兄弟争死(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。

兄弟争死
when augustus, the first emperor of rome, had taken the prince of cappadocia in war together with his wife and children, he led them to rome in triumph. he gave orders that the father and the elder of the brothers should be slain.
the ministers of execution, on coming to the place of confinement, inquired which was the elder. on this, there arose an earnest contention between the two young princes, each of them affirming himself to be the elder. when they had continued this heroic and fraternal emulation for some time, the afflicted mother with much difficulty prevailed on her elder son that he would permit his brother to die in his stead.

when augustus was told of this, he regretted his severity, and gave an honourable support to the mother and her son.
罗马第一任皇帝奥古斯都在沙场上俘虏了卡帕多其亚的君主和他妻子儿女,带着他们,奏凯回到罗马,下令把他和他长子处死。
负责行刑者来到囚室,问谁是长子。两位年轻王子马上激烈争辩起来,都说自己是兄长。这对勇敢友爱的兄弟争执多时,最后,苦恼的母亲好不容易说服了长子,让弟弟代他受死。
奥古斯都听到这件事,后悔自己不仁,并为那母亲和她儿子供给体面的生活所需。
【附注】卡帕多其亚位在今日土耳其中部。
minister一字,解作「执行者」,是旧式英文用法,但这用法偶然还会看到,例如: ariel calls himself"a minister of fate"(爱丽儿自称是「命运的执行者」)。