书城外语双语学习丛书-节日趣闻
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第3章 The Legends of Valentines Day 情人节的传说(2)

During the days that Valentine was imprisoned, he fell in love with the blind daughter of his jailer. His love for her, and his great faith, managed tomiraculously heal heal v.治愈, 医治, 结束 her from her blindness before his death. Before he was taken to his death, he signed a farewell message to her, “From your Valentine.” The phrase has been used on his day ever since.

克劳迪亚斯王坚信已婚男人是无用的战士,因此在他的王国内禁止结婚。但是瓦伦丁却秘密地帮助那些来找他的年轻人主持婚礼。当克劳迪亚斯王发现瓦伦丁的行为后,他先是试图使瓦伦丁皈依异教,然而瓦伦丁却将计就计,反过来要使克劳迪亚斯王改信基督教。他失败了,于是被乱石砸死并被砍了头。

瓦伦丁在被囚禁的日子里,与监狱长那盲眼的女儿相爱了。在他死前,他对她的爱和极度的忠诚竟然奇迹般地治好了她的眼睛。在他被押赴刑场之前,他在给她的诀别信中,签下了“你的瓦伦丁”。从那以后这句话一直被沿用至今。

Although the lottery for women had been banned by the church, the midFebruary holiday in commemoration of St. Valentine was still used by Roman men to seek the affection affection n.友爱, 爱情, 影响, 疾病, 倾向 of women. It became a tradition for the men to give the ones they admired handwritten messages of affection, containing Valentines name.

Another Valentine was an Italian bishop who lived at about the same time, AD 200.He was imprisoned because he secretly married couples, contrary to the laws of the Roman emperor. Some legends say he was burned at the stake.

February 14 was also a Roman holiday, held in honor of a goddess. Young men randomly randomly adv.随便地, 未加计划地 chose the name of a young girl to escort escort n.护卫(队), 护送, 陪同(人员), 护卫队v.护卫, 护送, 陪同 to the festivities festivity n.欢宴, 欢庆.

虽然抽签得女人的活动已经被教会禁止,但罗马的男人依旧利用二月中旬这个纪念瓦伦丁的节日来追求女人的爱情。男人将他们手写的爱情字条签上瓦伦丁的名字,然后送给他们所爱慕的女人,这逐渐演变成了一种传统。

另一位瓦伦丁是一位意大利主教,生活在同一时代,大约公元200年。他被投进监狱是因为他秘密地帮别人主持婚礼,这违反了当时罗马帝国的法律。有一些传说说他是被绑在火刑柱上烧死的。

2月14日也是罗马人为表示对女神的敬意而庆祝的节日。年轻的男子随便挑选一个年轻女子的名字,该女子便陪他度过这个节庆。

The custom of choosing a sweetheart on this date spread through Europe in the Middle Ages, and then to the early American colonies colony n.殖民地, 侨民, (聚居的)一群同业, 一批同行, (生物)群体. Throughout the ages, people also believed that birds picked their mates on February 14!

In AD 496 Saint Pope Gelasius I named February 14 as“Valentines Day”. Although its not an official holiday, most Americans observe this day.

The first Valentine card grew out of this practice. The first true Valentine card was sent in 1415 by Charles, duke of Orleans, to his wife. He was imprisoned in the Tower of London at the time.

Cupid, another symbol of the holiday, became associated with it because he was the son of Venus, the Roman god of love and beauty. He is represented by the image of a young boy with bow and arrow. Cupid often appears on Valentine cards.

中世纪时,在这个日子里选择意中人的习俗传遍了整个欧洲,然后又传到了早期的美洲殖民地。千百年来,人们一直相信鸟儿在2月14日选择配偶。

在公元496年,圣徒罗马教皇盖拉西厄斯一世把2月14日命名为“瓦伦丁节”(情人节)。虽然这不是一个官方节日,但大多数美国人都很重视这一天。

第一张情人节卡片就是在这种情况下诞生的。1415年,奥尔良公爵查尔斯将第一张真正的情人节卡片送给了他的妻子。那时,他正被关在伦敦塔内。

丘比特是这个节日的另一个象征,之所以与这个节日有联系,是因为他是罗马爱情和美丽的女神维纳斯的儿子。他被描述成一个带着弓和箭的小男孩的形象。丘比特常常出现在情人节卡片上。

Whatever the odd mixture of origins, St.Valentines Day is now a day for sweethearts sweetheart n.情人, 爱人vi.爱慕vt.求爱adj.私下签定的. It is the day that you show your friend or loved one that you care. You can send candy to someone you think is special. Or you can send roses, the flower of love.

无论渊源有多么复杂,“情人节”如今已是情侣们的节日。这是你用来表达你对朋友和爱人的关心的日子。你可以把糖果送给对你来说很特别的人,也可以送爱情的花朵——玫瑰。

西方的节日大都有一个或美丽或凄婉的传说,而且大都与宗教有关,情人节也不例外。瓦伦丁主教的行动为他赢得了千古美名,至今仍被世上的有情人们所铭记,如果泉下有知他也许心满意足了。情人节正被全世界所接受,中国也逃不掉。只是我们在享受情人节的快乐时,不要忘记我国也有一个同样凄美的“情人节”——七夕节。