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



Who built the seven gates of Thebes?
- N$ Q- r7 L3 K2 m' c) J6 aThe books are filled with names of kings.
Was it the kings who hauled the craggy blocks of stone?
/ o; e# w3 W1 I  ~And Babylon, so many times destroyed.
Who built the city up each time? In which of Lima's houses,
That city glittering with gold, lived those who built it?
In the evening when the Chinese wall was finished
* t7 c' P& d* p4 Y6 rWhere did the masons go? Imperial Rome
Is full of arcs of triumph. Who reared them up? Over whom
Did 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,
% e) n2 n9 B3 i9 b! F% OThe drowning men still bellowed for their slaves.
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Young Alexander conquered India.
He alone?
Caesar beat the Gauls.
Was there not even a cook in his army?
Phillip of Spain wept as his fleet
7 B, q, T7 r2 k6 I& }; t2 xwas sunk and destroyed. Were there no other tears?
- \, z& ?, U9 C3 l: B0 yFrederick the Greek triumphed in the Seven Years War.
Who triumphed with him?

/ o) r" ?! f  R  n2 m4 hEach page a victory
At whose expense the victory ball?
Every ten years a great man,
Who paid the piper?

7 A; W0 Q% D* S( KSo many particulars.
So many questions.
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6 M$ L+ T9 A' \. d, q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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