評論
打印
Only the highest office in the land seemed to have survived unscathed.
似乎只有國家之首 才能幸免于難
Edward III, once the glamorous, invincible warrior,was now an ageing father to a fragile nation.
愛德華三世 曾經戰無不勝的武士 現在是這個岌岌可危之國的年邁國王
Still, the royal succession seemed secure.
但是皇室的繼承還未受動搖
Edward's son, the Black Prince, the heir to the throne,was already a legendary hero.
愛德華的兒子黑太子 王位的繼承人 已經是一位傳奇英雄了
But then, against all expectation,the picture changed.
但是 出乎所有人的預料 形勢急轉直下
The Black Prince succumbed to dysentery in 1376,and a year later, the old king himself finally expired.
黑太子于1376年死于痢疾 一年后 年邁的國王去世
And so the crown passed to Edward's grandson,Richard of Bordeaux.
王位由愛德華的孫子 波爾多的理查繼承
A boy-king, called upon before his time,Richard was ruler in name only.
年幼的國王 涉世未深 過早登基 只能淪為傀儡
Everyone knew that his uncle,John of Gaunt, worked the levers of power.
世人皆知 其叔 岡特的約翰 操縱實權
Richard's coronation was orchestrated by John of Gaunt as a festival of loyalty,
理查的加冕禮由岡特的約翰精心策劃為 一場標榜其忠誠的表演
a statement of faith in the undimmed future of England's glory.
宣稱前途未卜的英國 前途光輝
There had been no coronation for half a century,but the mix of solemnity and festivity never failed to work its spell.
英國已半個世紀沒舉行過加冕禮了 但這種既莊嚴又歡慶的場面 從未失去其吸引力
Knights of the shire rode in from all over England to witness the spectacle.
英國各地的騎士紛紛涌來 見證這一盛況
