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My teaching which has always come first, and my
我的教學總是排在第一位
scholarship on ancient Roman oratory. I was also
還有我關于古羅馬的研究
kind of pursuing a young instructor in the
當時我還在追求英語系的
English department who is now my loving
一位年輕的講師麗莎
and beautiful and adored wife, Lisa.
她現在是我美麗可人的妻子了
I kind of dropped the ball when I didn't notice
我當時沒有注意，小時候
the evil empire of my youth disintegrate before
我們眼中的那個邪惡的帝國
the world's very eyes and even when I did
在全世界眼前解體，即便是
pay attention to the Berlin wall coming down
我后來開始關注柏林墻的倒塌
and the implosion of the Soviet Union
和蘇聯解體
I took a scholarly interest in comparing the
我也是以一種學者的眼光
Soviet world's fall to that of the Roman Empire.
將蘇聯的解體和羅馬帝國進行對比
I was not one of those however who took a big
有些人對于共產主義的滅亡不禁拍手稱快
victory lap over the death of communism.
而我絕不屬于這一行列
I knew enough history to know that what goes
我的歷史知識告訴我
around comes around. Nor was I convinced
歷史在反復重演，我也不相信
by those theorists like Francis Fukazawa who
弗朗西斯之類的理論家們的觀點
boldly claimed that history as we knew it had ended,
即歷史已經終結
the good guys had won and now we're just
正義的一方已經獲得了勝利
going to like tweak everything.
我們需要做的只是進行微調
Somehow I suspected that the world had not in fact
但是我懷疑，世界實際上并沒有
begun an unstoppable march to democracy,
向著民主，資本主義
capitalism and all around happiness. Not that I had
以及全人類的幸福發展
any clue about what would happen to
關于世界未來的發展方向
mess all of this up, I just believed history as
我也沒有一個清晰的線索
anybody knows, it will never be over.
但我堅信，歷史永遠不會終結
In fact I pointed this out a few times already;
關于這一點，我已經多次指出
you and I are living in history, we are a part
你我就在創造歷史，我們是歷史的
of history. The terrorist attacks of
一部分 2011年的911恐怖襲擊
September 11th 2001 provide the proof.
就是一個明證
Reasonable people may disagree about what changed on
理性的人們或許并不同意911給我們
9/11 2001, people may disagree about what to do about
帶來的改變，關于面對這些改變我們應
these changes but we can all agree that America will
采取哪些行動，人們也有不同意見，但我們
never be the same and the trajectory of our nation has
都贊同的一點是，美國在前進，我們的發展
been changed. As I speak these words in the spring of
軌跡不會一成不變 2007年春天我說
2007 these attacks are more than 5 years in our past.
這些話的時候 911事件已經過去5年了
America is still struggling with the causes of these
美國依舊在與恐怖襲擊作斗爭
attacks and all of their consequences. I am confident
但是我有信心，我的祖國
that the nation that I love, the United States
我所熱愛的美國
of America, will prevail. Unfortunately I am
將會繁榮發展，不幸的是
not necessarily convinced.
我或許并不是那么堅信
Back in the day the people of the Roman Empire
回首過去，當年羅馬帝國的人們也堅信
were confident that their country would always last.
他們的國家會千秋萬代，生生不息
The people of the Byzantine Empire were confident
拜占庭帝國的人們也相信
that their empire would go on forever,
自己的國家會永遠存在下去
the same is true of the Russian Empire,
沙俄帝國也是如此
the same is true of the Soviet Empire;
蘇聯也是如此
I personally believe the Soviet Union would
我自己也曾認為，在我有生之年
never end in my lifetime; and they are all gone.
蘇聯不會解體，但現在它們都已土崩瓦解
America's future in fact is far from guaranteed.
實際上，美國的未來也充滿了未知性
To me the public affairs mission calls on the entire
我認為公共事務委員會也要求
Missouri State University community to act on this
密蘇里州立大學在這一原則上
principal; America's future is in fact not guaranteed.
行動，即美國的未來充滿了未知性
To take proper action we have to understand
要采取適當的行動，我們就要
America's challenges as best we can
盡可能弄清美國面臨的挑戰
and it's my hope that you will find rise and fall
我希望大家能從"大國沉浮"
of superpowers a means
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towards that all important end.
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