ALFRED，LORD TENNYSON
阿爾弗雷德·丁尼生
（1809—1892）

【作者與作品簡介】

陳維杭

Ulysses

It little profits¹ that an idle king，

By this still hearth，among these barren crags，²

Matched with an aged wife，³ I mete and dole

Unequal laws unto a savage race，⁴

That hoard，and sleep，and feed，⁵ and know not me.⁶

I cannot rest from travel； I will drink

Life to the lees.⁷ All times I have enjoyed

Greatly，have suffered greatly，both with those

That loved me，and alone； on shore，and when

Through scudding drifts the rainy Hyades

Vexed the dim sea.⁸ I am become a name；⁹

For always roaming with a hungry heart

Much have I seen and known — cities of men

And manners，climates，councils，governments，

Myself not least，but honored of them all¹⁰ —

And drunk delight of battle with my peers，¹¹

Far on the ringing plains of windy Troy.¹²

I am part of all that I have met；¹³

Yet all experience is an arch wherethrough

Gleams that untraveled world whose margin fades

Forever and forever when I move.¹⁴

How dull it is to pause，to make an end.

To rust unburnished，not to shine in use！¹⁵

As though to breathe were life！ Life piled on life

Were all too little，and of one to me

Little remains；¹⁶ but every hour is saved

From that eternal silence，something more，

A bringer of new things；¹⁷ and vile it were

For some three suns to store and hoard myself，¹⁸

And this gray spirit yearning in desire¹⁹

To follow knowledge like a sinking star，

Beyond the utmost bound of human thought.

This is my son，mine own Telemachus，²⁰

To whom I leave the scepter and the isle²¹ —

Well-loved of me，²² discerning to fulfill

This labor，by slow prudence to make mild

A rugged people，and through soft degrees

Subdue them to the useful and the good.²³

Most blameless is he，centered in the sphere

Of common duties，decent not to fail

In offices of tenderness，²⁴ and pay

Meet adoration to my household gods，²⁵

When I am gone. He works his work，I mine.

There lies the port； the vessel puffs her sail；

There gloom the dark，broad seas. My mariners，

Souls²⁶ that have toiled，and wrought，²⁷ and thought with me —

That ever with a frolic welcome took

The thunder and the sunshine，²⁸ and opposed

Free hearts，free foreheads²⁹ — you and I are old；

Old age hath yet his honor and his toil.

Death closes all；³⁰ but something ere³¹ the end，

Some work of noble note，³² may yet be done，

Not unbecoming men that strove with gods.³³

The lights begin to twinkle from the rocks；

The long day wanes； the slow moon climbs； the deep³⁴

Moans round with many voices. Come，my friends.

'Tis not too late to seek a newer world.

Push off，and sitting well in order smite

The sounding furrows；³⁵ for my purpose holds

To sail beyond the sunset，and the baths

Of all the western stars，³⁶ until I die.

It may be that the gulfs will wash us down；

It may be that we shall touch the Happy Isles，³⁷

And see the great Achilles，³⁸ whom we knew.

Though much is taken，much abides； and though

We are not now that strength which in old days

Moved earth and heaven，that which we are，we are³⁹ —

One equal temper of heroic hearts，⁴⁰

Made weak by time and fate，but strong in will

To strive，to seek，to find，and not to yield.

【題解】

丁尼生此詩取材于但丁的《神曲·地獄篇》（The Divine Comedy：The Inferno ）第二十六節(jié)。但丁在這詩篇中描述尤利西斯（即希臘神話中的奧德修斯）因在特洛伊戰(zhàn)爭中所犯的罪愆而在熊熊烈火中燒烤，以及他的自述。據(jù)但丁所編的故事，特洛伊戰(zhàn)爭結(jié)束之后，尤利西斯始終沒有回到他的故鄉(xiāng)伊薩卡島（Ithaca），他動員一些部下和他一起到直布羅陀海峽以西的海域去探險(xiǎn)。他鼓動手下將士說：“Consider your origin：you were not made to live as brutes，but to pursue virtue and knowledge.” 丁尼生對但丁的故事略作改動，結(jié)合荷馬《奧德修紀(jì)》（Odyssey ）第12—24章的內(nèi)容，編了不同于兩者的故事。在這里，尤利西斯回到伊薩卡，和妻子珀涅羅庇、兒子堤萊莫克斯團(tuán)聚，并重新掌管他的王國的事務(wù)。但是，他很快就感到百無聊賴，又想重返冒險(xiǎn)生涯。本詩敘述他號召和他一起戰(zhàn)斗過的部下，再次出去干一番驚天動地的事業(yè)。丁尼生曾說明，在好友亞瑟·哈勒姆（Arthur Hallam）不幸亡故之后，他本身也“需要向前進(jìn)，直面人生的斗爭” （need to going forward and braving the struggle of life）。

【注釋】

1.It little profits：這樣的情況幾乎毫無意義；It：是that an idle king etc. 這個(gè)從句的先行詞。

2.By this still hearth，among these barren crags：在這草木不長的巉巖之中，坐在家里這安靜的壁爐旁邊； hearth：常表示安逸舒適的家庭生活； barren crags：伊薩卡島上盡是巨大的巖石。

3.Matched with an aged wife：一個(gè)是百無聊賴的國王（an idle king），守著一個(gè)年邁的妻子，正好是一對。

4.I mete and dole ... race：I measure out rewards and punishment，我賞罰島上未開化的土著居民； mete和dole都表示 to give out by measure，而且都和out組成動詞短語，但mete out指處罰 （to mete out punishment），而 dole out指給予或施舍（ to give or distribute as a charity）； unequal laws：不同的法律，指懲罰或獎賞。

5.That hoard，and sleep，and feed：這里表露了尤利西斯對未開化民族的鄙視；hoard：囤積吃的和用的東西。按：比較莎士比亞《哈姆雷特》（Hamlet）4.4.33—35：What is a man，/ If his chief good and market of his time / Be but to sleep and feed？ A beast，no more.

6.know not me：do not know me.

