Always in the hand of a legendary warrior, weapons imbued with magic or supernatural powers have long been a part of mythology. From Zeus's thunderbolts to Mjolnir, nearly every civilization has at least one example of a weapon that helps some gods or heroes throughout history.
自古以来,在神话故事中,"神兵赠勇士"一直是永恒不变的主题。从宙斯的雷霆之杖到托尔的雷神之锤,几乎每一种文化里的神和英雄都至少有一把标志性武器。
10.大明沙利
Translated as "flower shield," Taming Sari was the fabled weapon of the legendary Melakan warrior Hang Tuah. It was a kris, an asymmetrical dagger with a specific blade pattern. Legend says that it was also the first kris ever created. The best of the sultan's Laksamana (admirals), Hang Tuah was given the weapon after being recognized by the sultan for his skills. The weapon was said to have supernatural powers. Taming Sari was unique in that it did not have a sheath, as Hang Tuah considered his enemy's body to be the only appropriate sheath.
大明沙利,英语里译为"花之盾",其主人是传奇的马来勇士汉都亚。相传它是第一把格里斯剑,剑身形状奇特,呈不对称状。汉都亚是苏丹眼中最优秀的海军统帅,受到苏丹赏识而得此宝剑。据说大明沙利具有非凡的法力,它的奇特之处在于没有剑鞘,在汉都亚看来,敌人的身体就是它最好的剑鞘。
Rankled by the favoritism showered on Hang Tuah, various members of the court spread rumors about him, which led to the sultan calling for his death. The bendahara (chief minister) tasked with carrying out the execution instead hid Hang Tuah, repaying an old debt. Thinking he was dead, Hang Tuah's friend Hang Jebat began slaughtering everyone he could find. Eventually, the bendahara revealed his hoax. The sultan pardoned Hang Tuah but ordered him to kill Hang Jebat. With a heavy heart, Hang Tuah killed his friend with Taming Sari after a lengthy battle, throwing the dagger into a river after he was done.
汉都亚虽然深受宠爱,可是有关他的谣言也随之而来,苏丹听信谗言下令将他处死。负责执行死刑的宰相曾欠下汉都亚一个人情,于是把他藏了起来。汉惹拔误以为好友惨死,向苏丹起兵叛乱。宰相在最后关头说出真相。苏丹赦免了汉都亚的罪行,但是要他杀死汉惹拔。经过一场艰苦的战斗,汉都亚用大明沙利刺死了汉惹拔,心中万分悲痛。随后他将大明沙利永沉河底。
9.赫伦汀和奈格灵
The two swords of Beowulf, Hrunting and Naegling, came to the Geatish hero in different ways. Hrunting was lent to him by Unferth, an underling of the Danish lord Hrothgar. It was an ancient weapon, said to have never let down a warrior who wielded it. However, in Beowulf's fight against Grendel's mother, the sword was unable to harm the monster in any way. Nevertheless, Beowulf later returned Hrunting with nothing but good things to say, as it was useful in every other battle.
赫伦汀和奈格灵是耶阿特英雄贝奥武夫的两把宝剑,它们的来历各不相同。赫伦汀是丹麦大臣安浮斯的祖传宝剑,据说用过此剑的勇士都战无不胜,安浮斯把它借给了贝奥武夫。不料,在贝奥武夫与格伦德尔母亲的战斗中,宝剑根本无法伤害到她。尽管如此,贝奥武夫在归还时依然对它赞赏有加,因为在其它战斗中宝剑都发挥了应有的威力。
The epic doesn't explicitly specify where Naegling comes from. Deriving from the word for "nail," Naegling was often described as a fine and ancient sword. It was the weapon Beowulf chose to take to his final battle with Daeghrefn. Eventually, much like Hrunting did earlier, Naegling failed the hero in battle, breaking in two. Although this time, it was because Beowulf's hand was too strong for the blade.
史诗中并没有明确指出奈格灵的来历。它是一把精美的上古宝剑,名字由单词"nail(钉)"演变而来。贝奥武夫与巨龙决战时使用的正是这把宝剑。奈格灵也没能为英雄带来胜利,在贝奥武夫用力击向巨龙时断成了两截。
8.盖伯尔加之矛
Gae Bulg was a unique spear owned by the Irish mythological figure Cuchulainn and given to him as a gift by Aiofe, the mother of his only son. Translated as "barbed spear" or "belly spear," it was said to have special barbs all along the shaft. When Gae Bulg pierced a man's body, these barbs would open up, making the spear nearly impossible to remove without killing the victim. A few variations of the myth also give the spear seven different heads, each with seven barbs of its own. In addition, Gae Bulg was fashioned from the bone of a sea monster, the Coinchenn, which perished fighting another sea monster.
