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The Awakening of Europe, 50. The Boyhood of Frederick the Great

50. The Boyhood of Frederick the Great

"One of the greatest soldiers ever born." —CARLYLE.

The battle of Pultowa was over. Peter the Great, the Father of his country, Emperor of Russia, had raised his land to a higher rank in Europe.

Another king was now to arise, the king of a country bordering on Russia, who was to raise his country too, to play her part in the world's history. This was Frederick the Great of Prussia. He was born in 1712, five years after Pultowa, at the Palace of Berlin, capital of the kingdom of Prussia.

He was christened Frederick amid great rejoicings, for two little princes had already died—one killed by the noise of the cannon fired for joy over him, the other crushed to death by the weighty dress and metal crown in which he was arrayed for his christening. Little Fritz was brought up by his father with Spartan severity. His food was very plain, for his father meant to make a soldier of him.

"The Prince must from his youth upwards be trained as officer and general, and to seek all his glory in the soldier's profession," the king used to say. A company of 100 boy-soldiers was formed for him, and he was drilled to take command of them, dressed in the Prussian uniform of light blue and a cocked hat. But the boy did not take kindly to soldiering, and no one could guess at this time that he would one day be a great soldier. By the time he was ten years old every moment had been planned out for him by his father.

"Every day Fritz is to be called at six, and rise at once. You are to stand to him, that he do not loiter or turn in bed, but briskly and at once do get up and say his prayers. This done, he shall as rapidly as possible get on his shoes, wash his face and hands, put on a short dressing-gown, and have his hair combed out. Whilst getting combed, he shall at the same time take breakfast of tea, so that both jobs go on at once, and this shall be ended before half-past six. From seven to nine he learns history, from nine to eleven the Christian religion. Then Fritz rapidly washes his face with water, hands with soap and water, puts on clean shirt and coat, and comes to the king." The rest of the day is mapped out in the same style. But under it Fritz grew self-willed. He refused to have his hair cut according to army regulations; he "combed it out like a cockatoo," which enraged his father,—until one day the Court surgeon was sent with comb and scissors and orders to crop the Prince's hair at once. Daily the little Prince grew more out of favour. In vain his mother pleaded for him.

"I cannot bear him," cried the angry king. "He is shy, he cannot ride or shoot, he is not clean in his person, frizzes his hair like a fool. All this I have reproved a thousand times, but in vain." Still Fritz kept his own way. One day the king found him playing the flute in a gold-brocaded dressing-gown. After storming angrily for some time at the unhappy Prince, he ordered both dressing-gown and books to be burned.

"Fritz is a piper and a poet," he cried desperately. "He cares nothing for soldiering, and will undo all that I have been doing." At last the day came when he could not meet Fritz without seizing him by the collar and beating him. The Prince was now eighteen, and his position was unbearable.

"I am in the uttermost despair," he wrote to his mother; "the king has entirely forgotten that I am his son. I am driven to extremity. No longer can I endure such treatment, my patience is at an end. I go and do not return. I shall get across to England. Farewell!" His sister Wilhelmina urged him to give up his wild plans, but he would not. His escape, however, was badly planned; he was arrested and brought back.

"Why did you run away?" roared his father.

"Because you have not treated me as your son, but as a slave," was the answer. Then the furious king drew his sword and would have made an end of his son, had he not been stopped by an old general.

"Stab me," he cried, "but spare your son." The Prince was now sent away to a fortress some sixty miles from Berlin, and lodged in a bare, strong room alone. His sword was taken from him. He was dressed in brown prison clothes and fed on cheap food. His room was opened three times a-day for four minutes at a time. Lights were put out at seven. He had no books, no flute to pass the dreary hours away. He became melancholy and ill, and the king was besought to have pity on him lest he should die.

At the end of a year the king thought fit to visit him. The Prince fell at his father's feet in an agony of grief, which touched even the stony-hearted king. He was received home again, put back into the army, and slowly won the love and affection of his father.

"I have always loved you," said the king as he lay dying, "though I have been strict with you. God is very good to give me so excellent and worthy a son." Fritz, with falling tears, kissed his father's hand. The king clasped him in his arms, sobbing, "O my God, I die content since I have such a worthy son and successor." This was in the year 1740. Much was to happen yet before Frederick the Great succeeded in making Prussia powerful enough to play her own part in the history of Europe.

