内容概述
罗马将军马塞卢斯率兵围攻叙拉古时，阿基米德为守城发明了一系列天才器械：石弩从堡垒洞口射出巨石，落在远处敌人头上；从可移动的洞口射出巨石，砸向逼近城墙的敌船；巨大的吊钩从水中吊起敌船、使之在空中颠簸断裂；后来还有故事说他曾用巨大的镜面来点燃敌人的大船（据称可能为真）。据说阿基米德只要在城头悬一根绳子，敌人就不敢靠近，生怕背后另有机关。正是凭借这些器械，叙拉古顶住了罗马人近 3 年的围攻；后来叙拉古人在一次庆典中得意忘形，城池终于陷落了。
中文正文
阿基米德的举手之劳就把满载的大船拉下海，令希罗王惊奇无比。于是，当罗马将军马塞卢斯兵临叙拉古城时，他请阿基米德帮助他守城。有许多故事讲过阿基米德为守城发明的天才器械。石弩从堡垒的洞口射出巨石，落在远处敌人的头上；从可移动的洞口射出巨石，砸向逼近城墙的敌船；巨大的吊钩从水中吊起敌船，敌人在恐慌和颠簸中眼看着船身断裂。后来还有故事说，阿基米德曾用巨大的镜面来点燃敌人的大船，这可能是真的。阿基米德令敌人丧胆。据说，他只需要在城头悬一根绳子，敌人就不敢靠近，害怕他背后有什么机关。因为阿基米德的器械，叙拉古顶住了罗马人近 3 年的围困。后来，叙拉古人在一次庆典中得意忘形，城池终于陷落了。
英文正文
Impressed with Archimedes' easy success in singlehandedly moving a loaded ship from dry dock to the sea, King Hiero prevailed upon Archimedes to assist in the defense of Syracuse when that city was under the siege directed by the Roman general Marcellus. Many stories have been told of the ingenious contrivances devised by Archimedes to aid his city. There were catapults with adjustable ranges capable of hurling huge projectiles through loopholes in protective bastions. There were movable projecting poles for dropping heavy weights on enemy ships that approached too near the city walls. There were great grappling cranes that hoisted enemy ships from the water and violently shook them till the terrified sailors fell overboard and the ships began to crack up. A story that Archimedes used large burning-glasses to set the enemy's vessels afire is of later origin, but could be true. It has been said that Archimedes had the foes so confounded and frightened that all he had to do was to hang a free end of rope over the city's wall, and the Romans, fearing some horrible contrivance was on the other end, were afraid to go near it. Because of Archimedes' defensive machines, Syracuse held out against the Roman siege and blockade for close to three years. The city's defenses were finally broken only when, during a celebration, the Syracusans overconfidently relaxed their watches.
英语学习拓展
常用词汇
defense音标/dɪˈfens/
防御；保卫。
原文用法：Archimedes' defense of Syracuse / defensive machines
singlehandedly音标/ˌsɪŋɡlˈhændɪdli/
单独地；独力地。
原文用法：Archimedes' easy success in singlehandedly moving a loaded ship
ingenious音标/ɪnˈdʒiːniəs/
精巧的；有独创性的。
原文用法：ingenious contrivances devised by Archimedes
contrivances音标/kənˈtraɪvənsɪz/
发明装置；巧思之作，单数形式为 contrivance。
原文用法：ingenious contrivances devised by Archimedes
catapults音标/ˈkætəpʌlts/
石弩；弹射器，单数形式为 catapult。
原文用法：There were catapults with adjustable ranges
adjustable音标/əˈdʒʌstəbl/
可调整的。
原文用法：catapults with adjustable ranges
projectiles音标/prəˈdʒektaɪlz/
抛射物；投射物，单数形式为 projectile。
原文用法：hurling huge projectiles
loopholes音标/ˈluːphəʊlz/
射击孔；小孔，单数形式为 loophole。
原文用法：through loopholes in protective bastions
bastions音标/ˈbæstiənz/
棱堡；堡垒，单数形式为 bastion。
原文用法：protective bastions
grappling音标/ˈɡræplɪŋ/
抓钩；钩取（用于 grappling cranes）。
原文用法：great grappling cranes
hoisted音标/ˈhɔɪstɪd/
吊起；升起，动词原形为 hoist。
原文用法：hoisted enemy ships from the water
burning-glasses音标/ˈbɜːnɪŋ ɡlɑːsɪz/
