布莱希特诗一首 Fragen eines lesenden Arbeiters / A Worker Reads History

Karldeutsch

某个英文译本
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A Worker Reads History
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Who built the seven gates of Thebes?
9 P9 o1 B: v5 kThe books are filled with names of kings.
, k8 I9 V- `0 k; [- _1 v% lWas it the kings who hauled the craggy blocks of stone?
2 V9 j$ a- E) @: A, L/ G+ @And Babylon, so many times destroyed.
Who built the city up each time? In which of Lima's houses,
6 l0 n+ h* Q; A! `# |: ?" b5 eThat city glittering with gold, lived those who built it?
) g. g- y0 B9 Q6 |# a# rIn the evening when the Chinese wall was finished
, D% {5 ~( N* L0 W, kWhere did the masons go? Imperial Rome
Is full of arcs of triumph. Who reared them up? Over whom
5 H, U7 Q; O4 \/ U& WDid the Caesars triumph? Byzantium lives in song.
Were all her dwellings palaces? And even in Atlantis of the legend
The night the seas rushed in,
  _) q( o/ N- F, n; SThe drowning men still bellowed for their slaves.
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1 G  E5 ^* y9 `0 [Young Alexander conquered India.
He alone?
# _1 R  p7 I- m8 {% r  lCaesar beat the Gauls.
+ o* X8 V) {3 I8 ?: l' l2 oWas there not even a cook in his army?
Phillip of Spain wept as his fleet
$ U" Y+ _: g3 `  |( f* cwas sunk and destroyed. Were there no other tears?
+ [5 R* W$ @6 v9 |2 p& |* ~Frederick the Greek triumphed in the Seven Years War.
Who triumphed with him?
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Each page a victory
At whose expense the victory ball?
) T& w4 r3 j/ q1 I0 \- y& }# JEvery ten years a great man,
: N$ w, M3 l' A) V8 j) ?Who paid the piper?

" h) @( U* X$ ?- B' U# K) |* h+ o2 ?So many particulars.
3 |* ]6 z6 I  c0 \; ~So many questions.

9 C6 M0 k# a% U此诗为耶鲁大学John Merriman历史202（现代欧洲史）第一堂大课所提，引人深思。历史到底是个啥？

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