内容概述
W. W. 鲍尔称埃拉托色尼为他那个时代的“可敬的克莱顿”，因其在数学、天文、地理、历史、哲学、诗艺甚至体育等多领域皆有建树；亚历山大博物馆的学生给他取绰号 Pentathlus（五项全能冠军），还有人叫他贝塔（β）；托勒密说他被叫 ε 是因为研究月亮；阿波罗尼则被尊为“大几何学家”。
中文正文
82° 埃拉托色尼和阿波罗尼的绰号
鲍尔（W. W. Rouse Ball）恰如其分地称埃拉托色尼为他那个时代的“可敬的克莱顿”（Admirable Crichton），他奇异的天才表现在所有的知识领域。他是著名的数学家、天文学家、地理学家、历史学家、哲学家、诗人和运动员。据说，亚历山大博物馆的学生喜欢叫他 Pentathlus，即五项全能冠军。也有人叫他贝塔（β），这个名字颇有来历。有人认为，因为他知识渊博，所以被尊为第二个柏拉图。还有一个不太好的解释，说他尽管多才多艺，却没能在任何一个领域超越他的同辈。换句话说，他总是当老二。这样的解释多少要打些折扣，因为我们还知道，某个天文学家，多半是佩加的阿波罗尼，被称为厄普西隆（ε）。于是，高（James Gow）提出，也许这些名字只不过代表两个人在博物馆的专用办公室或教室的希腊数字（分别是 2 和 5）。另外，托勒密（Ptolemy Hephaestio）则宣称，阿波罗尼被称为厄普西隆，是因为他研究月亮，而字母 ε 是月亮的象征。当然，佩加的阿波罗尼最当之无愧的称号是“大几何学家”，是众望所归的荣誉。
英文正文
82° The nicknames of Eratosthenes and Apollonius. Eratosthenes, who W. W. Rouse Ball has aptly called the Admirable Crichton of his age, was singularly gifted in all branches of knowledge. He was distinguished as a mathematician, an astronomer, a geographer, a historian, a philosopher, a poet, and an athlete. It is said that the students at the Museum of Alexandria used to call him Pentathlus, the champion in five athletic sports. He was also called Beta, and some speculation has been offered as to the possible origin of this nickname. Some believe it was because his broad and brilliant knowledge caused him to be looked upon as a second Plato. A less kind explanation is that, though he was gifted in many fields, he always failed to top his contemporaries in any one branch; in other words, he was always second best. Each of these explanations weakens somewhat when it is learned that a certain astronomer Apollonius, very likely Apollonius of Perga, was called Epsilon. Because of this, James Gow has suggested that perhaps Beta and Epsilon arose simply from the Greek numbers (2 and 5) of certain offices or lecture rooms at the Museum particularly associated with the two men. On the other hand, Ptolemy Hephaestio claimed that Apollonius was called Epsilon because he studied the moon, of which the letter ε was a symbol. Of course, the most fitting nickname for Apollonius of Perga is the Great Geometer, justly assigned to him by his contemporaries.
英语学习拓展
常用词汇
nickname音标/ˈnɪkneɪm/
绰号；诨名。
原文用法：The nicknames of Eratosthenes and Apollonius.
singularly音标/ˈsɪŋɡjələli/
非凡地；格外地。
原文用法：was singularly gifted in all branches of knowledge
athlete音标/ˈæθliːt/
运动员；体育家。
原文用法：a mathematician, an astronomer, ... and an athlete
champion音标/ˈtʃæmpiən/
冠军；优胜者。
原文用法：Pentathlus, the champion in five athletic sports
speculation音标/ˌspekjuˈleɪʃn/
推测；猜测。
原文用法：some speculation has been offered as to the possible origin of this nickname
contemporary音标/kənˈtemprəri/
同代人；同时期的人。
原文用法：he always failed to top his contemporaries in any one branch
epsilon音标/ˈepsɪlɒn/
希腊字母 ε（厄普西隆）。
原文用法：a certain astronomer Apollonius ... was called Epsilon
lecture音标/ˈlektʃə/
讲座；讲课。
原文用法：certain offices or lecture rooms at the Museum
symbol音标/ˈsɪmbl/
象征；符号。
原文用法：the moon, of which the letter ε was a symbol
geometer音标/dʒiˈɒmɪtə/
几何学家。
原文用法：the most fitting nickname for Apollonius of Perga is the Great Geometer
同义词与近义词
对应核心词汇：nickname
对应核心词汇：nickname。
辨析：nickname 最通用，指诨名；sobriquet 偏文学，指雅号或绰号；alias 多指化名或别名，常用于掩饰身份。
对应核心词汇：contemporary
对应核心词汇：contemporary。
辨析：contemporary 强调同时代的人；colleague 强调同事；peer 强调同辈或水平相当者。
常用短语与固定搭配
- it is said that：据说；相传。原文用法：It is said that the students at the Museum of Alexandria used to call him Pentathlus
- arise from：由……产生；源于。原文用法：perhaps Beta and Epsilon arose simply from the Greek numbers (2 and 5)
- on the other hand：另一方面。原文用法：On the other hand, Ptolemy Hephaestio claimed that ...
- in other words：换句话说。原文用法：in other words, he was always second best
常用句式
- It is said that ...：据说……。原文例句：It is said that the students at the Museum of Alexandria used to call him Pentathlus, the champion in five athletic sports.
- Some believe (that) ... A less kind explanation is that ...：有人认为……；一个不那么善意的说法是……。原文例句：Some believe it was because his broad and brilliant knowledge caused him to be looked upon as a second Plato. A less kind explanation is that, though he was gifted in many fields, he always failed to top his contemporaries in any one branch.
长难句解析
A less kind explanation is that, though he was gifted in many fields, he always failed to top his contemporaries in any one branch; in other words, he was always second best.
- 主干：A less kind explanation is that ... he was always second best（主系表结构，表语由 that 从句充当）。
- 修饰与从句：that 引导表语从句；其中 though he was gifted in many fields 为让步状语从句；in any one branch 为介词短语作范围状语；分号后 in other words, he was always second best 为同位/解释分句。
- 逻辑关系：先以让步承认其多才多艺，再转折指出他在任一门类都未能超越同辈，从而引出“总居第二”的诙谐结论，与前文“可敬的克莱顿”式的赞誉形成对照。
语言使用特点
- 传记轶史常用 It is said that ...、Some believe ...、... has suggested that ... 等转述结构，客观呈现多种说法而不轻易下结论。
- 比较不同解释时，作者用 A less kind explanation 这样带评价色彩的短语，既幽默又显克制。
迁移练习
- 用英文写出埃拉托色尼的三个绰号或称号，并各用一句话说明由来。
- 用 On the other hand 写一句对比两种关于同一绰号来源的解释。
- 将“据说亚历山大博物馆的学生叫他五项全能冠军”翻译成英文。
点击展开参考答案
- 示例：Eratosthenes was called Pentathlus (champion in five sports) by Museum students, Beta (perhaps from the Greek number 2), and the Admirable Crichton of his age by W. W. Rouse Ball.
- 示例：Some think Beta came from the Greek number 2; on the other hand, Ptolemy claimed Epsilon referred to the moon.
- It is said that the students at the Museum of Alexandria used to call him Pentathlus, the champion in five athletic sports.