7.drink ... lees：意為不愿如此消磨時(shí)光，而要把生命之酒一飲而盡；lees：the sediment or dregs of liquor （as wine） during fermentation and aging，dregs，酒滓；注意，此詞為復(fù)數(shù)，單數(shù)lee很少用。

8.All times I have enjoyed ... sea：第7—11行這一句意為：尤利西斯在家時(shí)，既和家人一起享受天倫之樂，又獨(dú)自忍受煎熬；而他在海上經(jīng)歷驚濤駭浪時(shí)，則是完全獨(dú)自在享受生活，同時(shí)又經(jīng)受磨難；on shore，and when：and連接兩個(gè)狀語結(jié)構(gòu)，即on shore 和when ... sea。按：Hyades是金牛宮的畢星團(tuán)，據(jù)說該星團(tuán)在日出時(shí)出現(xiàn)，天就會下雨，故云rainy Hyades； scudding drifts：driving showers of spray and rain.

9.I am become a name：我已經(jīng)徒有虛名；am become：have become； 一些特殊聯(lián)系動詞的完成時(shí)態(tài)不用have 而用be作助動詞，是英語較早期的用法。

10.Myself not least，but honored of them all：我雖然不是最微不足道的，但是頗受大家尊重； Myself 與cities of men And manners 等并列； of：by； 參看第35行：Well-loved of me.

11.drunk delight of battle with my peers：和我的同僚們共享戰(zhàn)斗的愉悅；和第6—7行I will drink Life to the lees相呼應(yīng)； peers：companions.

12.ringing plains of windy Troy：烽火連天、干戈震耳的特洛伊平原上；ringing：干戈四起之聲；windy：特洛伊城并不見得風(fēng)特別大，只是表示戰(zhàn)火連天的意思。特洛伊王子帕里斯在希臘斯巴達(dá)王麥尼勞斯宮中看上其妻海倫之后，將海倫拐走，麥尼勞斯和其兄弟邁西尼國王阿迦門儂興師討伐，包圍特洛伊城，這一仗打了十年，最后尤利西斯用木馬計(jì)將城攻陷。在但丁的《神曲·地獄篇》（The Divine Comedy：The Inferno ）第二十六節(jié)中，尤利西斯因使用木馬計(jì)而遭受烈火焚燒。

13.I am part of all that I have met：我和大家同甘苦，共患難。

14.Yet all experience is an arch wherethrough ... move：經(jīng)驗(yàn)就像一座拱門，通過這道門，我可以看見那個(gè)未曾涉足的世界在閃光，而這個(gè)世界的邊際，卻隨著我往前移動而永遠(yuǎn)不停地消退；wherethrough Gleams that untraveled world：through which that untraveled world gleams； whose margin fades Forever and forever when I move：比喻探索的世界永無止境。

15.How dull it is to pause，to make an end ... use：比較莎士比亞《特洛伊斯和克里斯達(dá)》（Troilus and Cressida ）中尤利西斯的演說，3.3.150—153：Perseverance，dear my lord，/ Keeps honor bright； to have done，is to hang / Quite out of fashion，like a rusty mail / in monumental mockery.

16.Life piled on life ... remains：人生即使有多次生命也是短暫的，更何況我的一次生命已經(jīng)剩下不多了。

17.every hour is saved ... things：只要有一些新的動態(tài)，帶來新東西，那么，每個(gè)小時(shí)都會得到利用，而不是消失在永久的沉寂之中；eternal silence：指人死后永遠(yuǎn)沉寂； something more：with something more.

18.vile it were ... myself：第五行鄙視未開化的土著人只知道藏吃的東西（hoard），吃、喝、睡，而此處譴責(zé)自己“藏”著三年的歲月不加以利用；vile it were：it would be vile； three suns：三年，一般作三天解。

19.And this gray spirit yearning in desire：with this gray spirit etc.，尤利西斯已經(jīng)年老，故曰“白頭”（gray spirit），頗有“老當(dāng)益壯，寧移白首之心”的精神。

20.mine own Telemachus：尤利西斯的兒子堤萊莫克斯； mine：my，以元音起首的詞前面用mine，不用my。

21.To whom I leave the scepter and the isle：尤利西斯準(zhǔn)備把統(tǒng)治伊薩卡的權(quán)力交給兒子； scepter：節(jié)杖，象征國王的權(quán)力。

22.Well-loved of me：well-loved by me； 參看第十五行：honored of them all.

23.discerning to fulfill ... good：堤萊莫克斯非常精明，懂得如何來管理好這個(gè)地方（to fulfill This labor），知道要耐心謹(jǐn)慎地（slow prudence）改造這一個(gè)粗野的民族（make mild A rugged people）的性格，要用溫和的方式，逐步地 （through soft degrees） 教育和約束（Subdue）他們，使他們成為有用之人和好人。

24.In offices of tenderness：溫和地處事； offices：an assigned or assumed duty，task，or role.

25.pay ... gods：非常懂規(guī)矩地供奉家里敬的保護(hù)神； Meet：adj. fitting.

26.Souls：persons，指mariners.

27.wrought：worked.

28.with a frolic welcome took ...sunshine：以歡愉的心情迎接風(fēng)雷和烈日。

29.opposed ... foreheads：反對空虛的心靈和頭腦。下行說，即使年老，也應(yīng)該有其尊嚴(yán)和勞作；free：having no obligations or commitment，沒有任務(wù)的或責(zé)任的。按：另有解釋為opposed 和took并列，其賓語為the thunder and the sunshine，但是，從句子結(jié)構(gòu)來看，關(guān)系代詞that （i.e. my mariners） 是這個(gè)插入語的主語，took和opposed都是其謂語動詞，free hearts and free forehead應(yīng)該是opposed的賓語，如果理解為opposed 的主語，似乎勉強(qiáng)；free這個(gè)詞，習(xí)慣上都作為褒義詞，這里更可能是貶義詞，謂心靈空虛，無所事事。

30.Death closes all：死亡封閉了一切，即做什么事情都不可能了。

31.ere：before.

32.Some work of noble note：宏偉大業(yè)；note：importance，significance.

