甘道夫vs鄧布利多 最強巫師大比拼

Are you sitting comfortably? Then let us begin. Once upon a time, there was a kindly old wizard whose only concerns were pipe weed, hobbits and a gold ring that caused all kinds of trouble. Gandalf (for so the wizard was named) lived happy in the knowledge that he was the greatest wizard of them all. Until, one day, an obscure conjurer who ekes out a living as headteacher of a remote public school found international stardom when a former pupil made it big in Hollywood. And so it came to pass that Albus Dumbledore was hailed by a new generation as the greatest wizard of them all. But which was truly the greatest? Time to put them to the test.
你坐穩了嗎？那就開始吧。很久很久以前，有個和藹的老巫師，他只關心菸斗草，霍比特人還有魔戒引起的各種麻煩。甘道夫（這位巫師的名字）很開心的以爲他是這個世上最強大的巫師。直到有一天，一名他的前學生讓這位擔任偏遠公立學校校長的隱居巫師成爲了好萊塢赫赫有名的國際巨星。因此，阿不思·鄧布利多成爲了新一代年輕人裏最受歡迎的偉大的巫師。但是哪位纔是真正最強巫師？是時候讓他們來比拼一下了。

Round one:
第一回合

Magic is a slippery fish at the best of times, so when it comes to wizardry duels, it's vital to agree the ground rules before you cross wands. For the purposes of this match we will turn to the 20th century's most widely acclaimed codex of magical knowledge - The Complete Wizard's Handbook, Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd Edition. Unfortunately for Gandalf fans, the grey one comes off rather badly by these criteria, barely managing to scrape Level Five magic user with his pitiful deployment of flare spells and the minor illusion employed at the Ford of Bruinen. By contrast, Dumbledore fields an array of impressive spellcraft that sees his AD&D level reach the high double figures. Well done, old chap!
很多時候魔法很容易使詐，所以魔法決鬥時候，在揮舞魔杖前對於PK規則達成協議很重要。這場比賽的目的是決出20世紀最廣受歡迎的魔法知識法典——《巫師完全手冊》VS《進階龍與地下城第二版》。不幸的是，對於甘道夫粉絲而言，從這些標準來看，灰袍巫師在布魯南渡口很少用到五級魔法用戶施展的耀斑法術和初級幻象。但是相對的，鄧布利多憑大量讓人印象深刻的辨識法術AD&D級別賺了兩倍經驗值。幹得漂亮，老傢伙！

Gandalf 0 – Dumbledore 1
甘道夫：鄧布利多——0:1

Round two:
第二回合

But in showdowns between fictional wizards, actual magical skill is among the least important criteria. Much more significant in the minds of most readers is the power of the myths from which each character draws their power. In this myth-off, Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings fields a clear advantage. Middle Earth is a fully realised secondary universe complete with multiple languages and rooted in the Norse mythic tradition, as well as being a deeply meaningful metaphor for the eternal conflict between good and evil. By contrast, the Potter verse is a ragtag collection of magical tropes and cliches, reheated with nonsensical names (Quidditch? I ask you) that manages, at best, good versus evil tile.
但是到了虛構巫師的最後決一勝負的時刻，實際的魔法技能在標準評定中就不那麼重要了。讀者腦中更印象深刻的是每位人物顯示出的神話般的力量。在這個方面，托爾金的《指環王》佔了上風。中土世界全然昭示的是一個二級宇宙，包括多種多樣的語言和紮根於挪威神話的傳統，還有正邪衝突的永恆的深刻隱喻。相較之下，《哈利波特》鉅製不過是一部魔法修辭和陳腔濫調的LOW集合，用些荒謬的專有名詞炒作（魁地奇？我問你呢）集合出所謂最好的善惡的拼貼羣像。

Gandalf 1 - Dumbledore 1
甘道夫：鄧布利多——1:1

Round three:
第三回合

Of course, the true test of any great wizard is the stature of the actor employed to depict them on the big screen. Anything less than a grandee of the British theatre and you're not even in the running. Had the late Sir Richard Harris lived to act another day in the Potter movies, Dumbledore might have made it a close fight, but unfortunately, for all his strengths, Sir Michael Gabon is still one or two rings below the highest echelons of acting pedigree. No, when Hollywood needs a touch of genuine class for a fantasy action flick, no one is better suited to the task than the mighty Sir Ian McKellen. There isn't another actor, living or dead, who could fill Gandalf's pointy hat with the conviction McKellen brings to the role.
當然了，任何一名偉大的巫師都要經歷的考驗，就是在大屏幕上演繹他們形象的演員地位大比拼。英國戲劇貴族級別以下的你可以洗洗睡了。理查德·哈里斯爵士如果能在《哈利波特》電影系列多堅持幾部的話，鄧布利多在這回就有的比了，但是不幸的是，拼上全力而言，邁克爾·岡本和演戲血統的最高級別比還是LOW了那麼一兩級。不過，當好萊塢需要一名天才級別的演員來演繹那部科幻史詩鉅製（魔戒）時，沒有人比伊恩·麥克萊恩爵士更合適了。麥克萊恩帶着甘道夫標誌性的尖帽演繹的灰袍巫師，勝過任何一位活着或者去世的其他演員。

Gandalf 2 - Dumbledore 1
甘道夫：鄧布利多——2:1

So, hats off to the grey rider – a convincing victory about which there can be no further argument. Or can there? Cast your votes below for Gandalf or for Dumbledore and let us know your arguments either way. May the best wizard win!
那麼，向灰袍巫師脫帽致敬——這場確信無疑的勝利都不需要更多爭論了。或者說，你有什麼疑問？也歡迎留下你的評論，讓你心中最棒的巫師獲勝吧！