50. The Boyhood of Frederick the Great 50. Die Knabenzeit Friedrichs des Großen 50. La infancia de Federico el Grande 50. L'enfance de Frédéric le Grand 50. La fanciullezza di Federico il Grande 50.フリードリヒ大王の少年時代 50. 프레드릭 대왕의 소년기 50. Dzieciństwo Fryderyka Wielkiego 50\. A Infância de Frederico, o Grande 50. Мальчишество Фридриха Великого 50. Büyük Frederick'in Çocukluğu 50. Юнацькі роки Фрідріха Великого 50.腓特烈大帝的童年 50.腓特烈大帝的童年

"One of the greatest soldiers ever born." "L'un des plus grands soldats jamais nés". "Um dos maiores soldados já nascidos." —CARLYLE. — CARLYLE.

The battle of Pultowa was over. A batalha de Pultowa acabou. Peter the Great, the Father of his country, Emperor of Russia, had raised his land to a higher rank in Europe. Pierre le Grand, père de la patrie, empereur de Russie, avait hissé son pays à un rang supérieur en Europe. Pedro, o Grande, o pai de seu país, imperador da Rússia, elevou sua terra a um nível mais alto na Europa. 彼得大帝，他的国父，俄罗斯皇帝，将他的土地提升到了欧洲的更高地位。

Another king was now to arise, the king of a country bordering on Russia, who was to raise his country too, to play her part in the world's history. Un autre roi allait naître, le roi d'un pays limitrophe de la Russie, qui allait lui aussi élever son pays pour qu'il joue un rôle dans l'histoire du monde. Outro rei estava para surgir, o rei de um país que faz fronteira com a Rússia, que deveria levantar seu país também, para desempenhar seu papel na história do mundo. This was Frederick the Great of Prussia. Este era Frederico, o Grande, da Prússia. He was born in 1712, five years after Pultowa, at the Palace of Berlin, capital of the kingdom of Prussia. Nasceu em 1712, cinco anos depois de Pultowa, no Palácio de Berlim, capital do reino da Prússia.

He was christened Frederick amid great rejoicings, for two little princes had already died—one killed by the noise of the cannon fired for joy over him, the other crushed to death by the weighty dress and metal crown in which he was arrayed for his christening. Il est baptisé Frédéric au milieu de grandes réjouissances, car deux petits princes sont déjà morts, l'un tué par le bruit du canon tiré pour sa joie, l'autre écrasé par la lourde robe et la couronne de métal dont il est revêtu pour son baptême. Ele foi batizado Frederick em meio a grande alegria, pois dois pequenos príncipes já haviam morrido - um morto pelo barulho do canhão disparado de alegria sobre ele, o outro esmagado até a morte pelo pesado vestido e pela coroa de metal com que foi vestido para seu batizado. . 他在一片欢呼声中被命名为腓特烈，因为已经有两个小王子去世了——一个是被大炮的轰鸣声杀死的，另一个是被洗礼时穿的厚重的衣服和金属王冠压死的。 。 Little Fritz was brought up by his father with Spartan severity. Le petit Fritz a été élevé par son père avec une sévérité spartiate. O pequeno Fritz foi criado por seu pai com severidade espartana. His food was very plain, for his father meant to make a soldier of him. Sa nourriture était très simple, car son père voulait en faire un soldat. Sua comida era muito simples, pois seu pai pretendia fazer dele um soldado. 他的食物很简单，因为他的父亲打算让他成为一名士兵。

