On temptation

 

On temptation

 

This was the first thing () Mark had been asked to do //which he himself, before he did it, clearly knew to be criminal.

 

* the first thing (that) Mark had been asked to do (the first thing) //which he himself clearly knew to be criminal.

* to do의 목적인 the first thing는 관계사 that으로 대신되어 생략됨

 

But the moment of his consent almost escaped his notice;

certainly, there was no struggle, no sense of turning a corner.

 

* turn the corner ; to pass a corner,

 

There may have been a time in the world’s history /when such moments fully revealed their gravity,

with witches /prophesying on a blasted heath or visible Rubicons to be crossed.

 

* their = such moments

* 형역 현분사구 /prophesying on a blasted heath ; 현분사의 능동 주체인 witches 수식,

형역 과분사 blasted heath 과분사의 수동 주체인 heath 수식

* crossing the Rubicon ; to refer to any individual or group committing itself to a risky or revolutionary course

of action, similar to the modern phrase "passing the point of no return".

 

But, for him, it all slipped /past /in a chatter of laughter, of that intimate laughter between fellow professionals,

which of all earthly powers is strongest to make men do very bad things

/before they are yet, individually, very bad men.

 

* 대명사 it를 후치수식하는 한정사 all

* 부사로 쓰인 past (past는 명사, 형용사, 부사 및 전치사로도 쓰임)

 

직독직해

 

This 이것은 was the first thing 최초의 일이었다 (that 그건) Mark 마크가 had been asked 요청받은 to do 하기를

//which 그것 he himself 그 자신이, before he did it 그가 그것을 하기도 전에,

clearly 명백히 knew 알았었던 to be criminal 범죄인 걸.

 

 

But 그러나 the moment of his consent 그의 수락의 순간은 almost 거의 escaped 빠져나갔다 his notice 그의 인식을;

 

certainly 확실히, there was 존재하지 않았다 no struggle 아무런 고민이나, no sense 아무런 감각도

of turning a corner 모퉁이를 도는/상황이 바뀌는 것에 대한.

 

 

There may have been a time 한 때가 있었을 수 있다 in the world’s history 세계의 역사에

/when 그때 such moments 그런 순간이 fully 완전히 revealed 드러내었던 their gravity 그 순간들의 중량감/심각성을,

with witches 마녀나 /prophesying 예언하는 on a blasted heath 저주받은 건강에 관해

or visible 가시적인/명백한 Rubicons to be crossed 루비콘 강/운명의 강 건느기에 관해.

 

 

But 그러나, for him 그에게는, it all 그 모든 것이 slipped /past 빠져나갔다

/in a chatter of laughter 웃으면서 하는 잡담 속에서,

 

of that intimate laughter 그런 친밀한 웃음의 between fellow professionals 동료 전문인들 사이에,

 

which 그것 of all earthly powers 세상의 모든 권력의 is strongest 가장 강력한 to make 만들기에 men 사람을 do 하게

very bad things 매우 나쁜 일들을

/before 그전에 they 그들이 are yet 아직, individually 각 개인이, very bad men 매우 나쁜 사람들이 되기도 전.

 

*** In 49 B.C.,

Julius Caesar led his army to the banks of the Rubicon, a small river that marked the boundary between Italy and Gaul.

Caesar knew Roman law forbade a general from leading his army out of the province to which he was assigned.

By crossing the Rubicon, he would violate that law.

"The die is cast, " he said, wading in.

 

From That Hideous Strength

Compiled in Words to Live By