33.Not unbecoming men that strove with gods：（這種宏偉大業(yè)） 和那些敢于和諸神一爭高低的人是很相稱的。按：古希臘的宗教是泛神論，奧林帕斯山上有很多神，彼此之間斗爭不斷，人和神也會發(fā)生沖突。這和基督教的一神論是不同的，基督教的神是不可挑戰(zhàn)的。

34.the deep：the sea.

35.smite ... furrows：在驚濤駭浪中擊漿； furrows：原指犁翻過的地，船在水上航行時(shí)留下的波痕。

36.the baths ... stars：古希臘人認(rèn)為平地的外面都是一片汪洋，西下的星星都沉入海底。

37.the Happy Isles：極樂島，即Elysium，希臘神話中人死之后去的地方（the abode of the blessed dead），又稱the Islands of the Blessed，據(jù)說在世界盡頭以西的大洋里。

38.Achilles：阿基里斯和尤利西斯一起參加特洛伊戰(zhàn)爭。他死于帕里斯（Paris）手中。根據(jù)希臘人的信念，阿基里斯死后應(yīng)該住在極樂島。

39.We are not now that strength which in old days ... are：我們已經(jīng)不像當(dāng)年那樣如此英勇神武，可以移山填海，可是我們畢竟還是我們。

40.One equal temper of heroic hearts：同樣氣質(zhì)的英雄膽略。

Tithonus

The woods decay，the woods decay and fall，

The vapors weep their burthen to the ground，¹

Man comes and tills the field and lies beneath，²

And after many a summer dies the swan.³

Me only cruel immortality

Consumes：⁴ I wither slowly in thine arms，⁵

Here at the quiet limit of the world，⁶

A white-haired shadow⁷ roaming like a dream

The ever-silent spaces of the East，

Far-folded mists，⁸ and gleaming halls of morn.⁹

　Alas！ for this gray shadow，once a man¹⁰ —

So glorious in his beauty and thy choice，¹¹

Who madest him thy chosen，that he seemed¹²

To his great heart none other than a God！

I asked thee，“Give me immortality.”¹³

Then didst thou grant mine asking with a smile，¹⁴

Like wealthy men who care not how they give.

But thy strong Hours indignant¹⁵ worked their wills，

And beat me down and marred and wasted me，

And tho'¹⁶ they could not end me，left me maimed

To dwell in presence of immortal youth，¹⁷

Immortal age beside immortal youth，

And all I was，in ashes.¹⁸ Can thy love，

Thy beauty，make amends，tho' even now，

Close over us，the silver star，thy guide，

Shines in those tremulous eyes¹⁹ that fill with tears

To hear me？ Let me go：take back thy gift：

Why should a man desire in any way

To vary from the kindly race of men，²⁰

Or pass beyond the goal of ordinance²¹

Where all should pause，as is most meet²² for all？

　A soft air fans the cloud apart； there comes

A glimpse of that dark world²³ where I was born.

Once more the old mysterious glimmer steals

From thy pure brows，²⁴ and from thy shoulders pure，

And bosom beating with a heart renewed.²⁵

Thy cheek begins to redden thro' the gloom，

Thy sweet eyes brighten slowly close to mine，

Ere yet they blind the stars，²⁶ and the wild team²⁷

Which love thee，yearning for thy yoke，arise，

And shake the darkness from their loosened manes，

And beat the twilight into flakes of fire.

　Lo！ ever thus thou growest beautiful

In silence，then before thine answer given

Departest，²⁸ and thy tears are on my cheek.

　Why wilt²⁹ thou ever scare me with thy tears，

And make me tremble lest a saying learnt，

In days far-off，on that dark earth，be true？

“The Gods themselves cannot recall their gifts.”

　Ay me！³⁰ ay me！ with what another heart

In days far-off，and with what other eyes

I used to watch — if I be he that watched³¹ —

The lucid outline forming round thee； saw

The dim curls kindle into sunny rings；

Changed with thy mystic change，and felt my blood

Glow with the glow that slowly crimsoned all

Thy presence and thy portals，while I lay，

Mouth，forehead，eyelids，growing dewy-warm

With kisses balmier than half-opening buds

Of April，and could hear the lips that kissed

Whispering I knew not what of wild and sweet，³²

Like that strange song I heard Apollo sing，³³

While Ilion like a mist rose into towers.

　Yet hold me not for ever in thine East：

How can my nature longer mix with thine？

Coldly thy rosy shadows bathe me，cold

Are all thy lights，and cold my wrinkled feet

Upon thy glimmering thresholds，when the steam

Floats up from those dim fields about the homes

Of happy men that have the power to die，

And grassy barrows of the happier dead.³⁴

Release me，and restore me to the ground；

Thou seest all things，thou wilt see my grave：

Thou wilt renew thy beauty morn by morn；

I earth in earth forget these empty courts，³⁵

And thee returning on thy silver wheels.

【題解】

Tithonus，提托諾斯，特洛伊王子，為黎明女神愛歐斯 （Eos，亦稱Aurora）所愛。愛歐斯求天神宙斯賜長生于提托諾斯，但因一時(shí)疏忽，忘了請求賜予永遠(yuǎn)年輕。提托諾斯日漸衰老，雖居于天神之宮，卻因不能經(jīng)歷正常的由生至死的途徑而感到苦惱乏味。他感到只有 “萬壽無疆”，而不是死亡，才是 “殘酷”的。

【注釋】

1.The vapors weep their burthen to the ground：意為水氣化為露水而消亡。

2.lies beneath：死后入土。

3.after many a summer dies the swan：有些種類的天鵝至少可以活五十年。

4.Me only cruel immortality Consumes：only cruel immortality consumes me，只有殘酷的長生在消耗著我。

5.I wither slowly in thine arms：我在你的懷抱里枯萎； thine：thy，后接以元音起首的名詞，如下mine asking。

6.the quiet limit of the world：黎明女神之宮殿。

7.A white-haired shadow：白發(fā)蒼蒼的影子，指年老衰弱的提托諾斯。

8.Far-folded mists：彌漫遠(yuǎn)近的霧。

9.gleaming halls of morn：早晨的天宮一片光明； morn：morning. 按：第9—10兩行都是roaming的賓語。

10.once a man：曾經(jīng)是一個(gè)年輕的男子。

11.thy choice：你的意中人。

12.Who madest him thy chosen，that he seemed：who的先行詞為thy （你的）所暗示的 thou （你），這種結(jié)構(gòu)比較古舊； madest是與thou配合的動詞形式； thy chosen：你的意中人； that he seemed：that和上行的so呼應(yīng)。

13.I asked thee，“Give me immortality”：此處詩人把賜予長生的天神宙斯改為黎明神愛歐斯。

14.didst thou grant mine asking with a smile：你微笑著答應(yīng)了我的請求； didst：did； mine asking：my asking.

