第4章 九歌·国殇

战国：屈原

操吴戈兮披犀甲，

车错毂兮短兵接。

旌蔽日兮敌若云，

矢交坠兮士争先。

凌余阵兮躐余行，

左骖殪兮右刃伤。

霾两轮兮絷四马，

援玉枹兮击鸣鼓。

天时怼兮威灵怒，

严杀尽兮弃原野。

出不入兮往不反，

平原忽兮路超远。

带长剑兮挟秦弓，

首身离兮心不惩。

诚既勇兮又以武，

终刚强兮不可凌。

身既死兮神以灵，

魂魄毅兮为鬼雄。

3.Nine Songs·An Elegy on Deaths of Servicemen Who Sacrificed Their Lives for the Country

The Warring States Period: Qu Yuan

Holding the Wu Kingdom's dagger-axes, O our soldiers were in rhino hide armor;

Chariots charging and clashing, O they grappled with the enemy at close quarters.

War flags obstructing the sun, O the enemy surged forward like storm;

Arrows falling in showers, O our soldiers fought fearlessly in crowds.

The commanding general attacked, O on the enemy he treaded;

The horse on his left was killed, O the one on the right wounded.

Two wheels of his chariot sank into the ground, O his four horses stuck together;

Holding jade-inlaid sticks, O the commanding general struck the war drum harder.

Heaven was irritated; O august gods were enraged at the combat's bloodiness;

All the soldiers cruelly killed, O their bodies were discarded in the wilderness.

When leaving for war, O they had not the least idea of coming home;

The plain was boundless, O the expedition was endless.

They girded on long swords; O they carried the Qin Kingdom's quality bows;

They were decapitated, O but their hearts would never regret or roam.

They were courageous, O they were mighty;

They were always unyielding; O they could never be humiliated.

They are dead, O but their spirits live on eternally.

Their souls are indomitable, O they are heroes among the departed.

作者简介

屈原（公元前340年-公元前278年），名平，字原；楚国诗人、政治家。生于楚国丹阳（今湖北秭归）；芈（mǐ）姓，楚武王熊通之子屈瑕后代。

屈原是中国浪漫主义诗歌奠基人，后人称之为“诗魂”。他创作的《楚辞》是中国浪漫主义文学源头，与《诗经》并称“风骚”。

《九歌·国殇》取民间“九歌”祭奠之意，哀悼死难的楚国将士。古人将未满二十岁而夭折的人称为殇，也指未经丧礼的无主之鬼。

按古代葬礼，在战场上“无勇而死”者，不能敛以棺柩，葬入墓域。在秦楚战争中，因战败，死难沙场的楚国将士暴尸荒野；无人替这些死国者操办丧礼、祭祀。放逐中的屈原创作了这不朽名篇，祭奠死难将士。

《九歌·国殇》“通篇直赋其事”（戴震《屈原赋注》）。诗篇情感炽烈、节奏急促、描写直白、凛然悲壮；其阳刚之美，在楚辞中独树一帜。