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

Karldeutsch

某个英文译本
" i! e' U! t5 U9 s
5 z! l+ [2 A+ d7 p# j/ O- Z7 V2 \
9 A  k1 ~+ X( U( WA Worker Reads History
9 `6 l5 P) p, ^4 A* x' p" U

0 P( T6 I+ }" q9 I
/ _# }  a) k$ G3 k" pWho 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?
7 @( F. l3 U% PAnd Babylon, so many times destroyed.
. C, J. W( C" i6 s( o3 K" o- GWho built the city up each time? In which of Lima's houses,
That city glittering with gold, lived those who built it?
In the evening when the Chinese wall was finished
1 j- v; B9 {5 E: f) [9 {Where did the masons go? Imperial Rome
Is full of arcs of triumph. Who reared them up? Over whom
- I0 f7 x! G$ _: Z3 RDid 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,
* D' {# q7 k& v5 a/ ^3 L: eThe drowning men still bellowed for their slaves.

Young Alexander conquered India.
' e9 y1 X1 T# BHe alone?
. M; g; E3 B% W3 r6 X0 K  ]- JCaesar beat the Gauls.
0 k$ \) [5 c$ q( F" dWas there not even a cook in his army?
Phillip of Spain wept as his fleet
1 q) y; i3 Q  P- @! \was sunk and destroyed. Were there no other tears?
2 _% S% n; k4 \% A$ d7 b( Z/ [Frederick the Greek triumphed in the Seven Years War.
; \4 }# r$ t* A8 i/ M7 ZWho triumphed with him?
4 s, T! j! d) a# \  H: t" ]5 u1 m
& ^! _2 {4 _3 OEach page a victory
! Y5 T' j* T" @At whose expense the victory ball?
' o( y4 `$ F# R8 d) z4 I- XEvery ten years a great man,
Who paid the piper?

So many particulars.
! h* V& m% N( o! H$ ~9 }. Y/ iSo many questions.
0 v. v! u+ N: T$ W! ~5 E$ x; D
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？
" W, m4 O/ U* }" e! ]