When King Alfred ascended the throne in 871, the fierce Viking army had already ripped through and tore apart the land of England.
当阿尔弗雷德国王于871年登基时，凶猛的维京军队已经撕毁并撕裂了英格兰的土地。
During the first several years of his reign, only one kingdom in the entire England was still standing.
在他统治的最初几年里，整个英格兰只有一个王国仍然存在。
It was his homeland, Wessex, a powerful kingdom whose foundation was accredited by various folktales to King Arthur.
这是他的故乡，威塞克斯，一个强大的王国，其被各种民间传说认定为亚瑟王所创建。
However, the Scandinavian army was so ferocious that even this last kingdom was tottering on the brink of destruction.
然而，斯堪的纳维亚军队如此凶猛，以至于连最后一个王国都摇摇欲坠地濒临毁灭。
The odds were further stacked against it as King Alfred was evicted from his fortress by the Vikings.
当阿尔弗雷德国王被维京人赶出要塞时，情况就更糟了。
Accompanying him in his exile was only a small band of his most trusted advisers.
陪同他流亡的只有一小群他最信任的顾问。
By this time, all the other kingdoms were already firmly clutched in the grip of the Vikings, with their nobles and protectors nowhere to be seen.
此时，所有其他王国都已被维京人牢牢控制，他们的贵族和保护者无处可寻。
As a result, things did not look so optimistic for Alfred. He was just one banished, ally-less king fighting against a seemingly invincible enemy.
结果，阿尔弗雷德的情况看起来并不乐观。他只是一个被放逐的、没有盟友的国王，与一个看似不可战胜的敌人作战。
A little background here: At that time, England was surrounded by the magnificent yet mercurial ocean, and was mythicized as a land perched on the edge of the world.
这里有一个小背景：当时，英格兰被壮丽而多变的海洋包围，被神话化为一块栖息在世界边缘的土地。
Conquering it was considered as a badge of honor for many militant groups. Besides, its treacherous climateadded to the thrills of conquest.
征服它被认为是许多激进组织的荣誉勋章。此外，它变化莫测的气候增加了征服的刺激。
Before the Vikings and their fleets disembarked on its jagged, wind-blown shores, the Romans and the Germans had successively launched their forays, occupying its villages, and staking them out as their territories.
在维京人和他们的舰队登上崎岖的、被风吹拂的海岸之前，罗马人和德国人先后发动了突袭，占领了这里的村庄，并将其作为自己的领土。
Even Caesar charged twice and was twice repelled by the direful storms as he attempted crossing the English Channel.
就连凯撒在试图穿越英吉利海峡时也两次被可怕的风暴击退。
Intense and frequent exposures to this earliest form of imperialism had toughened up the English people, but the violence and brutality inherent in the Northmen's raid was something they had never experienced before.
这种最早形式的帝国主义的激烈和频繁暴露使英国人民变得更加坚强，但北方人的突袭所固有的暴力和残暴是他们以前从未经历过的。
Ascend the throne 登上王位
Fierce army 凶猛的军队
Ferocious 残暴的
Direful storm 可怕的风暴
Militant groups 激进组织
Reign
N.当政期
the reign of
V. 统治，盛行，成为最重要的
reign over
the reigning monarch
当政的君主
the reigning champion
冠军称号的保持者
He still reigns supreme .
他仍然是最为杰出的
At last silence reigned
最后，万籁俱寂。
Firmly clutched in the grip of 紧紧受制于
Be accredited by 官方认可的
Mythicized as 被神话化为
Totter on the brink of 摇摇欲坠
The odds are stacked against 可能性很小
I'm sorry. I just feel as if the odds are stacked up against me.
对不起，我只是觉得情况好像对我很不利
驱逐/流放
【Evict】——eviction from (尤指依法)
【Exile】
vt.=go into exile 流亡
n.流亡;离乡背井者
a place of exile 流放地
【Repel】
V. 击退;驱逐;使厌恶;排斥
She was very striking but in some way I felt repelled.
她非常引人注目，但我觉得她有些讨厌。
repel any attack 击退任何进攻
Like poles repel each other. 同极相斥。
repel water 防水
【Banish】from..to.. 强调某国政府命令某人离开该国或其居住的地区
【deport】—deportation 驱逐(非本国居民)出境
Ally-less 无盟友的
变幻莫测的
【Mercurial 】
mercurial temperament 脾气反复无常
a brilliant, mercurial mind 敏捷而富有才智的头脑
【Treacherous】致命杀机的
The ice on the roads made driving conditions treacherous.
路上的冰对驾车构成了隐患
treacherous climate 变幻莫测的气候
treacherous intentions 奸诈用心
突袭
【foray】 Launch forays 突袭
N.~ (into sth)
（改变职业、活动的）尝试
~ (to/into…)
短途（寻物）；短暂访问（新地方）
(into sth)
闪电式袭击
V.袭击劫掠
【Raid】
V/N. (on sth) 突然袭击，突击检查 ；抢劫
Stake territory out 监视领土
Stake out 监视 ; 清楚界定（立场、要求等）
Toughen up people 使人坚强起来
Imperialism 帝国统治
brutality inherent 与生俱来的残忍
How were the Vikings different from the Romans?
维京人和罗马人有何不同
Deemed as barbarians who hailed down from the cold and barren lands of northern Europe, they spent their entire lives roaming the sea, and thrived on sacking seaside villages.
他们被认为是从北欧寒冷贫瘠的土地上下来的野蛮人，他们一生都在海上游荡，靠洗劫海边的村庄而茁壮成长。
The Vikings were combative people and their army was a force to be reckoned with. Wherever they went, they left a trail of devastation in their wake.
