And so, in 1306, Bruce,the most politically intelligent and militarily successful figure,
因此 在1306年 布鲁斯 这位在苏格兰中世纪史上最具政治才干
in medieval Scottish history, did just that.
伟大的军事奇才 首先解决了内部问题
He met with John Comyn, his main rival,and ended up stabbing him before the altar of Greyfriars Church in Dumfries.
他与他的主要对手约翰·科明进行了一次会面 在格雷弗利尔斯教堂的圣坛前 一刀结束了他的生命
The murder is neither explained nor justified by it being the case of a patriot knocking off a quisling
这一谋杀行为没有掀起任何政治波澜 被简单定性为一次爱国者铲除卖国贼的行动
for Comyn had been a lot more consistent in his opposition to the English than Bruce,
虽然科明的反英情绪 甚至要比布鲁斯更胜一筹
he remained loyal to king Balliol, who still lived,and so had to be removed.
但他一直对尚在人世的苏格兰王贝列尔忠心耿耿 因此成了布鲁斯的眼中钉
Barely six weeks after he had murdered Comyn,Bruce had himself inaugurated king at Scone.
科明死后仅仅六周 布鲁斯在司康加冕为王
Instead of unifying the Scots behind a single leader,
布鲁斯的行为没有使自己成为统领群雄的君王
Bruce's actions only intensified what was already a Scottish civil war,one that he initially lost.
反而激化了苏格兰的内部混战局势 他一开始就偏离了正确的道路
He fled Scotland and so created a vacuum of knowledge,
他不得不逃离苏格兰 造成史料空白
filled by heroic mythology the fable of the cave and the spider,
只留下一段英雄佳话 那便是洞穴蜘蛛的传说
whose patience gave Robert the resolution to persevere.
蜘蛛的坚持不懈给了罗伯特坚持到底的决心
There was no cave, no spider,but there was something more extraordinary
没有什么洞穴 也没有什么蜘蛛 但有件事却意义非凡
the polished noble turning himself into a guerrilla captain.
这位优雅的贵族脱下长袍成了游击队长
It was Robert the Bruce, not William Wallace,who wrote the book on partisan warfare.
是罗伯特·布鲁斯 而非威廉·华莱士 向我们演绎了游击战的精髓