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

Karldeutsch

某个英文译本
, G/ I9 j2 d$ ~% q( i: A  n

A Worker Reads History
; l; ?+ {0 ?, o0 G* ~, e


" G* Y- a# J) U; {+ O! C% I& ?Who built the seven gates of Thebes?
8 t. C1 B) C$ S" Y5 I4 I8 vThe books are filled with names of kings.
Was it the kings who hauled the craggy blocks of stone?
, O4 J% ^5 W' ^2 ?. aAnd Babylon, so many times destroyed.
Who built the city up each time? In which of Lima's houses,
; w+ g, j$ Z& ?+ f" c2 jThat city glittering with gold, lived those who built it?
In the evening when the Chinese wall was finished
Where 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.
; b) S( M/ M: TWere all her dwellings palaces? And even in Atlantis of the legend
3 U3 h# _( |. ~! @" o; \1 hThe night the seas rushed in,
( n1 Q+ e) N! YThe drowning men still bellowed for their slaves.
5 U" X# x8 L7 @+ d  b9 \7 }7 x
" i% }; r, G  ?Young Alexander conquered India.
' s3 m( m1 @9 q3 J. W$ c* O5 F" kHe alone?
/ a! T8 O# f/ B4 Q* C& bCaesar beat the Gauls.
Was there not even a cook in his army?
( D7 I  [+ j7 U4 lPhillip of Spain wept as his fleet
1 G/ s4 G7 r% a# ~4 u4 E% xwas sunk and destroyed. Were there no other tears?
Frederick the Greek triumphed in the Seven Years War.
Who triumphed with him?
+ \3 e1 W. w2 Z6 Z
Each page a victory
At whose expense the victory ball?
Every ten years a great man,
; Q8 x* D9 {8 K9 {0 NWho paid the piper?
; ~2 w  Z+ a  X6 m8 T
8 N% P: J: D& n- jSo many particulars.
) a8 S! w  k/ gSo many questions.

  q* D) y8 W3 f4 ~5 S) v- T2 m) |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？
. j" d/ N0 K) c8 J- @( B( d
- R+ o" M5 T+ g' e" h