英国诗人W. H. 奥登曾说过这样一段话,“在炼狱山的第五圈层,我不认为在那帮贪心汉中会发现许多美国人;但我怀疑败家子所蹲的那半圈,也许几乎会成为一块美国的殖民地。美国人最大的罪恶不是追求物质享受,而是缺乏对物质的尊重。” tCj\U+;
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“In the Fifth Circle on the Mount of Purgatory, I do not think that many Americans will be found among the Avaricious; but I suspect that Prodigals may almost be an American colony. The great vice of Americans is not materialism but a lack of respect for matter." X9&>.?r
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注:这句话里有个隐喻。典出自但丁的《神曲》。但丁把世界分为地狱,炼狱和天堂。其中炼狱型似一山,有九级七个圈层。第五圈层是为贪心汉和浪费之人安排的。