A day in the life of a Cossack warrior - Alex Gendler

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

Despite a serene sunset on the Dnipro river,

雖然聶伯河上的落日十分寧靜，

the mood is tense for the Zaporozhian Cossacks.

札波羅結哥薩克的氣氛卻十分緊繃。

The year is 1676, and the Treaty of Żurawno has officially ended hostilities

時間是 1676 年，

茹拉夫諾協定讓波蘭立陶宛

between the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Ottoman Empire.

與鄂圖曼帝國之間的對立正式告終。

But as Stepan and his men ride towards their stronghold,

但當史戴潘與他的人馬 朝他們的據點前進時，

peace is far from their minds.

他們的腦中完全沒有和平這個詞。

Having made their home in the Wild Fields north of the Black Sea,

他們在黑海北方的大草原定居之後，

these cossacks— derived from a Turkic word for "free man"—

這些哥薩克人—— 這詞來自突厥語的「自由人」——

are renowned as one of Europe’s most formidable military forces.

是歐洲以讓人畏懼而聞名的軍隊。

Composed of hunters, fishermen, nomads and outlaws,

哥薩克人的組成分子包括獵人、 漁夫、遊牧民族、法外之徒，

the Cossacks found freedom in these fertile unclaimed lands.

他們在這些肥沃且無主的 土地上找到自由。

Yet this freedom has proven increasingly difficult to maintain.

但這樣的自由卻越來越難維持。

Their decades-long strategy of shifting alliances between Poland and Moscow

數十年來，他們的策略是 在波蘭和莫斯科之間轉換盟友，

has led to the partitioning of their lands.

結果導致他們的土地被瓜分。

In a desperate bid to reclaim independence and reunite the fractured Cossack state,

他們拼命努力想要取回獨立， 並將破裂的哥薩克國家重新團結，

their most recent leader, hetman Petro Doroshenko allied with the Ottoman Empire.

他們最新的領導人蓋特曼 · 多羅申科 將軍和鄂圖曼帝國結盟。

This alliance successfully freed the Zaporozhian Cossacks

這結盟成功解放了 西方札波羅結哥薩克，

in the west from Polish dominion, but their victory was a bitter one.

讓他們脫離波蘭統治， 但他們勝利有痛苦的代價。

Doroshenko’s Ottoman allies ravaged the countryside,

多羅申科的鄂圖曼盟友 劫掠了鄉間，

carrying off peasants into slavery.

抓走農夫，將他們奴役。

And outrage at allying with Muslims against fellow Christians

因為和穆斯林結盟來對抗 基督教夥伴所造成的憤怒

cost him any remaining local support.

讓他也失去了 所有剩下的當地支援。

Now, with Doroshenko deposed and exiled,

多羅申科被罷免、放逐，

the Cossacks are at odds, disagreeing on what their next move should be.

哥薩克人四分五裂， 對下一步該做什麼完全沒有共識。

Until then, Stepan must keep order.

在那之前，史戴潘必須要維持秩序。

With his musket and curved saber, he cuts an imposing figure.

他帶著毛瑟槍和弧形軍刀， 塑造了使人印象深刻的形象。

He surveys his battalion of 180 men.

他環視著 180 人的大軍。

Most are Orthodox Christians and speak a Slavic language

大部分的東正教基督徒 說的是斯拉夫語，

that will become modern Ukrainian.

也就是現代的烏克蘭語。

But there are also Greeks, Tatars, and even some Mongolian Kalmyks,

但還有希臘人、韃靼人、 甚至一些蒙古卡爾梅克人，

many with different opinions on recent events.

對近期的事件， 許多人都有不同的意見。

Officially, all of Stepan’s men have sworn to uphold the Cossack code

史戴潘的所有手下都有 正式立誓要信守哥薩克規則，

by undergoing seven years of military training and remaining unmarried.

要進行七年的軍事訓練，且不結婚。

In practice, some are part-timers, holding more closely to their own traditions,

實際上，有些人是兼差的， 比較遵從他們自己的傳統，

and maintaining families in nearby villages, outside Cossack lands.

