History vs. Napoleon Bonaparte - Alex Gendler

譯者: Regina Chu 審譯者: Max Chern

After the French Revolution erupted in 1789,

1789 年法國大革命爆發後

Europe was thrown into chaos.

歐洲陷入一片混亂

Neighboring countries' monarchs feared they would share the fate of Louis XVI,

鄰國的君主害怕他們的下場 會與路易十六一樣

and attacked the New Republic,

因而攻擊新的共和國

while at home, extremism and mistrust between factions lead to bloodshed.

同時在法國 極端主義及派系間的不信任

導致流血衝突

In the midst of all this conflict,

在爭端之中

a powerful figure emerged to take charge of France.

一位叱吒風雲的人物出現 坐鎮法國

But did he save the revolution or destroy it?

到底他是拯救還是摧毀了革命？

"Order, order, who's the defendant today? I don't see anyone."

「肅靜！肅靜！ 今天的被告是誰？我沒看到人」

"Your Honor, this is Napoléon Bonaparte,

「庭上，這位是拿破崙·波拿巴

the tyrant who invaded nearly all of Europe

幾乎把整個歐洲都侵略的暴君

to compensate for his personal stature-based insecurities."

就為了補償他因身材 帶來的不安全感」

"Actually, Napoléon was at least average height for his time.

「其實拿破崙的身高 至少有當時的平均高度

The idea that he was short comes only from British wartime propaganda.

他很矮的說法 只是英國的戰爭宣傳手段

And he was no tyrant.

況且他也不是暴君

He was safeguarding the young Republic from being crushed

他保護了新建立的共和國

by the European monarchies."

不被歐洲王權摧毀」

"By overthrowing its government and seizing power himself?"

「用發動政變 為自己奪權這種方法？」

"Your Honor, as a young and successful military officer,

「庭上，身為年輕有為的軍官

Napoléon fully supported the French Revolution,

拿破崙完全支持法國大革命

and its ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity.

及其自由、平等、博愛的理想

But the revolutionaries were incapable of real leadership.

但是革命志士 沒有真正的領導能力

Robespierre and the Jacobins who first came to power

羅伯斯比和雅各賓 這些率先奪權的人

unleashed a reign of terror on the population,

對人民發動 腥風血雨的恐怖統治

with their anti-Catholic extremism

不但帶著反天主教激進主義

and nonstop executions of everyone who disagreed with them.

還不斷地處決 與他們意見相左的人

And The Directory that replaced them was an unstable and incompetent oligarchy.

而其後接掌的督政府 又是不穩定、無能的寡頭政治

They needed a strong leader who could govern wisely and justly."

他們需要一位強人 能賢明公正的治理」

"So, France went through that whole revolution

「所以，法國經歷了整場革命

just to end up with another all-powerful ruler?"

結局竟是另一位霸權統治？」

"Not quite.

「不盡然

Napoléon's new powers were derived from the constitution

拿破崙的新政權有憲法依據

that was approved by a popular vote in the Consulate."

此憲法獲得執政府多數同意」

"Ha! The constitution was practically dictated at gunpoint in a military coup,

「笑話！這部憲法實際上是在 軍事政變的槍口下決定的

and the public only accepted the tyrant

人民接受這位暴君

because they were tired of constant civil war."

只因為他們厭煩了打不停的內戰」

"Be that as it may,

「就算是這個原因

Napoléon introduced a new constitution and a legal code

拿破崙也推行了新憲法及新法典

that kept some of the most important achievements of the revolution in tact:

使得革命最重要的成就不受影響：

freedom of religion

宗教自由

abolition of hereditary privilege,

廢除世襲特權

and equality before the law for all men."

及法律之前人人平等」

"All men, indeed.

「所有的『男人』都平等，的確

He deprived women of the rights that the revolution had given them

他剝奪了革命賦予的女權

and even reinstated slavery in the French colonies.

