評論
打印
To the medieval mind,there was nothing more serious than an oath,
在中世紀人看來 宣誓是最為莊重嚴肅的事
and the tapestry maker makes it clear that this was a religious act
而掛毯的制作者 讓一位目擊者手指"圣禮"字樣
by having a witness point to the word "Sacramentum".
說明此行為的宗教性質
Harold's oath was indeed a kind of sacrament since it went right to the heart of the matter.
哈羅德的宣誓的確神圣 因為它直接關系到一個核心問題
What would happen to England after Edward died?
愛德華死后 英格蘭將何去何從
Now the English said that Harold agreed to be William's man only in Normandy
現在英格蘭人說 哈羅德只宣誓在諾曼底臣服于威廉
and that it had no bearing on the English succession.
此舉與英格蘭王位爭奪毫不相關
The Norman chroniclers, though,said Harold had sworn to help William take the throne of England.
諾曼編年史上寫的卻是 哈羅德誓助威廉 拿下英格蘭這片江山
The oath became even more binding when in a cheap theatrical trick
一個廉價而夸張的把戲 讓這誓言看上去更具約束力
the cloth was whipped from the table over which Harold had sworn.
哈羅德宣誓用的桌子上的布落下
Underneath was revealed a reliquary containing the bones of a saint.
下面竟是一個圣骨箱 里面放著圣人的骨骸
Well, how much trouble was he in now?
他究竟惹上了多大的麻煩呢
Had Harold promised something he couldn't deliver,
哈羅德是許下了無法履行的諾言
or had he made no promises at all about the English crown?
亦或是只字未提英格蘭王位的事呢
Norman chroniclers like to imagine the returning Harold
諾曼編年史認為歸來的哈羅德
haunted by guilt, saying one thing but doing another.
為自己說一套做一套的行為萬分愧疚
But in England anyway, there was no sign of a queasy conscience at all.
在英格蘭 卻毫無道德譴責一說
In fact, to get his hands on the crown,Harold now did something inconceivable for a Godwine,
事實上 為了得到王位 作為戈德溫家人 哈羅德接下來的舉動更令人咋舌
something which one day would have disastrous consequences.
并將在日后引發災難性后果
He sold his own brother, Tostig, down the river.
他將親弟弟托斯提戈扔進了河里
