Damon and Pythias

达蒙和皮西厄斯

A young man whose name was Pythias had done something which the tyrant¹ Dionysius did not like. For this offence² he was dragged to prison, and a day was set when he should be put to death. His home was far away, and he wanted very much to see his father and mother and friends before he died.

一个生轻人名叫皮西厄斯，做了一件暴君迪奥尼修斯不喜欢的事情。因为对暴君的冒犯，皮西厄斯被投进了监狱，还确定了被处死的日期。因为离家很远，他非常想在临死之前去看看父母和朋友们。

"Only give me leave to go home and say good-by to those whom I love," he said, "and then I will come back and give up my life."

“就让我回去辞别我爱的人吧，”他说，“然后我会回来终结我的生命。”

The tyrant laughed at him.

暴君嘲笑他。

"How can I know that you will keep your promise?" he said. "You only want to cheat

me, and save yourself."

“我怎么知道你会信守诺言？”他说。“你只想欺骗我.救你自己。”

Then a young man whose name was Darmon spoke³ and said.

这时一位名叫达蒙的年轻男子开口说:

"O king! Put me in prison in place of my friend Pythias, and let him go to his own country to put his affairs in order, and to bid his friends farewell. I know that he will come back as he promised, for he is a man who has never gone back on his word. But if he is not here on the day which you have set, then I will die in his stead."

“噢，国王!把我送进监狱，让我代替我的朋友皮西厄斯，让他回自己的国家，处理好事务，与他的朋友们告别吧。我知道他一定会信守诺言回来的，因为他是一个从不食言的人。但是，如果在你设定的那天，他没有回到这里，我愿替他去死。”

The tyrant was surprised that anybody should make such an offer. He at last agreed to let Pythias go, and gave orders that the young man Damon should be shut up in prison.

暴君很惊，竟然有人提出这样的请求。他终于同意让皮西厄斯回去，并下令把达蒙关进监狱。

Time passed, and by and by the day drew near which had been set for Pythias to die;and he had not come back. The tyrant ordered the jailer to keep close watch upon Darnon, and not let him escape. But Damon did not try to escape. He still had faith in the truth and honor of his friend. He said, "If Pythias does not come back in time, it will not be his fault.It will be because he is hindered⁴ against his will."

时间流逝，日子一天天过去，离皮西厄斯的死期越来越近，而他还没有回来。暴君命令狱吏严密监视达蒙，不让他逃跑、但是达蒙并没有试图逃跑，他仍然相信他朋友的真诚和名誉。他说:“如果皮西厄斯没有按时回来，那也不是他的错，肯定是他受到了阻碍，违背了他的意愿。”

At last the day came, and then the very hour. Damon was ready to die. His trust in his friend was as firm as ever; and he said that he did not grieve⁵ at having to suffer for one whom he loved so much.

这一天最终降临，行刑的时间到了。达蒙准备接受死刑，但他对朋友的信任一如既往地坚定，他说他为一个他深爱的朋友遭受痛苦，他并不感到悲伤。

Then the jailer came to lead him to his death; but at the same moment Pythias stood in the door. He had been delayed by storms and shipwreck⁶, and he had feared that he was too late. He greeted Damon kindly⁷, and then gave himself into the hands of the jailer. He was happy because he thought that he had come in time, even though it was at the last moment.

狱卒准备带他去行刑台，但就在这时，皮西厄斯出现在了门口。风暴和船舶失事使他延误了行程.他害怕回来得太晚。他友好地向达蒙问候，之后把自己交到狱卒手中。他很高兴，因为他认为他准时回来了，虽然是在最后一刻。

The tyrant was not so bad but that he could see good in others. He tell that men who loved and trusted each other, as did Damon and Pythias, ought not to suffer unjustly.And so he set them both free.

暴君并非十分邪恶，他还能看到他人身上的美德。他感到人们彼此爱护，相互信任，像达蒙和皮西厄斯一样，不应该受到不公正的对待。于是他让两人都获得了自由。

I would give all my wealth to have one such friend," he said.

“我愿意用我所有的财富去换取这样一位朋友，”他说。