From the earliest days of the Renaissance, the writing of history meant recounting the exemplary lives of great men. In 1337, Petrarch began work on his rambling writing De Viris Illustribus – On Famous Men, highlighting the virtus (or virtue) of classical heroes. Petrarch celebrated their greatness in conquering fortune and rising to the top. This was the biographical tradition which Niccolo Machiavelli turned on its head. In The Prince, the championed cunning, ruthlessness, and boldness, rather than virtue, mercy and justice, as the skills of successful leaders.
●閃光詞組
描述偉人的典型生活:recount the exemplary lives of great men
強調古典英雄的美德:highlight the virtue of classical heroes
征服命運、奮斗到社會頂層:conquer fortune and rise to the top
宣揚狡詐、無情和無恥:champion cunning , ruthlessness , and boldness
正直、仁慈和公正:virtue , mercy and justice
●長難句翻譯
In 1337, Petrarch began work on his rambling writing De Viris Illustribus – On Famous Men, highlighting the virtus (or virtue) of classical heroes.
1337年,Petrarch 開始撰寫雜文《名人傳》,強調古典英雄的美德。
PART 2
“Universal history , the history of what man has accomplished in this world , is at bottom the History of the Great Men who have worked here ,”wrote the Victorian sage Thomas Carlyle. Well , not any more it is not . Suddenly , Britain looks to have fallen out with its favorte historical form.This could be no more than a passing literary craze , but it also points to a broader truth about how we now approach the past : less concerned with learning from forefathers and more interested in feeling their pain . Today , we want empathy , not inspiration.
●閃光詞組
實質上:be at bottom
可能只是:could be no more than X
一時的文學熱潮:a passing literary craze
了解過去:approach the past
需要共鳴,而不是啟示:want empathy , not inspiration
●長難句翻譯
This could be no more than a passing literary craze , but it also points to a broader truth about how we now approach the past : less concerned with learning from forefathers and more interested in feeling their pain .