内容概述
传说毕达哥拉斯发现著名的直角三角形定理（即毕达哥拉斯定理）后，向诸神献祭了一百头牛。作者引用数学家兼作家道奇森（Lewis Carroll）1895 年《平行线的新理论》中的评论：这条定理历经三千年魅力不减，但用一百头牛来庆祝似乎夸张且没有必要；在当代，一两个朋友、一块牛排、一瓶酒足矣，一百头牛反而会造成不便的牛肉供应。
中文正文
37° 大献祭
传说，毕达哥拉斯为了庆祝他那著名的直角三角形定理的发现，向诸神敬献了 100 头牛。关于这次献祭，道奇森（C. L. Dodgson，也就是 Lewis Carroll）在 1895 年发表的《平行线的新理论》中写道：
但是，不论 30 年还是 3000 年，都不会磨灭几何真理的清澈和魅力。像“直角三角形斜边平方等于直角边平方和”那样的定理，在今天还像毕达哥拉斯第一次发现它时一样美妙绝伦。据说，毕达哥拉斯当年曾牺牲 100 头牛来庆贺那定理的出现——不过我一直在想，以这样的方式来崇敬科学，似乎有点儿夸张，而且没有必要。我们可以想想自己，即使在当今这堕落的年月，为了庆祝某个辉煌的科学发现，一两个好朋友，一块牛排、一杯酒，也就够了。而那可是 100 头牛！到哪儿去找那么些牛啊！
14 也就是那位著名的《爱丽思漫游奇境》的作者，他原本是数学家，本书后面有他的故事。
英文正文
37° A hecatomb of oxen. Legend has it that Pythagoras celebrated his discovery of the famous right-triangle theorem by sacrificing to the gods a hecatomb (that is, 100 head) of oxen. Concerning this sacrifice, C. L. Dodgson (Lewis Carroll), in his A New Theory of Parallels published in 1895, says:
But neither thirty years, nor thirty centuries, affect the clearness, or the charm, of Geometrical truths. Such a theorem as "the square of the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle is equal to the sum of the squares of the sides" is as dazzlingly beautiful now as it was in the day when Pythagoras first discovered it, and celebrated its advent, it is said, by sacrificing a hecatomb of oxen—a method of doing honor to Science that has always seemed to me slightly exaggerated and uncalled-for. One can imagine oneself, even in these degenerate days, marking the epoch of some brilliant scientific discovery by inviting a convivial friend or two, to join one in a beefsteak and a bottle of wine. But a hecatomb of oxen! It would produce a quite inconvenient supply of beef.
英语学习拓展
常用词汇
hecatomb音标/ˈhekətuːm/
百牲祭；大量祭祀。
原文用法：sacrificing to the gods a hecatomb (that is, 100 head) of oxen.
oxen音标/ˈɒksən/
牛（ox 的复数）。
原文用法：同上。
hypotenuse音标/haɪˈpɒtənjuːs/
斜边。
原文用法：the square of the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle.
advent音标/ˈædvent/
出现；到来。
原文用法：celebrated its advent.
dazzlingly音标/ˈdæzlɪŋli/
令人眼花缭乱地；极其耀眼地。
原文用法：as dazzlingly beautiful now as it was...
uncalled-for音标/ˌʌnˈkɔːld fɔː(r)/
不必要的；多此一举的。
原文用法：slightly exaggerated and uncalled-for.
degenerate音标/dɪˈdʒenərət/
堕落的；退化的。
原文用法：even in these degenerate days.
convivial音标/kənˈvɪviəl/
欢乐的；好宴饮的。
原文用法：inviting a convivial friend or two.
do honor to：向……致敬。原文用法：a method of doing honor to Science.
同义词与近义词
对应核心词汇：hecatomb
对应核心词汇：hecatomb。
辨析：hecatomb 特指大规模的百牲祭；sacrifice 泛指祭品或牺牲；offering 侧重供奉之物。
对应核心词汇：dazzlingly
对应核心词汇：dazzlingly。
辨析：dazzlingly 强调耀眼、令人目眩；strikingly 强调显著；stunningly 强调令人惊叹。
对应核心词汇：uncalled-for
对应核心词汇：uncalled-for。
辨析：uncalled-for 暗含“不应有的、过分的”；unnecessary 泛指不需要；gratuitous 强调无根据、不必要。
常用短语与固定搭配
- right-triangle theorem：直角三角形定理（即毕达哥拉斯定理）。原文用法：his discovery of the famous right-triangle theorem.
- celebrate one's discovery by doing：通过做……来庆祝发现。原文用法：celebrated his discovery ... by sacrificing...
- neither ... nor ...：既不……也不……。原文用法：But neither thirty years, nor thirty centuries, affect the clearness...
- do honor to Science：向科学致敬。原文用法：a method of doing honor to Science.
- mark the epoch of：标志……的时代。原文用法：marking the epoch of some brilliant scientific discovery.
- join one in a beefsteak and a bottle of wine：与某人共享牛排和美酒。原文用法：join one in a beefsteak and a bottle of wine.
常用句式
- Pattern: Legend has it that ...：传说……。原文例句：Legend has it that Pythagoras celebrated his discovery...
- Pattern: ... is as ... now as it was in the day when ...：……现在和……当时一样……。原文例句：Such a theorem ... is as dazzlingly beautiful now as it was in the day when Pythagoras first discovered it...
长难句解析
But neither thirty years, nor thirty centuries, affect the clearness, or the charm, of Geometrical truths.
- 主干：thirty years and thirty centuries do not affect the clearness or the charm.
- 修饰与从句：
- neither ... nor ... 连接两个主语； - of Geometrical truths 修饰 the clearness, or the charm。
- 逻辑关系：用夸张的时间跨度（三十年与三十世纪）强调几何真理不受时间侵蚀。
语言使用特点
- 引用 Carroll 的话形成古今对话，增加幽默感；
- 用 “neither ... nor ...” 的夸张对比突出定理的永恒魅力；
- 通过 “a hecatomb of oxen!” 的感叹表达惊讶与调侃。
迁移练习
- 用 “Legend has it that ...” 写一个关于历史人物的句子。
- 解释为什么 Carroll 认为用一百头牛庆祝科学发现是“slightly exaggerated and uncalled-for”。
- 翻译：不论 30 年还是 3000 年，都不会磨灭几何真理的清澈和魅力。
点击展开参考答案
- （示例）Legend has it that Archimedes ran through the streets shouting "Eureka!" after his discovery.
- （示例）Because the theorem itself is beautiful and timeless, and a modern celebration could be much simpler—just a few friends sharing a meal.
- But neither thirty years, nor thirty centuries, affect the clearness, or the charm, of Geometrical truths.