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If you're planning a trip to Greece in the future, you'll want toschedule a visit to the temple of Apollo at Delphi.
如果有一天，你打算去希臘旅游，你可能會將特爾斐的阿波羅神廟列入行程單。
This famoustemple was the home to the Pythia, a specially chosen andtrained woman who, according to legend, channeled the voiceand wisdom of Apollo, the god of prophecy.
阿波羅神廟的女祭司皮提亞，傳說，皮提亞是掌管預言的阿波羅神欽點傳達預言和智慧的女祭司。
Generals,politicians, and private citizens of the ancient world flocked to Delphi to question the Pythia andseek her divinely inspired advice.
古時候，將軍、政治家、普通百姓蜂擁而至，只為求得宣示的神諭。
Ancient scientists and philosophers attributed the oracle's power to vapors that bubbled upthrough a chasm and spring running through the oracle's chamber inside the temple.
古代的科學家和哲學家稱，神諭的力量來自從深坑冒出的裊裊蒸氣以及神廟內殿神龕噴出的泉水。
Inhalingthese vapors, according to the ancients, induced a trance-like state that endowed the oracleswith divine prophetic power.
祖先們認為，吸入氣體，飄飄欲仙，并賦予了神圣的預言神力。
Around 1900, excavations at Delphi revealed no chasm orescaping gases, and so the ancient accounts were discredited.
直到公元1900年，科學家挖掘遺址，并未發現所謂的深坑，也沒有飄散的氣體。證實前人的記載并非屬實。
Until recently, that is Geological surveys of the area have detected two faults, or cracks in theearth's crust, intersecting directly under the oracle's chamber.
直至最近，在對當地進行考察中，發現了地殼有兩道斷層或裂縫，正好交錯于神廟內殿神龕下面。
Samples from Delphic spring waterand rock from the intersecting faults revealed traces of several chemicals including ethylene.
特爾斐泉水的樣本以及斷層裂縫巖石的樣本中提煉出幾種化學物質，其中包括乙烯。
Tests have shown that when administered in proper dosage, ethylene can result in a trance state.
實驗顯示，適當劑量的乙烯使人精神恍惚，
Those affected are conscious, able to sit upright, can answer questions, and afterwardsexperience amnesia.
但是神志清醒，可以筆直地坐著，可以回答問題，但是可能很健忘。
Some subjects react violently, screaming and throwing themselves about.
有些個體變得很暴力，大吵大鬧，瘋瘋癲癲。
Such reactions to ethylene are consistent with ancient reports.
這些對乙烯的反應和前人的記載吻合。
Unlike their Greek predecessors,modern scientists leave Apollo out of the picture.
與希臘的祖先不同，現代科學家慢慢解開了阿波羅神廟的面紗。
But once again, science gives at least partialcredence to something that was once considered only a myth.
至少，曾經我們對曾認為是神話的事情有所了解了。
