Shortly after we had been caged the amphitheater began to fill (вскоре после того, как нас поместили в клетку, амфитеатр начал заполняться) and within an hour every available part of the seating space was occupied (и в течение часа все доступные свободные места: «вся доступная часть пространства для сидения» были заняты). Dak Kova, with his jeds and chieftains (с его джедами и вождями), sat at the center of one side of the arena upon a large raised platform (сидел в центре на одной стороне арены на большой трибуне; raisedplatform— возвышение: «поднятыйнастил»).
remain [rI'meIn], consignment [kqn'saInmqnt], occupy ['OkjupaI]
Kantos Kan explained to me that at the end of the day one of these prisoners would gain freedom and the others would lie dead about the arena. The winners in the various contests of the day would be pitted against each other until only two remained alive; the victor in the last encounter being set free, whether animal or man. The following morning the cages would be filled with a new consignment of victims, and so on throughout the ten days of the games.
Shortly after we had been caged the amphitheater began to fill and within an hour every available part of the seating space was occupied. Dak Kova, with his jeds and chieftains, sat at the center of one side of the arena upon a large raised platform.
At a signal from Dak Kova the doors of two cages were thrown open (по сигналу Дака Ковы двери клеток распахнули; tothrowopen— распахивать, открывать) and a dozen green Martian females were driven to the center of the arena (и дюжину зеленых марсианских женщин согнали в центр арены; todrive— гнать). Each was given a dagger and then (каждой из них дали кинжал, а затем), at the far end, a pack of twelve calots, or wild dogs were loosed upon them (с дальнего конца арены на них выпустили свору из двенадцати калотов, или диких собак).
As the brutes, growling and foaming (когда звери, рыча и испуская пену; foam— пена), rushed upon the almost defenseless women (бросились на почти беззащитных женщин) I turned my head that I might not see the horrid sight (я отвернулся: «повернул голову», чтобы не видеть ужасного зрелища). The yells and laughter of the green horde (вопли и смех зеленой орды) bore witness to the excellent quality of the sport (свидетельствовали о великолепном качестве развлечения) and when I turned back to the arena (а когда я обернулся назад к арене), as Kantos Kan told me it was over (когда Кантос Кан сказал мне, что все кончено), I saw three victorious calots (я увидел трех победивших калотов), snarling and growling over the bodies of their prey (которые рычали и ворчали над телами своих жертв; to snarl — рычать, ворчать; to growl — рычать). The women had given a good account of themselves (женщины дорого продали свои жизни; account— счет, расчет; отчет; to give a good account of — успешносправиться, хорошосебязарекомендовать).
foaming ['foumIN], victorious [vIk'tO:rIqs], snarl [snRl]
At a signal from Dak Kova the doors of two cages were thrown open and a dozen green Martian females were driven to the center of the arena. Each was given a dagger and then, at the far end, a pack of twelve calots, or wild dogs, were loosed upon them.
As the brutes, growling and foaming, rushed upon the almost defenseless women I turned my head that I might not see the horrid sight. The yells and laughter of the green horde bore witness to the excellent quality of the sport and when I turned back to the arena, as Kantos Kan told me it was over, I saw three victorious calots, snarling and growling over the bodies of their prey. The women had given a good account of themselves.
Next a mad zitidar was loosed among the remaining dogs (затем бешеный зитидар был выпущен на оставшихся собак), and so it went throughout the long, hot, horrible day (и так это продолжалось весь длинный, жаркий, ужасный день).
During the day I was pitted against first men and then beasts (в течение этого дня меня выставляли вначале против людей, а затем и зверей), but as I was armed with a long-sword (но так как я был вооружен длинным мечом) and always outclassed my adversary in agility and generally in strength as well (и всегда превосходил своего противника в ловкости и в целом по силе; to outclass — превосходить; generally — обычно, вцелом), it proved but child's play to me (все это оказалось просто детской игрой для меня; to prove — доказывать; оказываться). Time and time again I won the applause of the bloodthirsty multitude (раз за разом я удостаивался аплодисментов кровожадного большинства; to win — выиграть, заслужить), and toward the end there were cries that I be taken from the arena (и ближе к концу стали /раздаваться/ крики, чтобы меня убрали с арены) and be made a member of the hordes of Warhoon (и сделали членом ворхунских племен).