15.thy strong Hours indignant：你那威力強(qiáng)大的 “時(shí)間” 在一怒之下； indignant：being indignant.

16.tho'：though.

17.immortal youth：指黎明女神。

18.in ashes：指衰弱的身體如灰燼一般。

19.those tremulous eyes：指黎明女神的眼光。

20.To vary from the kindly race of men：和常人不同； kindly：（archaic ） natural，belong to the kind or race，自然的，正常的。

21.beyond the goal of ordinance：超過人類天定的壽數(shù)；the goal of ordinance：what is decreed or ordained as human destiny.

22.meet：fitting，合適的；此行意為到了天定的限度（goal），一切都得終止（pause），這是順理成章的。

23.that dark world：指地球，塵世。

24.the old mysterious glimmer steals ... brows：指曙光從黎明女神的身上散發(fā)出來，此處的brows 和 下行的shoulders，bosom都表示女神發(fā)光的部位。

25.with a heart renewed：黎明女神每天都有一顆新的心，意為每天都有新生。

26.Ere yet they blind the stars：直到群星在你的光芒下黯然失色； Ere：before.

27.the wild team：the horses that draw Eos's Chariots into the sky at daybreak.

28.Departest：黎明女神不回答我的請求就走了；“請求”指Let me go； take back thy gift.

29.wilt：will.

30.Ay me：alas.

31.if I be he that watched：但愿我還是當(dāng)年的那位守望者； 虛擬式。

32.I knew not what of wild and sweet：我不知是哪種狂熱和甜蜜的語言。

33.that strange song I heard Apollo sing：傳說特洛伊城是在阿波羅的音樂的伴奏聲中建筑起來的。

34.grassy barrows：長滿草的墳?zāi)?；barrow：an ancient earth-built grave-mound；happier dead：活人能死 （have the power to die） 是幸福的，死后則更加幸福。

35.I earth in earth forget these empty courts：我這出于土而入于土之人，將會忘記這空虛的宮殿； these empty courts：指黎明女神之宮?！杜f約·創(chuàng)世記》（Genesis ）3：19：In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread，till thou return unto the ground； for out of it wast thou taken； for thou art dust，and unto dust shalt thou return. （你必汗流滿面才得糊口，直到你歸了土，因?yàn)槟闶菑耐炼龅摹Ｄ惚臼菈m土，仍要?dú)w于塵土。）

Break，Break，Break

Break，break，break，

On thy cold gray stones，O Sea！

And I would¹ that my tongue could utter

The thoughts that arise in me.

O，well for² the fisherman's boy，

That he shouts with his sister at play！

O，well for the sailor lad，

That he sings in his boat on the bay！

And the stately ships go on

To their haven under the hill；

But O for the touch of a vanished hand，³

And the sound of a voice⁴ that is still！

Break，break，break，

At the foot of thy crags，O Sea！

But the tender grace of a day⁵ that is dead

Will never come back to me.

【題解】

丁尼生的好友亞瑟·哈勒姆（Arthur Hallam）英年早逝，給他造成很大的心理沖擊。這首詩表達(dá)了他對朋友的懷念，他對世界和生活的看法。詩寫得非常簡單，然而感情強(qiáng)烈，題目Break，Break，Break 呼喚海浪猛烈地沖撞海岸邊的巖石，就像他自己心中涌起的無數(shù)思緒那樣。他所描寫的海上漁民的孩子的嬉戲，以及青年水手的歌唱未必一定是當(dāng)時(shí)當(dāng)?shù)氐膶?shí)際情景，可能更多是他的想象，是他所創(chuàng)造的一種意象。一個(gè)生命的不幸終止，使他無限惋惜，但悲痛之中，他還是看到了世界的生命力，希望純樸而美好的生活能夠繼續(xù)。

【注釋】

1.would：wish.

2.O，well for：感嘆語，意為 “好??！” 或是 “為……感到高興”。

3.But O for the touch of a vanished hand：要是能摸到一只消失的手，那多么好?。≡娙税У客鲇褋喩す漳罚冈俅挝盏剿氖?。

4.And the sound of a voice：And for the sound of voice etc..

5.the tender grace of a day：意為美好的日子。

Sonnet

How thought you that this thing could captivate？¹

What are those graces that could make her dear，²

Who is not worth the notice of a sneer，

To rouse the vapid devil of her hate？³

A speech conventional，so void of weight，⁴

That after it has buzzed about one's ear，

'Twere rich refreshment for a week to hear

The dentist babble or the barber prate；⁵

A hand displayed with many a little art；

An eye that glances on her neighbor's dress；

A foot too often shown for my regard；⁶

An angel's form — a waiting-woman's heart；⁷

A perfect-featured face，expressionless，

Insipid，as the Queen upon a card.⁸

【題解】

丁尼生曾經(jīng)愛上一位名叫羅沙·巴林（Rosa Baring）的美麗而高貴的年輕姑娘。后不久即對她失望，此詩疑與這段糾葛有關(guān)。

【注釋】

1.How thought you that this thing could captivate：how could you think that etc.； this thing：所指不確，或許指這位女士的容貌，或許指下面所述的種種行為。大意是：你怎能以為這種樣子可以使人對你入迷呢？

2.What are those graces that could make her dear：她有哪些風(fēng)采和特點(diǎn)使她高貴呢； grace：a charming or attractive trait or characteristic，a pleasing appearance or effect，charm； dear：highly valued，precious.

