纪录片《大英博物馆世界简史》 069瓦斯特克女神雕像（6）

 

The simple fact is that childbirth and infancy¹ are always very messy affairs. To achieve even a minimum level of hygiene² means devising systems for coping with filth³ - and mother goddesses have to deal with filth on a cosmic scale. So it's not at all surprising that the name Tlazolteotl literally⁴ means, in the Aztec language, 'filth goddess'. She was a figure of fertility, vegetation, and renewal⁵, the ultimate green goddess, transforming organic waste and excrement⁶ into healthy new life, guaranteeing the great cycle of natural regeneration. This is a goddess that gets her hands dirty and, according to Aztec myth, not just her hands. Another of her names is 'eater of filth' - she consumes dirt and purifies it. So, if we can read our goddess in the same light as the Aztecs, that's perhaps, disconcertingly, why her mouth is open and her eyes are rolling upwards⁷.

分娩和抚养婴儿总是与肮脏相伴。哪怕想取得最低限度的卫生，也需要发明应对污秽的系统。从广义上说，母亲神需要应对污秽。

因此，特拉佐尔特奥特尔的名字在阿兹特克语中的字面意思是“污秽女神”，这一事实也并不出奇。她是繁衍、植物生长与复苏之神，是最重要的绿色女神，能?将有机废料和排泄物转化成全新的健康生命，保证自然再生循环的运转。这位女神将自己的双手置于污秽之中，而在阿兹特克神话中还不只是双手一她有另一个名字，“食秽者”，她会吞下污秽并净化它们。因此，虽然这让人有点不舒服，但如果按照阿兹特克人的观念来重新欣赏这尊女神，也许我们就能理解她为何嘴张开，眼睛看向上方。

 

1 infancy   

n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期

参考例句：

• He came to England in his infancy.他幼年时期来到英国。
• Their research is only in its infancy.他们的研究处于初级阶段。

2 hygiene   

n.健康法，卫生学 （a.hygienic）

参考例句：

• Their course of study includes elementary hygiene and medical theory.他们的课程包括基础卫生学和医疗知识。
• He's going to give us a lecture on public hygiene.他要给我们作关于公共卫生方面的报告。

3 filth   

n.肮脏，污物，污秽；淫猥

参考例句：

• I don't know how you can read such filth.我不明白你怎么会去读这种淫秽下流的东西。
• The dialogue was all filth and innuendo.这段对话全是下流的言辞和影射。

4 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

5 renewal   

adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来

参考例句：

• Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。
• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。

6 excrement   

n.排泄物，粪便

参考例句：

• The cage smelled of excrement.笼子里粪臭熏人。
• Clothing can also become contaminated with dust,feathers,and excrement.衣着则会受到微尘、羽毛和粪便的污染。

7 upwards   

adv.向上，在更高处...以上

参考例句：

• The trend of prices is still upwards.物价的趋向是仍在上涨。
• The smoke rose straight upwards.烟一直向上升。