不自由，毋宁死 Give Me Liberty, Or Give Me Death（1/1）
帕特里克·亨利 / Patrick Henry
帕特里克·亨利（1736—1799），美国革命时期杰出的政治家、演说家，曾任律师、弗吉尼亚州议员。本篇演说发表于1775年3月23日弗吉尼亚州第二届议会上，在美国革命文献史上占有重要地位。
Acethe Hole
Uand these new words before you read this article.
1.sentt [senti?nt] n.（对怜悯、怀旧等的）柔情；态度或意见；观点；意见
2.petition [piti??n] n.（许多人签名的向当权者提出某种要求的）请愿书
3.istry [?istri] n.（政府的）部门
4.reonstrate [r??n,stre?t] v.抗议；告诫
5.irresotion [i,rez?:??n] n.不决断，优柔寡断，犹豫不定
Mr.President,
No an thks ore highly than I do of the patriotis, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlen who have jt addressed the Hoe.But different n oftehe sa subjectdifferent lights; and, therefore, I hope that it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlen, if, eag as I do, opions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth y sentts freely and without reserve.This is no ti for cereony.The question before the Hoe is one of awful ont to this untry.For y own part Ias nothg less than a question of freedo or svery; andproportion to the agnitude of the subject ought to be the freedo of the debate.It is onlythis way that wehope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our untry.Should I keep back y opions at such a ti, through fear of givg offence, I should nsider yself as guilty of treason towards y untry, and of an act of disloyalty towards the ajesty of heaven, which I revere above all earthly kgs.
Mr.President, it is natural to an to dulgethe ilsions of hope.We are apt to shut our eyes agast a paful truth, and listen to the song of that Siren, till she transforsto beasts.Is this the part of wise n, engageda great and ardule for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the nuber of those who, havg eye, see not, and havg ears, hear not, the thgs which so nearly heir teporal salvation? For y part, whatever anguish of spirit it ay st, I a willg to know the whole truth; to know the worst and to provide for it.
I have but one p by which y feet are guided; and that is the p of experience.I know of no way of judgg of the future but by the past.And judgg by the past, I wish to know what there has beenthe nduct of the British istry for the st ten years, to jtify those hopes with which gentlen have been pleased to soce theselves and the Hoe? Is it that sidio sile with which our petition has been tely received? Trt it not, sir; it will prove a so your feet.Suffer not yourselves to betray with a kiss.Ask yourself how this gracio reception of our petition ports with these war-like preparations, which ver our waters and darken our nd.Are fleets and aries necessary to a work of love and renciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwillg to be rehat force t be called toback our love? Letnot deceive ourselves, sir.These are the iplents of war and subjugation; the st argunts to which kgs resort.I ask gentlen, sir, what ans this artial array, if its purpose be not to forceto subission?gentlen assign any other possible otives for it? Has Great Brita any eney,this quarter of the world, to call for all this auution of navies and aries? No, sir, she has hey are ant for ; theybe ant for no other.They are sent over to bd and rivet uponthose chas which the British istry have been so long fg.And what have we to oppose to the?Shall we try argunt? Sir, we have been tryg that for the st ten years.Have we anythg o offer on the subjeothg.We have held the subjeeive ourselves longer.Sir, we have done everythg that uld be doo avert the stor which is now g oioned; we have reonstrated; we have supplicated; rostrated ourselves before the throne, and have iplored its terposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the istry and Parliant.Our petitions have been slighted; our reonstrance have produced additional violend sult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with , fro the foot of the throne.In va, after these thgs, ay we dulge the fond hope of pead renciliation.There is no longer any roo for hope.If we wish to be free—if we an to preserve viote those estiable privileges for which we have been solong ntendg—if we an not basely to abandon the rugglewhichwe have been so long engaged, and which ledged ourselves o abandon until the glorio object of ourshall be obtaed, we t fight! I repeat it, sir, we t fight! An appeal to ars and to the God of Hosts is all that is left !
They tell , sir, that we are weak; uo pe with so foridable an adversary.But when shall we be stronger? Will it be theweek, or theyear? Will it be when we are totally disard, and when a British guard shall be stationedevery hoe? Shall we gather strength by irresotion and a? Shall we acquire the ans of effectual resistance, by lyg supely on our backs and huggg the desive phanto of hope, until our eneies shall have boundhand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we ake a proper e of those ans which the God of nature hath pcedour power.Three illions of people, ardthe holy cae of liberty, andsuch a untry as that which we possess, are vcible by any force which our eneysend agast .Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alohere is a jt God who presides over the desties of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for .The battle, sir, is not to the strong alo is to the vigt, the active, the brave.Besides, sir, we have ion.If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too te to retire fro the here is reat butsubission and svery! Our chas are fed! Their kg ay be heard on the ps of Boston! The war is evitable—a e! I repeat it, sir, let it e!
It isva, sir, to extehe atter.Gentlen ay cry Peace, Peace—but there is no peace.The war is actually begun! Thegale that sweeps fro the north will brg to our ears the csh of resoundg ars! Our brethren are alreadythe field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chas and svery? Forbid it, Alighty God! I know not what urse others ay take; but as fiveliberty, ivedeath!