且在哥薩克土地之外的 鄰近村落中還有家庭。

Thankfully, the tenuous peace is not broken before they reach the Sich—

謝天謝地，在他們到達塞契之前， 脆弱的和平並沒有被打破——

the center of Cossack military life.

塞契（要塞）是哥薩克 軍事生活的中心。

Currently located at Chortomlyk,

當前的塞契位在喬爾托姆利克，

the Sich’s location shifts with the tide of military action.

但會隨著軍事行動而轉變所在。

The settlement is remarkably well- organized, with administrative buildings,

這個新定居地的組織 非常良好，內有行政大樓、

officers’ quarters, and even schools, as Cossacks prize literacy.

軍官的總部、甚至學校， 因為哥薩克人很重視識字。

Stepan and his men make their way to the barracks where they live and train

史戴潘和他的人馬到了 他們居住和訓練的兵營，

alongside several other battalions or kurins,

營中還有數支其他軍隊，

all of which make up a several hundred man regiment.

每支軍隊都是數百人的軍團。

Inside, the men dine on dried fish, sheep’s cheese, and salted pork fat—

在營中，大家吃的是曬乾的魚、 羊乳起司、鹹豬肥肉——

along with plenty of wine.

還有許多葡萄酒。

Stepan instructs his friend Yuri to lighten the mood with his bandura.

史戴潘指示他的朋友尤里 用班杜拉琴來抒援氣氛。

But before long, an argument has broken out.

但不久就起了爭執。

One of his men has raised a toast to Doroshenko.

他的手下之一舉杯敬多羅申科。

Stepan cuts him off.

史戴潘打斷他。

The room is silent until he raises his own toast to Ivan Sirko,

房間中一片寂靜， 直到他舉杯敬伊萬西爾科，

the new hetman who favors an alliance with Moscow against the Turks.

西爾科是新的將軍，偏好 與莫斯科結盟對抗土耳其人。

Stepan plans to support him, and he expects his men to do the same.

史戴潘打算要支持他， 他也期望他的手下會跟進。

Suddenly, one of Sirko’s men rushes in,

突然，一個西爾科的手下衝進來，

calling an emergency Rada, or general council meeting.

傳達要緊急召開大會。

Stepan and the others make their way towards the church square—

史戴潘和其他人趕到教堂廣場——

the center of Sich life.

塞契生活的中心地。

Ivan Sirko welcomes the confused crowd with exciting news—

伊萬西爾科用讓人興奮的消息 來歡迎困惑的大眾——

scouts have located a large Ottoman camp completely vulnerable on one side.

偵察兵發現了一個大型鄂圖曼 營地，且有一邊防守薄弱。

Sirko vows that tomorrow, they will ride against their common enemy,

西爾科誓言，明天，他們要 出征對抗他們的共同敵人，

defend the Cossacks’ autonomy, and bring unity to the Wild Fields.

保衛哥薩克的自治權， 並讓大草原統一。

As the men cheer in unison,

當大家一致歡呼時，

Stepan is relieved at their renewed sense of brotherhood.

他們重新找回的兄弟情感 讓史戴潘鬆了一口氣。

Over the next 200 years, these freedom fighters would take on many foes.

在接下來的兩百年， 這些自由鬥士會面對許多敵手。

And tragically,

不幸的是，他們最後會成為

they would eventually become the oppressive hand of the Russian government

他們曾經對抗的 俄國政府的壓迫幫手。

they once opposed.

But today, these 17th century Cossacks

但，現今，大家記得這些 十七世紀的哥薩克人，

are remembered for their spirit of independence and defiance.

是因為他們的獨立與反抗精神。

As the Russian painter Ilya Repin once said:

俄國畫家伊利亞列賓曾經說過：

“No people in the world held freedom, equality, and fraternity so deeply.”

「世界上沒有其他人把自由、 平等，和友愛看得這麼深重。」