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美国学生人类历史 第168期:中世纪的城市(12)

时间：2018-06-15 02:47:46

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（单词翻译）

 This, in a very general way, is what happened during the centuries which followed the Crusades. 在十字军东征之后的几个世纪时间里，这种情形在欧洲各地普遍发生。

It was a slow process, this gradual shifting of power from the castle to the city. 当然，权力由封建城堡向城市的转移，是一个缓慢而逐渐的过程。
There was some fighting. A few tailors and jewellers were killed and a few castles went up in smoke. 时不时的，也发生过一些流血战斗，有几个裁缝和珠宝商被杀，有数座孤零零的城堡被焚毁。
But such occurrences were not common. 不过，这样极端的事件并不多见。
Almost imperceptibly the towns grew richer and the feudal1 lords grew poorer. 几乎是不知不觉的，城镇变得越来越富有，封建领主却越来越穷。
To maintain themselves they were for ever forced to exchange charters of civic2 liberty in return for ready cash. The cities grew. 为维持自己的排场，开销一直很大，封建主总是被迫拿放宽公民自由的特许权来交换他们急需的现金。城市不断地成长壮大，
They offered an asylum3 to run-away serfs who gained their liberty after they had lived a number of years behind the city walls. 甚至敢于收留逃跑的农奴。当他们在城墙背后居住若干年后，就获得了新的身份和宝贵的自由。
They came to be the home of the more energetic elements of the surrounding country districts. 同时，城市也吸引着附近乡村地区的精力充沛、天性活跃的分子，取代了城堡的中心位置，他们为自己新获得的重要地位深感骄傲。
They were proud of their new importance and expressed their power in the churches and public buildings 沿着几个世纪以来一直进行着鸡蛋、绵羊、蜂蜜、盐等等商品的以货易货交易的古老市场周围，
which they erected4 around the old market place, where centuries before the barter5 of eggs and sheep and honey and salt had taken place. 他们新建起教堂和公共建筑，在此聚会、讨论，公然表达他们的权利。
They wanted their children to have a better chance in life than they had enjoyed themselves. 他们期望子女们获得比自己更好的生活机遇，
They hired monks6 to come to their city and be school teachers. 便出钱雇佣僧侣到城市来做学校教师。
When they heard of a man who could paint pictures upon boards of wood, they offered him a pension 当他们听说有某个巧匠能够在木版上画出美妙的图画，就慷慨地许以重金，
if he would come and cover the walls of their chapels7 and their town hall with scenes from the Holy Scriptures8. 请他来把教堂和市政厅的四壁涂满金碧辉煌的圣经图画。
Meanwhile his Lordship, in the dreary9 and drafty halls of his castle, saw all this up-start splendour and regretted the day 与此同时，年老体衰的公爵大人坐在自己潮湿透风的城堡大厅里，看着这一切欣欣向荣的暴富景象，不由得悔从心生。
when first he had signed away a single one of his sovereign rights and prerogatives10. 他想起那倒霉透顶的一天，他稀里糊涂地签署了第一张出卖自己封建特权的许可状。这看起来就像是一个无伤大雅的小小施与，可事情怎么就落到了这个地步呢？
But he was helpless. The townspeople with their well-filled strong-boxes snapped their fingers at him. 大人后悔不迭，但已无计可施。那些保险箱被特许状和文件塞得满满的镇民，如今他们对公爵大人已是不屑一顾。、他们还对他伸指头呢！
They were free men, fully11 prepared to hold what they had gained by the sweat of their brow 他们变成了自由人，已经充分准备好享受他们新获得的权利。要知道，这些权利可是他们额头流汗，
and after a struggle which had lasted for more than ten generations. 经过十几代人的持续斗争才辛苦得来的呀！

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1 feudal cg1zq     
adj.封建的，封地的，领地的
参考例句：
  • Feudal rulers ruled over the country several thousand years.封建统治者统治这个国家几千年。
  • The feudal system lasted for two thousand years in China.封建制度在中国延续了两千年之久。
2 civic Fqczn     
adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的
参考例句：
  • I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
  • The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。
3 asylum DobyD     
n.避难所，庇护所，避难
参考例句：
  • The people ask for political asylum.人们请求政治避难。
  • Having sought asylum in the West for many years,they were eventually granted it.他们最终获得了在西方寻求多年的避难权。
4 ERECTED ERECTED     
adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立
参考例句：
  • A monument to him was erected in St Paul's Cathedral. 在圣保罗大教堂为他修了一座纪念碑。
  • A monument was erected to the memory of that great scientist. 树立了一块纪念碑纪念那位伟大的科学家。
5 barter bu2zJ     
n.物物交换，以货易货，实物交易
参考例句：
  • Chickens,goats and rabbits were offered for barter at the bazaar.在集市上，鸡、山羊和兔子被摆出来作物物交换之用。
  • They have arranged food imports on a barter basis.他们以易货贸易的方式安排食品进口。
6 monks 218362e2c5f963a82756748713baf661     
n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。
  • He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》
7 chapels 93d40e7c6d7bdd896fdd5dbc901f41b8     
n.小教堂， （医院、监狱等的）附属礼拜堂( chapel的名词复数 )；（在小教堂和附属礼拜堂举行的）礼拜仪式
参考例句：
  • Both castles had their own chapels too, which was incredible to see. 两个城堡都有自己的礼拜堂，非常华美。 来自互联网
  • It has an ambulatory and seven chapels. 它有一条走廊和七个小教堂。 来自互联网
8 scriptures 720536f64aa43a43453b1181a16638ad     
经文，圣典( scripture的名词复数 )； 经典
参考例句：
  • Here the apostle Peter affirms his belief that the Scriptures are 'inspired'. 使徒彼得在此表达了他相信《圣经》是通过默感写成的。
  • You won't find this moral precept in the scriptures. 你在《圣经》中找不到这种道德规范。
9 dreary sk1z6     
adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的
参考例句：
  • They live such dreary lives.他们的生活如此乏味。
  • She was tired of hearing the same dreary tale of drunkenness and violence.她听够了那些关于酗酒和暴力的乏味故事。
10 prerogatives e2f058787466d6bb48040c6f4321ae53     
n.权利( prerogative的名词复数 )；特权；大主教法庭；总督委任组成的法庭
参考例句：
  • The tsar protected his personal prerogatives. 沙皇维护了自己的私人特权。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Congressmen may be reluctant to vote for legislation that infringes the traditional prerogatives of the states. 美国国会议员可能不情愿投票拥护侵犯各州传统特权的立法。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
11 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地
参考例句：
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

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