海底兩萬里 第347期 第23章 珊瑚王國(46)

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Indeed, the captain replied with a smile, and in this respect, the moderns aren't much farther along than the ancients.

是的，船長帶著微笑回答，關(guān)于這一點，近代人并沒有比古代入進步。

It took many centuries to discover the mechanical power of steam!

發(fā)明蒸汽力是要好幾千百年的時間呢！

Who knows whether we'll see a second Nautilus within the next 100 years!

誰知道在一百年后，是否將有第二只諾第留斯號出現(xiàn)呢！

Progress is slow, Professor Aronnax.

啊龍納斯先生，進步是很慢的呢。

It's true, I replied. Your ship is a century ahead of its time, perhaps several centuries. It would be most unfortunate if such a secret were to die with its inventor!

真的，我回答，您的船比它的時代進步了一世紀，或者好幾世紀。這樣一個秘密要跟它的發(fā)明人一同消逝，是多么不幸，尼摩船長并不回答我的話。

Captain Nemo did not reply. After some minutes of silence:

靜默了幾分鐘后，我問：

We were discussing, he said, the views of ancient historians on the dangers of navigating this Red Sea?

船長，您好像是特別研究過這海，您可以讓我知道紅海這名字的來源嗎？

True, I replied. But weren't their fears exaggerated?

當然愿意知道。阿龍納斯先生，關(guān)于這問題有很多的解釋。您愿意知道一個十四世紀的史學(xué)家的意見嗎？

Yes and no, Professor Aronnax, answered Captain Nemo, who seemed to know his Red Sea by heart.

這位空想家認為紅海這個名字是在以色列人走過這海之后才有的，

To a modern ship, well rigged, solidly constructed, and in control of its course thanks to obedient steam, some conditions are no longer hazardous that offered all sorts of dangers to the vessels of the ancients.

當時法老軍隊追趕他們到海上，海聽到摩西的聲音就涌上來，把法老軍隊淹沒了：為表示這種神奇，變成為鮮紅的海，自后除了紅海的稱呼再不能叫它別的名字了。

Picture those early navigators venturing forth in sailboats built from planks lashed together with palm-tree ropes, caulked with powdered resin, and coated with dogfish grease.

尼摩船長，我回答，這是詩人的解釋，我不能滿足。

They didn't even have instruments for taking their bearings, they went by guesswork in the midst of currents they barely knew.

所以我要問問您個人的意見。阿龍納斯先生，照我的意思，我們要把紅海名字看作為希伯來語愛德龍一詞的轉(zhuǎn)譯，

Under such conditions, shipwrecks had to be numerous.

古代的人所以稱它這個名字，是由于這海的水有一種特殊顏色。

But nowadays steamers providing service between Suez and the South Seas have nothing to fear from the fury of this gulf, despite the contrary winds of its monsoons.

可是，直到目前，我看見的都是清澈的水波，沒有什么特殊顏色。

Their captains and passengers no longer prepare for departure with sacrifices to placate the gods, and after returning, they don't traipse in wreaths and gold ribbons to say thanks at the local temple.

當然，不過您走進這海灣的內(nèi)部時，您就會看到這奇異現(xiàn)象。我回想起從前看過的多爾灣，完全紅色，好像血湖一樣。