英语名篇诵读 历史和史诗

History and Epic¹ Poetry

历史和史诗

Daniel Webster(丹尼尔·韦伯斯特)

Well written history must always be the result of genius and taste, as well as of research and

study. It stands next to epic poetry, among the productions of the human mind. If it requires

less of invention than that, it is not behind it in dignity and importance. The province of the

epic is the poetical² narrative³ of real or supposed events, and the representation of real, or at

least natural, characters; and history, in its noblest examples, is an account of occurrences in which

great events are commemorated⁴ , and distinguished⁵ men appear as agents and actors. Epic

poetry and the drama are but narratives⁶, the former partly and the latter wholly, in the form of a

dialogue, but their characters and personages are usually, in part at least, the creations of the

imagination.

优秀的史书是天赋和品位的产物，也是探索和研究的成果。史书在想象力方面稍逊于

史诗。如果说史书在创造性方面比史诗少，那么它同史诗在庄严性和重要性方面则难分伯

仲。史诗诗化地叙述真实或虚构的事件，展现真实的或至少实际存在的各种人物和角色；

而史书，其卓越的典范，则描叙历史，记载重大历史事件，出类拔萃的历史人物纷纷以不

同身份登台亮相。史诗和戏剧都只是叙述性的，前者是部分传述，后者是以对话的形式作

整体叙述，但它们所展现的人物和个性通常或至少部分是想象的产物。

1 epic   

n.史诗，叙事诗；adj.史诗般的，壮丽的

参考例句：

• I gave up my epic and wrote this little tale instead.我放弃了写叙事诗，而写了这个小故事。
• They held a banquet of epic proportions.他们举行了盛大的宴会。

2 poetical   

adj.似诗人的；诗一般的；韵文的；富有诗意的

参考例句：

• This is a poetical picture of the landscape. 这是一幅富有诗意的风景画。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• John is making a periphrastic study in a worn-out poetical fashion. 约翰正在对陈腐的诗风做迂回冗长的研究。 来自辞典例句

3 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

4 commemorated   

v.纪念，庆祝( commemorate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Lincoln commemorated the soldiers killed in the battle in his address. 林肯在演说中表扬阵亡将士。 来自辞典例句
• You'll be commemorated for killing a spy, and be specially discharged. 你们每杀一个间谍将会被记录到特殊档案。 来自电影对白

5 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

6 narratives   

记叙文( narrative的名词复数 )； 故事； 叙述； 叙述部分

参考例句：

• Marriage, which has been the bourne of so many narratives, is still a great beginning. 结婚一向是许多小说的终点，然而也是一个伟大的开始。
• This is one of the narratives that children are fond of. 这是孩子们喜欢的故事之一。