Review of the Little Prince（3）

This week I was disturbed by many trival things. Having no time to make the mind map, I decided to translate some of my favorite parts in chapter 10 from the book——The Little Prince.

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Chapter 10

The little prince left his planet and began his travel. The first place was asteroid 325, which was inhabited by a king. The following is part of the conversation between the little prince and the king.

If I ordered a general to fly from one flower to another like a butterfly, or to write a tragic drama, or to change himself into a sea bird, and if the general did not carry out the order that he had received, which one of us would be in the wrong?” the king demanded, “The general, or myself?”

"You,"said the little prince firmly.

“Exactly. One much require from each one the duty which each one can perform, ”the king went on. “Accepted authority rests first of all on reason. If you ordered your people to go and throw themselves into the sea, they would rise up in revolution. I have the right to require obedience because my orders are reasonable.”

译:

“如果我命令一位将军像蝴蝶那样从一朵花飞到另一朵花，或是让他创作悲惨的戏剧，又或是命他将自己变成一只海鸟，倘若将军没有执行他接到的指令，我俩是谁做错呢？”国王问。“是将军? 还是我自己？”

“你!”小王子肯定地说。

“正是这样。一个人只能要求他人履行能力范围之内的义务。”国王继续说。“能被众人接受的权威，首先是建立在合理基础上的。如果你命令你的臣民投海自尽，他们就会奋起发动革命。我有权利要求臣民听命于我，因为我的命令是合理的。”

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I think the king's interpretation of “abosolute  authority” is very interesting，even though it's not true. But one thing is for sure——if there had been more kings like him，there must be fewer revolutions in the history.