歷史上最殘忍的活人獻祭方式：英語精讀講義

We live in the modern age,

我們生活在現代，

where if the crops fail or our president dies,

如果莊稼歉收或我們的總統去世，

we don't have to worry about being brutally sacrificed 片語搭配

我們不必擔心會被殘忍地獻祭

to appease angry gods

以平息憤怒的神明，

or to ensure our departed ruler has a smooth transition to the afterlife. 片語搭配

或是為了確保我們已故的統治者順利過渡到死後世界。

Yet for thousands of years,

然而，在過去的數千年中，

humans have been sacrificing each other for a variety of reasons.

人類出於各種原因一直互相獻祭。

If you can think of it, 文法

只要你能想到的原因，

odds are someone somewhere murdered somebody else over it.

很有可能在某處的某人就曾為此謀殺了其他人。

Many of these sacrifices were done relatively humanely,

其中許多獻祭進行得相對人道，

with most cultures not seeing a need to prolong the suffering of the poor sod getting killed. 用詞

大多數文化並不認為有必要延長被殺的可憐蟲的痛苦。

But others believed that violence and pain were part of the ritual.

但其他文化則認為暴力和痛苦是儀式的一部分。

Let's start with the Shang Dynasty, China.

讓我們從中國商朝說起。

Before China was unified around 221 BC by Qin Shi Huang,

在秦始皇於公元前221年左右統一中國之前，

who thought that sacrificing people was a pretty not cool thing to do,

（他認為拿活人獻祭是件非常不酷的事情），

it was all the rage to sacrifice people to appease the spirits. 慣用語

拿人獻祭以平息神靈可是風靡一時的做法。

And at no time in the Chinese history was it more in vogue 文法

而在中國歷史上，這種做法最盛行的時期

than during the Shang Dynasty of 1600 to 1040 BC.

莫過於公元前1600年至公元前1040年的商朝。

A popular form of sacrifice was to behead males from other tribes,

一種常見的獻祭方式是斬首來自其他部落的男性，

in order to worship male ancestors.

用來祭祀男性祖先。

The more important the ancestor, 文法

祖先的地位越顯赫，

the more heads that would roll. 慣用語

掉的腦袋就越多。

To think, when you die,

想想看，當你死的時候，

you'll probably just get a lousy bouquet of flowers on your grave.

你的墳墓上可能只會得到一束糟糕的花。

But the spirits must have gotten pretty bored of chopped off heads,

但是神靈們肯定已經對砍掉的腦袋感到相當厭倦了，

so eventually the Chinese moved on to splitting people in half 片語動詞

所以後來中國人轉而將人劈成兩半，

in order to appease their ancestors.

以平息他們的祖先。

Historical records are unclear,

歷史記錄並不清晰，

but we're assuming that that would be horizontally 文法

但我們猜測那應該是橫向劈開的，

and likely with teams of horses.

而且很可能是用馬匹。

Although if they had very large blades and a lot of time on their hands, 慣用語

不過，如果他們有非常大的刀刃且時間很充裕的話，

they could probably manage a vertical split.

他們可能也會嘗試縱向劈開。

But again, the spirits are restless,

但是，神靈們依然不得安寧，

so the Chinese moved on to dismembering people with axes,

所以中國人又轉而用斧頭將人肢解，

often hundreds at a time to appease their ancestors. 片語搭配

通常一次肢解數百人來平息祖先。

A victim would have their stomach slashed open and their guts would fall to the floor, 文法

受害者的腹部會被割開，腸子會掉到地上，

which surprisingly is not a quick way to die

令人驚訝的是，這並不是一種能讓人快速死亡的方法，

and could take quite a while. 片語搭配

且可能會持續相當長的時間。

Though we suppose that that was probably the point. 用詞

雖然我們認為這可能正是他們的目的。

Lastly, victims were sometimes simply beaten to death,

最後，有時受害者只是簡單地被活活打死，

although at this point that barely even seems like they were trying anymore.

儘管在這一點上，看起來他們好像都已經懶得費心思了。

Hawaii.

