The History of the Caliph Vathek (1786)---William Beckford

pique oneself on誇耀

voracious狼吞虎嚥的;貪婪的

assiduously勤勉地;不懈地employed themselves in filling bowls of rock crystal

avidity貪慾;渴望;

glutton老饕,貪吃的人

affability和藹可親

nor did he think with the Caliph Omar Ben Abdalaziz that it was necessary to make a hell of this world to enjoyParadise in the next

He surpassed勝過;優於;大於;多於in magnificence all his predecessors前任;前輩

scanty狹窄的;過小的,緊的; 過分節省的;吝嗇的

exquisite dainties美味,精美的食品

the most delicious winesand the choicest cordials【英】水果果汁; 甘露酒,甜香酒

the Nectar【希神】【羅神】神酒,瓊漿玉液;【植】花蜜; 甘露 of the Soul

Rarities稀罕之物,珍品;罕見的人

in such profusion充沛;豐富,大量;過分

the celebrated著名的,馳名的 Mani (Mani (in Persian: مانی, Syriac: ܡܐܢܝ) (c. 210–276 AD) was the founder of Manichaeism, an ancient gnostic religion that was once widespread but is now extinct. Mani was born of Iranian (Parthian) parentage in Assuristan, located in modern-day Iraq, which was a part of the Persian Empire during Mani's life. Mani may have been of Persian parentage), and statues that seemed to be alive.


The second was styled "The Temple of Melody, or the Nectar【希神】【羅神】神酒,瓊漿玉液;【植】花蜜; 甘露 of the Soul."
It was inhabited by the most skilful musicians and admired poets of the
time, who not only displayed their talents within, but, dispersing in
bands without, caused every surrounding scene to reverberate their songs,
which were continually varied in the most delightful succession.

the celebrated著名的,馳名的 Mani (Mani (in Persian: مانی, Syriac: ܡܐܢܝ) (c. 210–276 AD) was the founder of Manichaeism, an ancient gnostic religion that was once widespread but is now extinct. Mani was born of Iranian (Parthian) parentage in Assuristan, located in modern-day Iraq, which was a part of the Persian Empire during Mani's life. Mani may have been of Persian parentage)

the houri (伊斯蘭教)天堂女神;迷人美女

he experiencedno abatement 減少,減弱,減輕 in the love of his people

sovereign君主,元首;最高統治者

predilection嗜好;偏愛

orthodox正統的;傳統的,習俗的;通常的

he inducedthe zealots堅貞的猶太教徒to oppose him, and then persecuted迫害,殘害them in return

vicegerent國家元首(或最高領袖)指定的代理人;攝政者

Nimrod(聖經人物)寧羅(舊約創世紀) (Nimrod (Hebrew: נִמְרוֹד, Modern Nimrod Tiberian נִמְרֹד ; Nimrōḏ Arabic: نمرود‎) is a Mesopotamian monarch mentioned in the Book of Genesis, who also figures in many legends and folktales. He is depicted in the Bible as a mighty ruler and nation builder who founded many cities, including the great Babel or Babylon. Despite his stance as a powerful leader, his reputation was tarnished by his traditional association with the construction of the Tower of Babel. Outside of the Bible, several ruins preserve Nimrod's name,[1] and he is featured in the midrash.)

tosubserve有利於 his designs

chastisement懲戒,責罰;斥責

pismires螞蟻

transient短暫的;一時的;瞬間的

an adept熟練的,內行的 in the mysteries ofastrology

taciturnity沈默寡言;緘默

varlet無賴;流氓

gibes嘲笑;愚弄

make him rue懊悔,後悔,悔恨;悲his pertinacity執拗;頑固

menace威脅,恐嚇

they beheldthis rude merchant withstand抵擋,反抗;禁得起the encounter unshocked

pinioned束縛,限制 with strong fetters

importune強求;胡攪蠻纏this intractable不聽話的;倔強的, 棘手的stranger

instead of ill-treating, I should have
conciliated使和好;調解 by all the arts of persuasion

