Becoming a Knight in Middle Ages成为中世纪骑士

There were two ways that a man could become a knight during the MiddleAges. The first was getting the right on the battlefield2. If a soldier fought verybravely during a war， he may be awarded knighthood3 by the king， a lord， oreven another knight. The second way was to become an apprentice4 to a knightand get the title through hard work and training.

在中世纪，一个人可以通过两种方式成为骑士。第一个办法是在战场上赢得殊荣。如果一个士兵在战争中特别勇敢地战斗，他可能会被国王、勋爵，甚至其他骑士授予骑士头衔。第二种方法是成为一名骑士的学徒，通过艰苦的工作和训练获得头衔。

Who could become a knight？

谁能成为骑士？

No doubt many young men growing up in the Middle Ages dreamed ofbecoming a knight， but only a few could afford to become knights. The first requirement5 of becoming a knight was that someone could afford a knight’s weapons6， armor7， and war horse. These things weren’t cheap and only the veryrich people could pay for them.

毫无疑问，在中世纪成长起来的许多年轻人都梦想成为骑士，但只有少数人能负担得起成为骑士的费用。成为骑士的首要条件是要能买得起骑士的武器、盔甲和战马。这些东西可不便宜，只有非常富有的人才买得起。

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侍童

When a boy， or more likely his parents， decided that he wanted to becomea knight， he would go to live in the household of a knight when he was sevenyears old. There he would serve the knight as a page. As a young page， hebasically was a servant9 for the knight， performing tasks such as serving meals，cleaning clothes， and carrying messages. While working for the knight’shousehold， the page learned the proper way to behave and good manners.

当一个男孩，或者更可能是他的父母，决定他要成为一名骑士时，他将在7 岁时住进一个骑士的家里。在那里他会给骑士当侍童。作为一个年轻的侍童，他基本上是骑士的仆人，执行如提供食物，清洗衣服，以及传递信息的任务。在为骑士家工作期间，侍童学会了得体的行为举止和良好的礼仪。

The page also began to train to fight. He would practice with other pagesusing wooden shields10 and swords11. He also would start to learn how to ride ahorse using no hands and carrying a lance12.

侍童也开始训练战斗。他会和其他的侍童一起练习使用木盾和木剑。他还将开始学习如何不拉缰绳和手持长矛骑马。

Squire

侍从

Around the age of fifteen， the page would become asquire. As a squire， the young man would have a newset of tasks. He would take care of the knight’s horses，clean his armor and weapons， and accompany the knightto the battlefield.

大约在15 岁的时候，侍童会成为一名侍从。作为一名侍从，这位年轻人将有一系列新的任务。他会照顾骑士的马匹，清洗他的盔甲和武器，陪骑士上战场。

Squires had to be ready to fight. They started to train with real weapons andwere taught fighting skills by the knight. They had to be in good shape andstrong. Squires continued to practice their horsemanship14， and improve theirskills at riding horses and fighting. Most future knights worked as a squire forfive or six years.

侍从们必须做好战斗准备。他们开始真枪实剑地训练，并由骑士教授战斗技巧。他们必须身材良好，身体强壮。侍从们不断练习他们的骑术，不断完善他们的骑马技术和战斗技巧。大多数准骑士都要做五六年的侍从。

Dubbing15 Ceremony

骑士称号授予仪式

If a squire had proven his bravery and skill atbattle， he would become a knight at the age oftwenty-one. He gained the title of knight at a dubbingceremony. At this ceremony he would kneel beforeanother knight， lord， or king who would then tap16the squire on the shoulder with his sword making hima knight.

如果一名侍从在战斗中证明了自己的勇敢和技能，他将在21 岁时成为一名骑士。他在一个骑士授予仪式上获得骑士称号。在这个仪式上，他会跪在另一个骑士、勋爵或国王面前，然后这些人会用剑轻拍他的肩膀，授予他骑士的头衔。

At the ceremony， the new knight would take an oath17 to honor and protect his king and the church18.He would be given a pair of riding spurs19 and a sword.

在仪式上，新骑士要宣誓效忠并保护他的国王和教会。他将被授予一对马刺和一把剑。

Interesting facts about becoming a knight

关于成为骑士的有趣事实

Squires often learned about castle20 from their knight. They wouldneed to know how to protect their own castle as well as how to attack21 anenemy’s castle.

The word“squire”comes from French.

Wealthy knights would have had several pages and squires to help them.

Not all squires were made knights through a ceremony. Some were"awarded knighthood on the battlefield.

Before the dubbing ceremony to become a knight， squires were required to spend the night alone in prayer22.

侍从们经常从他们的骑士那里学到关于城堡的知识。他们需要知道如何保护自己的城堡以及如何攻击敌人的城堡。

“squire”一词来自法语。

富有的骑士会有好几个侍童和侍从来帮助他们。

并非所有的侍从都是通过仪式才被封为骑士的。有些人在战场上就被授予了骑士头衔。

在举行骑士授予仪式之前，侍从们被要求在晚上独自祈祷。

（英语原文选自：ducksters.com）