夏威夷。

When you think of Hawaii, 表達脈絡

當你想到夏威夷，

you probably think of beautiful beaches and a warm tropical sun.

你可能會想到美麗的沙灘和溫暖的热帶陽光。

With so much beauty around them,

周圍有這麼多的美景，

surely native Hawaiians were a peaceful people who celebrated life.

夏威夷原住民肯定是一群愛好和平、歌頌生命的人。

I mean, they lived in freaking Hawaii. 用詞

我的意思是，他們可是住在美好的夏威夷啊。

But you'd be wrong,

但你錯了，

because humans are terrible and ritual human sacrifice was common in paradise.

因為人類是可怕的，活人獻祭在這個天堂裡很常見。

Typically reserved for captives taken from war, 片語搭配

通常是把從戰爭中俘虜的人留下來，

ritual sacrifices took place during the dedication of a war temple 片語搭配

獻祭儀式一般在將戰爭神廟

to the tiki war god Ku,

獻給提基戰神庫時舉行，

but could happen during other significant events.

但也可能在其他重大事件中發生。

Others who broke a kapu or taboo were also sacrificed 文化背景

其他打破卡普或禁忌的人也會被獻祭，

and could be tied up to have their bones broken with sticks,

可能會被綁起來，用棍子打斷骨頭，

have their intestines removed or simply beheaded.

被掏出腸子，或者乾脆被斬首。

You might think that surely Hawaii left its human sacrificing days way in the past, 用詞

你可能認為夏威夷肯定早就把活人獻祭的日子拋在腦後了，

but as recently as 1804, 片語搭配

但就在1804年，

a human sacrifice of three men was recorded.

還有記錄顯示有三名男子被用作活人獻祭。

Ancient Israelites.

古以色列人。

There are many mentions in the Bible of ancient Israelites

《聖經》中多次提到古以色列人

that worshipped other gods

崇拜其他神明，

and of Yahweh's or the God of the Bible's angry disapproval of them.

以及耶和華或《聖經》中的上帝對他們憤怒的譴責。

Learning about Israelites who worshipped Moloch,

在了解到以色列人崇拜摩洛，

a god of nature,

一位自然之神後，

it's hard to disagree with God on the matter. 片語搭配

很難在這件事上不贊同上帝。

Ancient Israelites regularly sacrificed infants to their various gods,

古以色列人經常向他們的各種神明獻祭嬰兒，

often by binding the child and then burning it alive.

通常是把孩子綁起來，然後活活燒死。

And this wasn't just captives taken in war either, 文法

而且這些不只是在戰爭中俘虜的人，

but sometimes their own.

有時甚至包括他們自己的孩子。

Thankfully for children everywhere,

對世界各地的孩子們來說幸運的是，

the Israelites who would eventually become the first Christians and Jews

最終成為第一批基督徒和猶太教徒的以色列人

came along and told everyone to knock it off, 片語動詞

站了出來，告訴大家別再這麼幹了，

because burning children to appease nature is pretty nuts.

因為燒死孩子來平息自然實在是太瘋狂了。

Inca.

印加人。

Nowadays, if you're hoping for wealth,

如今，如果你想要財富，

you might take a business class or two, 用詞

你可能會上一兩節商業課程，

perhaps invest in the stock market.

或者投資股市。

But if you were an ancient Incan,

但如果你是古印加人，

the most logical thing to do would be to raise a child from a baby,

最合乎邏輯的做法就是把一個嬰兒從小養大，

shower it its whole life with luxury, love and affection, 片語搭配

讓他一生都充滿奢華、愛與關懷，

feed it well and ensure it has a happy life,

讓他吃得好，確保他過上幸福的生活，

and then strangle it to death as an offering to the gods.

然後把他勒死，作為獻給眾神的貢品。

The Inca believed that a healthy, happy child,

印加人認為一個健康、快樂的孩子——

well, happy up until, you know,

嗯，快樂直到，你懂的，

being strangled to death,

被勒死之前——

was the greatest gift that any god could receive.

