英语名篇诵读 不自由，毋宁死(一)

Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death (Ⅰ)

不自由，毋宁死(一)

Patrick Henry(帕特里克·亨利)

Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our

eyes against a painful truth — and listen to the song of that syren , till she transforms us into

beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous¹ struggle for liberty? Are we

disposed to be of the number of those, who having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not, the

things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation² ? For my part, whatever anguish³ of

spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.

I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. I know

of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what

there has been in the conduct of the British ministry⁴ for the last ten years, to justify⁵ those hopes

with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace⁶ themselves and the house? Is it that insidious⁷

smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare⁸ to

your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious

reception of our petition comports⁹ with those warlike preparations which cover our waters and

darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation¹⁰ ? Have we

shown ourselves so unwilling¹¹ to be reconciled, that force must be called in to win back our love?

Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements¹² of war and subjugation¹³ — the last

arguments to which kings resort. I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this martial¹⁴ array, if its purpose

be not to force us to submission¹⁵? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive¹⁶ for it? Has

Great Britain any enemy in this quarter of the world, to call for all accumulation of navies and

armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us: they can be meant for no other. They are

sent over to bind¹⁷ and rivet¹⁸ upon us those chains, which the British ministry have been so long

forging. And what have we to oppose to them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying

that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We have held

the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to

entreaty¹⁹ and humble²⁰ supplication²¹? What terms shall we find, which have not been already

exhausted²²? Let us not, I beseech²³ you, sir, deceive ourselves longer. Sir, we have done everything

that could be done, to avert²⁴ the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned — we have

remonstrated²⁵ — we have supplicated²⁶ — we have prostrated²⁷ ourselves before the throne, and have

implored²⁸ its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and parliament. Our

petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances²⁹ have produced additional violence and insult; our

supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned³⁰, with contempt, from the foot of

the throne. In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation.

There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free — if we mean to preserve inviolate³¹

those inviolate and inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending — if we

mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which

we have pledged ourselves never to abandon, until the glorious object of our contest shall be

obtained — we must fight！ — I repeat it, sir, we must fight！ An appeal to arms and to the God

of Hosts, is all that is left us！

总统先生，人们很自然地沉溺于幻想之中。我们易于对痛苦的事闭目不视——而去聆

听海妖的歌声，坐等她把自己变成兽类。为自由而进行艰苦卓绝斗争的明智的人可以当这

种角色吗？有些人，对于与他们生死攸关的事，视而不见，充耳不闻，难道我们愿意成为

他们中的一员吗？就我本人而言，无论付出多痛苦的代价，都要了解整个事实，要了解最

糟糕的情况，并做好最坏的准备。

我只有一盏灯引导脚步，那就是经验之灯。我知道只有凭过去才能推断将来。评判过

去，我想知道英国政府过去十年来干了些什么，足以让各位先生有理由满怀希望，并乐于

安慰自己和议会？是近来接受我们的请愿时所露出的阴险的微笑吗？信不信由你，先生，

事实会证明那只是你脚下的陷阱。不要让一个吻把你们出卖了。问问你们自己，对我们请

愿好言相慰的背后，是怎样的战争准备，使我们的领土领海战云密布。仁爱与和好需要海

军和陆军吗？难道我们不愿和解，以至于必须动用武力赢得我们的爱吗？先生们，我们不

要欺骗自己了。这些是战争和征服的工具——国王们采用的最后的辩解。我请问先生们，

大军压境，其目的不是迫使我们屈服吗？先生们还能指出别的可能动机吗？大不列颠在世

界这个地方有任何敌人吗？需要调集海军和陆军吗？没有，先生们，她没有一个敌人。这

些军队是冲我们而来的：不可能针对任何别人。他们被派来捆绑我们，给我们带上枷锁，

这些枷锁英国政府很久以来一直在锻造着。那么我们用什么来反抗他们呢？我们试着去据

理力争吗？先生们，我们十年来一直试图跟他们争辩说理。关于这个问题，我们还能提供

什么新的东西吗？没有。我们已经把这个问题说得清清楚楚，但一切都是徒劳。我们靠乞

求，靠低三下四的哀求吗？还有什么话，我们没有说尽呢？先生们，我恳求，不能再欺骗

我们自己了。先生们，我们已经做了所能做的一切，来避免正在袭来的战争风暴。我们请

愿过——我们抗议过——我们祈求过——我们在英王室座下拜倒过，请求出面干预，抑制

政府和议会专制的黑手。我们的请愿被冷落；我们的抗议招来进一步的暴力和侮辱；我们

的祈求被漠视；我们被人轻蔑地从英王室座下一脚踢开，这一切徒劳之后，我们还能沉浸

在痴情的希望和妥协之中吗？希望没有任何余地。如果我们希望自由——如果我们想要保

护我们长期为之抗争的不可侵犯的宝贵权利不受侵犯——如果我们不想可耻地放弃我们长

期进行的、誓言不获全胜决不放弃的崇高斗争——我们就必须战斗！——我重复一遍，先

生们，我们必须战斗！我们能做的只有呼吁人们拿起武器，只有向当主人的上帝呼吁！

1 arduous   

adj.艰苦的，费力的，陡峭的

参考例句：

• We must have patience in doing arduous work.我们做艰苦的工作要有耐性。
• The task was more arduous than he had calculated.这项任务比他所估计的要艰巨得多。

2 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。

3 anguish   

n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼

参考例句：

• She cried out for anguish at parting.分手时，她由于痛苦而失声大哭。
• The unspeakable anguish wrung his heart.难言的痛苦折磨着他的心。

4 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

5 justify   

vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护

参考例句：

• He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
• Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

