英语听书《白鲸记》第140期

Good again; but then all confess that somehowwhaling is not respectable.

又有人说，捕鲸业不大体面。

WHALING NOT RESPECTABLE? Whaling is imperial!By old English statutory law, the whale is declareda royal fish.

这大概要看一下捕鲸者所捕的鲸在人们心目中的地位了：在古代的英国，鲸鱼是皇族崇尚的钦定鱼。

Oh, that's only nominal! The whale himself hasnever figured in any grand imposing way.

哦,这只是名义上的!我记得史实中有这样的记载：

THE WHALE NEVER FIGURED IN ANY GRAND IMPOSING WAY?

又有人说了，捕鲸吗，总归是不大威风吧!

In one of the mighty triumphs given to a Roman general upon his entering the world's capital,the bones of a whale, brought all the way from the Syrian coast,

在为一个罗马将军进行的欢迎仪式上，摆着一架特意从叙利亚运来的鲸骨，

were the most conspicuous object in the cymballed procession.

以示隆重。

See subsequent chapters for something more on this head.

鲸座是天上的一个星座，捕鲸者是何等的威风也便可想而知了。如果你对沙皇脱帽的话，那么我相信你也会对魁魁格脱帽的!

Grant it, since you cite it; but, say what you will, there is no real dignity in whaling.

噢，天知道，人们除了捕鲸还有什么可以称为威风的事呢?

NO DIGNITY IN WHALING?

总归是不大威风?