關(guān)于"情人節(jié)"的來歷，現(xiàn)存的版本很多。06年"情人節(jié)"到來之際，我們請到了傳說中的圣·瓦倫丁，讓他親口講述一段發(fā)生在克羅狄烏斯時(shí)代有關(guān)"神職之愛"與"世俗之愛"的故事。 故事發(fā)生在公元前250年左右，當(dāng)時(shí)的羅馬皇帝克羅狄烏斯為了擴(kuò)軍備戰(zhàn)，下令禁止國人舉行婚典。凡是一定年齡范圍內(nèi)的男子，都必須進(jìn)入羅馬軍隊(duì)，整個(gè)國家于是備受相思之苦。 我們的主人公圣·瓦倫丁牧師，不忍看到一對對伴侶生離死別，便以基督教方式為他們秘密舉行婚禮，后被羅馬皇帝發(fā)現(xiàn)送進(jìn)監(jiān)獄。傳說臨死前，他給朋友女兒留下字條，上面寫著："愛你的瓦倫丁"，收字條的女孩在瓦倫丁遭遇不幸時(shí)一直鼓勵(lì)他、關(guān)心他、愛護(hù)他。 牧師死的那一天是2月14日，公元269年的2月14日。

Priest Valentine relates his story Let me introduce myself. My name is Valentine. I lived in Rome during the third century. That was long, long ago! At that time, Rome was ruled by an emperor named Claudius. I didn't like Emperor Claudius, and I wasn't the only one! A lot of people shared my feelings. Claudius wanted to have a big army. He expected men to volunteer to join. Many men just did not want to fight in wars. They did not want to leave their wives and families. As you might have guessed, not many men signed up . This made Claudius furious. So what happened? He had a crazy idea. He thought that if men were not married, they would not mind joining the army. So Claudius decided not to allow any more marriages. Young people thought his new law was cruel. I thought it was preposterous ! I certainly wasn't going to support that law! Did I mention that I was a priest? One of my favorite activities was to marry couples. Even after Emperor Claudius passed his law, I kept on performing marriage ceremonies -- secretly, of course. It was really quite exciting. Imagine a small candlelit room with only the bride and groom and myself. We would whisper the words of the ceremony, listening all the while for the steps of soldiers. One night, we did hear footsteps. It was scary! Thank goodness the couple I was marrying escaped in time. I was caught. (Not quite as light on my feet as I used to be, I guess.) I was thrown in jail and told that my punishment was death. I tried to stay cheerful. And do you know what? Wonderful things happened. Many young people came to the jail to visit me. They threw flowers and notes up to my window. They wanted me to know that they, too, believed in love. One of these young people was the daughter of the prison guard. Her father allowed her to visit me in the cell. Sometimes we would sit and talk for hours. She helped me to keep my spirits up . She agreed that I did the right thing by ignoring the Emperor and going ahead with the secret marriages. On the day I was to die, I left my friend a little note thanking her for her friendship and loyalty. I signed it, "Love from your Valentine." I believe that note started the custom of exchanging love messages on Valentine's Day. It was written on the day I died, February 14, 269 A.D. Now, every year on this day, people remember. But most importantly, they think about love and friendship. And when they think of Emperor Claudius, they remember how he tried to stand in the way of love, and they laugh -- because they know that love can't be beaten! (英語點(diǎn)津陳蓓編輯）

Vocabulary:

sign up :（應(yīng)征入伍） preposterous : absurd,crazy（荒謬的） marry: to perform a marriage ceremony for(為…舉行婚禮) a candlelit room: (點(diǎn)滿蠟燭的屋子）