3.Who is not worth the notice of a sneer ... hate：此句意為誰都會遭到她的嘲笑和蔑視，使她大動肝火，引發(fā)她的刻薄和憎恨；vapid devil of her hate：指她的仇恨心態(tài)像一個(gè)潛伏的魔鬼，動不動就會被挑逗起來；vapid：lacking liveliness，dull.

4.weight：importance，分量。

5.'Twere rich refreshment for a week to hear ... prate：聽了她陳詞濫調(diào)，言之無物的講話之后，即使整整一個(gè)星期聽牙醫(yī)和理發(fā)師喋喋不休地吹牛，也會感到是一種莫大的享受；'Twere：it were，it would be，虛擬式。

6.A hand displayed with many a little art ... regard：這三行描寫的情形都說明了姑娘的淺薄。

7.a waiting-woman's heart：女傭的心態(tài)；和天使的形體（angel's form） 形成對比，女傭的心無非是平常人的心，并無突出之處。

8.the Queen upon a card：撲克牌上的王后。

FromTHE PRINCESS

Tears，Idle Tears

Tears，idle tears，I know not what they mean，

Tears from the depth of some divine despair

Rise in the heart，and gather to the eyes，

In looking on the happy Autumn-fields，

And thinking of the days that are no more.

Fresh as the first beam glittering on a sail，

That brings our friends up from the underworld，

Sad as the last¹ which reddens over one

That sinks with all we love below the verge；

So sad，so fresh，the days that are no more.

Ah，sad and strange as in dark summer dawns

The earliest pipe² of half-awakened birds

To dying ears，when unto dying eyes

The casement³ slowly grows a glimmering square；

So sad，so strange，the days that are no more.

Dear as remembered kisses after death，

And sweet as those by hopeless fancy feigned

On lips that are for others； deep as love，

Deep as first love，and wild with all regret；

O Death in Life，the days that are no more.

【題解】

選自長篇敘事詩《公主》（The Princess ）中的若干插曲短歌之一。詩人自注：“This song came to me on the yellowing autumntide at Tintern Abbey，full for me of its bygone memories.” （我在丁登寺的金黃色的秋景中想起忘卻的往事，命筆成詩。） 又云：“It is what I have always felt even from a boy，and what as a boy I called the ‘passion of the past.’ And it is so always with me now； it is the distance that charms me in the landscape，the picture and the past，and not the immediate today in which I move.” （ 即使我在少年時(shí)代，都曾有此感受，并在當(dāng)時(shí)稱為 “往昔的熱情”。我現(xiàn)在依然如故。使我醉心的是風(fēng)景、圖畫和往事中的距離，而不是我活動于其中的當(dāng)今。） 丁尼生在此處可能聯(lián)想到華茲華斯的詩《丁登寺旁》（Tintern Abbey），以及葬在布里斯托爾（Bristol） 海峽對面的亡友亞瑟·哈勒姆（Arthur Hallam）。

【注釋】

1.the last：the last beam.

2.pipe：鳥鳴聲。

3.casement：（poetic ） window，窗扉。按：此節(jié)關(guān)于仲夏鳥鳴，幽暗陰郁，以及將死的感官（dying ears，dying eyes） 等等的描寫，頗受濟(jì)慈《夜鶯頌》（Ode to a Nightingale ） 的影響。尤其是casement一詞，與濟(jì)慈該詩中的浪漫主義名句有關(guān)：The same that oft-times hath / Charm'd magic casements，opening on the foam / Of perilous seas，in faery lands forlorn. 參見本書關(guān)于這首詩的注釋。

The Woman's Cause Is Man's

“Blame not thyself too much，”I said，“nor blame

Too much the sons of men and barbarous laws；

These were the rough ways of the world till now.

Henceforth thou hast¹ a helper，me，that know

The woman's cause is man's：they rise or sink

Together，dwarfed or godlike，bond or free：

For she that out of Lethe scales with man

The shining steps of Nature，² shares with man

His nights，his days，moves with him to one goal，

Stays all the fair young planet in her hands³ —

If she be small，slight-natured，⁴ miserable，

How shall men grow？ but work no more alone！

Our place is much：as far as in us lies

We two will serve them both in aiding her⁵ —

Will clear away the parasitic forms

That seem to keep her up but drag her down⁶ —

Will leave her space to burgeon out of all

Within her — let her make herself her own

To give or keep，to live and learn and be

All that not harms distinctive womanhood.

For woman is not undevelopt⁷ man，

But diverse：could we make her as the man，

Sweet Love were slain：⁸ his dearest bond is this，

Not like to like，but like in difference.⁹

Yet in the long years liker must they grow；¹⁰

The man be more of woman，she of man；¹¹

He gain in sweetness and in moral height，

Nor lose the wrestling thews that throw the world；¹²

She mental breadth，nor fail in childward care，¹³

Nor lose the childlike in the larger mind；¹⁴

Till at the last she set herself to man，

Like perfect music unto noble words；¹⁵

And so these twain，upon the skirts of Time，¹⁶

Sit side by side，full-summed in all their powers，¹⁷

Dispensing harvest，sowing the To-be，¹⁸

Self-reverent each and reverencing each，¹⁹

Distinct in individualities，

But like each other even as those who love.

Then comes the statelier Eden back to men：²⁰

Then reign the world's great bridals，chaste and calm：

Then springs the crowning race of humankind.

May these things be！”²¹

　　　　　　　　　　　　Sighing she spoke “I fear

They will not.”

　　　　　　　　“Dear，but let us type them now

In our own lives，²² and this proud watchword²³ rest

Of equal； seeing either sex alone

Is half itself，and in true marriage lies

Nor equal，nor unequal：²⁴ each fulfils

Defect in each，and always thought in thought，

Purpose in purpose，will in will，they grow，²⁵

The single pure and perfect animal，

The two-celled heart²⁶ beating，with one full stroke，

Life.”