"The Prince must from his youth upwards be trained as officer and general, and to seek all his glory in the soldier's profession," the king used to say. "Le prince doit, dès son plus jeune âge, recevoir une formation d'officier et de général, et chercher toute sa gloire dans le métier de soldat", avait coutume de dire le roi. "O príncipe deve desde a juventude ser treinado como oficial e general, e buscar toda a sua glória na profissão de soldado", costumava dizer o rei. A company of 100 boy-soldiers was formed for him, and he was drilled to take command of them, dressed in the Prussian uniform of light blue and a cocked hat. Une compagnie de 100 garçons-soldats a été formée pour lui et il a été entraîné à en prendre le commandement, vêtu de l'uniforme prussien bleu clair et coiffé d'un chapeau à coque. Een compagnie van 100 jongenssoldaten werd voor hem gevormd, en hij werd getraind om het bevel over hen op zich te nemen, gekleed in het Pruisische uniform van lichtblauw en een scheve hoed. Uma companhia de 100 meninos-soldados foi formada para ele, e ele foi treinado para assumir o comando deles, vestido com o uniforme prussiano azul claro e um chapéu armado. But the boy did not take kindly to soldiering, and no one could guess at this time that he would one day be a great soldier. Mais le garçon n'aimait pas la vie de soldat, et personne ne pouvait deviner à cette époque qu'il deviendrait un jour un grand soldat. Mas o menino não gostava muito de ser soldado, e ninguém poderia imaginar que um dia ele seria um grande soldado. By the time he was ten years old every moment had been planned out for him by his father. À l'âge de dix ans, son père avait déjà planifié tous les moments de sa vie. Quando ele tinha dez anos, cada momento havia sido planejado para ele por seu pai. 当他十岁的时候，他的父亲已经为他安排好了每一刻。

"Every day Fritz is to be called at six, and rise at once. "Chaque jour, Fritz doit être appelé à six heures et se lever immédiatement. "Todos os dias, Fritz deve ser chamado às seis, e levante-se imediatamente. You are to stand to him, that he do not loiter or turn in bed, but briskly and at once do get up and say his prayers. Vous devez lui dire qu'il ne doit pas s'attarder ou se tourner dans son lit, mais qu'il doit se lever rapidement et immédiatement pour faire ses prières. Você deve ficar com ele, para que ele não se demore ou se vire na cama, mas vivamente e imediatamente se levante e faça suas orações. This done, he shall as rapidly as possible get on his shoes, wash his face and hands, put on a short dressing-gown, and have his hair combed out. Ceci fait, il doit le plus rapidement possible se chausser, se laver le visage et les mains, mettre une robe de chambre courte et se coiffer. Feito isso, ele deve calçar os sapatos o mais rápido possível, lavar o rosto e as mãos, vestir um roupão curto e pentear o cabelo. Whilst getting combed, he shall at the same time take breakfast of tea, so that both jobs go on at once, and this shall be ended before half-past six. Pendant qu'il se fait peigner, il prend en même temps son petit déjeuner ou son thé, de sorte que les deux tâches se poursuivent en même temps, et cela doit se terminer avant six heures et demie. Enquanto se penteia, ele deve ao mesmo tempo tomar café da manhã com chá, de modo que os dois trabalhos continuem ao mesmo tempo, e isso deve terminar antes das seis e meia. 一边梳头，一边吃早餐茶，这样两项工作同时进行，六点半之前结束。 From seven to nine he learns history, from nine to eleven the Christian religion. Das sete às nove ele aprende história, das nove às onze a religião cristã. Then Fritz rapidly washes his face with water, hands with soap and water, puts on clean shirt and coat, and comes to the king." Então Fritz lava rapidamente o rosto com água, as mãos com água e sabão, veste uma camisa e um casaco limpos e vai até o rei." The rest of the day is mapped out in the same style. O resto do dia é traçado no mesmo estilo. But under it Fritz grew self-willed. Mas, sob ela, Fritz tornou-se obstinado. He refused to have his hair cut according to army regulations; he "combed it out like a cockatoo," which enraged his father,—until one day the Court surgeon was sent with comb and scissors and orders to crop the Prince's hair at once. Il refusait de se faire couper les cheveux selon les règles de l'armée ; il les "peignait comme un cacatoès", ce qui mettait son père en colère, jusqu'au jour où le chirurgien de la Cour fut envoyé avec un peigne et des ciseaux et l'ordre de couper les cheveux du Prince immédiatement. Ele se recusou a cortar o cabelo de acordo com os regulamentos do exército; ele "penteava como uma cacatua", o que enfureceu seu pai - até que um dia o cirurgião da corte foi enviado com pente e tesoura e ordens para cortar o cabelo do príncipe imediatamente. Daily the little Prince grew more out of favour. Chaque jour, le petit prince est de moins en moins apprécié. A cada dia, o pequeno príncipe ficava mais em desuso. 小王子越来越不受欢迎。 In vain his mother pleaded for him. En vain, sa mère plaide pour lui. Em vão sua mãe implorou por ele.