"The past," said Carathis, "cannot be recalled收回;撤銷;取消, but it behoves對...有此必要us to think of the future

poring upon注視,凝視them

his reiterated重做,反覆做;重申,反覆講attempts were all of them nugatory無效的

pedant賣弄學問的人;迂腐的教師;學究

Issue forth a proclamation that you will confer給予,賦予such rewards

a crowd of smatterers (smatter--一知半解)

inexplicable無法說明的;難以理解的,莫名其妙的

unable to gratify滿足(慾望等) their hankering嚮往;渴望

concurred with同...一致 them in opinion

venerable (因高齡、德行)令人肅然起敬的;可尊敬的personage

explained
them verbatim逐字的(地) , 逐字翻譯

potentate君主;統治者;有權勢的人

sequins金幣of gold

precipitation急躁;魯莽;倉促

giddiness暈眩;眼花;輕浮and debility衰弱

beheld nothing but a thick dun cloud, which he took for the most direful不祥的 of omens.

incapacitated使無能力;使...不能 for the enjoyment of any pleasure

deplorable悲慘的;糟糕的;骯髒的situation

unremittingly不間斷地;不停地;不懈地

find out some cure or mitigation緩和;減輕 of the Caliph's disease

were swarded (常用被動)給...鋪上草皮with wild thyme百里香and basil羅勒

thickets灌林叢;雜木林of eglantine多花薔薇

arbours涼亭;藤架of roses, jessamine, and
honeysuckle忍冬;忍冬屬植物, as many clumps 1. 叢;樹叢;矮樹叢of orange trees, cedar, and citron, whose
branches, interwoven with the palm, the pomegranate石榴;石榴樹, and the vine藤,藤蔓(植物), 葡萄樹

regale宴請,款待the eye or the taste

hare-bells風信子, and pansies三色堇,三色

tufts一簇,一束 of jonquils長壽花;黃水仙, hyacinths, and carnations康乃馨

perfume that impregnates使滲入the air

slake使滿足the thirst of ten armies

profusely豐富地;繁茂地

lark百靈科鳴禽(如雲雀)[

reputed in the highest degree salubrious有益健康的;清爽的and sacred to himself

phial小玻璃瓶;小藥瓶

hide the blush of mortification屈辱;羞愧;失面子that suffused遍佈...;充滿their foreheads

Forthwith立即,馬上,毫不猶豫地

execrated詛咒

Piqued因瑣事如未被重視等而)激怒的,不滿的,賭氣的

he laughed immoderately無節制地;過度地;極端地, and poured forth extemporaneous善於即席演講的 verses

his loquacity多話,饒

caroused 酒宴;痛飲

incommoded給...帶來不便;打擾by the voraciousness狼吞虎嚥的;貪婪的of his guest

the extravagant vagaries異常行為; of his boisterous喧鬧的;愛鬧的;狂歡的 guest

fast禁食;齋戒

temerity魯莽;冒失

at haphazard偶然,隨意(性)[ 無計劃的;隨意的;雜亂的

they portend預示,預先警告you evil

you have so lavishly非常大方地;浪費地;極其豐富地
recompensed for his magical gewgaws華而不實的東西

intimated to提示,暗示his vizir by a wink of acquiescence 1. 默認;默許;默從[ that
he would adopt his advice

no longer able to brook容忍;容許such insolence傲慢;無禮;厚顏

assailants攻擊者;襲擊者

impede阻礙;阻止

Muezzins (伊斯蘭教)報告禱告時刻的人

to avert 避開,移開the calamity災難;大禍;大災害

minarets清真寺的尖塔

nimbly 敏捷地;機靈地

unable to extricate使擺脫;解救 themselves from the pressure of the crowd

execrations憎惡;詛咒;被詛咒之人或物

a continual fall of water had excavated挖掘(穴、洞等);開鑿 an immense gulf裂口;深淵,深坑 in the valley

perfidious Giaour異教徒(回教徒對基督教徒的蔑稱)

