BBC英国史

Robert had written a remarkable letter.

罗伯特写了一封出色的信

The Scots would come, he said,Not as an invader but as liberators, for.

信中写道 苏格兰人将远道而来 我们不是入侵者 而是解放者 为了

Our people and your people, free in times past,

尔族人民与吾族人民 曾共享自由

share the same national ancestry and common custom.

源起一脉 民俗等同

The rhetoric was stirring and it found resonance with the native Irish.

信中的豪言壮语让人激动 引发了本土爱尔兰人的强烈共鸣

For nearly a century and a half,There had been an entrenched English colony in north and eastern Ireland,

在大约一个半世纪的时间里 英格兰在爱尔兰北部和东部 建立了根深蒂固的殖民统治

often safe only in castles like Carrickfergus,which Edward Bruce now besieged for a year.

如卡里弗格斯城堡这样安全的地方 也被爱德华·布鲁斯围攻了一年之久

But the timing was unfortunate,For 1315 also saw the worst famine in living memory.

但时逢天灾人祸 1315年 有史以来最严重的大饥荒爆发

Very soon, Edward Bruce's army became indistinguishable from any other disorderly gang of knights.

很快 爱德华·布鲁斯的军队就和 其它横征暴敛的骑士们一样了

Using force to extract the provisions they desperately needed for their men and animals.

使用武力来夺取民众 为人畜所准备的救命粮食

And not choosing to distinguish with any care between Gaelic friends and English foes.

他们见人就抢 不管你是盟友盖尔人 还是仇敌英格兰人

Famished and desperate,The Scots soldiers took what they needed from the Irish villagers

饥饿与绝望 苏格兰士兵从爱尔兰村落掠夺所需物资

And finally resorted, so it was said,to digging up fresh graves.And eating the decayed bodies.

据说 到最后 他们挖开新下葬的坟墓 食用腐烂的尸体

Month by month, the Bruce's war of liberation turned into something remarkably like an occupation.

月复一月 布鲁斯的解放战争 沦落得和侵略战争别无二致

词汇解析

1、national

国家的;全国的

Ruling parties have lost ground in national and local elections.

执政党在全国和地区选举中均败北。

major national and international issues.

国内和国际重大问题

国民的;民族的

the national characteristics and history of the country.

这个国家的民族特征和历史

Baseball is the national pastime.

棒球是全民性的休闲运动。

国民;国人

a Sri-Lankan-born British national.

出生于斯里兰卡的英国国民

2、desperate

（因绝望而）孤注一掷的，铤而走险的，拼命的

Troops are needed to help get food into Kosovo where people are in desperate need.

需要军队帮助将科索沃人民亟需的食品送抵那里。

Desperate with anxiety, Bob and Hans searched the whole house.

焦急万分的鲍勃和汉斯把整座房子找了个遍。

极需要的;渴望的

They'd been married nearly four years and June was desperate to start a family.

他们结婚已快4年了，琼非常渴望要个孩子。

People are desperate for him to do something.

人们极希望他能做点什么。

极困难的;极严重的;极危险的

India's United Nations ambassador said the situation is desperate.

印度驻联合国大使说形势非常危急。

I decided not to abandon John when he was in such a desperate position.

我决定不在约翰走投无路的时候抛弃他。