"I cannot bear him," cried the angry king. "Je ne peux pas le supporter", s'écrie le roi en colère. "Eu não posso suportá-lo", gritou o rei irado. "He is shy, he cannot ride or shoot, he is not clean in his person, frizzes his hair like a fool. "Il est timide, il ne sait pas monter à cheval ni tirer, il n'est pas propre sur lui, il frise ses cheveux comme un imbécile. "Ele é tímido, não sabe cavalgar ou atirar, não é limpo em sua pessoa, frisa o cabelo como um tolo. All this I have reproved a thousand times, but in vain." Tout cela, je l'ai réprimandé mille fois, mais en vain". Tudo isso eu repreendi mil vezes, mas em vão”. Still Fritz kept his own way. Pourtant, Fritz a gardé sa propre voie. Ainda Fritz manteve seu próprio caminho. One day the king found him playing the flute in a gold-brocaded dressing-gown. Un jour, le roi le trouva en train de jouer de la flûte dans une robe de chambre brodée d'or. Um dia, o rei o encontrou tocando flauta em um roupão de brocado dourado. After storming angrily for some time at the unhappy Prince, he ordered both dressing-gown and books to be burned. Après s'être emporté pendant un certain temps contre le malheureux prince, il ordonne de brûler la robe de chambre et les livres. Depois de atacar com raiva por algum tempo o infeliz príncipe, ele ordenou que o roupão e os livros fossem queimados. 在对不幸的王子愤怒地攻击了一段时间后，他下令烧毁晨衣和书籍。

"Fritz is a piper and a poet," he cried desperately. "Fritz est un joueur de cornemuse et un poète", s'écrie-t-il désespérément. "Fritz é um flautista e um poeta", ele gritou desesperadamente. "He cares nothing for soldiering, and will undo all that I have been doing." "Il n'a que faire du métier de soldat et il va défaire tout ce que j'ai fait. "Ele não se importa com a vida militar e vai desfazer tudo o que tenho feito." At last the day came when he could not meet Fritz without seizing him by the collar and beating him. Enfin, le jour vint où il ne put rencontrer Fritz sans le saisir au collet et le battre. Finalmente chegou o dia em que ele não poderia enfrentar Fritz sem agarrá-lo pelo colarinho e espancá-lo. The Prince was now eighteen, and his position was unbearable.

"I am in the uttermost despair," he wrote to his mother; "the king has entirely forgotten that I am his son. Je suis dans le plus grand désespoir", écrit-il à sa mère, "le roi a complètement oublié que j'étais son fils". "Estou no mais extremo desespero", escreveu ele à mãe; "o rei esqueceu completamente que eu sou seu filho. I am driven to extremity. Je suis poussé à l'extrême. Eu sou levado ao extremo. No longer can I endure such treatment, my patience is at an end. Je ne peux plus supporter un tel traitement, ma patience est à bout. Não posso mais suportar tal tratamento, minha paciência está chegando ao fim. I go and do not return. Eu vou e não volto. I shall get across to England. Je vais passer en Angleterre. Vou cruzar para a Inglaterra. Farewell!" Adieu !" Até a próxima!" His sister Wilhelmina urged him to give up his wild plans, but he would not. Sa sœur Wilhelmina le presse de renoncer à ses projets fous, mais il ne veut pas. Sua irmã Wilhelmina o incentivou a desistir de seus planos malucos, mas ele não desistiu. His escape, however, was badly planned; he was arrested and brought back. Sa fuite est cependant mal préparée ; il est arrêté et ramené. Sua fuga, porém, foi mal planejada; ele foi preso e trazido de volta.

"Why did you run away?" "Por que você fugiu?" roared his father. rugiu seu pai.