甚至還在法國殖民地 恢復蓄奴制度

Haiti is still recovering from the consequences centuries later.

海地在數世紀後， 仍在從後果中恢復

What kind of equality is that?"

這是什麼平等？」

"The only kind that could be stably maintained at the time,

「這是當時唯一能穩定維持的方法

and still far ahead of France's neighbors."

而且此舉還是遙遙領先鄰國」

"Speaking of neighbors, what was with all the invasions?"

「說到鄰國 那些侵略又是怎麼回事？」

"Great question, Your Honor."

「這問題問得太好了！庭上」

"Which invasions are we talking about?

「我們在說哪個侵略？

It was the neighboring empires who had invaded France

是鄰近帝國來侵略法國

trying to restore the monarchy,

為要恢復王權

and prevent the spread of liberty across Europe,

避免自由在歐洲傳播開來

twice by the time Napoléon took charge.

他們在拿破崙掌權時 侵略了兩次

Having defended France as a soldier and a general in those wars,

在這幾場戰爭中 他以軍人及將軍的身分保衛法國

he knew that the best defense is a good offense."

因而知道最好的防守就是攻擊」

"An offense against the entire continent?

「攻擊整片歐陸？

Peace was secured by 1802,

1802 年和平終於來臨

and other European powers recognized the new French Regime.

其它歐洲強權承認新法國政權

But Bonaparte couldn't rest unless he had control of the whole continent,

但是波拿巴寢食難安 除非他能控制整片大陸

and all he knew was fighting.

而且他也只知道戰鬥

He tried to enforce a European-wide blockade of Britain,

他試圖強迫全歐洲 對英國實施封鎖

invaded any country that didn't comply,

侵略任何不聽話的國家

and launched more wars to hold onto his gains.

並發動更多戰爭 以保護既得利益

And what was the result?

結果是什麼？

Millions dead all over the continent,

歐陸數以百萬人死於非命

and the whole international order shattered."

整個國際秩序完全破壞」

"You forgot the other result:

「你忘了另一個結果

the spread of democratic and liberal ideals across Europe.

民主自由的理想傳遍歐洲

It was thanks to Napoléon that the continent was reshaped

感謝拿破崙 歐陸得以重新改造

from a chaotic patchwork of fragmented feudal and religious territories

從支離破碎雜亂無章的 封建及宗教領地

into efficient, modern, and secular nation states

轉變成高效率 現代化及政教分離的國家

where the people held more power and rights than ever before."

人民擁有前所未有的力量及權利」

"Should we also thank him for the rise of nationalism

「難道我們也該感謝他 興起民族主義

and the massive increase in army sizes?

及大規模擴編軍隊？

You can see how well that turned out a century later."

你知道一世紀後其下場為何」

"So what would European history have been like if it weren't for Napoléon?"

「如果沒有拿破崙 歐洲歷史會如何改寫？」

"Unimaginably better/worse."

「難以想像的更好 / 更糟」

Napoléon seemingly unstoppable momentum would die in the Russian winter snows,

拿破崙破竹般的氣勢 在俄國冬雪中消失殆盡

along with most of his army.

他的軍隊也隨之消亡

But even after being deposed and exiled,

但是即使他遭受廢黜及放逐

he refused to give up,

仍然不願放棄

escaping from his prison and launching a bold attempt at restoring his empire

他從監牢逃出 發動大膽攻擊以恢復他的帝國

before being defeated for the second and final time.

卻再度也是最後一次戰敗

Bonaparte was a ruler full of contradictions,

波拿巴是位充滿矛盾的統治者

defending a popular revolution by imposing absolute dictatorship,

實施強權獨裁以衛人民革命

and spreading liberal ideals through imperial wars,

用帝國戰爭傳播自由理想

and though he never achieved his dream of conquering Europe,

雖然他從未實現征服歐洲的夢想

he undoubtedly left his mark on it, for better or for worse.

毫無疑問他已留下深遠影響 不管是好還是壞

翻譯： Regina Chu