Known as an infamous[1] lady who lighted the flames of the Trojan War, Helen was the most beautiful woman in the world. She was the daughter of Zeus and was married to Menelaus, king of Sparta, by her stepfather. They were leading a happy life[2] when one day Paris came to visit Sparta.Quikly, Helen and Paris fell in love and fled together to Troy.When Menelaus learnt it, he was very angry and decided to lay a siege to[3] the city of Troy and get Helen back. The battle continued for a very long time, Helen felt she still loved Menelaus, and she helped Odysseus and Diomedes when they came in disguise to steal the Palladium. Finally, Paris was defeated and killed in the battle.When Menelaus entered the city of Troy, he began searching anxiously for Helen and found her trembling in the ruins[4]. Facing her charming face again, Menelaus felt it difficult to thrust his sword into her body. Then Helen, feeling guity and ashamed, asked Menelaus for forgiveness. Menelaus forgave her and brought her back to Sparta.They loved each other like before and lived happilly from then on.
海倫,因?yàn)樘羝鹆颂芈逡翍?zhàn)爭(zhēng)而臭名昭著。她是世界上最漂亮的女人。她是宙斯的女兒,她的繼父把她嫁給了斯巴達(dá)國(guó)王梅納雷阿斯。他們一直過(guò)著幸福的生活,直到有一天,帕里斯訪問(wèn)斯巴達(dá),很快,他便與海倫墜入愛(ài)河并一起私奔,逃到了特洛伊。 梅納雷阿斯得知此事后非常生氣,他決定攻打特洛伊城,并把海倫找回來(lái)。戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)持續(xù)了很長(zhǎng)時(shí)間,海倫發(fā)現(xiàn)自己還愛(ài)著曼紐拉斯,于是當(dāng)俄底修斯和戴奧米底斯化妝進(jìn)城來(lái)竊取帕拉斯(守護(hù)特洛伊城的神像)神像時(shí),她幫助了他們。最后,帕里斯戰(zhàn)敗并被殺死。 曼紐拉斯進(jìn)入特洛伊城并急切地尋找海倫,后來(lái)在廢墟中發(fā)現(xiàn)了她。再一次面對(duì)著海倫美麗的臉龐,曼紐拉斯怎么也不忍心把劍刺入她的身體。海倫有一種負(fù)罪感,并且非常羞愧,她請(qǐng)求曼紐拉斯寬恕。曼紐拉斯原諒了她并把她帶回斯巴達(dá)。他們象從前一樣相愛(ài),從此過(guò)著幸福的生活。
注釋?zhuān)?/p>
1. infamous:這是一個(gè)貶義詞,表示“聲名狼藉”、“臭名昭著”等。用這個(gè)詞形容Helen這么漂亮的姑娘,似乎太嚴(yán)厲了??墒钦l(shuí)讓她挑起特洛伊戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)呢!總之,infamous是用來(lái)形容壞人的,如an infamous criminal表示“一個(gè)臭名昭著的殺人犯”。
2. lead a... life:表示“過(guò)……生活”,例如:lead a happy life(過(guò)幸福的生活)。還有一個(gè)詞組live a... life與其同義,也表示“過(guò)……生活”。
3. lay a siege to:表示“攻打”、“發(fā)動(dòng)戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)”,后面跟名詞。
4. ruin:是“毀滅”、“毀壞之物”等意思,加復(fù)數(shù)后常表示“廢墟”,如the ruins of a castle (一座城堡的廢墟)。