是神明能收到的最好禮物。

And so thousands of children were sacrificed

因此，數千名兒童被獻祭，

for the sake of increasing wealth and good fortune, 片語搭配

只是為了增加財富和好運，

because the gods are picky gods.

因為眾神都是挑剔的神。

Only strong, healthy and attractive children were suitable.

只有強壯、健康和有吸引力的孩子才適合。

So if you were ugly,

所以如果你長得醜，

we guess you lucked out. 片語動詞

我們猜你倒是走運了。

While some children were strangled to death,

雖說有些孩子是被勒死的，

others had their heads caved in

但其他孩子有的被敲碎了腦袋，

and yet others were burned alive.

還有一些被活活燒死。

Mesopotamians.

美索不達米亞人。

If there's one thing that binds all ancient humans together, 文法

如果說有一件事把所有古代人類聯繫在一起，

it's the belief that for some weird reason,

那就是基於某種奇怪原因的信念，即

if a king dies,

如果一位國王死了，

they're helpless in the afterlife

他們在死後的世界裡是無助的，

unless literally everyone who served him immediately joins him.

除非毫不誇張地說，所有侍奉過他的人都立即去陪伴他。

And yet people still vie for these positions of power. 片語搭配

然而，人們仍然在爭奪這些權力的位置。

But imagine showing up for your first day of work as the fancy new chancellor, 片語動詞

但想像一下，你作為光鮮亮麗的新任宰相第一天去上班，

only to have the king immediately croak. 文法

結果國王立刻就一命嗚呼了。

Congratulations on your early and very immediate retirement.

恭喜你，直接喜迎極速提前退休。

The ancient Mesopotamians were no exception to this rule 片語搭配

古美索不達米亞人也不例外，

and they too would send their kings off into the afterlife with a mass funeral. 片語動詞

他們也會用一場大規模的葬禮送國王去死後世界。

But while the ancient Egyptians famously had close advisers and pets buried with them,

然而，雖然古埃及人以讓親密顧問和寵物陪葬而聞名，

the Mesopotamians killed literally everybody that had anything to do with the dead king. 片語搭配

但美索不達米亞人簡直會殺掉與死去的國王有任何關係的每一個人。

Soldiers, members of the royal court,

士兵，宮廷成員，

and maidens and servants.

還有少女和僕人。

If you once made eye contact with the king,

如果你曾經和國王有過眼神交流，

there's a good chance you were getting sacrificed. 文法

你有很大機率會被獻祭。

At least the Mesopotamians didn't mess around when it came to human sacrifices. 講解

至少在活人獻祭這件事上，美索不達米亞人可不馬虎。

While for years experts believed that victims were peacefully poisoned before burial,

雖然多年來專家們認為受害者在下葬前是被平靜地毒死的，

new evidence has proved that this was hilariously wrong.

但新證據證明這個想法真是錯得離譜。

Instead, the dead to be were simply stabbed in the head.

相反，那些即將赴死的人只是被刺穿了頭部。

No mess, no fuss, 片語搭配

毫不拖泥帶水，

just a spike to the brain.

只是用尖刺刺入大腦。

Of course, these types of injuries can often not be immediately fatal

當然，這類損傷通常可能不會立刻致命，

and could result in an excruciating death.

這會導致極其痛苦的死亡過程。

The Aztecs.

阿茲特克人。

Naturally, no conversation on human sacrifice can be complete 文法

毫無疑問，任何關於活人獻祭的討論

without bringing up the mighty Aztecs, 片語動詞

都不能不提到強大的阿茲特克人，

who were absolutely nuts about murdering people for their gods, 慣用語

他們為了神明去殺人的狂熱簡直到了瘋狂的地步，

believing that they owed everything, even life itself, 片語搭配

他們相信自己把一切，甚至生命本身，

to the many precocious gods.

都欠了那些早熟的神明。

The Aztecs would routinely sacrifice thousands of victims a year.

阿茲特克人每年都會例行獻祭成千上萬的受害者。

Many civilizations engaged in human sacrifice,

許多文明都參與了活人獻祭，

but the Aztecs made it a downright hobby 慣用語

但阿茲特克人把它變成了一種徹頭徹尾的愛好，

and were incredibly creative about it.

