威廉·莎士比亚著叙事长诗《维纳斯和阿多尼斯》

献词

译文（全文）

让自负的蠢才们为劣作而谬赞

俊美的太阳神引我至诗神之泉

恭呈

南安普顿伯爵兼提齐菲尔德男爵

－亨利·里奥谢思利阁下

尊敬的阁下：

余不揣冒昧，率奉拙诗与阁下，亦不揣世人将如何指斥某竟择如此强有力之后盾以扶持何其差强之赘吟；伏惟或博阁下一粲，余当自视为崇高之荣耀, 并誓以所有之闲暇勉力进取，直至向阁下敬献精雕之力作。 然则余此番之初作倘有所鄙陋, 将愧对其高贵之尊教, 并永不耕耘如是贫瘠之原盖因惧其犹馈余乏善之收获矣。余呈此以待阁下垂顾怡赏；余愿斯以应阁下之所欲及世人之所期也。

尊奉阁下之威廉·莎士比亚

原文（全文）

'Vilia miretur vulgus; mihi flavus Apollo

Pocula Castalia plena ministret aqua.'

TO THE

RIGHT HONORABLE HENRY WRIOTHESLY,

EARL OF SOUTHAMPTON, AND BARON OF TICHFIELD.

RIGHT HONORABLE,

I KNOW not how I shall offend in dedicating my unpolished lines to your lordship, nor how the world will censure me for choosing so strong a prop to support so weak a burden only, if your honour seem but pleased, I account myself highly praised, and vow to take advantage of all idle hours, till I have honoured you with some graver labour. But if the first heir of my invention prove deformed, I shall be sorry it had so noble a god-father, and never after ear so barren a land, for fear it yield me still so bad a harvest. I leave it to your honourable survey, and your honour to your heart's content; which I wish may always answer your own wish and the world's hopeful expectation.

Your honour's in all duty,

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

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太阳刚刚东升，圆圆的脸又大又红，

泣露的清晓也刚刚别去，犹留遗踪，

双颊绯红的阿都尼，就已驰逐匆匆。

他爱好的是追猎，他嗤笑的是谈[情]。

维纳斯偏把单思害，急急忙忙，紧紧随[定]，

拚却女儿羞容，凭厚颜，要演一出凰求凤。

她先夸他美，说，“你比我还美好几倍。

地上百卉你为魁，芬芳清逸绝无对。

仙子比你失颜色，壮男比你空雄伟。

你洁白胜过白鸽子，娇红胜过红玫瑰。

造化生你，自斗智慧，使你一身，俊秀荟萃。

她说，‘你若一旦休，便天地同尽，万物共毁。’

原文（第1~12行摘录）

叙事诗“维纳斯和阿多尼斯”的首页

叙事诗“维纳斯和阿多尼斯”的首页 [8]

EVEN as the sun with purple-colour'd face

Had ta'en his last leave of the weeping morn,

Rose-cheek'd Adonis hied him to the chase;

Hunting he loved, but love he laugh'd to scorn;

Sick-thoughted Venus makes amain unto him,

And like a bold-faced suitor 'gins to woo him.

'Thrice-fairer than myself,' thus she began,

'The field's chief flower, sweet above compare,

Stain to all nymphs, more lovely than a man,

More white and red than doves or roses are;

Nature that made thee, with herself at strife,

Saith that the world hath ending with thy life.