6 solace   

n.安慰；v.使快乐；vt.安慰(物)，缓和

参考例句：

• They sought solace in religion from the harshness of their everyday lives.他们日常生活很艰难，就在宗教中寻求安慰。
• His acting career took a nosedive and he turned to drink for solace.演艺事业突然一落千丈，他便借酒浇愁。

7 insidious   

adj.阴险的，隐匿的，暗中为害的，（疾病）不知不觉之间加剧

参考例句：

• That insidious man bad-mouthed me to almost everyone else.那个阴险的家伙几乎见人便说我的坏话。
• Organized crime has an insidious influence on all who come into contact with it.所有和集团犯罪有关的人都会不知不觉地受坏影响。

8 snare   

n.陷阱，诱惑，圈套；（去除息肉或者肿瘤的）勒除器；响弦，小军鼓；vt.以陷阱捕获，诱惑

参考例句：

• I used to snare small birds such as sparrows.我曾常用罗网捕捉麻雀等小鸟。
• Most of the people realized that their scheme was simply a snare and a delusion.大多数人都认识到他们的诡计不过是一个骗人的圈套。

9 comports   

v.表现( comport的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She always comports herself with great dignity. 她的举止总是很端庄。
• He comports himself with modesty. 他表现得很谦虚。 来自辞典例句

10 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

11 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

12 implements   

n.工具( implement的名词复数 )；家具；手段；[法律]履行（契约等）v.实现( implement的第三人称单数 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• Primitive man hunted wild animals with crude stone implements. 原始社会的人用粗糙的石器猎取野兽。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• They ordered quantities of farm implements. 他们订购了大量农具。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

13 subjugation   

n.镇压，平息，征服

参考例句：

• The Ultra-Leftist line was a line that would have wrecked a country, ruined the people, and led to the destruction of the Party and national subjugation. 极左路线是一条祸国殃民的路线，亡党亡国的路线。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• This afflicted German intelligence with two fatal flaws: inefficiency, and subjugation to a madman. 这给德国情报工作造成了两个致命的弱点，一个是缺乏效率，另一个是让一个疯子总管情报。 来自辞典例句

14 martial   

adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的

参考例句：

• The sound of martial music is always inspiring.军乐声总是鼓舞人心的。
• The officer was convicted of desertion at a court martial.这名军官在军事法庭上被判犯了擅离职守罪。

15 submission   

n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出

参考例句：

• The defeated general showed his submission by giving up his sword.战败将军缴剑表示投降。
• No enemy can frighten us into submission.任何敌人的恐吓都不能使我们屈服。

16 motive   

n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的

参考例句：

• The police could not find a motive for the murder.警察不能找到谋杀的动机。
• He had some motive in telling this fable.他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

17 bind   

vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬

参考例句：

• I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.我让服务生帮你把包裹包起来。
• He wants a shirt that does not bind him.他要一件不使他觉得过紧的衬衫。

18 rivet   

n.铆钉；vt.铆接，铆牢；集中(目光或注意力)

参考例句：

• They were taught how to bore rivet holes in the sides of ships.有人教他们如何在船的舷侧钻铆孔。
• The rivet heads are in good condition and without abrasion.铆钉钉头状况良好，并无过度磨损。

19 entreaty   

n.恳求，哀求

参考例句：

• Mrs. Quilp durst only make a gesture of entreaty.奎尔普太太仅做出一种哀求的姿势。
• Her gaze clung to him in entreaty.她的眼光带着恳求的神色停留在他身上。

20 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

21 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

22 exhausted   

adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的

参考例句：

• It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
• Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。

23 beseech   

v.祈求，恳求

参考例句：

• I beseech you to do this before it is too late.我恳求你做做这件事吧，趁现在还来得及。
• I beseech your favor.我恳求您帮忙。

24 avert   

v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等)

参考例句：

• He managed to avert suspicion.他设法避嫌。
• I would do what I could to avert it.我会尽力去避免发生这种情况。

25 remonstrated   

v.抗议( remonstrate的过去式和过去分词 )；告诫

参考例句：

• They remonstrated with the official about the decision. 他们就这一决定向这位官员提出了抗议。
• We remonstrated against the ill-treatment of prisoners of war. 我们对虐待战俘之事提出抗议。 来自辞典例句

26 supplicated   

v.祈求，哀求，恳求( supplicate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She supplicated the judge for protection. 她恳求法官保护。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He supplicated the king for clemency. 他恳求国王开恩。 来自互联网

27 prostrated   

v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的过去式和过去分词 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力

参考例句：

• He was prostrated by the loss of his wife. 他因丧妻而忧郁。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• They prostrated themselves before the emperor. 他们拜倒在皇帝的面前。 来自《简明英汉词典》

28 implored   

恳求或乞求（某人）( implore的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She implored him to stay. 她恳求他留下。
• She implored him with tears in her eyes to forgive her. 她含泪哀求他原谅她。

29 remonstrances   

n.抱怨，抗议( remonstrance的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were remonstrances, but he persisted notwithstanding. 虽遭抗议，他仍然坚持下去。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Mr. Archibald did not give himself the trouble of making many remonstrances. 阿奇博尔德先生似乎不想自找麻烦多方规劝。 来自辞典例句

30 spurned   

v.一脚踢开，拒绝接受( spurn的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Eve spurned Mark's invitation. 伊夫一口回绝了马克的邀请。
• With Mrs. Reed, I remember my best was always spurned with scorn. 对里德太太呢，我记得我的最大努力总是遭到唾弃。 来自辞典例句

31 inviolate   

adj.未亵渎的，未受侵犯的

参考例句：

• The constitution proclaims that public property shall be inviolate.宪法宣告公共财产不可侵犯。
• They considered themselves inviolate from attack.他们认为自己是不可侵犯的。