莎翁曆史劇《理查二世》片段

做王是一樁危險的買賣，隨時有殺生之禍，莎翁在他的名劇《理查二世》中說得極其透徹。讓我們一起來欣賞英國名角 David Tennant（就是電視劇《神秘博士》Dr. Who 裏倒數第三任 Dr. Who）所演的這個段子。Tennant 的表演也許並不是最經典的，略有過火之嫌，但每個角色的演繹都和演員的理解和其自身性格分不開，看他的這段演繹倒也讓我有觸目驚心的感覺。

For God's sake, let us sit upon the ground
看在上帝的份上，讓我們都坐在地上吧，
And tell sad stories of the death of kings;
細說那些國王的死因，
How some have been deposed; some slain in war,
他們有些被被廢黜，有些拋屍沙場，
Some haunted by the ghosts they have deposed;
有些被自己所廢黜的鬼魂纏繞，
Some poison'd by their wives: some sleeping kill'd;
有些被妻子下了毒藥，還有些在睡夢中就被害死了；
All murder'd: for within the hollow crown
都不得好死！因為這空蕩蕩的王冠
That rounds the mortal temples of a king
戴在這凡世國王的頭上，
Keeps Death his court and there the antic sits,
裏麵裝的卻是死神的宮廷，坐著荒誕的死神，
Scoffing his state and grinning at his pomp,
在嘲弄著他的尊嚴，揶揄他的榮華，
Allowing him a breath, a little scene,
允許他一絲的呼吸，賜給他一個舞台，
To monarchize, be fear'd and kill with looks,
讓他君臨天下、萬人敬畏，眨眨眼就主生殺；
Infusing him with self and vain conceit,
讓他自負虛榮、妄自尊大，
As if this flesh which walls about our life,
誤以為包裹著血肉的這張皮囊，
Were brass impregnable, and humour'd thus
是一堵不可摧毀的銅牆鐵壁，卻不知
Comes at the last and with a little pin
當末日來臨之際，一個小小的針尖
Bores through his castle wall, and farewell king!
就可以刺破他的城牆，於是乎，再見吧國王！
Cover your heads and mock not flesh and blood
請帶好你們的帽子吧，不要輕蔑這肉體凡胎。
With solemn reverence: throw away respect,
請帶著莊嚴的敬意，拋開虛偽的尊嚴、
Tradition, form and ceremonious duty,
摒棄傳統、虛文和禮儀，
For you have but mistook me all this while:
因為你們一向都把我認錯了，
I live with bread like you, feel want,
我和你們一樣靠麵包生活、有七情六欲、
Taste grief, need friends: subjected thus,
懂得悲哀、需要朋友。既然如此，
How can you say to me, I am a king?
我又有何顏麵做你們的君王？

 

（翻譯：南澗采萍）

 

[南澗采萍]

謝謝您。

[polebear]

謝謝你用心寫的這個係列，薩翁的詩非常有神韻。查了一下發現他還真是King James Bible 翻譯小組裏很重要的一員。難怪每次讀他的詩詞就覺得有種聖經裏詩詞悲天憫人的情懷。你翻譯得很出彩，雖然大多數時候詩詞翻譯是件費力不討好的事情。詩歌本身的神韻常常lost in the translation中。翻譯得好的不隻是對語言表達能力要求很高，許多時候也是一種再創作