並且在這方面極具創造力。

Various gods required various types of sacrifices

不同的神明需要不同類型的獻祭，

and victims were chosen depending on their physical characteristics

並且根據受害者的身體特徵

and how they related to the gods.

以及他們與神明的關係來選擇受害者。

Children for instance,

比如，兒童，

were required sacrifices for Tlaloc, the rain god,

是雨神特拉洛克所要求的祭品，

and they believed that the tears of the newborns or infants would ensure the rain.

他們認為新生兒或嬰兒的眼淚能確保下雨。

So their particular sacrifices were often protracted affairs. 用詞

所以他們特定的獻祭往往是極其漫長的過程。

The more tears a child shed,

孩子流的眼淚越多，

the more rain that would come.

降雨就越多。

Most victims would be marched up to the top of a pyramid and forced to lay upon an altar,

大多數受害者會被押解到金字塔頂端，被迫躺在祭壇上，

where a priest would then stab the victim in the stomach about the navel

祭司然後會在受害者肚臍周圍的肚子上捅一刀，

and rip the knife up to just below the throat.

然後把刀子向上拉到喉嚨下方。

Then the priest would reach into the victim's chest and pull out the often still beating heart

接著，祭司會把手伸進受害者的胸膛，掏出通常還在跳動的心臟，

before kicking the body down the pyramid stairs for it to be dismembered.

然後把屍體踢下金字塔的樓梯去進行肢解。

Sometimes those sacrifices would take the form of a mock battle between a priest and a captive, 講解

有時，這些獻祭會以祭司和俘虜之間的模擬戰鬥的形式進行，

with the priest armed with real weapons and the captive, 片語搭配

祭司帶著真正的武器，而俘虜

often tied to a stone or wooden frame,

通常被綁在石頭或木架上，

fought with wooden or feathered weapons.

用木製或帶羽毛的武器作戰。

Needless to say, 表達脈絡

毋庸置疑，

the odds were firmly against the victim and their feathery weapons. 片語搭配

局勢對受害者和他們帶羽毛的武器極為不利。

Yet the other victims would have their skin flayed off and worn as costumes in various rituals.

然而，其他受害者則會被剝去皮膚，在各種儀式中當成戲服穿在身上。

Those rituals typically awarded body parts as trophies

這些儀式通常會將身體部位作為戰利品進行獎勵，

and the warriors who captured the victims could be awarded a femur to proudly display at home.

而捕獲受害者的戰士可能會被獎勵一根股骨，以便在家裡自豪地展示。

That, we think, is the real problem with today's society.

我們認為，這才是當今社會的真正問題所在。

Too many participation trophies and not enough human femurs. 文化背景

參與獎發得太多，而人的股骨卻不夠。

Let's all be grateful that science and reason has moved humanity well past 慣用語

讓我們都心存感激吧，科學和理智已經使人類遠遠擺脫了

the kill people to appease angry god stage of evolution.

為了平息憤怒的神明而殺人的進化階段。

Yet with so much science denial in our society today on issues such as climate change, 用詞

然而，如今我們社會在氣候變化等問題上存在如此多的反科學現象，

sometimes we wonder just how far away we really are from our bloodthirsty roots. 慣用語

有時我們不禁想知道，我們離那些嗜血的本源到底還有多遠。

What's the most brutal sacrifice technique you've ever heard of?

你聽過最殘忍的獻祭方式是什麼？

Would you be interested in being ritually sacrificed by the staff of the Infographics Show

你有興趣被《資訊圖表秀》的員工用作儀式獻祭嗎？

as we ask the gods for continued success?

因為我們要祈求神明保佑我們持續成功？

Just kidding. 語氣意圖

開玩笑的啦。

Make sure you check out our other video,

記得去看看我們的其他影片，

Worst Punishments in the History of Mankind.

「人類歷史上最糟糕的懲罰」。

And as always, if you enjoyed this episode,

和往常一樣，如果你喜歡這期節目，

don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more great content.

別忘了點讚、分享並訂閱，以獲取更多精彩內容。