古德明英語軍事小故事：馬撒達 (中英對照)
古德明《征服英語》之英語軍事故事，古德明，香港英語教育作家，他開了一個《征服英語專欄》，在專欄中專門用英語寫了世界近代史上的軍事小故事，用英語講述歷史中那些驚心動魄的戰爭。馬撒達
After the Romans took Jerusalem in AD70, the last remaining pocket of Jewish resistance was the mountaintop fortress of Masada in the desert near the Dead Sea. Its 1000 inhabitants withstood several assaults from a besieging Roman army of 15000.In 73, the Romans prepared for a decisive strike. The Jewish leader, Eleazar ben Jair, knew that the Jews' situation was hopeless, and addressed his followers."Long ago, we resolved never to be servants to the Romans," he said."The time is now come that obliges us to make that resolution true in practice. Let us leave this world as free men in company with our wives and children."On 16 April, the Romans finally breached the wall of the fortress. When they entered the fortress, however, they saw nobody as an enemy. The Jews had committed mass suicide.
公元七十年，羅馬人攻占耶路撒冷之后，猶太人反抗力量的最后根據地，就是死海附近沙漠一個山峯上的馬撒達城堡。羅馬一萬五千人的軍隊幾次進攻，都被城堡的一千居民擊退。公元七十三年，羅馬軍隊準備作雷霆萬鈞的一擊。猶太人領袖埃利埃澤．本．睚珥知道大勢已去，對手下說：「很久之前，我們決定永遠不作羅馬人仆役。現在，實踐這決定的時間已告來臨。我們要和妻子兒女一起，以自由人身分離開這世界。」四月十六日，羅馬軍終于攻破城墻，但進城之后，不見一個敵人。那些猶太人已經集體自殺。
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