>> Leonardo da Vinci was born April 15th, 1452 in Anchiano, a small Hamlet north of

李奧納多．達文西生於西元1452年的四月十五日，在文西鎮北部一個叫做藍奇亞諾的小村子

Vinci, as the illegitimate son of Ser Piero da Vinci and Caterina.

他是他的父母 瑟．皮耶諾．達文西與 卡特琳娜的非婚生子女

He died in exile at the Château du Clos, in Amboise, France in May of 1519.

在1519年的五月逝世於法國 翁布瓦茲的Château du Clos

[pause]

He was an accomplished Engineer, Architect, Botanist, Anatomist, Geographer, Mathematician,

達文西是一位成績卓越的工程師、建築師、植物學家、解剖學家、繪圖員、數學家，

Artist and Writer.

同時也是畫家和作家

Although best known for his paintings “The Last Supper” and “The Mona Lisa”, Leo

盡管他最廣為人知的是繪畫作品「最後的晚餐」和「蒙娜麗莎」

also conducted and documented over 30 dissections of the human body.

他也執行了超過三十次的大體解剖，並且詳實地繪製記錄下來

In addition, he invented machines that were put into use in the manufacturing of day-to-day

此外，達文西還研發機器生產製造 日常生活用品，

items, such as ropes and needles,

像是繩索、針

as well as pulley systems for building sites and watering and well mechanisms.

以及能夠用於建造搬運、水利系統和機械結構的滑輪系統

[pause]

In this video, we'll be taking a look at one such invention, the Glider, and attempting

在這段影片裏面我們可以看到達文西的一些發明。他企圖將滑翔翼

to separate the fiction from the reality using

這項當時並不存在的科幻產物，創造出來

his appearance and portrayal in the Assassin's Creed games as a primary reference and comparison

我們可以看到達文西的外觀樣貌和個性描述出現在「刺客教條2 兄弟會」這項遊戲軟體裡，在這段影片裡，遊戲的劇情會被拿來當作和現實參考、比較的

tool.

工具

[pause]

The Flying Machine was a glider-like vehicle designed and built by Leonardo da Vinci. It

達文西設計並實際做出來的飛行器是一個像滑翔翼般的機器

was first tested by the Assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze in Venice in 1485.

在這個電玩的遊戲設定裡，這部機器在1485年首次被刺客Ezio Auditore da Firenze在威尼斯試飛

Some time after arriving in Venice, Ezio and Antonio de Magianis attempted to find a way

滯留威尼斯的期間，Ezio 和 Antonio de Magianis 試圖尋求

into the Palazzo Ducale, so as to save Doge Giovanni from assassination by the Templar

潛入總督宮的方法，這樣才有辦法從刺客組織 Templar Carlo Grimaldi手中營救出 Doge Giovanni

Carlo Grimaldi.

Upon stating with frustration that only birds could enter the heavily-guarded palazzo, Ezio

就在他們沮喪地說：「大概只有鳥才飛得進警衛森嚴的總督宮了！」時，Ezio

remembered Leonardo's invention, and promptly left for his friend's workshop.

想起了達文西的發明，並且立刻前往這位朋友的工作室

[cutscene]

>> Leonardo’s fascination with flight can be traced back to his childhood. He once states

達文西沉迷於飛行這件事可以追朔到他的孩童時期。他曾在筆記中寫下

in his notebooks that flight was his destiny,

有朝一日一定會完成在天上飛的心願

recounting a memory from when he was very young of a kite coming to him in his cradle,

接著描述了一個關於他還是嬰兒時期的回憶，一個風箏朝向還是嬰兒的小達文西飛來

touching his lips with its tail feathers.

最後那羽毛編織的風箏尾巴撞上了他的嘴巴

Childhood memory or not, without a doubt Leonardo took a major cue from toy kites and the Greek

姑且不論這段兒時記憶的真實性，毫無疑問地，達文西從玩具風箏與飛行這個難題的關連性，得到了極大的啟發

legend of Icarus, which was more than likely known to him.

甚至比 伊卡魯斯戴上父親做的羽毛翅膀就可以飛上天的神話，影響達文西來的多

Another inspiration were insects and bats, specifically for the overall design of the

另外達文西的靈感還來自於昆蟲和蝙蝠，特別是所有關於翅膀部分的設計

wings.

And last but not least, it was a form of escapism, a dream of total freedom, of getting away

最後，同樣重要的是，飛行這件事可以說是達文西生活中的排遣，一種對自由的嚮往、現實的逃避，

from everything that held him back and pulled him down.

幫助他繼往開來

[pause]

The first wing contraptions are randomly doodled onto folios that can now be found in the Codex

在達文西著名的「亞特蘭提斯古抄本」中就可以看到，第一個翅膀的元件構想被隨意地繪製在他的手稿之中

Atlanticus.

However, the first serious thoughts on manned flight didn’t find their way onto paper

然而，在現有的這些書面手稿上，後人卻一直沒有發現達文西在早期對於飛行有更一進步構思與實踐的蛛絲馬跡

until he was in his early 30’s, around 1485.

