内容概述
故事引用归于毕达哥拉斯的言论，借奥林匹克运动会上的三类人——争荣誉者、逐财富者、纯粹为运动而来者——比喻世人离开“天国家园”后的不同追求。只有少数人蔑视贪婪与虚荣，为研究自然而研究自然，毕达哥拉斯称这些人为“哲学家”。中文脚注补充：问他的人是费留斯的独裁者莱昂，“哲学”一词由此首次出现。
中文正文
39° 哲学家
假如下面那些言论真的出自毕达哥拉斯，那它们确乎概括了他的生活、个性和思想。
“我没有买卖，”他曾宣称，“我是一个哲学家。” “那又是什么样的人呢？”有人问他。
15 据说，问他的人是费留斯（Philius）的独裁者莱昂（Leon），“哲学”一词就是这样第一次出现的。毕达哥拉斯告诉他：“最好的一类人献身于发现生命本身的意义和目的，揭露自然的秘密。我称这种人为哲学家，因为尽管没有谁是全能的智者，但他总能热爱智慧，把智慧当作打开自然秘密的钥匙。”（我们知道，“爱智慧”就是“哲学”一词的本来意义。）
“这样的生活，”他解释，“可以比做奥林匹克运动。在运动场上，有的人来争夺花冠，追求荣誉；有的人一路叫卖，贪得财富；还有的人，比前面两种更加自在，他们来到赛场，既不为鼓掌欢呼，也不为得什么东西，纯粹是为了追赶时尚，享受运动。”
“同样，我们这些人，离开天国的家园来到这个世界，大家忙忙碌碌，追名逐利，只有极少的人能淡泊超然，专心研究自然。这样的人，我称为哲学家。”
英文正文
39° A philosopher. If the following sentiments, attributed to Pythagoras, are authentic, they furnish a fine summary of his life, character, and ideals.
"I have no trade," he once declared; "I am a philosopher."
"And what may that be?" he was asked.
"This life," he explained, "may be compared to the Olympic games. For in that concourse some seek glory or strive for wreaths; others, peddling goods, pursue profit; others again, less base than either, go to the games neither for applause nor for gain, but merely to enjoy the sport and keep abreast of the times.
"In the same way we men quitted our celestial home and came into this world, where many toil for honor and the majority for gain, and where but a few, despising greed and vanity, study nature for its own sake. These last I call philosophers."
英语学习拓展
常用词汇
sentiment音标/ˈsentɪmənt/
观点；情感；看法。
原文用法：If the following sentiments, attributed to Pythagoras, are authentic...
authentic音标/ɔːˈθentɪk/
真实的；真正的。
原文用法：are authentic.
furnish音标/ˈfɜːnɪʃ/
提供；供给。
原文用法：they furnish a fine summary of his life.
declare音标/dɪˈkleə(r)/
宣称；宣布。
原文用法：he once declared.
concourse音标/ˈkɒŋkɔːs/
集会；竞技场。
原文用法：in that concourse some seek glory...
wreath音标/riːθ/
花冠；花环。
原文用法：strive for wreaths.
peddle音标/ˈpedl/
兜售；叫卖。
原文用法：peddling goods, pursue profit.
abreast音标/əˈbrest/
并列；并肩；了解最新情况。
原文用法：keep abreast of the times.
celestial音标/səˈlestiəl/
天空的；天上的。
原文用法：our celestial home.
vanity音标/ˈvænəti/
虚荣；空虚。
原文用法：despising greed and vanity.
同义词与近义词
对应核心词汇：sentiment
对应核心词汇：sentiment。
辨析：sentiment 常带有感情色彩的观点；view 泛指看法；opinion 强调个人判断。
对应核心词汇：authentic
对应核心词汇：authentic。
辨析：authentic 强调来源可靠、非伪造；genuine 强调真实无伪；real 泛指真实存在。
对应核心词汇：despise。
辨析：despise 语气较重，表示鄙视；scorn 强调轻蔑；look down on 为日常用语。
常用短语与固定搭配
- attributed to：归于……的。原文用法：sentiments, attributed to Pythagoras.
- furnish a summary of：提供……的概括。原文用法：they furnish a fine summary of his life, character, and ideals.
- compare to：把……比作。原文用法：may be compared to the Olympic games.
- seek glory / strive for wreaths：追求荣誉/争夺花冠。原文用法：some seek glory or strive for wreaths.
- pursue profit：追求利润。原文用法：peddling goods, pursue profit.
- keep abreast of the times：跟上时代；了解时事。原文用法：keep abreast of the times.
- for its own sake：为了……本身。原文用法：study nature for its own sake.
常用句式
- Pattern: If the following ..., attributed to ..., are authentic, they ...：如果下面归于……的……是真实的，它们……。原文例句：If the following sentiments, attributed to Pythagoras, are authentic, they furnish a fine summary of his life, character, and ideals.
- Pattern: These last I call ...：最后这种人我称之为……。原文例句：These last I call philosophers.
长难句解析
In the same way we men quitted our celestial home and came into this world, where many toil for honor and the majority for gain, and where but a few, despising greed and vanity, study nature for its own sake.
- 主干：we men quitted our celestial home and came into this world.
- 修饰与从句：
- In the same way 为方式状语； - where many toil for honor and the majority for gain 为定语从句修饰 this world； - and where but a few ... study nature for its own sake 为并列定语从句； - despising greed and vanity 为现在分词短语，作伴随状语。
- 逻辑关系：把人间世界比作奥林匹克赛场，大多数人追求荣誉或利益，只有少数人鄙视贪婪虚荣、为理解自然而研究自然。
语言使用特点
- 大量使用排比和对比结构（some ... others ... others again ...）；
- 用现在分词短语作伴随状语，使句子紧凑；
- 使用古雅词汇（celestial, vanity, toil）营造哲学氛围。
迁移练习
- 用 “for its own sake” 写一句话，说明你为某事本身而做的经历。
- 比较三类参加奥林匹克运动会的人与学习数学的三种动机。
- 翻译：只有极少数的人能淡泊超然，专心研究自然。
点击展开参考答案
- （示例）I read books for their own sake, not just to pass exams.
- （示例）Some learn math for grades (glory), some for future jobs (profit), and a few simply love its beauty and logic (for its own sake).
- where but a few, despising greed and vanity, study nature for its own sake.