Finally there were but three of us left (наконец, осталось только трое из нас), a great green warrior of some far northern horde, Kantos Kan, and myself (большой зеленый воин из какого-то дальнего северного племени, Кантос Кан и я).
The other two were to battle (те двое должны были сразиться) and then I to fight the conqueror for the liberty which was accorded the final winner (а затем мне /предстояло/ вступить в бой с победителем за свободу, которую даровали последнему победителю; to accord — предоставить).
throughout [Tru:'aut], adversary ['xdvqs(q)rI], bloodthirsty ['blAd"TWstI], northern ['nO:Dqn], conqueror ['kONkqrq]
Next a mad zitidar was loosed among the remaining dogs, and so it went throughout the long, hot, horrible day.
During the day I was pitted against first men and then beasts, but as I was armed with a long-sword and always outclassed my adversary in agility and generally in strength as well, it proved but child's play to me. Time and time again I won the applause of the bloodthirsty multitude, and toward the end there were cries that I be taken from the arena and be made a member of the hordes of Warhoon.
Finally there were but three of us left, a great green warrior of some far northern horde, Kantos Kan, and myself.
The other two were to battle and then I to fight the conqueror for the liberty which was accorded the final winner.
Kantos Kan had fought several times during the day (Кантос Кан сражался несколько раз в течение дня) and like myself had always proven victorious (и, как и я, всегда оказывался победителем), but occasionally by the smallest of margins (но иногда с большим трудом; margin— край, граница; byanarrowmargin— едва, струдом), especially when pitted against the green warriors (особенно, когда его выставляли против зеленых воинов). I had little hope that he could best his giant adversary (у меня было мало надежды, что он сможет превзойти своего гигантского противника; tobest— братьверх) who had mowed down all before him during the day (который уничтожал всех, /кого выставляли/ перед ним, в течение всего дня; tomow— косить; tomowdown— уничтожить). The fellow towered nearly sixteen feet in height (этот тип был ростом: «возвышался» около шестнадцати футов), while Kantos Kan was some inches under six feet (в то время как Кантос Кан был на несколько дюймов ниже шести футов). As they advanced to meet one another (когда они сошлись навстречу друг другу) I saw for the first time a trick of Martian swordsmanship (я впервые увидел такой прием владения мечом; trick— умение; ловкийприем) which centered Kantos Kan's every hope of victory and life on one cast of the dice (в котором сосредоточились все надежды Кантоса Кана на победу и жизнь, как на броске при игре в кости; tocast— бросать; castofthedice— бросокприигревкости; dice — кости/игральные/ ; игравкости), for, as he came to within about twenty feet of the huge fellow (так как, когда он оказался в двадцати футах от этого огромного существа) he threw his sword arm far behind him over his shoulder (он откинул руку с мечом далеко назад за плечо) and with a mighty sweep hurled his weapon point foremost at the green warrior (и с сильнейшим взмахом метнул свое оружие острием вперед в зеленого воина; tohurl— бросатьссилой, швырять; foremost— вперед) . It flew true as an arrow (оно полетело точно, как стрела; true— точно; toaimtrue— целитьсяточно) and piercing the poor devil's heart laid him dead upon the arena (и, пронзив сердце бедолаги: «бедного дьявола», уложило его мертвым на арену).
occasionally [q'keIZqnqlI], swordsmanship ['sO:dsmqnSIp], mighty ['maItI], piercing ['pIqsIN]
Kantos Kan had fought several times during the day and like myself had always proven victorious, but occasionally by the smallest of margins, especially when pitted against the green warriors. I had little hope that he could best his giant adversary who had mowed down all before him during the day. The fellow towered nearly sixteen feet in height, while Kantos Kan was some inches under six feet. As they advanced to meet one another I saw for the first time a trick of Martian swordsmanship which centered Kantos Kan's every hope of victory and life on one cast of the dice, for, as he came to within about twenty feet of the huge fellow he threw his sword arm far behind him over his shoulder and with a mighty sweep hurled his weapon point foremost at the green warrior. It flew true as an arrow and piercing the poor devil's heart laid him dead upon the arena.
