The Irish myth of Diarmuid’s betrayal - Iseult Gillespie

譯者: Camila Lin 審譯者: Thomas Tam

Gráinne, daughter of King Cormac mac Airt, princess of Tara, and bride-to-be,

康馬克王的女兒， 塔拉宮廷的公主格蘭妮，

即將於今晚出嫁，但她現在非常生氣。

was furious.

Fionn Mac Cumhaill, leader of the Fianna,

費奧納騎士團團長芬恩·麥克庫爾，

Ireland’s most celebrated band of warriors,

以及愛爾蘭最負盛名的費奧納騎士團，

had just arrived at her castle.

剛剛抵達她的城堡。

Gráinne had believed she was betrothed to a young soldier,

格蘭妮一心以為， 她的未婚夫是年輕的軍士，

bold and brilliant enough to be her equal.

他既勇敢又聰明，和她天造地設。

Yet upon their arrival, it became clear she was expected to marry Fionn himself;

但在騎士們抵達後， 新郎是芬恩一事，已經非常明顯。

who, while once a legend, was far past his prime.

雖然芬恩是知名英雄，現在卻已年老。

Gráinne would not suffer this insult.

格蘭妮不願接受這個結局。

Before the wedding, the King held a great banquet.

在婚禮前，國王辦了一場奢華的宴會。

As the warriors told tales of Fionn’s strength and magical healing hands,

在騎士們說起芬恩的力量， 與他治癒之手的故事時，

Gráinne waited to enact her revenge.

格蘭妮等待著，準備實行報復。

But while scanning the room, her eyes locked on to one of the guests.

但在環視房間時， 她卻被一個客人迷住了。

Diarmuid, one of Fionn’s bravest soldiers

迪爾姆德是費奧納最勇猛的騎士之一，

and foster child of the God of Love himself,

也是愛神安格斯的養子，

was renowned for his stunning beauty.

而他同時也以非凡的俊美聞名。

Perhaps this was the bold warrior the princess had imagined?

也許他就是公主夢想中的無畏勇士？

Only one way to find out.

只有一個方法能確定。

Gráinne swept into action,

格蘭妮開始行動，

slipping a sleeping draught into the partygoers’ goblets.

將安眠藥混入賓客的酒杯中。

Soon the hall fell silent— save for two unenchanted guests.

很快的，除了他們兩個， 整個大廳都陷入沉睡。

The pair immediately felt a powerful connection.

這兩人立刻感受到一股強烈的羈絆。

But Diarmuid hesitated.

但迪爾姆德卻猶豫了。

He’d never put his interests before the Fianna’s.

他不可能將自己的慾望擺在芬恩之前。

Seeing Diarmuid waver between duty and desire,

發現迪爾姆德在義務和慾望間擺盪後，

Gráinne took the decision out of his hands.

格蘭妮為他做了決定。

With a light kiss, she placed a geas on his brow—

她在他額頭上輕輕一吻， 將誓約加在他身上。

an ancient spell that bound them together, for better or worse.

誓約是一種古老的咒語， 能讓兩人結合，但不保證後果。

As the pair escaped, Diarmuid’s heart was racing.

在私奔時，迪爾姆德的心狂跳不已。

Had he really betrayed Fionn for a woman he’d just met?

他真的為了一個剛見面的女人， 就背叛了主上芬恩嗎？

To answer his son’s questions, Angus Óg appeared beside them.

為了回答養子的疑問， 愛神安格斯出現在他倆身邊。

The God of Love blessed their union and eased his son’s concern.

愛神祝福他們的結合， 並打消了養子的顧慮。

But he also warned that endless difficulties lay ahead.

但他也警告，未來將有 無盡的困難等待著他們。

At the palace, Fionn awoke full of wrath.

宮殿裡，醒來的芬恩滿腔憤怒。

He rallied an epic war band that quickly caught up to the lovers.

他召集一支強盛的軍團， 立刻出發追捕這對情人。

To buy time, Diarmuid and Gráinne conjured a massive enclosure with seven doors.

