礼尚往来(英中对照)

古德明《征服英语》之英语军事故事，古德明，香港英语教育作家，他开了一个《征服英语专栏》，在专栏中专门用英语写了世界近代史上的军事小故事，用英语讲述历史中那些惊心动魄的战争。
礼尚往来
The quarrel between Alexander the Great and Darius, the Persian king, originated in Alexander's refusing to pay the tribute of golden eggs to which his father had agreed. Darius sent to Alexander's court an ambassador, who delivered to Alexander a bat, a ball, and a bag of very small seed. The bat and ball were meant to throw a ridicule on Alexander's youth, being fit amusement for his age, the bag of seed was an emblem of the Persian army, being innumerable.Alexander ordered a fowl to be brought. He took the bat and ball into his hands, and said,"This is the emblem of my power, with which I strike the ball of your monarch's dominion, and this fowl will show you what a morsel your army will prove to mine." The seed was instantly eaten up; and Alexander gave a wild melon to the ambassador, the taste of which, he said, would enable Darius to judge of the bitter fare which awaited him.
亚历山大大帝和波斯王大流士不睦的原因，是亚历山大不肯遵守父亲的诺言，向大流士贡献金蛋。大流士遣使到亚历山大殿上，送他一根球棒、一个球、一袋微小种子。送球和球棒，是讽刺亚历山大年轻，正好拿这两件东西玩耍；而那袋种子，则象征不可胜数的波斯军队。亚历山大叫人拿一只鸡来。他把球和球棒拿在手中，说：「这是我权力的象征。我会和打球一样，打击贵国君主的版图；而这只鸡，会教你看到贵国军队和我军相比，微不足道。」那只鸡片刻就把种子啄尽。亚历山大还给那使者一个野瓜，说大流士可凭这野瓜的滋味，领略将要尝到的苦头。