苦心孤詣:費盡心思,專心研究,達到他人所無法達到的境地。

stay on the straight and narrow (點我聽發音)

  柯西拉(雅典盟邦)與柯林斯(斯巴達盟邦)齟齬日久,劍拔弩張,雙方數百艘船艦對峙,大有一觸即發之勢。因各有後台(sticking it to the man),所以有恃無恐。雅典擔心斯巴達誤判,雖然派艦助陣,但數目區區十艘,統帥卻多達三名,其中Lacedaemonius大將,對斯巴達還最友善。 


希臘這些舉措,所為何來? 

希臘領袖伯里克里斯老臣謀國,深知局外人根本搞不清楚狀況(can't make head or tail of something),夸夸其談者('the boy who cried wolf'或a'Chicken Little'),或一心以為鴻鵠將至(build it and they will come)者,其實只會誤事。 

伯里克里斯怕失信盟邦,故派兵助陣,得免「毫無作為」(in the doldrums)之譏;但大舉增兵相助,又讓他人有快意行事(Go ahead, make my day.)之虞;故派Lacedaemonius擔任統帥,一方面告訴敵方:連最友善的雅典人都請赴戰場,可見同仇敵愾;萬一失利,也可順便幫雅典除去內賊,進而凝聚士氣。 


孫子說:「凡治眾如治寡,分數是也;鬥眾如鬥寡,形名是也」,也就是說組織工作,對內對外都需要高明的通訊聯絡手段。伯里克里斯想方設法,避免政敵步調不一(march to a different drummer),同時也為萬一戰事失利事先找好理由。這項工作難度極高(a herculean task),所以苦心孤詣(stay on the straight and narrow),意在一箭雙鵰,治國能力高強,難怪雅典經他治理,形成一方霸主。 

例:"'Sticking it to the man' is their diplomatic principle and political justification, for there is something about it that feels so right."「緊抱強權大腿,是他們的外交指導和政治理念,如此這般好像也有若干道理。」 

"Pericles assumes that the Athens can not make head or tail of his grand strategy."「伯里克里斯認為:清楚國家大戰略來龍去脈的雅典人不多。」 

"He believes the way to express the crisis matters. He tries to avoid being 'the boy who cried wolf' or a 'Chicken Little', for his supporters would become numb to his claims."「國難當頭,如何知會國人,這會是個大學問。他避免夸夸其談,免得支持者失去熱忱。」 

"As a Guardian, Pericles wants to avoid a 'build it and they will come' mindset."「身為老臣,伯里克里斯不敢一心以為鴻鵠將至。」"Sending no ships means the alliance is in the doldrums, every nation will feel the effects."「若不派船參戰,同盟等於瓦解,各國看在眼裡,後果不容小覷。」 

"Pericles refused to send more ships for he did not want his ally to be in the 'Go ahead, make my day' camp."「伯里克里斯拒絕多派戰艦,免得盟友快意行事。」 

"Before engaging a war, Pericles wants to get rid of those who seem to march to the beat of a different drummer."「除掉步調不一的人,伯里克里斯才行參戰。」 

"It seems like a herculean task to assign Lacedaemonius to serve as the commander."「任命Lacedaemonius擔任指揮官,是件艱鉅而意味深遠的工程。」 

"A grand strategy will help a country stay on the straight and narrow during every phase of its security policy."「全程落實國安政策時,優越的大戰略可以讓該國享受苦心孤詣行事的美好成果。」 


(作者任教陸軍官校,本專欄每周五刊登) 【經濟日報╱朱文章】 2011.10.14 06:26 am 

【2011/10/14 經濟日報】@ http://udn.com/

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