　And again sighing she spoke：“A dream

That once was mind！ what woman taught you this？”

【題解】

長篇敘事詩《公主》（The Princess ） 描寫一位王子追求美麗的公主艾達(dá)（Ida），但是艾達(dá)另有追求，辦了一所女子大學(xué)，男生不得介入。她還發(fā)誓終身不嫁。最后，她不得不承認(rèn)她這場女性運(yùn)動的實(shí)驗(yàn)歸于失敗。王子努力勸她相信，建立男女之間一種完美理想關(guān)系，是有可能的。此處選自第七章中王子勸慰艾達(dá)的一段關(guān)鍵的話。

【注釋】

1.thou hast：you have.

2.she that out of Lethe scales with man ... Nature：女人和男人一起沿著自然界閃光的階梯從冥間來到人間； Lethe：冥間一條河，人在出生之前飲其水則忘卻過去的一切； scales：mounts，攀登。

3.Stays all the fair young planet in her hands：在她的手中呵護(hù)著所有幼小美麗的星球；指生兒育女，把他們撫養(yǎng)大； planet：形式是單數(shù)，但有復(fù)數(shù)之意。

4.slight-natured：心胸狹窄。

5.Our place is much：as far as in us lies ... her：意為我們的天地很廣闊，只要我們之間有這塊天地，我們就可以通過幫助女性來幫助男女雙方。

6.the parasitic forms ...down：這里似乎指纏繞在樹上的各種寄生植物，似乎在扶著大樹，其實(shí)是在拖累它；同樣，女性在社會上也受到各種牽制，看起來是在扶持她們，其實(shí)是在限制她們。

7.undevelopt：undeveloped.

8.could we make her as the man ... slain：如果我們把女人變成男人，那么甜蜜的愛情就會被扼殺。

9.Not like to like，but like in difference：意為男人和女人不是完全相同的，而是在不同之中有相似之處。

10.liker must they grow：他們必將變得更加相似。

11.The man be more of woman，she of man：The man would be more of woman，she would be more of man，男人將會具有更多的女人的特性，女人亦將具有更多的男人的特性。以下一系列動詞前均省去would。

12.Nor lose the wrestling thews that throw the world：也不會失去摔跤手那種強(qiáng)健的征服世界的力量； thews：muscle，sinew，usually used in plural，肌肉，筋腱； throw：摔跤比賽中把對方摔倒在地，此處意為征服。

13.She mental breadth，nor fail in childward care：她的心胸和精神境界將變得更加開闊，而在照料孩子方面卻毫不遜色； She mental breadth：she would gain mental breadth.

14.Nor lose the childlike in the larger mind：心胸寬廣卻又不失赤子之心。

15.she set herself to man ... words：她和男人密切地配合，猶如為崇高的詞語配上樂曲。

16.twain：一對男女；the skirts of Time：時(shí)間的裙邊，喻良辰美景。

17.full-summed in all their powers：他們所有的力量都結(jié)合在一起。

18.Dispensing harvest，sowing the To-be：分享收獲，播種未來； To-be：future.

19.Self-reverent each and reverencing each：各人都尊重自己，各人都尊重對方； reverence：動詞，即revere。

20.Then comes the statelier Eden back to men：更加雄偉莊嚴(yán)的伊甸樂園回到了人間。Eden：《圣經(jīng)》所載人類始祖居住的樂園。

21.May these things be：但愿這一切成為現(xiàn)實(shí)。

22.let us type them now ... lives：讓我們在自己的生活中先做出表率； type：to symbolize，to exemplify.

23.this proud watchword：即 “l(fā)et us type them now In our own lives” 這句話。

24.in true marriage lies ... unequal：在真正的婚姻中無所謂平等或不平等，意為雙方各有的都只是互相補(bǔ)充對方之不足。

25.thought in thought ... grow：男女在成長過程中的思想、目標(biāo)和意志都是相同的。

26.The two-celled heart：意為男女兩顆結(jié)合在一起的心臟。

FromIN MEMORIAM A. H. H.

8

A happy lover who has come

To look on her that loves him well，

Who 'lights¹ and rings the gateway bell，

And learns her gone and far from home；

He saddens，all the magic light

Dies off at once from bower and hall，

And all the place is dark，and all

The chambers emptied of delight：

So find I every pleasant spot

In which we two were wont to meet，

The field，the chamber，and the street，

For all is dark where thou art² not.

Yet as that other，wandering there

In those deserted walks，may find

A flower beat with³ rainand wind，

Which once she fostered up with care；

So seems it in my deep regret，

O my forsaken heart，with thee

And this poor flower of poesy

Which little cared for fades not yet.

But since it pleased a vanished eye，

I go to plant it on his tomb，

That if it can it there may bloom，

Or，dying，there at least may die.

11

Calm is the morn without a sound，

Calm as to suit a calmer grief，

And only thro' the faded leaf

The chestnut pattering to the ground：

Calm and deep peace on this high world，¹

And on these dews that drench the furze，²

And all the silvery gossamers³

That twinkle into green and gold：

Calm and still light on yon great plain

That sweeps with all its autumn bowers，

And crowded farms and lessening towers，

To mingle with the bounding main：

Calm and deep peace in this wide air，

These leaves that redden to the fall；

And in my heart，if calm at all，

If any calm，a calm despair：

Calm on the seas，and silver sleep，

And waves that sway themselves in rest，

And dead calm in that noble breast

Which heaves but with the heaving deep.⁴

19

The Danube to the Severn gave

The darkened heart that beat no more；¹

They laid him by the pleasant shore，

And in the hearing of the wave.

There twice a day the Severn fills；²

The salt sea-water passes by，

And hushes half the babbling Wye，³

And makes a silence in the hills.

The Wye is hushed nor moved along，

And hushed my deepest grief of all，

When filled with tears that cannot fall，

I brim with sorrow drowning song.

The tide flows down，the wave again

Is vocal in its wooded walls；

My deeper anguish also falls，

And I can speak a little then.

27

I envy not in any moods

The captive void of noble rage，¹

The linnet² born within the cage，

That never knew the summer woods：

I envy not the beast that takes

His license in the field of time，³

Unfettered by the sense of crime，

To whom a conscience never wakes；

Nor，what may count itself as blest，

The heart that never plighted troth⁴

But stagnates in the weeds of sloth；

Nor any want-begotten rest.⁵

I hold it true，whate'er befall；

I feel it，when I sorrow most；

'Tis⁶ better to have loved and lost

Than never to have loved at all.

