Listen to this article廉颇蔺相如列传，出自西汉司马迁所著《史记》卷八十一。战国末，强秦采取远交近攻、各个击破的战略，积极对外扩张。赵国实力比秦稍弱。本篇为合传，以廉颇、蔺相如为主，并记述了赵奢父子及李牧的主要事迹。价值连城、完璧归赵、渑池之会、布衣之交、负荆请罪、刎颈之交、怒发冲冠等成语均出自本篇。
廉颇蔺相如列传（节选）
知死必勇，非死者难也，处死者难。方蔺相如引璧睨柱，及叱秦王左右，势不过诛；然士或怯懦而不敢发。相如一奋其气，威信敌国，退而让颇，名重太山，其处智勇，可谓兼之矣。
Courage (excerpt)
He who will face death at the call of duty must necessarily be brave. There is no difficulty in merely dying: the difficulty lies in dying at fitting junctures only. When Hsiang-ju carried in the jewel, and with haughty gesture cursed right and left of the Prince of Ch’in, death was the worst he had to fear; yet few would have been bold enough to act as he did. His courageous attitude commanded the admiration even of an enemy; and when on his return he forbore to risk death in a wrong cause, he gained for himself a name which shall endure for ever. Verily, wisdom and courage were well combined in that man!
（Herbert A. Giles 译）
