世界小史 第71期:继承人薛西斯
He died soon after, leaving his son and successor, Xerxes, to take revenge on Greece once and for all.
不久他便死去，把向希腊彻底复仇的任务一下子交给了他的继承人薛西斯。
Xerxes, a hard, ambitious man, needed no urging.
薛西斯是一个冷酷无情的有统治欲的人，他二话没说，马上就干。
He assembled an army from among all the subject peoples of his empire.
他集结一支由臣服于波斯人的所有各民族组成的军队。
Dressed in their traditional costumes, with their weapons, their bows and arrows, shields and swords, lances, war-chariots and slings1,
他们全都身穿各自地区传统的服装前来并带着各自的武器，带着弓箭、盾牌和剑，带着标枪、战车或投石器。
they were a vast, swirling2 multitude, said by some to number more than a million men.
这是一支庞大的、数目惊人的军队，据说有100多万人。
What hope had the Greeks in the face of such a host? This time Xerxes himself took command.
简直看不出，这支大军一到，希腊人还会有什么生路。这一回薛西斯御驾亲征。
But when the Persians tried to cross the narrow neck of sea which separates Asia Minor3 from today's Istanbul,
当波斯大军试图凭借他们由船组成的浮桥越过隔断从今天伊斯坦布尔到小亚细亚的狭小海峡时，
on a bridge made of boats, rough waves tore the bridge apart.
汹涌的海浪冲毁了船桥。
In his fury Xerxes had the waves lashed4 with chains. But I doubt if the sea took any notice.
薛西斯随即怒气冲冲地让士兵用铁链鞭打海浪。但我怀疑大海是否买他的帐。
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