布莱希特诗一首 Fragen eines lesenden Arbeiters / A Worker Reads History

Karldeutsch

某个英文译本

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A Worker Reads History


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Who built the seven gates of Thebes?
7 r1 O* u2 G/ KThe books are filled with names of kings.
Was it the kings who hauled the craggy blocks of stone?
+ ~7 L" p6 Y6 _( H1 N! SAnd Babylon, so many times destroyed.
Who built the city up each time? In which of Lima's houses,
! h5 n) D) P6 _, B4 tThat city glittering with gold, lived those who built it?
" d: \% ?& u8 O& W. B( FIn the evening when the Chinese wall was finished
Where did the masons go? Imperial Rome
Is full of arcs of triumph. Who reared them up? Over whom
Did the Caesars triumph? Byzantium lives in song.
Were all her dwellings palaces? And even in Atlantis of the legend
The night the seas rushed in,
The drowning men still bellowed for their slaves.

) l% z" U: v/ `0 z. V5 ZYoung Alexander conquered India.
) k2 n8 ^+ B& b( BHe alone?
; u" ^1 U7 e4 w& U! OCaesar beat the Gauls.
# {- n; [9 f; p& }. ^5 ^Was there not even a cook in his army?
8 c" ~/ ~# Z2 z" Y! [& D& |Phillip of Spain wept as his fleet
was sunk and destroyed. Were there no other tears?
  Q. d/ S* q3 c: lFrederick the Greek triumphed in the Seven Years War.
/ u3 E; Q" y* R' C0 R# MWho triumphed with him?

Each page a victory
At whose expense the victory ball?
. _* _' z: D% O! e  h% QEvery ten years a great man,
Who paid the piper?

So many particulars.
So many questions.
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此诗为耶鲁大学John Merriman历史202（现代欧洲史）第一堂大课所提，引人深思。历史到底是个啥？