54

O，yet we trust that¹ somehow good

Will be the final goal of ill，²

To pangs of nature，sins of will，

Defects of doubt，and taints of blood；

That nothing walks with aimless feet；

That not one life shall be destroyed，

Or cast as rubbish to the void，

When God hath made the pile complete；³

That not a worm is cloven in vain；

That not a moth with vain desire

Is shriveled in a fruitless fire，

Or but subserves another's gain.⁴

Behold，we know not anything；

I can but trust that good shall fall

At last — far off — at last，to all，

And every winter change to spring.

So runs my dream：but what am I？

An infant crying in the night：

An infant crying for the light：

And with no language but a cry.

55

The wish，that of the living whole

No life may fail beyond the grave，¹

Derives it not from what we have

The likest God within the soul？²

Are God and Nature then at strife，³

That Nature lends such evil dreams？

So careful of the type she seems，⁴

So careless of the single life；

That I，considering everywhere

Her secret meaning in her deeds，

And finding that of fifty seeds

She often brings but one to bear，

I falter where I firmly trod，

And falling with my weight of cares

Upon the great world's altar-stairs

That slope thro' darkness up to God，⁵

I stretch lame hands of faith，and grope，⁶

And gather dust and chaff，and call

To what I feel is Lord of all，

And faintly trust the larger hope.⁷

56

“So careful of the type？”but no.

From scarped cliff and quarried stone¹

She² cries，“A thousand types are gone：

I care for nothing，all shall go.

“Thou makest thine appeal to me：

I bring to life，I bring to death：

The spirit does but mean the breath：³

I know no more.” And he，shall he，⁴

Man，her last work，who seemed so fair，

Such splendid purpose in his eyes，

Who rolled the psalm to wintry skies，⁵

Who built him fanes⁶ of fruitless prayer，

Who trusted God was love indeed

And love Creation's final law⁷ —

Tho' Nature，red in tooth and claw

With ravine，shrieked against his creed⁸ —

Who loved，who suffered countless ills，

Who battled for the True，the Just，

Be blown about the desert dust，

Or sealed within the iron hills？⁹

No more？ A monster then，a dream，

A discord. Dragons of the prime，

That tare each other in their slime，¹⁰

Were mellow music matched with¹¹ him.

O life as futile，then，as frail！

O for thy voice to soothe and bless！

What hope of answer，or redress？

Behind the veil，behind the veil.

118

Contèmplate all this work of Time，

The giant labouring in his youth；¹

Nor dream of human love and truth，

As dying Nature's earth and lime；

But trust that those we call the dead

Are breathers of an ampler day

For ever nobler ends. They² say，

The solid earth whereon we tread

In tracts of fluent heat began，

And grew to seeming-random forms，

The seeming prey of cyclic storms，

Till at the last arose the man；

Who throve and branch'd from clime to clime，³

The herald of a higher race，

And of himself in higher place，

If so he type this work of time

Within himself，from more to more；⁴

Or，crown'd with attributes of woe

Like glories，⁵ move his course，and show

That life is not as idle ore，

But iron dug from central gloom，

And heated hot with burning fears，

And dipt in baths of hissing tears，

And batter'd with the shocks of doom

To shape and use. Arise and fly

The reeling Faun，⁶ the sensual feast；

Move upward，working out the beast，⁷

And let the ape and tiger die.

123

There rolls the deep where grew the tree.¹

O earth，what changes hast thou seen！²

There where the long street roars，hath been

The stillness of³ the central sea.

The hills are shadows，and they flow

From form to form，and nothing stands；

They melt like mist，the solid lands，

Like clouds they shape themselves and go.

But in my spirit will I dwell，

And dream my dream，and hold it true；

For tho' my lips may breathe adieu，

I cannot think the thing farewell.

130

Thy voice is on the rolling air；¹

I hear thee where the waters run；

Thou standest in the rising sun，²

And in the setting³ thou art fair.

What art thou then？ I cannot guess；

But tho'⁴ I seem in star and flower

To feel thee some diffusive power，

I do not therefore love thee less：

My love involves the love before；

My love is vaster passion now；

Tho' mix'd with God and Nature thou，

I seem to love thee more and more.

Far off thou art，but ever nigh；⁵

I have thee still，and I rejoice；

I prosper，circled with thy voice；

I shall not lose thee tho' I die.

【題解】

丁尼生的《悼念集》是懷念亡友亞瑟·哈勒姆 （Arthur Hallam） 的一部長篇詩組，共131首，詩情深沉莊重。詩中表達(dá)的對亡友的深切情誼升華為對人類的博愛，對生命和苦難的疑問，以及對來世的憧憬。詩人緬懷男友的情感，無疑受到莎士比亞《十四行詩》的影響。而作為挽歌，《悼念集》也繼承了彌爾頓《利西達(dá)斯》（Lycidas ） 和雪萊《阿多尼斯》（Adonais ） 的傳統(tǒng)。詩的結(jié)構(gòu)則像抒情民歌，富有清醒和質(zhì)樸的氣息。

【注釋】

第8首

1.'lights：alights，下馬或下車等。

2.thou art：you are.

3.beat with：beaten，今罕用； with：by.

