英语名篇诵读 不自由，毋宁死(一)（在线收听）

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 arduous 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 salvation ? For my part, whatever anguish 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 ministry for the last ten years, to justify those hopes

with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the house? Is it that insidious

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive 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 bind and rivet 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

entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find, which have not been already

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

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

remonstrated — we have supplicated — we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have

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

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

supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, 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 inviolate

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！