葉維廉《晶石般的火焰》（一）

葉維廉，《晶石般的火焰：兩岸三地現代詩論》（上下冊）(Gemlike Flame: Essays on Modern Poetry From China, Hong Kong and Taiwan)，臺北：臺大出版中心，2016年。

 

書名瑰麗又充滿靈氣。以晶石形容火焰的狀態，既有光澤又有熾熱之外的一份冰冷堅硬，那火燒不了融不掉的，或許就是詩的精髓，或比一般火焰更超然的新物質。前言提到「晶石般的火焰」是「現代主義的生成」，語出裴德 Walter Pater The Renaissance: Studies in Art and Poetry: 

 

Not the fruit of experience, but experience itself, is the end. A counted number of pulses only is given to us of a variegated, dramatic life. How may we see in them all that is to seen in them by the finest senses? How shall we pass most swiftly from point to point, and be present always at the focus where the greatest number of vital forces unite in their purest energy? To burn always with this hard, gemlike flame, to maintain this ecstasy, is success in life. (Conclusion)

 

葉氏的中譯：

 

我們要的，不是經驗的果實 [結論]，而是經驗本身。只有屈指可數的如此的脈動臨幸我們多姿多樣的戲劇的生命。我們怎樣可以觀看它們，怎樣可以用細緻的感官感知它們所有我們想觀看的一切呢？我們怎樣可以從點到點[由一個瞬間到另一個瞬間] 迅速經過而能夠永遠現身在最多種生命躍力最純粹的氣動聚焦的中央？不斷燃燒，以這種堅硬的晶石的火燄來保持這種狂喜，是生命的極致。

 

參考葉老師的版本之後，ChatGPT翻譯+我的修飾：

 

不是經驗的成果，而是經驗本身，才是目標。我們只賦予有限的脈搏 [生命]，度過多采多姿、戲劇性的生活。我們如何以最敏銳的感官，看待其中所有值得被看見的事物？我們如何最快速地穿越點與點 [瞬間與瞬間]，始終處在生命力量最集中、最純粹的中心？不斷以這種堅毅、晶石般的火焰燃燒，維持這種狂喜，才是生命的極致。

自己重譯，純粹是一種練習，並不一定更加準確。原本句式對我這門外漢來說，讀起來已經有點吃力。葉維廉則是在直譯的基礎上點出「果實」和「點與點」只是比喻，另加掛號揭露其中的喻體，主要原因也是為了維持原文辭氣。這導致譯文佶屈聱牙，但讀者可以一窺原文寫作功底。Them = limited variegated, dramatic life = experience itself = vital forces? 如果要在有限的生命感受並把握這些 them，就必须以晶石的火燄為推動力，持續尋覓和感受，換言之就是活著需要激情與熱忱吧：

 

  …What we have to do is to be forever curiously testing new opinions and courting new impressions, never acquiescing in a facile orthodoxy of Comte, or of Hegel, or of our own. Philosophical theories or ideas, as points of view, instruments of criticism, may help us to gather up what might otherwise pass unregarded by us. “Philosophy is the microscope of thought.” The theory or idea or system which requires of us the sacrifice of any part of this experience, in consideration of some interest into which we cannot enter, or some abstract theory we have not identified with ourselves, or of what is only conventional, has no real claim upon us.

 

…Great passions may give us this quickened sense of life, ecstasy and sorrow of love, the various forms of enthusiastic activity, disinterested or otherwise, which come naturally to many of us. Only be sure it is passion–that it does yield you this fruit of a quickened, multiplied consciousness. Of such wisdom, the poetic passion, the desire of beauty, the love of art for its own sake, has most. For art comes to you proposing frankly to give nothing but the highest quality to your moments as they pass, and simply for those moments’ sake. (Conclusion) 

 

讀到這裡才能理解為何葉維廉把「點與點」理解成「瞬間」。藝術（或詩）都是凝聚瞬間的成品，可它並非經驗的結果，而是經驗本身。我們欣賞、創造藝術，其實都在學習如何封存多種的瞬間經驗，轉化成多重的生命體驗。在國際化、資訊氾濫、多媒體興起之前，接觸藝術（或詩）就是接觸多重宇宙。然而現在的人類還需要這種迂迴的管道嗎？他們還會關注並維護、推進這條管道嗎？或許這個世紀就是藝術（和詩）消亡的末日審判吧。