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

Karldeutsch

某个英文译本


A Worker Reads History

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1 s5 ^0 _8 M5 s$ i; T" VWho built the seven gates of Thebes?
The books are filled with names of kings.
Was it the kings who hauled the craggy blocks of stone?
: W, x* o  X( I4 O! q  b* |% ~8 GAnd Babylon, so many times destroyed.
Who built the city up each time? In which of Lima's houses,
" l; U% g4 E: h3 JThat city glittering with gold, lived those who built it?
5 I, b/ K  @2 _$ PIn the evening when the Chinese wall was finished
; C# S% O* Y! Z: G) o. D; LWhere did the masons go? Imperial Rome
Is full of arcs of triumph. Who reared them up? Over whom
# o! }5 S2 q8 u% ^8 e; |( x) o" ?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,
! r) j3 e# l9 j' ?The drowning men still bellowed for their slaves.
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) k: Z* h8 ?+ ?% {  d/ K0 @Young Alexander conquered India.
7 Q6 W5 M0 x. A5 A# K8 CHe alone?
8 D  s% I' s$ i$ y7 c+ hCaesar beat the Gauls.
Was there not even a cook in his army?
/ P5 M: e& e) _2 WPhillip of Spain wept as his fleet
was sunk and destroyed. Were there no other tears?
5 ^1 L" F! M7 c0 f5 xFrederick the Greek triumphed in the Seven Years War.
Who triumphed with him?
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9 B) Y/ \7 u4 _7 o" AEach page a victory
' F" u: e, f. X  ]! nAt whose expense the victory ball?
; R' z4 L/ N2 P, S+ n# \Every ten years a great man,
Who paid the piper?
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6 P- `0 v$ S1 n5 p7 \1 }So many particulars.
! d6 ?% R/ ?7 oSo 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？