我大学时有个好朋友,学习特别好,可是从来没拿过奖学金,原因是她每年体育课都才将将达标。其实她身体也不错,就是耐力差,长跑永远不及格。我这朋友说,长跑是她心中永远的痛!这种状况也可以用一个习惯用语来形容:Achilles' heel。
Achilles是希腊神话中的勇士。他刀枪不入,唯有脚脖子,也就是heel这个地方和一般人一样。最后,他的敌人也正是抓住这个弱点,用箭射中了他的脚脖子,导致Achilles死亡。所以,Achilles' heel指的是“致命弱点或缺点”。长跑对于我那位朋友来说,就是Achilles' heel,一大弱点。
下面这段话中的人在考虑要不要买辆油电混合动力车,我们看看他是怎么想的:
- The new hybrid car I'm looking at comes at an affordable price. Its excellent fuel economy and stylish design are also advantages. Unfortunately, it doesn't offer much room in the back for passengers. Since I have a lot of friends, I see its lack of space as its Achilles' heel.
我看的这辆新车是油电混合动力型的,价格在我的承受范围之内。此外,这车的燃油经济指标很高,样子也时髦。可惜,后排座留给乘客的空间不大。我有很多朋友,所以我觉得这是这款车一个非常大的缺点。
其实我也一直在关注新型驱动力的车子,比如现在上市的全电力车。它们环保又漂亮,但也有个Achilles' Heel,就是价格太高!对于我这么精打细算的人来说,这可是致命伤!
在现代流行文化中,有位英雄人物和Achilles类似,他英勇无比,万众仰慕,可却不是无懈可击。这个就是superman,超人:
- Who is the best known superhero? It's Superman, the strange visitor who came to Earth with fantastic abilities. While he can fly, bend steel in his bare hands, and see through walls with his x-ray vision, he does have one great weakness. When exposed to a green rock from his home planet, Superman becomes powerless. That's his Achilles' heel.
谁是最有名的超级英雄?答案是超人。这位来自外星,拥有超能力的神秘访客。他会飞,能赤手空拳折弯钢铁,拥有X光视线,可以穿透墙壁看到东西。不过,他也有个极大的弱点。当他面对来自自己家乡星球的绿色陨石时,他的超能力就一点都使不出来了。这就是他的致命弱点。
也许,超人的作者正是从Achilles那里获得灵感,塑造了这位看似强悍却并非无敌,有致命弱点的英雄。