為了爭取時間，迪爾姆德和格蘭妮 建造了一個有七道門的巨大圍場。

While Gráinne escaped with Angus Óg, Diarmuid went door to door seeking Fionn.

在格蘭妮隨愛神逃走時， 迪爾姆德在門中穿梭，尋找芬恩。

Some of the Fianna sought peaceful surrender, others itched for combat.

有些費奧納騎士同袍要他和平投降， 有些則要求和他一戰。

Diarmuid gave neither.

迪爾姆德兩件事都沒做。

But when he finally heard his leader’s voice calling for blood,

但在他聽見團長芬恩要求血償後，

he knew there was no turning back.

他知道事情已無轉圜餘地。

Launching himself over the barricade, Diarmuid leapt to Gráinne’s side.

衝過路障後， 迪爾姆德跳到格蘭妮身邊。

The chase was on.

追逐開始了。

The pair ventured west, where they soon encountered the giant Modan.

這對戀人冒險往西前進， 沒多久便遇見巨人摩丹。

Eager to help the lovers, he guarded them at night and carried them by day.

摩丹很想幫助這對愛人， 因此他晚上守夜，白天帶他們趕路。

And once the pair had crossed countless rivers and hills,

而在他們越過無數河流和山丘後，

their fear began to ease.

這對情人的恐懼也漸漸消退。

They left the forest’s cover, laughing, flirting, and growing bolder each day.

他們離開了森林的掩護， 歡笑、調情，每天都更大膽鬆懈。

But Fionn saw their contentment was an opportunity.

但芬恩將他們的滿足視為一個機會。

He enlisted three sea chiefs to capture the wandering lovers.

他請求三位海上之王抓住這對戀人。

Diarmuid scared them off with mystifying sword tricks—

迪爾姆德用奇異的劍法嚇退他們，

only for Fionn to send poisonous hounds.

但芬恩卻又派出有毒的獵犬。

Diarmuid and Gráinne fled yet again into an even more tangled forest—

這對情人再次逃走， 進入一座更加幽深的森林，

a sight which filled the Fianna with exhaustion.

眼晴的景象讓騎士們疲憊不堪。

They implored Fionn to give up the hunt, and at this, their leader grew quiet.

他們請求芬恩停止這場狩獵， 芬恩因此沉默不語。

He’d already lost a dear friend—

他已經失去了一個親愛的朋友，

now it seemed his wrath had cost him the respect of his men as well.

而現在，他的怒氣似乎也 讓他失去手下的尊敬。

Swallowing his rage, he called off the chase.

芬恩嚥下自己的憤怒，宣布停止狩獵。

For years, Gráinne and Diarmuid lived in peace.

格蘭妮和迪爾姆德過了幾年平靜的日子。

In time, Angus Óg even brokered an agreement between the warriors,

隨時日過去，愛神安格斯 甚至讓兩人達成協議，

and their conflict faded into memory.

將衝突留在過往。

But Gráinne never forgot the love god’s warning.

但格蘭妮卻沒有忘記愛神的警告。

One day, Fionn invited Diarmuid on a boar hunt high in the mountains.

某天，芬恩邀請迪爾姆德 一同到山中狩獵野豬。

While the two were riding, a venomous boar charged them

在兩人騎行時， 一隻有毒的野豬衝了過去，

and mortally wounded Diarmuid.

對迪爾姆德造成致命傷。

As he bled, the old warrior begged his friend for water,

迪爾姆德流血不止， 懇求芬恩掬水給他，

as all the Fianna knew drinking from the hands of Fionn Mac Cumhaill

因為所有的費奧納騎士都知道，

could save their lives.

芬恩用手掬起的水能救他們一命。

But as Fionn turned to aid Diarmuid, his old resentments came rushing back.

但在芬恩依言掬水回來時， 舊恨又湧上心頭。

For just a moment, his fingers parted, letting the water trickle to the ground.

他的手指分開了一瞬， 水從指縫流到地上。

And by the time Fionn realized his mistake,

而在他意識到自己的錯誤時，

it was too late.

已經為時已晚。

And the embers of rage that long burned inside him were finally quenched by tears.

他心中燃燒許久的怒火餘燼， 迅速被淚水澆熄了。