some ways sanctified it. It certainly becomes a focus for the consideration, reflection on deeper things, as to the cost of suffering. Especially when you think that, if that thorn is authentic¹², then it was actually piercing the head of Christ during the course of his suffering and his crucifixion, and in some sense connects our suffering on this earth to his suffering for us. The focus gives us a strength to endure the things that we are presently going through."

在中世纪，基督徒相信逃脱地狱折磨的唯一希望就蕴藏在耶稣曾流下的救赎之血中。因此圣物匣的中心是裸露着伤口的耶稣，他的脚下是一根针一样的长荆棘，正是它导致圣血的流淌。珐琅刻绘的标签上写着"Ista est una spinea corone?Domini nostri Ihesu Christi”,意即“这是我主基督耶稣荆棘冠上的荆棘”。

利兹的天主教主教亚瑟·洛克强调了它的重要性：

在思考受难的代价这类更深层次的问题时，它自然成了焦点。尤其当你认为它就是那件切实的圣物，曾在耶酥承受痛苦、被钉死在十字架上的过程中刺穿过他的头，它在某种程度上就将我们在这个世界上所遭受的苦难与基督替我们承受的苦难联系起来。这个焦点赐予我们力量，让我们能够忍受背负的痛苦。

 

1 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

2 torments   

（肉体或精神上的）折磨，痛苦( torment的名词复数 )； 造成痛苦的事物[人]

参考例句：

• He released me from my torments. 他解除了我的痛苦。
• He suffered torments from his aching teeth. 他牙痛得难受。

3 redeeming   

补偿的，弥补的

参考例句：

• I found him thoroughly unpleasant, with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. 我觉得他一点也不讨人喜欢，没有任何可取之处。
• The sole redeeming feature of this job is the salary. 这份工作唯其薪水尚可弥补一切之不足。

4 nostril   

n.鼻孔

参考例句：

• The Indian princess wore a diamond in her right nostril.印弟安公主在右鼻孔中戴了一颗钻石。
• All South American monkeys have flat noses with widely spaced nostril.所有南美洲的猴子都有平鼻子和宽大的鼻孔。

5 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。

6 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

7 immortal   

adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的

参考例句：

• The wild cocoa tree is effectively immortal.野生可可树实际上是不会死的。
• The heroes of the people are immortal!人民英雄永垂不朽！

8 sapphire   

n.青玉，蓝宝石；adj.天蓝色的

参考例句：

• Now let us consider crystals such as diamond or sapphire.现在让我们考虑象钻石和蓝宝石这样的晶体。
• He left a sapphire ring to her.他留给她一枚蓝宝石戒指。

9 rubies   

红宝石( ruby的名词复数 )； 红宝石色，深红色

参考例句：

• a necklace of rubies intertwined with pearls 缠着珍珠的红宝石项链
• The crown was set with precious jewels—diamonds, rubies and emeralds. 王冠上镶嵌着稀世珍宝—有钻石、红宝石、绿宝石。

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 relic   

n.神圣的遗物，遗迹，纪念物

参考例句：

• This stone axe is a relic of ancient times.这石斧是古代的遗物。
• He found himself thinking of the man as a relic from the past.他把这个男人看成是过去时代的人物。

12 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。