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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Who built the seven gates of Thebes?
. y' b; l4 U5 I$ U1 fThe books are filled with names of kings.
Was it the kings who hauled the craggy blocks of stone?
/ y* S3 ^% Y& ~) |' GAnd Babylon, so many times destroyed.
/ X+ G6 u" t5 r4 _2 GWho built the city up each time? In which of Lima's houses,
' e7 Z+ J3 W, _9 K) R# ZThat city glittering with gold, lived those who built it?
( o. b& i0 O+ H* z5 QIn the evening when the Chinese wall was finished
Where did the masons go? Imperial Rome
% v* n4 _2 S0 H& w2 g* A/ z2 ~Is full of arcs of triumph. Who reared them up? Over whom
Did the Caesars triumph? Byzantium lives in song.
# F# g9 i6 m& K3 n; [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.
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Young Alexander conquered India.
He alone?
: p  F- z$ g5 M3 r* b) L/ ECaesar beat the Gauls.
( L2 m. H/ ^" q. G) z  ^1 S" uWas there not even a cook in his army?
2 _5 I% _9 }& [Phillip of Spain wept as his fleet
' v' |" l$ X6 f: Nwas sunk and destroyed. Were there no other tears?
1 g- i  q6 Y' W7 Q# u: P1 _. H! ?Frederick the Greek triumphed in the Seven Years War.
Who triumphed with him?
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Each page a victory
+ G* `, `$ n: b" ~At whose expense the victory ball?
" v+ c+ r# r( t; p5 ]5 lEvery ten years a great man,
" r) |' e$ x$ jWho paid the piper?
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So many particulars.
So many questions.
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4 N# b/ ^/ H! X: g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？

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