维京人是好斗的民族，他们的军队是一支不可忽视的力量。无论他们走到哪里，他们都留下了毁灭的痕迹。
So, as the king of the only remaining kingdom of England that hadn't succumbed to the Vikings' all-out belligerence,
因此，作为仅存的英格兰王国的国王，他没有屈服于维京人的全面好战，
Alfred was shouldered with a herculean responsibility that could either result in England's resurrection or its complete wipeout.
阿尔弗雷德肩负着巨大的责任，这可能导致英格兰的复兴或彻底毁灭。
If he had failed, the UK that we know today might be a different place.
如果他失败了，我们今天所知道的英国可能会是一个不同的地方。
Alfred, however, was adamant about reclaiming his kingdom and saving England from the barbarians' hands.
然而，阿尔弗雷德坚持要夺回他的王国，把英格兰从野蛮人手中拯救出来。
With his advisers' assistance, Alfred called for a draft, summoning English soldiers from neighboring counties who hadn't abandoned the ruins of their homeland.
在顾问们的协助下，阿尔弗雷德召集了来自邻国的英国士兵，他们没有放弃祖国的废墟。
Their kingdoms might have crumbled, but they still had faith in the fate of England as a whole.
他们的王国可能已经崩溃，但他们仍然对整个英格兰的命运充满信心。
Their kings may have gone, but they now saw King Alfred as their veritable leader and thus pledged their allegiance to him.
他们的国王可能已经走了，但他们现在把阿尔弗雷德国王视为他们真正的领袖，并因此宣誓效忠于他。
With a united army and a band of loyal advisers rallying behind him, Alfred rehabilitated his military power and was ready to strike back.
在团结一致的军队和一群忠诚的顾问的支持下，阿尔弗雷德恢复了军事实力，准备反击。
On one fateful day in the year of 878, Alfred's troops and the Viking army stood face to face on the open field of Edington.
878年的一个决定性的日子，阿尔弗雷德的军队和维京人的军队面对面地站在爱丁顿的开阔地上。
Horses' nostrils were flaring. Freshly whetted blades were drawn. Arrows were quivering upon bows.
马的鼻孔在张开。新磨过的叶片被拔出。箭在弓上颤动。
The air was fraught with tension as if it would snap at any moment. It was bound to be a long and excruciating battle.
空气中充满了紧张气氛，好像随时都会爆发。这注定是一场漫长而痛苦的战斗。
However, Alfred's men were determined to retake the land that they called home, and it was this determination that made them indomitable.
然而，阿尔弗雷德的人决心夺回他们称之为家园的土地，正是这种决心使他们不屈不挠。
Eventually, Alfred led his army to a glorious triumph, taking down the enemy in great numbers, and pushing them back so far that they had no choice but to retreat.
最终，阿尔弗雷德带领他的军队取得了辉煌的胜利，击溃了大批敌人，并将他们击退到只能撤退的地步。
King Alfred started as the king of only one of the kingdoms of England, but his victory against the Viking invasion was the prelude to a more unified England.
阿尔弗雷德国王一开始只是英格兰一个王国的国王，但他对维京人入侵的胜利拉开了一个更加统一的英格兰的帷幕。
This grand deed later was achieved by his posterity.
这项伟大的事业后来被他的后代实现了。
Till this day, King Alfred has been commemorated as Alfred the Great, and is the only monarch in British history who holds the moniker of "the Great."
直到今天，阿尔弗雷德国王被纪念为阿尔弗雷德大帝，是英国历史上唯一一位拥有“大帝”称号的君主。
Deemed as 视为
barren lands 贫瘠的土地
crumble = crumble away 崩溃
Barbarian 野蛮人
Combative /Belligerent 好战的
A force to be reckoned with 不可忽视的力量
leave a trail of devastation in one's wake 留下毁灭的痕迹
all-out Belligerent 全面交战
Hail down from 一阵像冰雹般袭来的事物
Roam the sea 遨游大海
thrived on sacking villages 以洗劫村庄为生
sack
vt.
解雇; 洗劫(尤指旧时军队等)破坏
sack out 入睡；上床睡觉
n.
麻布(或厚纸、塑料等)大袋;开除;床;劫掠
two sacks of groceries
两袋杂用品
He got the sack for swearing.
他因说脏话而被开除。
He caught them in the sack together.
他撞见他们俩一起睡在床上。
the sack of Rome
对罗马城的洗劫
succumb to 屈服于
A herculean responsibility 艰巨的责任
【herculean 】力大无比的；大力神；艰巨的
Excruciating 极痛苦的;折磨人的
【adamant 】
adj.坚定不移的;坚决的
Be adamant about 坚定的
n.坚硬无比的东西;硬石
Indomitable 不屈不挠的
Call for a draft 征兵
veritable leader 名副其实的领导者
Pledge allegiance to 效忠
Rally behind sb 支持某人
Summon/Rally soldiers 召集/集结士兵
Grand deed 大事件/ 产权证书
Rehabilitate power 恢复权力
【fraught】忧心忡忡的
~ with sth 充满（不愉快事物）的
Be fraught with tension 紧张局势
a united army 联合军队
strike back 反击
Hold the monicker of 绰号
one fateful day 决定性的一天
reclaim / retake the land 收回土地
a glorious triumph 光荣的胜利
take down the enemy 打倒敌人
the prelude to 序曲
posterity 后裔
monarch / sovereign/ emperor 君主
Horses' nostrils were flaring 马鼻喷焰
Freshly whetted blades were drawn. 磨刀霍霍
Arrows were quivering upon bows. 箭震弦上
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