The myth of Prometheus - Iseult Gillespie

翻译人员: Di SUN 校对人员: Chien Yet Chong

Before the creation of humanity,

在创造人类之前，

the Greek gods won a great battle against a race of giants called the Titans.

希腊诸神赢得了一场伟大的战斗， 击败了泰坦巨人种族。

Most Titans were destroyed or driven to the eternal hell of Tartarus.

大多数的泰坦都被摧毁 或驱赶到了永恒的地狱里。

But the Titan Prometheus, whose name means foresight,

但名字意味着预见的 泰坦巨人普罗米修斯，

persuaded his brother Epimetheus to fight with him on the side of the gods.

说服了他的兄弟厄庇墨透斯 与他一同在神的一边作战。

As thanks, Zeus entrusted the brothers

作为答谢，宙斯委以兄弟俩

with the task of creating all living things.

创造所有生物的重任。

Epimetheus was to distribute the gifts of the gods among the creatures.

厄庇墨透斯将神的恩赐 分发给这些生物。

To some, he gave flight;

他给了一些生物飞行的本领，

to others, the ability to move through water

给了另一些生物在水中游的能力，

or race through grass.

或者是在草从中奔跑的本事。

He gave the beasts glittering scales,

他给了一些猛兽闪闪发光的鳞片、

soft fur,

柔软的皮毛，

and sharp claws.

和锋利的爪子。

Meanwhile, Prometheus shaped the first humans out of mud.

同时， 普罗米修斯 用泥做出第一个人形，

He formed them in the image of the gods,

效仿诸神的样貌。

but Zeus decreed they were too remain mortal

但是宙斯发布命令规定 这些人类必须维持平凡，

and worship the inhabitants of Mount Olympus from below.

同时要在山下 供奉奥林匹斯山的居民。

Zeus deemed humans subservient creatures vulnerable to the elements

宙斯把人类看作是怯懦的生物， 容易受到各种因素影响，

and dependent on the gods for protection.

并且依赖诸神保护。

However, Prometheus envisioned his crude creations with a greater purpose.

但是普罗米修斯对于他创造的生物 拥有更美好的设想。

So when Zeus asked him to decide how sacrifices would be made,

当宙斯让他决定人类该如何献祭时，

the wily Prometheus planned a trick that would give humans some advantage.

机智的普罗米修斯想出了一招 来帮助人类。

He killed a bull and divided it into two parts to present to Zeus.

他宰了一头牛， 并把牛分成两部分呈给宙斯。

On one side, he concealed the succulent flesh and skin

其中一部分， 他把美味多汁的皮和肉

under the unappealing belly of the animal.

藏在了难看的肚皮下面。

On the other, he hid the bones under a thick layer of fat.

另一部分， 他把骨头藏在了一层很厚的肥肉下。

When Zeus chose the seemingly best portion for himself,

当宙斯选了看起来 更有吸引力的那一部分，

he was outraged at Prometheus's deception.

他对普罗米修斯的欺骗行为 感到非常愤怒。

Fuming, Zeus forbade the use of fire on Earth,

火冒三丈的宙斯 禁止了人间用火，

whether to cook meat or for any other purpose.

无论是烧肉还是其他用途。

But Prometheus refused to see his creations denied this resource.

但普罗米修斯不愿意 看到他创造的人类失去这一资源。

And so, he scaled Mount Olympus to steal fire

因此，他爬上了奥林匹斯山，

from the workshop of Hephaestus and Athena.

从赫菲斯托斯和 雅典娜那里盗取火种。

He hid the flames in a hollow fennel stalk and brought it safely down to the people.

他把火焰藏在一根空心的茴香秆中， 并把它安全地送到人间。

This gave them the power to harness nature for their own benefit

火使人类能利用自然为自身造福，

and ultimately dominate the natural order.

也带给了人类战胜自然的力量。

With fire, humans could care for themselves with food and warmth.

有了火， 人类可以烹饪食物和取暖，

But they could also forge weapons and wage war.

还可以打造武器，发动战争。

Prometheus's flames acted as a catalyst for the rapid progression of civilization.

普罗米修斯的火种 是人类文明进步的催化剂。

When Zeus looked down at this scene, he realized what had happened.

当宙斯发现人间烟火袅袅， 他才意识到发生了什么。

Prometheus had once again wounded his pride

普罗米修斯再一次伤害了 他的自尊心，

and subverted his authority.

颠覆了他的权威。

Furious, Zeus imposed a brutal punishment.

暴怒的宙斯决定 狠狠惩罚普罗米修斯，

Prometheus was to be chained to a cliff for eternity.

用铁链把他永远锁在悬崖绝壁上。

Each day, he would be visited by a vulture who would tear out his liver

一只秃鹰每天都会去 啄食普罗米修斯的肝脏，

and each night his liver would grow back to be attacked again in the morning.

每天晚上他的肝脏又会长回来， 第二天继续被啄食。

Although Prometheus remained in perpetual agony,

虽然普罗米修斯忍受着 巨大的痛苦，

he never expressed regret at his act of rebellion.

但他从不后悔他的反叛行为。

His resilience in the face of oppression made him a beloved figure in mythology.

他在面对压迫时的韧性 使他成为人们钟爱的神话人物。

He was also celebrated for his mischievous and inquisitive spirit,

他也因机智和探索的精神,

and for the knowledge, progress, and power he brought to human hands.

以及他带给人类的知识， 进步和力量而闻名。

He's also a recurring figure in art and literature.

他也常在文学和艺术作品中出现。

In Percy Bysshe Shelley's lyrical drama "Prometheus Unbound,"

在珀西·比希·雪莱的 抒情剧《解放了的普罗米修斯》中，

the author imagines Prometheus as a romantic hero

作者把普罗米修斯 描绘成一个浪漫主义的英雄，

who escapes and continues to spread empathy and knowledge.

他逃跑并继续传播同情和知识。

Of his protagonist, Shelley wrote,

对于他笔下的主角，雪莱写到

"Prometheus is the type of the highest perfection

“普罗米修斯是道德和智慧

of moral and intellectual nature,

最完美结合的化身，

impelled by the purest and the truest motives

受最纯粹和真实的目的驱动，

to the best and noblest ends."

走向最好，最高贵的结局。“

His wife Mary envisaged Prometheus as a more cautionary figure

雪莱的妻子玛丽把普罗米修斯 设想成一个更加警世的人物，

and subtitled her novel "Frankenstein: The Modern Prometheus."

并给她的小说命名为 《科学怪人：现代普罗米修斯》。

This suggests the damage of corrupting the natural order

内容指出破坏自然秩序的影响，

and remains relevant to the ethical questions

以及道德问题

surrounding science and technology today.

一直围绕着现代科技。

As hero, rebel, or trickster,

作为一个英雄，反叛者， 或是骗子，

Prometheus remains a symbol of our capacity to capture the powers of nature,

普罗米修斯是人类能够 利用自然力量的象征。

and ultimately,

从根本上说，

he reminds us of the potential of individual acts to ignite the world.

他提醒我们 依靠个人力量来点燃世界的可能性。