评论
打印
Tradition says that Ptolemy, the great astronomer of the Greek and Roman world, worked peacefully in his observatory under the clear skies of northern Egypt for 40 years.
传说古希腊和罗马时期的伟大天文学家托勒密曾在埃及北部晴朗天空下的观测站默默地工作了40年。
Many and great were his explorations of the starry universe.
他对繁星密布的宇宙作了许多伟大的探索。
For instance, he described astronomical refraction in a way that was not improved for over 1,000 years.
例如，他使用改进了的方法来描述天体折射，而这种方法已有一千多年没有任何改进了。
Ptolemy wrote just one poem, but it expressed his whole life:
托勒密一生中只写过一首诗，但它体现了他的一生：
Mortal I know I am, short-lived:
我深知，生命苦短，固有一死，
and yet, whenever I watch the multitude of swirling stars, then I no longer tread this earth,
但每当我遥望流转的繁星，便能飞离尘世，
but rise to feast with God, and enjoy the food of the immortals.
升空与上帝同饮，与诸仙共享美味佳肴。
Learning extends our lives(as Ptolemy said) into new dimensions.
学习将我们的生命延伸（如托勒密所说）至新的维度。
It is cumulative. Instead of diminishing, in time, like health and strength, its returns go on increasing, provided...
学习是逐渐积累的过程。它不像健康和能量一样会随着岁月的流逝而逐渐减弱，相反，它给我们的回报会持续增加，只要……
