来自《耶鲁大学开放课程：政治哲学导论第3集第3集》

"you will not easily discover

你们将不太容易再找到
another of my sort who

我的继承人
even if it is rather ridiculous to say so,

用一个听起来有一点荒谬的比喻
has simply been set upon the city by the god

像我这样被神派至这座城邦
as though upon a great and well-born horse

而雅典就好像一匹
who is rather sluggish because of his great size

因其巨大身躯而日益怠惰的骏马
and needs to be awakened by some gadfly.

需要被牛虻唤醒
Just so in fact

这样看来
the god seems to me to have set me upon the city

上帝让我来到这座城邦
as someone of this sort.

就是让我起到牛虻的作用
I awaken and persuade and reproach each one of you

我被唤醒于是努力说服和斥责你们中的每一位
and I do not stop settling down

而且我永远不会