It did depend on one, indeed:
胜利,的确依赖优异个体,
Behold him! Arnold Winkelried!
看! 阿诺德.里德激战那里!
There sounds not to the trump of fame The echo of a nobler name.
听起来,原非什么显赫背景,风中传扬,一个高山仰止的名字,
Unmarked he stood amid the throng,
回首往事,沉思漫长犀利,
In rumination deep and long,
拥挤人群里,他默默无人注意,
Till you might see with sudden grace,
或许,突然间他的魅力四射,
The very thought come o'er his face;
电花火石,脸上闪烁睿智,
And by the motion of his form:
他英勇善战,预测战局的进展,
Anticipate the bursting storm;
他双眉坚毅,运筹帷幄的指挥,
And by the uplifting of his brow,
他告诉士兵,如何放弩攻击,
Tell where the bolt would strike, and how.
横扫入侵者,千军风卷残云。
But't was no sooner thought than done;
电闪雷鸣,不过转瞬之间,
The field was in a moment won.
阵地上,胜利的旗帜随风飘扬。
“Make way for Liberty!” he cried:
“请给自由让路!”他高声叫道。
Then ran, with arms extended wide,
奔跑中,他伸开无穷宽阔的臂膀,
As if his dearest friend to clasp;
哪怕,与亲密的朋友拥抱握手,
Ten spears he swept within his grasp:
铁肩横扫,亦能抓过众多矛枪。
“Make way for Liberty!” he cried,
“请给自由让路!”声音继续回响,
Their keen points met from side to side;
枪尖锐利,严阵以待的对垒双方,
He bowed among them like a tree,
他躬身如巨椽,伫立士兵中间,
And thus made way for Liberty.
力拔千钧,为获取自由疾奔。
Swift to the breach his comrades fly;
进军神速,士兵们英勇异常,
"Make way for Liberty!" they cry,
“请给自由让路!”众人异口同声,
And through the Austrian phalanx dart,
他们呼啸着,冲进奥匈军队,
As rushed the spears through Arnold's heart;
疾驰飞镖,刺中阿诺德的心脏,
While instantaneous as his fall,
他猝然倒下,倒在那片深情土地。
Rout, ruin, panic, scattered all.
溃败毁灭恐慌,不断蔓延滋长,
An earthquake could not overthrow a city with a surer blow.
即使天崩地裂,亦无法让普罗大众,如此黯然神伤。
Thus Switzerland again was free,
瑞士人,终于重获民族解放,
Thus Death made way for Liberty!
死亡,毕竟为自由敞开道路!