"Because you have not treated me as your son, but as a slave," was the answer. Then the furious king drew his sword and would have made an end of his son, had he not been stopped by an old general. Le roi furieux tira alors son épée et aurait voulu en finir avec son fils, si un vieux général ne l'en avait empêché. Então o furioso rei desembainhou sua espada e teria acabado com seu filho, se ele não tivesse sido parado por um velho general. 愤怒的国王拔剑要杀了他的儿子，要不是一位老将军阻止了他。

"Stab me," he cried, "but spare your son." "Poignarde-moi", s'écrie-t-il, "mais épargne ton fils". "Me esfaqueie", gritou ele, "mas poupe seu filho." The Prince was now sent away to a fortress some sixty miles from Berlin, and lodged in a bare, strong room alone. Le prince est alors envoyé dans une forteresse située à une soixantaine de kilomètres de Berlin, où il est logé seul dans une chambre nue et solide. O príncipe foi então enviado para uma fortaleza a cerca de sessenta milhas de Berlim, e alojado em um quarto forte e vazio sozinho. His sword was taken from him. Sua espada foi tirada dele. He was dressed in brown prison clothes and fed on cheap food. Il était vêtu de vêtements de prison bruns et se nourrissait d'aliments bon marché. Ele estava vestido com roupas marrons da prisão e alimentado com comida barata. His room was opened three times a-day for four minutes at a time. Seu quarto era aberto três vezes ao dia, durante quatro minutos de cada vez. Lights were put out at seven. As luzes foram apagadas às sete. He had no books, no flute to pass the dreary hours away. Ele não tinha livros, nem flauta para passar as horas tristes. He became melancholy and ill, and the king was besought to have pity on him lest he should die. Ele ficou melancólico e doente, e foi pedido ao rei que tivesse pena dele para que não morresse. 他变得忧郁多病，恳求国王怜悯他，免得他死去。

At the end of a year the king thought fit to visit him. Au bout d'un an, le roi jugea bon de lui rendre visite. Ao fim de um ano o rei achou por bem visitá-lo. The Prince fell at his father's feet in an agony of grief, which touched even the stony-hearted king. Le prince tombe aux pieds de son père dans une agonie de chagrin qui touche même le roi au cœur de pierre. O príncipe caiu aos pés de seu pai em uma agonia de dor, que tocou até mesmo o rei de coração empedernido. 王子悲痛万分地跪倒在父亲脚下，连铁石心肠的国王也为之感动。 He was received home again, put back into the army, and slowly won the love and affection of his father. Ele foi recebido em casa novamente, colocado de volta no exército e aos poucos conquistou o amor e o carinho de seu pai.

"I have always loved you," said the king as he lay dying, "though I have been strict with you. "Je t'ai toujours aimé", dit le roi mourant, "mais j'ai été sévère avec toi. "Eu sempre te amei", disse o rei enquanto estava morrendo, "embora tenha sido rígido com você. God is very good to give me so excellent and worthy a son." Dieu est très bon de me donner un fils si excellent et si digne". Deus é muito bom para me dar um filho tão excelente e digno." Fritz, with falling tears, kissed his father's hand. Fritz, les larmes aux yeux, baise la main de son père. Fritz, com lágrimas caindo, beijou a mão de seu pai. The king clasped him in his arms, sobbing, "O my God, I die content since I have such a worthy son and successor." Le roi le serra dans ses bras en sanglotant : "Ô mon Dieu, je meurs content d'avoir un fils et un successeur aussi dignes". O rei apertou-o nos braços, soluçando: "Ó meu Deus, morro contente por ter um filho e sucessor tão digno." This was in the year 1740. Isso foi no ano de 1740. Much was to happen yet before Frederick the Great succeeded in making Prussia powerful enough to play her own part in the history of Europe. Il reste encore beaucoup à faire avant que Frédéric le Grand ne réussisse à rendre la Prusse suffisamment puissante pour jouer son propre rôle dans l'histoire de l'Europe. Muito ainda estava para acontecer antes que Frederico, o Grande, conseguisse tornar a Prússia poderosa o suficiente para desempenhar seu próprio papel na história da Europa. 在腓特烈大帝成功使普鲁士强大到足以在欧洲历史上发挥自己的作用之前，还有很多事情要做。