在莎士比亞的《埃及豔后》(Antony and Cleopatra)裡,有不少篇幅是在描寫這幾個歷史上著名的領導者如何談判,妥協或利用各種權宜之計保住自己的利益。但是所謂王者得以為王其實都是靠著下位者的犧牲與付出。這段話來自安東尼旗下的一位將領,他所說的其實是所有「國王人馬」最害怕的事情:功高震主:
Better to leave undone than by our deed
Acquire too high a fame when him we serve’s away.
Caesar and Antony have ever won
More in their officer than person…
One of my place in Syria, his lieutenant,
For quick accumulation of renown,
Which he achieved by th’ minute, lost his favor.
Who does i’th wars more than his captain can
Becomes his captain’s captain; and ambition,
The soldier’s virtue, rather makes choices of loss
Than gain which darkens him.
I could do more to do Antonius’ good,
But ‘twould offend him, and in his offence
Should my performance perish.
當我們侍奉的主人不在身邊的時候,
最好什麼都不要做以免樹大招風。
凱薩和安東尼所展現的功績,
大部份都不是靠他們自己,而是靠他們的手下所贏來的。
當初在敘利亞的時候,我是安東尼的大將,
但是當名聲迅速積累,它就會造成反效果。
當一個人在戰場上表現得比自己的主將好,
就會爬到主將的頭上,而自己的野心也會隨之扶搖而上。
對一個士兵來說有野心本來是件好事,
但最後只會是弊大於利。
我可以為安東尼做更多事,
但到頭來那只會冒犯到他,而當他感覺被冒犯時,
我所有的戰績都將隨風而逝。
os: 前兩年很紅的一部古裝連續劇(希望大家都知道我在說哪部),裡頭講的也是所謂「功高震主」所帶來的危機與悲劇。我想,當王的人常常也是自信心嚴重不足,所以多疑易猜忌,常常殺掉那個幫自己立下最多汗馬功勞的人。現在雖然沒有皇帝,但我想現在所謂的政治,可能也看得到很多這種情況。
The Norton Shakespeare. 2008.
圖片來源 picture
Better to leave undone than by our deed
Acquire too high a fame when him we serve’s away.
Caesar and Antony have ever won
More in their officer than person…
One of my place in Syria, his lieutenant,
For quick accumulation of renown,
Which he achieved by th’ minute, lost his favor.
Who does i’th wars more than his captain can
Becomes his captain’s captain; and ambition,
The soldier’s virtue, rather makes choices of loss
Than gain which darkens him.
I could do more to do Antonius’ good,
But ‘twould offend him, and in his offence
Should my performance perish.
當我們侍奉的主人不在身邊的時候,
最好什麼都不要做以免樹大招風。
凱薩和安東尼所展現的功績,
大部份都不是靠他們自己,而是靠他們的手下所贏來的。
當初在敘利亞的時候,我是安東尼的大將,
但是當名聲迅速積累,它就會造成反效果。
當一個人在戰場上表現得比自己的主將好,
就會爬到主將的頭上,而自己的野心也會隨之扶搖而上。
對一個士兵來說有野心本來是件好事,
但最後只會是弊大於利。
我可以為安東尼做更多事,
但到頭來那只會冒犯到他,而當他感覺被冒犯時,
我所有的戰績都將隨風而逝。
os: 前兩年很紅的一部古裝連續劇(希望大家都知道我在說哪部),裡頭講的也是所謂「功高震主」所帶來的危機與悲劇。我想,當王的人常常也是自信心嚴重不足,所以多疑易猜忌,常常殺掉那個幫自己立下最多汗馬功勞的人。現在雖然沒有皇帝,但我想現在所謂的政治,可能也看得到很多這種情況。
The Norton Shakespeare. 2008.
圖片來源 picture