美是济慈的毕生追求,《希腊古瓮颂》是诗人对美的颂歌。诗歌通过诗人对古瓮观感以及与古瓮的对话,得出了“美即是真,真即是美”的结论。济慈的这句名言向来颇有争议,很值得我们思考。在这首诗中,古瓮之美不仅仅在于“优美”和“美妙”:三幅画面中既有人/神狂欢和少年求爱的美好画面,也有小镇倾城献祭的凄凉街景。诗中的美是艺术之美。作为艺术品,这首诗和古瓮是美的,这美源自有悲也有乐的生活,这便是真。生活的本真是艺术美的源泉,艺术之美则使生活的本真得以永存。这句话也可看作诗人一生的写照。济慈出生寒微,在创作过程中不断受到死亡的威胁,但他以短暂的生命创作出大批具有强烈美感的名篇佳作。他的艺术成就是他在生活之真中追求美的结果,他所创造出来的艺术美则使他的一生不朽于世。
Ode on a Grecian Urn 希腊古瓮颂
by John Keats 济慈查良铮 译
Thou still unravished bride of quietness,
Thou foster child of silence and slow time,
Sylvan historian, who canst thus express
A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme:
What leaf-fringed legend haunts about thy shape
Of deities or mortals, or of both,
In Tempe or the dales of Arcady?
What men or gods are these? What maidens loath?
What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape?
What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy?
你委身“寂静”的、完美的处子,
受过了“沉默”和“悠久”的抚育,
呵,田园的史家,你竟能铺叙
一个如花的故事,比诗还瑰丽:
在你的形体上,岂非缭绕着
古老的传说,以绿叶为其边缘;
讲着人,或神,敦陂或阿卡狄?
呵,是怎样的人,或神!在舞乐前
多热烈的追求!少女怎样地逃躲!
怎样的风笛和鼓谣!怎样的狂喜!
Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard
Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on;
Not to the sensual ear, but, more endeared,
Pipe to the spirit dities of no tone.
Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave
Thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare;
Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss,
Though winning near the goal---yet, do not grieve;
She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss
Forever wilt thou love, and she be fair!
听见的乐声虽好,但若听不见
却更美;所以,吹吧,柔情的风笛;
不是奏给耳朵听,而是更甜,
它给灵魂奏出无声的乐曲;
树下的美少年呵,你无法中断
你的歌,那树木也落不了叶子;
卤莽的恋人,你永远、永远吻不上,
虽然够接近了--但不必心酸;
她不会老,虽然你不能如愿以偿,
你将永远爱下去,她也永远秀丽!
Ah, happy, happy boughs! that cannot shed
Your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu;
And, happy melodist, unweari-ed,
Forever piping songs forever new;
More happy love! more happy, happy love!
Forever warm and still to be enjoyed,
Forever panting, and forever young;
All breathing human passion far above,
That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloyed,
A burning forehead, and a parching tongue.
呵,幸福的树木!你的枝叶
不会剥落,从不曾离开春天;
幸福的吹笛人也不会停歇,
他的歌曲永远是那么新鲜;
呵,更为幸福的、幸福的爱!
永远热烈,正等待情人宴飨,
永远热情地心跳,永远年轻;
幸福的是这一切超凡的情态:
它不会使心灵餍足和悲伤,
没有炽热的头脑,焦渴的嘴唇。
Who are these coming to the sacrifice?
To what green altar, O mysterious priest,
Lead'st thou that heifer lowing at the skies,
And all her silken flanks with garlands dressed?
What little town by river or sea shore,
Or mountain-built with peaceful citadel,
Is emptied of this folk, this pious morn?
And, little town, thy streets for evermore
Will silent be; and not a soul to tell
Why thou art desolate, can e'er return.
这些人是谁呵,都去赶祭祀?
这作牺牲的小牛,对天鸣叫,
你要牵它到哪儿,神秘的祭司?
花环缀满着它光滑的身腰。
是从哪个傍河傍海的小镇,
或哪个静静的堡寨山村,
来了这些人,在这敬神的清早?
呵,小镇,你的街道永远恬静;
再也不可能回来一个灵魂
告诉人你何以是这么寂寥。
O Attic shape! Fair attitude! with brede
Of marble men and maidens overwrought,
With forest branches and the trodden weed;
Thou, silent form, dost tease us out of thought
As doth eternity. Cold Pastoral!
When old age shall this generation waste,
Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe
Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say'st,
"Beauty is truth, truth beauty"---that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.
哦,希腊的形状!唯美的观照!
上面缀有石雕的男人和女人,
还有林木,和践踏过的青草;
沉默的形体呵,你象是“永恒”
使人超越思想:呵,冰冷的牧歌!
等暮年使这一世代都凋落,
只有你如旧;在另外的一些
忧伤中,你会抚慰后人说:
“美即是真,真即是美,”这就包括
你们所知道、和该知道的一切。