本书简介:
《沉思录》是古罗马皇帝奥勒留写给自己的书,内容大部分是他在鞍马劳顿中写成的。作品来自奥勒留对身羁宫廷的自己和自己所处混乱世界的感受,追求一种冷静而达观的生活。这部著作是斯多葛学派的一个里程碑,亦是温总理放在枕边,读了不下百遍的书。
本书原文由古希腊文而作,英文版选择比较权威的George Long的版本,中文版选择何怀宏的版本作参考。笔记中的英文释义摘自《牛津高阶英汉双解词典》

 作者简介:
马可•奥勒留(Marcus Aurelius,公元121—180年),著名的“帝王哲学家”,古罗马帝国皇帝,在希腊文学和拉丁文学、修辞、哲学、法律、绘画方面受过很好的教育,晚期斯多葛学派代表人物之一。奥勒留也许是西方历史上唯一的一位哲学家皇帝。他是一个比他的帝国更加完美的人,他的勤奋工作最终并没有能够挽救古罗马,但是他的《沉思录》却成为西方历史上的伟大名著。

卷一:品质闪烁在良好的传承中(1)
 小编语:在卷一中,奥勒留回忆自己身边之人所教会自己的东西,George Long的翻译十分精炼,有些看起来也许不成句子,仅仅是一些词组和短语,但就在字里行间,我们可以感受到作者的思考与自省。如果要作为翻译练习的话,需要注意添加动词及调整语序,使你的翻译语句通顺,易于理解。

1.1 From my grandfather Verus I learned good morals and the government of my temper.
1.2 From the reputation and remembrance of my father,modesty and a manly character.
1.3 From my mother, piety and beneficence, and abstinence, not only from evil deeds, but even from evil thoughts; and further, simplicity in my way of living, far removed from the habits of the rich.

 Notes:
piety [n] the state of having or showing a deep respect for sb/sth, especially for God and religion; the state of being pious. [opp] impiety
beneficence [n] giving help; showing kindness
abstinence [n] the practice of not allowing yourself sth, especially food, alcoholic drinks or sex, for moral, religious or health reasons.
这句中“not only from evil deeds, but even from evil thoughts” 修饰的是abstinence, 翻译的时候可以转换成动宾短语,如“不仅戒除恶行,甚而戒除恶念”

1.4 From my great-grandfather, not to have frequented public schools, and to have had good teachers at home, and to know that on such things a man should spend liberally.
1.5 From my governor, to be neither of the green nor of the blue party at the games in the Circus, nor a partizan either of the Parmularius or the Scutarius at the gladiators' fights; from him too I learned endurance of labour, and to want little, and to work with my own hands, and not to meddle with other people's affairs, and not to be ready to listen to slander.

 Notes:
Parmularius & Scutarius 都是党派的名称。
gladiator [n] (in ancient Rome) a man trained to fight other men or animals in order to entertain the public.
meddle [v] (disapproving) to become involved in sth that does not concern you (~in/with sth); to touch sth in a careless way, especially when it is not yours or when you do not know how to use it correctly. (~with sth)

 看了笔记注释之后,先尝试自己翻译一下吧,参考译文见下:

中文翻译:
1.1 从我的祖父维勒斯,我学习到弘德和制怒。
1.2 从我父亲的名声及对他的追忆, 我懂得了谦虚和果敢。
1.3 从我的母亲,我濡染了虔诚、仁爱和不仅戒除恶行,甚而戒除恶念的品质,以及远离奢侈的简朴生活方式。
1.4 从我的曾祖父那里,我懂得了不要时常出入公共学校,而是要在家里有好的教师;懂得了在这些事情上一个人要不吝钱财。
1.5 从我的老师那里,我明白了不要介入马戏中的任何一派,也不要陷入角斗戏中的党争;我从他那里也学会了忍受劳作、清心寡欲、事必躬亲,不干涉他人事务和不轻信流言诽谤。