故事来源:西汉(公元前206年--公元25年)史书《史记》 时间:春秋时期(公元前770年──公元前476年) 地 点:吴国(今中国的江苏省) 越国(今中国的浙江省) 主要人物:西施(越国美女)范蠡(越国大臣) 勾践(越国君主)夫差(吴国君主)
吴、越两国相邻,世代积仇,战火不断。吴国国力强盛,军队气势高涨,连连大败越国,眼看就要将其吞并。越王勾践与大夫范蠡商议,决定向吴王夫差拱手称臣,甘为奴隶,以免越国遭到灭顶之灾。
吴王夫差沉浸在胜利的喜悦中,见越国君臣如此虔诚,便下令不再征讨越国。勾践夫妇来到吴王宫中,一方面割草喂马,表示臣服;一方面派人操练军队,恢复国力。为了取悦好色的吴王,越国送去了美女西施。夫差一见西施貌若天仙,喜出望外,每日纵情欢乐,不问朝政。
西施受越王之命,表面以美色迷惑夫差,内心却充满无奈。因为她与英俊潇洒的范蠡早有婚约,为了保住越国,她付出了巨大的代价。
三年之后,越王看出吴国国力耗尽,便乘虚而入,大举讨伐吴国。吴国丧失警戒,溃不成军。夫差眼见无力挽回败局,后悔莫急,自刎吴宫。
越国灭掉吴国,勾践要重赏范蠡、西施。二人却不辞而别,乘舟远行,消失在湖光山色之中。
英文版
Xi Shi
Origin:
Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-25 AD) historical compilation, The Historical RecordsTime:Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) Place:The State of Wu (present day Jiangsu Province)The State of Yue (present day Zhejiang Province)Main characters:Xi Shi (a beautiful woman of Yue)Fan Li (a minister of Yue)Gou Jian (King of Yue)Fu Chai (King of Wu)
The neighboring states of Wu and Yue are historical enemies, constantly at war with each other. The State of Wu is extremely powerful, with superior military forces that have crushed the State of Yue to the point of extinction. After discussing the situation with his minister Fan Li, King Gou Jian of Yue informs King Fu Chai of Wu that he will submit to his authority and become his willing slave, in order to save his country.
King Fu Chai, flushed with victory, is delighted at the King of Yue's capitulation, and issues orders to cease all punitive actions against Yue. Gou Jian and his wife arrive at the court of Wu. They express their submission by cutting grass and working in the stables, while secretly dispatching people to drill their armies and restore the power of Yue. The State of Yue sends beautiful Xi Shi as a gift to the lascivious Fu Chai. When Fu Chai sees this woman with the face of a goddess, he becomes infatuated to the exclusion of all else. Spending his days and nights immersed in a haze of pleasure, he loses all interest in affairs of state. Xi Shi, on her part, follows the orders of the King of Yue to captivate the King of Wu with her charm and beauty, even though she and her countryman, the brilliant Minister Fan Li, are in love and engaged to be married. Masking her inner unwillingness and disgust, Xi Shi willingly pays this price to save her home of Yue.
After three years, the King of Yue sees that the State of Wu has exhausted its resources. Taking advantage of the situation, he initiates a major offensive against Wu. With its defenses severely weakened, Wu is unable to resist the attack. Fu Chai realizes that his country's situation is hopeless due to his actions, and filled with regret, kills himself in his palace.
The State of Yue vanquishes the State of Wu. King Gou Jian prepares to heap rich reward upon Fan Li and Xi Shi, but the two slip away onto an outbound ship, and with nary a farewell are lost from sight in the scintillating light of a mountain-ringed lake.
作者:梁燕
译者:雨敬然
图片来源于网络