(单词翻译:单击)
Tom Hiddleston narrating1 Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead for British Museum.
英国男星汤姆·希德勒斯顿为大英博物馆旁白埃及著名文献《死亡之书》。
To the ancient Egyptians death marked the end of one journey and the beginning of another.
After death all ancient Egyptians believed that they must leave behind the green fertile farmlands of Egypt and the waters of the river Nile to travel to the afterlife. They hoped that afterlife would be a perfect place that resemble the beautiful landscape of Egypt they have left behind. It was called "the Field of Reeds." But to reach the afterlife they had to make a dangerous and frightening journey. This spirit had to cross the netherworld, which was the land of the dead, ruled by the god Osiris.
"Hail to you, Osiris. Turn your face to the west, that you may illumine the two lands with fine gold. Those, who are sleep, stand up to look at you. For to you belong it eternity2 and everlasting3." The ancient Egyptians believed that it was very important to prepare for this journey. How would they ward4 off hostiles spirits and poisonous snakes? How would they avoid burning fire and scolding water? And why did the monster Devourer5 always look so hungry?
When wealthy ancient Egyptians died their bodies were mummified. The mummy was placed in a tomb with special objects to protect it and to help the dead face the parrels of the netherworld. One of the objects was a roll of magic spells and pictures. This is now known as the book of the dead. The mummy stayed in the tomb, but its ba spirit in the shape of bird could fly away from the tomb to explore the netherworld and to try find a way through. In order to do this the spirit of the dead person would have to pass through gates that were guarded by the gods and avoid being caught in their nets. They would have to battle with snakes and crocodiles and protect themselves against blood-thirsty monsters. The dead person use magic and spells from the book of the dead to help them overcome these obstacles. "Oh you, the spine6 would work your mouth against this magic of mine. No crocodile which lives by magic. Shall take it away!" At the end of each day the ba spirit returned to the mummy and the tomb.
The final and the most important stage in the journey of the dead was the trial in the hall of judgment7. The dead person’s heart was weighed against the feather of truth. If their heart proof too heavy they would be condemned8 and eaten by the monstrous9 Devourer. If their heart balanced on the scales the dead person would be allowed to enter and to remain forever in a perfect world: traveling across the skies with the sun god Ra or tending their crops in a perfect landscape that resembled the green fertile banks of their beloved river Nile.
Are you prepare to make the same journey? Can you discover how to use the spells of the book of the dead to help you on your way? It is time now to go into the exhibition and meet the god Osiris, and the monstrous Devourer.
人物介绍:
汤姆·希德勒斯顿(Tom Hiddleston),1981年2月9日生于英国伦敦威斯敏斯特,是一名电影、电视剧、舞台剧及广播剧的演员。他在剑桥大学彭布罗克学院念古典文学,毕业之后入皇家戏剧学院学习,于2005年毕业。2011年在电影《雷神》 当中饰演托尔的弟弟洛基(Loki)一角后,在全球崭露头角,并再度于《复仇者联盟》 (2012),《雷神2》(2013) 继续饰演洛基。
1 narrating | |
v.故事( narrate的现在分词 ) | |
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2 eternity | |
n.不朽,来世;永恒,无穷 | |
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3 everlasting | |
adj.永恒的,持久的,无止境的 | |
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4 ward | |
n.守卫,监护,病房,行政区,由监护人或法院保护的人(尤指儿童);vt.守护,躲开 | |
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5 devourer | |
吞噬者 | |
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6 spine | |
n.脊柱,脊椎;(动植物的)刺;书脊 | |
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7 judgment | |
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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8 condemned | |
adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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9 monstrous | |
adj.巨大的;恐怖的;可耻的,丢脸的 | |
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