永遠不死？

Though Frederick the Great of Prussia eventually won, together with the British, the Seven Years War(1756-1763) against an alliance consisting of Austria, France, Russia and Sweden, he suffered a major setback in 1757 in the Battle of Kolin. The battle saw 44,000 Austrians under Count von Daun defeat 32,000 Prussians under Frederick. The Prussian casualties were 14,000; those of the Austrians, 9000.
At the battle, Frederick attempted to rally his terrified troops."Rogues," he cried,"would you live for ever?" Apparently his cavalry, racing past him in full retreat, wished to try.
普魯士腓特烈大帝在一七五六年到一七六三年的七年戰爭之中，和英國聯手，終於打敗了奧地利、法蘭西、俄羅斯、瑞典等國的聯盟。不過，一七五七年科林一役，他卻遭重挫，奧地利馮．道恩伯爵引兵四萬四千，打敗了他率領的三萬二千普魯士軍。普軍有一萬四千人傷亡，奧軍傷亡則有九千人。
戰役中，腓特烈力圖振起驚慌失措的將士，高喊：「渾蛋，你們以為可以永遠不死嗎？」全面潰逃的普魯士騎兵在他身旁匆匆跑過，顯然都想試試可不可以。
【附注】 Rogues, would you live for ever?這句話已成為名言，常用來激勵將士。英式英語 for ever和 forever不同： for ever指「永遠」， forever則指「經常」，例如：（ 1） I'll love you for ever（我會永遠愛你）。（ 2） She is forever complaining（她老是在抱怨）。美式英語則一律作 forever。

• （古德明）