Better a glorious death than a shameful life.与其忍辱偷生,不如光荣而死。
此句用了两对反义词:glorious与shameful, death与life,作对比。为了突出优劣比较,又把better这个比较级形容词放在句首,同时把谓语动词也简略了。如果照正规的说法应该是:A glorious death is better than a shameful life.
还有三句意思相同,但结构稍异的谚语:
It is better to die with honour than to live in infamy.
Better break than bend.
Better to die in glory than live in dishonour.
宁折不屈。
以上都相当于中国谚语“宁为玉碎,不为瓦全”。还有一句中国成语:“威武不屈”;“屈”就是“屈辱”(shameful)、“弯曲”(bend),所以也是同样意思。