his tents to be pitched搭(帳篷);紮(營) there

Vathek derided嘲笑;嘲弄all their remonstrances抗議;進諫;告誡

cataracts大瀑布

prodigies奇蹟,奇事;奇觀

sonorous響亮的,洪亮的

abjure發誓棄絕;公開放棄(意見、信仰、權利、國籍等) Mahomet

dissipate驅散(霧等),使消散;消除,使消失the gloom that perplexes me

instigated唆使;慫恿,煽動,挑動 by insatiable curiosity

lavished揮霍,浪費;濫施his promises in the utmost profusion

incited激勵;激起;煽動by the suggestion of demons

acclamations歡呼,喝采of a people

still smarting感到痛苦,感到難受under

imperceptibly不可覺地

mutually imparting分給;給予;傳授a thousand caresses

surmise推測;猜測,臆測

suppleness易彎曲;柔軟;柔順

Relentless殘酷的,無情的 Giaour

Perdition毀滅, 死後打入地獄;地獄on thy compassion

babbler嘮叨的人;胡言亂語的人

my diamond bracelet, to the second my collar of
emeralds祖母綠;綠寶石, to the third my aigret鷺of rubies, to the fourth my girdle of
topazes黃寶石

extolled讚美;頌揚the liberality慷慨;大方的贈物, 心胸寬闊

reiterated重做,反覆做;重申,反覆講

amenable肯順從的

No language could express his rage and despair. He execrated憎恨;詛咒 the perfidy of the Indian, loaded him with the most infamous invectives惡言謾罵

then fell on the earth like one void of sense.

felicitating向...致賀;視...有福

perceiving the tumult騷亂,騷動;混亂 to be still violent

imprecations詛咒

acquiesced默認;默許;默從 in his mother's proposal

Nefarious惡毒的;窮兇極惡的Giaour

pique誇耀themselves on their superiority in every competition

sanguinary流血的;血腥的

revile 辱罵,謾罵;痛斥

annexed獲得,得到

the most consummate完美的;圓滿的;絕頂的skill in the art of persuasion

arangue(向...)滔滔不絕地演講them with all the address of which she was
mistress

impending即將發生的;逼近的 gloom

squinted眯著眼看;斜著眼看

leered 睨視;媚眼;橫目with exquisite delight

contortions扭曲;歪;抽筋

being stunned使大吃一驚;使目瞪口呆by their gibbering語無倫次的;口齒不清的

a voracious狼吞虎嚥的;貪婪的 appetite

he began to cuff給...上手銬, pinch, and push them

be not so squeamish易生氣的

all together diffused 散佈的 such a stench惡臭

The oil
gushed噴,湧,(眼淚等)湧流forth in a plenitude of streams

strenuously exhorted規勸;告誡 them not to be alarmed

poltroon懦夫;膽小鬼

camels and dromedaries單峰駱駝

His main greed, however, was thirst for knowledge. He wanted to know everything.

the most magnificent repast餐,飲食;宴; flagons (餐桌用的有把手、注口和蓋子的)葡萄酒瓶;大酒壺[ of wine and vases of exquisite sherbet冰凍果子露

He availed有用於;有益於;有助於himself without scruple of such an entertainment
He availed himself of the opportunity to speak to her. 他利用這機會和她說話。

my nostrils have been regaled宴請,款待 by the savour滋味;氣味of thy mummies, thy horns, and still more by the lives devoted on the pile

betook致力於,專心於 himself to drinking anew重新;再一次

whose antipathy反感,厭惡to wine was by no means決不insuperable不能克服的

impious不敬神的,不虔誠的;褻瀆的temerity魯莽;冒失

sprightly生氣勃勃的;活潑的;輕快的humour

they told him, with an air of composure and commiseration憐憫;同情

with a smile that augured預示,是...的預兆 nothing of good

bane剋星,禍根---She is the bane of his life. 是她毀了他。

our tower abounds in富於 materials for the advancement of science

palanquins (=palankeen轎;肩輿)

anodyne止痛劑;緩和物;鎮痛劑

this good princess abhorred being indolent懶惰的;好逸惡勞的;懶散的

being heart-broken with sorrow and shame, they never arose