It was the shield of Zeus.  It was covered with the skin of the goat which had suckled the infant Zeus.  Sometimes Athena bore it along with the veiled head of Medusa.  Whenever Zeus shakes the aegis, they say, a thunderstorm is sure to ensue.  Today, the word is used to denote a protective, favorable influence from a powerful person or deity. 

[解說]

1.      “shield”：盾牌。成語： “look on both sides of the shield”：看事情的兩面。

2.      “It was covered with the skin of the goat”：它覆蓋著那羊皮。

3.      “the goat which had suckled the infant Zeus”：那隻給嬰兒的 Zeus 餵過奶的山羊。 “suckle”：餵奶。 “infant” : 嬰兒。

4.      “Sometimes Athena bore it along with the veiled head of Medusa”：有時候，Athena帶著它，連同遮罩起來的 Medusa 的頭。 “bear, bore, borne”：攜帶。 “along with”= “together with”。 “the veiled head”是「帶面紗或遮罩起來的頭」。 “Medusa”是個 Gorgon (蛇髮女妖)。

5.      “Whenever Zeus shakes the aegis”：每當 Zeus 搖動那盾牌時。

6.      “they say”： “it is said” (據說)。

7.      “a thunderstorm is sure to ensue”：「一陣雷雨一定會緊跟著來」。 “thunderstorm”: 雷雨。 “be sure to”: 必然會。 “ensue”: 緊跟著來 (= “follow immediately”)。

8.      “Today, the word is used to denote...”：「今天此字用以指 ...」。 “denote”是「意指」 (=  mean)。 “connote”則是「暗示」 (=  suggest)。

9.      “a protective, favorable influence”：一個保護的、有利的影響力。

10.  “from a powerful person or deity”：來自一個有權勢 (有能力) 的人士或者神。 “deity”=  god。

11.  全段在說明Aegis這個盾牌的來歷與用處。今天的成語 “under the aegis of ...”(在 ... 的庇護下)，就是源自這個神話中的寶貝。 

[複習填充]

The Aegis was the s       of Zeus.  It was covered      the skin of the goat which had s       the i     Zeus.  Sometimes Athena bore it       with the v      head of Medusa.  Whenever Zeus shakes the aegis,      say, a thunderstorm is sure to e     .  Today, the word is used to d       a protective, f         influence from a powerful person or d    .