but as soon as a the question of prestige arises, as soon as you feel that you and some larger unit will be disgraced if you lose, the most savage combative instincts are aroused.

可是一量涉及到荣誉问题，一旦你想到你和某一团体会因为你输而丢脸时，那么最野蛮的争斗天性便会激发起来。

This applies particularly to chemical industries,

这在化学工业方面尤其突出。

Poison to a snake is merely a luxury; it enables it to get its food with very little effort, no more effort than one bite.

毒液对毒蛇来说只不过是一种舒适生存的优越手段，它使蛇不用费多大力气就能捕获到食物，轻咬一口即可。

symbols of courage, power, and cruelty,

象征着勇敢、力量和残暴，

and he had seen there evidence enough to overthrow Aristotle and Ptolemy together.

观察到的论据足以把亚里士多德和托勒密一起推翻。

He is also, incidentally, an unforgivable bore.

顺便说一句，他也是个不可饶恕的令人厌烦的人。