Voltaire (1694–1778) was a French writer and thinker, one of the biggest names of the Enlightenment — the period when European writers argued that people should use reason instead of just obeying kings and churches. He wrote plays, poems, history and thousands of letters, but the one thing students still read is Candide, a short, funny, very dark story about a young man who is taught that this is "the best of all possible worlds" and then has terrible things happen to him again and again.

Voltaire (1694–1778)Voltaire（伏爾泰，1694–1778） was a French writer and thinker是一位法國作家和思想家, one of the biggest names of the Enlightenment是啟蒙時代最重要的人物之一 — the period when啟蒙時代指的是 European writers argued歐洲作家主張 that人應該 people should use reason用理性思考 instead of just obeying kings and churches而不是一味聽從國王和教會的那個時期. He他 wrote plays, poems, history and thousands of letters寫過劇本、詩、歷史著作，還有好幾千封信, but但 the one thing students still read學生現在還會讀的 is Candide是Candide（憨第德）, a short, funny, very dark story一個短小、好笑又很黑暗的故事 about a young man講一個年輕人 who is taught被教導 that this is "the best of all possible worlds"『這是所有可能世界裡最好的一個』 and then結果 has terrible things happen to him again and again卻一次又一次遇到可怕的事.

Voltaire attacked religious cruelty and stupid authority, and he did it by making people laugh, which is partly why he is still quoted.

Voltaire Voltaire attacked抨擊 religious cruelty and stupid authority宗教的殘酷和愚蠢的權威, and而 he did it by making people laugh他的做法是讓人們發笑, which這也是 is partly why he is still quoted為什麼他到現在還常被引用的部分原因.

His name was a pen name; he was born François-Marie Arouet. When people say "Voltaire" in English today they often mean not the man but the attitude: sharp, witty, against pompous authority.

His name他的名字 was a pen name其實是筆名; he他 was born出生時本名叫 François-Marie ArouetFrançois-Marie Arouet. When people say "Voltaire" in English today現在英文裡人們說『Voltaire』的時候, they often mean常常指的 not the man but the attitude不是這個人本身，而是一種態度: sharp, witty, against pompous authority犀利、機智、對抗自大的權威.

Note that the most famous "Voltaire quote" — "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" — was actually written about him by a later biographer, not by him. Teachers repeat it anyway.

Note that要注意的是, the most famous "Voltaire quote"最有名的那句『Voltaire名言』 — "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"『I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it（我不同意你說的話，但我誓死捍衛你說話的權利）』 — was actually written about him其實是...寫來形容他的 by a later biographer後來的傳記作者, not by him不是他自己說的. Teachers但老師 repeat it anyway還是照樣一直引用.