取火镜；凸透镜，单数形式为 burning-glass。
原文用法：used large burning-glasses to set the enemy's vessels afire
afire音标/əˈfaɪə(r)/
着火地；燃烧的。
原文用法：set the enemy's vessels afire
confounded音标/kənˈfaʊndɪd/
困惑的；惊愕的。
原文用法：had the foes so confounded and frightened
blockade音标/blɒˈkeɪd/
封锁。
原文用法：Roman siege and blockade
同义词与近义词
对应核心词汇：ingenious
对应核心词汇：ingenious。
辨析：ingenious 强调构思巧妙、独创性强，常用于机械或方案；clever 更通用，也可指人聪明。
对应核心词汇：confounded
对应核心词汇：confounded。
辨析：confounded 侧重“困惑、不知所措”，frightened 侧重“害怕”，二者在原文中并列使用。
对应核心词汇：blockade
对应核心词汇：blockade。
辨析：siege 指“围困、攻城”，blockade 强调“封锁、阻断补给”。
常用短语与固定搭配
- defense of：保卫……。原文用法：Archimedes' defense of Syracuse。
- prevail upon：说服；劝说。原文用法：King Hiero prevailed upon Archimedes。
- dry dock：干船坞。原文用法：from dry dock to the sea。
- under the siege：在围攻之下。原文用法：under the siege directed by the Roman general Marcellus。
- capable of：能够。原文用法：capable of hurling huge projectiles。
- set ... afire：使……着火。原文用法：set the enemy's vessels afire。
- hold out against：抵抗；坚持抵御。原文用法：Syracuse held out against the Roman siege and blockade。
- close to：接近。原文用法：for close to three years。
- crack up：破裂；撞毁。原文用法：the ships began to crack up。
常用句式
- There were ... for doing ...：有用于做……的器械。原文例句：There were movable projecting poles for dropping heavy weights on enemy ships that approached too near the city walls.
- A story that ... is of later origin, but could be true.：关于……的说法出现较晚，但可能是真的。原文例句：A story that Archimedes used large burning-glasses to set the enemy's vessels afire is of later origin, but could be true.
- so ... that ...：如此……以至于……。原文例句：Archimedes had the foes so confounded and frightened that all he had to do was to hang a free end of rope over the city's wall.
长难句解析
It has been said that Archimedes had the foes so confounded and frightened that all he had to do was to hang a free end of rope over the city's wall, and the Romans, fearing some horrible contrivance was on the other end, were afraid to go near it.
- 主干：It has been said that ...（据说……）。
- 修饰与从句：that Archimedes had the foes so confounded and frightened ... 为真正主语从句；其中 so ... that ... 引导结果状语从句 that all he had to do was to hang a free end of rope over the city's wall；and 连接另一个并列分句 the Romans ... were afraid to go near it；fearing some horrible contrivance was on the other end 为现在分词短语，说明罗马人害怕的原因。
- 逻辑关系：先讲“传说”，再说明阿基米德使敌人多么恐惧，最后补充罗马人因何不敢靠近。
语言使用特点
- 历史叙事多用一般过去时和现在完成时（It has been said that ...），表示传说或流传至今的说法。
- 军事与工程词汇（catapult, projectile, bastion, blockade）带有浓厚的古代战争语境。
- 被动结构与分词短语并用，使叙述简洁紧凑。
迁移练习
- 用英文列举阿基米德用于保卫叙拉古的三种器械。
- 用 so ... that ... 结构写一句话，描述阿基米德的器械让罗马人多么害怕。
- 用 There were ... capable of ... 描述一种古代攻城或防御武器。
点击展开参考答案
- catapults with adjustable ranges, movable projecting poles for dropping heavy weights, and great grappling cranes (and possibly burning-glasses).
- The Roman soldiers were so frightened by Archimedes' machines that they dared not approach the city wall.
- There were tall siege towers capable of letting soldiers climb over city walls.