第11首

1.high world：high and open countryside，地勢高而開闊的農(nóng)村。

2.furze：荊豆。

3.gossamers：蛛絲，游絲。

4.Calm on the seas，and silver sleep ... deep：詩人想象哈勒姆的遺體從海上運(yùn)回英國。此節(jié)描寫的是秋天的景色，實(shí)際死者是在年底運(yùn)回國內(nèi)的。

第19首

1.The Danube to the Severn gave ... more：哈勒姆死于多瑙河流經(jīng)的維也納，葬在英格蘭西南部的塞汶河 （Severn）畔，故稱多瑙河把停止跳動的失色的心臟送到塞汶河。

2.twice a day the Severn fills：塞汶河是一條潮水河，一日漲潮兩次 （fills），故云。

3.Wye：懷河，這是塞汶河的支流。當(dāng)潮水上漲時(shí)，懷河被阻，流水聲咽 （hushes half the babbling Wye，又第9行The Wye is hushed nor moved along）； 退潮時(shí)，懷河再次浪起，流水嘩嘩 （第13—14行）。

第27首

1.The captive void of noble rage：字面意思為因受束縛而無法表達(dá)的高昂的悲憤； 意為悲憤而無法發(fā)泄。

2.linnet：紅雀。

3.takes ... time：在時(shí)間的田野里有特許權(quán)，意為能活得自由自在。

4.plighted troth：訂立山盟海誓。

5.want-begotten rest：由于某種缺陷 （want，deficiency） 引起的自滿情緒； rest在此處意為complacency。

6.'Tis：it is.

第54首

1.we trust that：以下兩節(jié)that所引導(dǎo)的都是we trust 的賓語從句。

2.good ... ill：“好事”是“壞事”的最終目標(biāo)；以下所列舉的都是所謂“壞事”：人性易受的痛苦（pangs of nature，如嫉妒），用心不良 （sins of will），多疑（defects of doubt），血液污染 （taints of blood，如疾?。?。

3.not one life shall be destroyed ... complete：一旦上帝要摧毀的都已經(jīng)摧毀（when the pile is complete），那就不會再毀滅任何一個(gè)生命，把它像廢物那樣丟棄。

4.Or but subserves another's gain：除非為了服務(wù)于另類的利益；Or but：except.

第55首

1.that of the living whole ... grave：that no life of the living whole may fail beyond the grave是The wish的同位語；此句意為希望生命有來生，而不是進(jìn)入墳?zāi)贡闼愀娼K。

2.Derives it not from what we have ... soul：Does it （the wish） not derives from etc.，產(chǎn)生這種愿望是因?yàn)槲覀冃闹兴坪跤猩系鄞嬖冢?/p>

3.Are God and Nature then at strife：上帝希望生命的存在而自然將其扼殺。

4.So careful of the type she seems：自然（she） 十分關(guān)心 （保持） 物種（type），而毫不在乎單一生命（的存亡）； type：species，物種。

5.Upon the great world's altar-stairs ... God：此句意為自己在黑暗中逐級攀登通向上帝的祭壇的階梯。

6.I stretch lame hands of faith，and grope：表示自己的信仰并不堅(jiān)定。這是因?yàn)樗麑Πl(fā)生的很多事情感到迷茫。

7.larger hope：即第1—2兩行The wish，that of the living whole etc.

第56首

1.scarped cliff and quarried stone：垂直向下劈削而成的峭壁和開采的石塊； 前者是自然形成，而后者是人為造成的。

2.She：Nature.

3.The spirit does but mean the breath：精神只不過是呼吸而已；does but mean：only means.

4.And he，shall he：下接Be blown about the desert dust，Or sealed within the iron hills，中間都是修飾he的定語從句。

5.Who rolled the psalm to wintry skies：對著冬天的天空唱起雅歌；roll：to sound with a full reverberating tone.

6.fanes：temples.

7.love Creation's final law：love was Creation's final law.

8.Tho' Nature，red in tooth and claw ... creed：此處形容大自然和上帝創(chuàng)造萬物成對比，牙齒和爪子鮮血淋淋，大地上劃出深溝險(xiǎn)壑；shrieked against his creed：大聲尖利地反對上帝的訓(xùn)令；his：指God；creed：指Creation's final law。

9.sealed within the iron hills：preserved like fossils in rock，像化石那樣僵化其中。

10.Dragons of the prime ... slime：精力充沛的巨龍，互相廝打，黏液滿身； tare：（archaic ） tore； slime：爬行類動物身上分泌的黏液。

11.matched with：in comparison with.

第118首

1.The giant labouring in his youth：“時(shí)間”這個(gè)巨人在他年輕時(shí)的勞作；his：Time.

2.They：指地質(zhì)學(xué)家和天文學(xué)家。

3.Who throve and branch'd from clime to clime：人類努力奮斗，移居到各種不同的氣候條件下；clime：climate.

4.If so he type this work of time ... more：虛擬式； 意為：（“時(shí)間”使地球上形成千姿百態(tài)）人也隨著年月的推移不斷在內(nèi)心塑造自己； type：emulate，prefigure as a type.

5.crown'd with attributes of woe ... glories：比喻人一生的成就其實(shí)是各種苦難和磨練造就的，和榮耀一樣，組成人的冠冕。

6.Faun：古代羅馬傳說中半人半羊的農(nóng)牧神。

7.working out the beast：這個(gè)半人半羊的農(nóng)牧神要把體內(nèi)的獸性剔出去，（就像礦要經(jīng)過提煉，才能成為金屬）。

第123首

1.There rolls the deep where grew the tree：昔日是森林，今日是波濤洶涌的大海； the deep：大海。

2.hast thou seen：have you seen.

3.There where the long street roars，hath been ... of：昔日沉寂的大?，F(xiàn)在成了喧鬧的馬路，即蒼海桑田之變。丁尼生十分熟悉查爾斯·賴爾爵士（Sir Charles Lyell）的《地質(zhì)學(xué)原理》 （The Principles of Geology，1832） 一書，其中有一段話：“In the Mediterranean alone，many flourishing inland towns and a still greater number of ports now stand where the sea rolled its waves since the era when civilized nations first grew in Europe.” （參見Norton Anthology of English Literature，II，1979，p. 1170）

第130首

1.Thy voice is on the rolling air：比較雪萊詩《阿多尼斯》（Adonais ） 第370—371行：He is made one with Nature：there is heard / His voice in all her music. （他和自然結(jié)為一體，在她的音樂中可聽到他的聲音。）

2.Thou standest in the rising sun：比較《新約·啟示錄》（Revelations ） 19：17：And I saw an angel sanding in the sun. （我又看見一位天使站在日頭中。）

3.in the setting：i.e. in the setting of the sun.

4.tho'：though.

5.nigh：（archaic ） near in place，time or relationship，靠近。