一直要到大概1485年，達文西三十出頭的時候

While Leo toyed with various ideas for flying machines, including ones where the pilot would

當時達文西沉迷於各種關於飛行器瘋狂又奇妙的點子，包括了操作的飛行員必須

have to paddle with his arms and legs to flap the wings,

揮動他的手臂和腿以達到振翅的效果

and upright models whose wings are reminiscent of a dragonfly’s, it was the batwing glider

由手腳分別操作四片飛行翅膀的構造原理就像是蜻蜓一樣，而這個翅膀有如蝙蝠結構的滑翔翼

design which features in the games that he always came back to and refined over the years.

也就是我們在「刺客教條2 兄弟會」這項遊戲軟體裡看到的，主角Ezio所操作的飛行器。這是達文西重拾過去的構想，經過更進一步的改良設計出來的

Some models have completely rigid wings, others sport jointed wings, but all are based on

有的飛行器模型翅膀非常僵硬，完全沒辦法彎曲，有的則是設計成關節式的可活動樞紐，而這些設計都是取決於

extensive studies on the flight of birds, their centre of gravity, and their manoeuvrability.

達文西大量地研究觀察鳥類的飛行和地心引力，及其機動性之間的關聯所得來的

[pause]

We know that he even tested at least one of his glider designs, making note of it in one

我們從達文西的手稿記載中可以得知，他的滑翔翼設計至少被試飛過一次

of his notebooks that it failed.

但那次的試驗是失敗的

It is unlikely that it was due to the lift needed to keep it airborne, as suggested in

正如同「刺客教條」這個電玩遊戲所說的，失敗的原因不像是 因為空運所需的載重系數不足，

Assassin’s Creed, but rather due to too heavy materials and general construction flaws.

而是由於飛行器本體的重量數值就已經太高，再加上一般結構上的瑕疵問題

[pause]

In a further note he recounts the dangers of crashing, and what to do when it happens.

後來達文西又在手稿上統計分析了墜機的危險，以及如果真的發生時該怎麼辦

He particularly points out to take care of the iron hinges and bolts, which would cause

他特別指出，需要注意鐵製的五金鉸鍊和螺絲，因為這些細處可能造成的

injury, as well as fragments of the wood frame should it break up.

損害，就如同木框如果本身就有破損，該處會特別脆弱，容易斷裂一樣

He also notes that banking too sharply will cause the glider to lose its balance, causing

他也記錄了，傾斜飛行時角度如果太大，容易造成滑翔翼平衡失調

a tumbling and most probably fatal crash.

導致急速下墜，然後很可能會因此墜毀

[cutscene]

>> In Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, Leonardo would go on to improve the flying Machine's

在「刺客教條2 兄弟會」中，達文西將會繼續改善這項飛行器，

design by adding an incendiary cannon onto its back, which could both be used to attack

藉由在滑翔翼的機尾安裝可燃式砲彈的設計，可以用來攻擊，

as well as start fires to keep the machine aloft.

在空中開火以保衛機體的安全

This Bomber was manufactured in bulk by Borgia forces.

這裡用的彈藥是由軍火商 波吉亞家族大量製造

[pause]

In reality, The Bomber featured in Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood as an evolution of the Glider

但事實上，安裝彈藥在滑翔翼尾部這樣革命性的設計僅存在於「刺客教條2 兄弟會」裡，在現實中達文西從來沒有在飛行器上如此設計過

is an invention of the Ubisoft team.

這全是遊戲發行商 Ubisoft想出來的點子

While it has been suggested that the onboard flame thrower may well be after a design by

這其實有點像是在現實裡 達文西後來設計出的手榴彈

Leonardo, let it be said that it is not, or at least not close enough to be compared to

不過如果真的要說的話，這項在滑翔翼後面安裝的彈藥沒辦法，至少還不足以拿來做為比較，

the bomber's firing mechanism.

和達文西設計的軍事武器比較

[pause]

Despite all the adjustments made to the glider by Leo over the years, and designing a take-off

盡管在「刺客教條2 兄弟會」裡，達文西花費了數年的時間，最後成功解決了滑翔翼起飛，

and landing ramp which also features in Assassin’s Creed, he never managed to fully get it off

和緩坡降落的問題。但現實中，達文西他從未讓他的滑翔翼完美地降落

the ground.

著地過

It took until the rise of carbon fibre and parachute silk in recent years, plus a slight

一直到近年來，硬度足夠的炭纖維，以及降落傘傘面的輕材質的面世，

modification of adding a tail, that a successful model of the original glider could be built

後人又在飛行器的改良上做微調，增加了尾翼，才使達文西的滑翔翼能夠被製作出來，

and flown.

並且成功航行

And so Leonardo’s lifelong wish to take to the sky was finally fulfilled, just as

所以，達文西的畢生心願「有終一日一定要飛上青天」終於被實現了

he promised some 430 years before...

正如同他在430年前曾經說過的

[pause]

>> The great bird will take its first flight over the rise of the great Swan, filling the

這個人類創造出的最偉大的飛行之鳥啊，它的首航將凌駕於美麗的天鵝之上，帶著

universe with wonders, filling all writings with its fame, and bringing eternal glory

對宇宙探索的疑惑，後人對它敬仰的讚嘆，以及千秋萬載的榮耀光輝，

to the nest where it was born.

前往它初生的巢穴