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In the following months,the war broke down into grim, grinding local conflicts.
在隨后的數月中 戰爭演變成了艱苦的局部沖突
Parliament held on to London,the king tried to nail down bases of strength in the north and south-west.
議會軍據守倫敦 國王則試圖依仗 北方和西南地區的力量
The south-western campaign was especially savage.
西南部的戰役格外慘烈
Towns like Exeter and Taunton changed hands.
埃克塞特和湯頓等城鎮幾度易手
Local families were divided between brothers and cousins.
當地的家庭兄弟鬩墻手足相殘
Old friends became new enemies.
舊友反目成了敵人
Two such opponents, men in every other respect virtually indistinguishable,
其中這樣一對 惺惺相惜的朋友
were William Waller, a parliamentary general,and Ralph Hopton, a Royalist.
是議會軍將領威廉·沃勒 和保皇黨人拉爾夫·霍普頓
In a lull in the fighting,Hopton wrote to Waller asking for a meeting.
在短暫的休戰期間 霍普頓寫信給沃勒請求會面
Waller felt he had to turn him down,but wrote back in terms which spoke of the deep sorrow he felt at their broken friendship.
沃勒感到不得不拒絕 但回信中談到了 友情泯滅帶給他的深切痛楚
It's the classic lament of this terrible civil war.
為這場可怕的內戰譜寫了最經典的挽歌
To my noble friend, Sir Ralph.
致我尊貴的朋友 拉爾夫爵士
Sir, my affections to you are so unchangeable that hostility itself cannot violate my friendship to your person.
閣下 我對您的感情矢志不渝 戰爭本身 遠無法侵犯你我對你個人的情誼
But I must be true to the cause wherein I serve.
但我必須忠于自己的事業
That great God which is the searcher of my heart knows with what a sad scene I go upon this service,
偉大的上帝能探知我的心靈 他知道恪守職責于我意味著何等痛苦
and with what a perfect hatred I detest this war without an enemy.
而我又何等憎惡 這沒有仇敵的戰爭
But I look upon it as an opus domini,which is enough to silence all passion in me.
但我將其視作神的旨意 足以冷卻我心中所有的愛
