莊坤良筆記

拜倫的愛情觀

喜歡英國浪漫詩人拜倫(Lord Byron)的詩，因為俏皮。

他在《唐璜》（Don Juan）裡說，愛情與婚的關係猶如酒與醋。愛情是美酒，但婚姻則是放太久的酒，發酸變成醋了。原本天上神仙滋味，墮落凡塵世物之中，成了庸俗的味道。常言道，結婚是愛情的墳墓。但這個比喻，腐屍味太濃，任人作噁。酒與醋的說法，則有人味多了。

'T is melancholy, and a fearful sign

 Of human frailty, folly, also crime,

 That love and marriage rarely can combine,

 Although they both are born in the same clime;

 Marriage from love, like vinegar from wine –

 A sad, sour, sober beverage - by time

 Is sharpen'd from its high celestial flavour

 Down to a very homely household savour. (Canto 3)

拜倫談女人偷情也是一絕。少女嫁給一個50歲的老頭，不如嫁兩個25歲的帥哥。半百老頭作丈夫，力有未逮，只能當經濟倚靠，不能共同生活。兩個年輕小伙子則生氣盎然，雖令人窮以應付，但畢竟有趣多了。

Wedded she was some years, and to a man

Of fifty, and such husbands are in plenty;

And yet, I think, instead of such a ONE

“Twere better to have two of five-and-twenty,

Especially in countries near of the sun.

And now I think on’t “mi vien in mente”

Ladies even of the most uneasy virtue

Prefer a spouse whose age is short of thirty. (Canto 1)

（2007/12/8）