盖伯尔加之矛是爱尔兰神话人物库·丘林的一把独特兵器,由他的情人,也是他独子的生母乌伊芙所赠。据说矛身长满倒钩棘刺,因此又称"千棘刺之枪"。当矛刺中对方时,倒钩棘刺就会伸张开来,只有杀死对方才能将矛拔出。还有一种说法,此矛有七个矛头,每个矛头上各有七个倒钩棘刺。除此之外,传说有两只海怪打架,其中一只受伤而亡,它的骨头做成了盖伯尔加之矛。
Another unique quality of Gae Bulg was the way it was used: Held by the toes, it was kicked upward, piercing the victim's groin. Cuchulainn used Gae Bulg to kill not only his foster-brother Ferdiad but also his own son, Connla, whose identity was disguised from Cuchulainn during their fight.
盖伯尔加之矛的用法也很奇特:用脚趾把它举起来,用力踢出去的同时刺中对方要害。库·丘林用盖伯尔加之矛杀死了养兄费迪亚和在战斗中化名康来的亲生儿子。
7.如意金箍棒
Ruyi Jingu Bang was the weapon of choice for Sun Wukong, the Monkey King hero of the Chinese novel Journey to the West. Ruyi Jingu Bang was an iron rod imbued with magic. Translated loosely as "As You Wish, Golden Rings Clasped Staff," the poetically named weapon was normally about 6 meters (20 ft) long. However, if the user so chose, Ruyi Jingu Bang could go from being as little as a needle to as tall as the heavens themselves.
如意金箍棒是中国小说《西游记》中美猴王孙悟空的兵器。它是一根有魔力的铁棒,按照字面意思可译为"如你所愿的束着金箍的铁棒",大约有6米(20英尺)长。不过如意金箍棒可以随心所欲变化大小,它能从一根细针变成顶天立地的圆柱。
Not only could the 8-ton staff change size, it could also make infinite copies of itself and fight independently of Sun Wukong. Obtained at the Water Crystal Palace of the Dragon King of the Eastern Ocean, the weapon allowed Sun Wukong to protect his feeble master Xuanzang on their journey in search of Buddhist scriptures. Ruyi Jingu Bang was gifted to Sun Wukong by the Dragon King, who believed it to be a simple metal rod. Ruyi Jingu Bang was said to have been the pillar used by Yu the Great to measure the depths of the Great Flood of China (and to eventually end the Flood).
这根8吨重的铁棒不仅能变幻大小还会分身术,并且能飞离孙悟空自主战斗。孙悟空从东海龙王的水晶宫中得到这件宝贝,一路上用它斩妖除魔,护送手无寸铁的玄奘法师去西天拜佛求经。东海龙王认为如意金箍棒不过是一根普通的铁棒,于是把它赠与孙悟空。相传大禹在治水时用如意金箍棒来测量洪水的深浅(最终水患得以平定)。
6.格拉姆
One of many legendary weapons in Norse mythology, Gram was the name of a sword wielded by Sigurd, the hero and central figure of the Volsunga saga. Originally possessed by his father Sigmund, the sword was broken into two pieces during a battle. Sigmund gave the pieces to his wife, hoping they might serve his unborn son someday. Regin, Sigurd's foster-father, eventually reforged the sword for him, creating a weapon so strong it could cleave an anvil in two.
格拉姆是北欧神话中众多传奇兵器之一,它的主人是伏尔松格家族最有名的英雄和首领——希格尔德。宝剑最初为他的父亲西格蒙德所有,在一次战斗中断成两截。西格蒙德把碎片交给妻子,希望他未出生的儿子将来能重铸宝剑。莱金是希格尔德的养父,他为希格尔德将神剑碎片重造成一把削铁如泥的利器。
As payment for fixing Gram, Regin entrusted Sigurd with the task of killing Fafnir, Regin's dwarf brother who had transformed into a dragon after killing his father over some cursed gold. After first avenging his own father's death, Sigurd went to Fafnir's lair and killed the dragon, utilizing some tips from Odin to win the fight. Sigurd then cooked Fafnir's heart, because Regin wished to eat it. Sigurd tasted the heart with his finger to make sure it was done. After the blood touched his mouth, he gained the ability to speak to birds. He overheard four birds talking nearby and learned of Regin's plan to kill him for the treasure. Seeing the guilt in the dwarf's eyes, Sigurd beheaded him on the spot.
莱金要求希格尔德杀死法弗尼尔作为对他的答谢。法弗尼尔是莱金的哥哥,和莱金一样也是个矮人,他杀死了自己的父亲,化成恶龙守着受过诅咒的金子。希格尔德首先为自己的父亲报了仇,接着前往法弗尼尔的巢穴屠杀恶龙,并且在奥丁的帮助下赢得胜利。希格尔德按照莱金的吩咐烤龙心给他吃,他想尝一尝龙心是否烤好,于是伸手去摸龙心。龙血刚一入口,他突然能听懂鸟语。他偷听到附近四只鸟儿的对话,得知莱金为了财宝打算杀死他。希格尔德看到莱金眼露凶光,当场砍下了他的头颅。