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The Warren Cup is made of silver, it's a goblet, and it looks as though it would hold a pretty large glass of wine. It's in the shape of a small sporting trophy, standing on a small base, a bit wonkily now, and it would once have had two handles, although those are now lost. But you can see at once that this is a work of supreme craftsmanship. The scenes on the cup are in relief, and they've been created by beating out the silver from the inside. Given the subject-matter, it must have been used at private parties, but it would certainly have commanded the admiration and the attention of everybody present.
這件制作于兩千年前的羅馬銀器是個(gè)看起來容量頗大的高腳酒杯。形狀就像一個(gè)底座很小的現(xiàn)代運(yùn)動獎杯，它可能曾有兩個(gè)把手，但現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)丟了。任何人都能 一眼看出它的工藝十分精美。酒杯上凸起的圖案是靠敲打銀杯內(nèi)壁形成的。它應(yīng)該曾在私人宴會上使用，就其圖案主題而言，想必會獲得在場所有人的欣賞。
Lavish eating and drinking was one of the key rituals of the Roman world which, two thousand years ago, ran from Spain to Syria. Throughout the Empire, Roman officials and local bigwigs would use banquets to oil the wheels of politics and business, and to show off wealth and status. Roman women were generally excluded from events such as the drinking parties where our cup would have been found, and I think we can assume that it was intended for an all-male guest list. So I'm afraid you'll have to imagine that you're a man, arriving at a grand villa near Jerusalem, somewhere around the year 10.
鋪張的盛宴是羅馬世界的重要儀式。在整個(gè)帝國，羅馬的官員與地方權(quán)貴都靠宴席來炫耀自己的權(quán)勢，并打通政商關(guān)節(jié)。一般來說，羅馬的婦女不會出席可能擺放這種酒杯的豪飲宴席，我們能大致肯定，它是為僅有男性出席的場合而準(zhǔn)備的。
Slaves lead you through to an opulent dining area, where you recline with the other guests. The dining table is set with beautifully embellished silver platters and ornate vessels, and this is the context in which our cup would have been passed around among the guests. On it are shown two scenes of male love-making, set in a sumptuous private house. The lovers are depicted on draped couches similar to the ones that you, the guest, are lounging on. And you can see a lyre and pipes waiting to be played as the participants settle to their sensual pleasure. Here's Classical historian Bettany Hughes.
想象一下，在公元十年左右，一位男子來到耶路撒冷附近的一所豪宅。奴隸將他引進(jìn)了華麗的宴會區(qū)，然后他和別的賓客一樣在椅子上斜躺下來。桌上擺放著銀質(zhì)餐具與華美的器皿。在這樣的場景下，本文的酒杯在賓客手中傳遞。上面的兩幅男性性愛場景，都發(fā)生在私人豪宅。銀杯上的人就躺在我們想象中的賓客所倚靠的同樣的躺椅上，旁邊還有一把七弦琴與幾把管弦樂器，等待著在他們享受感官歡樂時(shí)奏響。古代歷史學(xué)家兼電臺主持貝塔尼休斯說道。
