評論
打印
Lecture 6a: Introduction.
講座6a：介紹
The ancient Romans and their civilization
古羅馬人和他們的文明
continue to fascinate the western world to this day.
對西方人的吸引力維持至今
The study of Roman civilization has a lot
研究羅馬文明
to teach us Americans to this very day.
能讓今天的美國人從中獲益良多
The chances are that you're not quite as fascinated
但是你們并不像我之前那樣
with the ancient Romans as I've been,
為古羅馬著迷
but then not everybody winds up growing up
但是不是所有人都夢想著
to be a professor of classics.
長大成為古典著作方面的教授
For purposes of this class,
為了完成這門課的目標
I urge you to keep feeling fascination as best you can.
我建議你們保持對古羅馬的迷戀
In segment 6b,Why Rome, 6b
為什么要了解羅馬
we will encounter some of the reasons
我們會接觸到為什么
for history's fascination with the ancient Romans.
歷史學界對古羅馬那么感興趣
Sure there were gladiators and orgies
當然，你們會在電影中看到
and crucifixions and gladiators
角斗士， 狂歡，十字架，角斗士
and more gladiators and all the other good stuff
更多的角斗士
you see in the movies.
和其他的事情
But we'll be looking at a few of the
但是我們要研究的是
Roman's lesser known past times.
過去不太為人所知的羅馬的情況
History buffs have traditionally
歷史愛好者通常研究
looked to the Roman experience for
羅馬對啟蒙運動的影響
enlightenment and useful parallels.
和對其他文化運動的啟發
Kings and queens and wannabe super powers
國王，女王和崇拜超級力量的人
have looked up to the Roman Empire
研究羅馬帝國
as some sort of role model.
把它當做榜樣
The Romans are the first nation in western history
在西方歷史上，羅馬是第一個
to have appointed themselves
自稱為世界警察
as the world's policemen.
的國家
Finally the fall of the Roman Empire,
最后，羅馬帝國的衰落
whenever and where ever it fell,
不管何時何地衰落
is considered the prime example
大家認為，羅馬的衰落說明了
of how not to run an empire.
不要怎樣治理一個帝國
Segment 6c: Podunk on the Tiber 6c
臺伯河上的小村莊
examines the Roman's oldest myths
檢驗了羅馬成立
about their city's foundation.
這一最古老的神話
In the process, we dredge up a few
在這個過程中，我們巡回了
stray kernels of historical fact.
一些丟失的歷史真相
The city was founded by a dude
羅馬的建立者
by the name of Romulus
是一個叫羅慕路斯的人
who celebrated the moment by
他殺死了雙胞胎兄弟雷穆斯
killing his twin brother Remus.
以慶祝羅馬的建立
Hence the name Rome instead of Reme,
因此，這座城市被命名為羅馬
unless of course, you're Russian
而不是里馬，除非你是俄羅斯人
in which case the name of the city is in fact Reme.
因為俄羅斯人稱之為里馬
From that point on, the Romans showed
從這一點中可以看出
a talent for getting into civil wars.
羅馬人有發動內戰的天賦
Romulus built the city's population by
羅慕路斯收留難民和烏合之眾
recruiting refugees and other riffraff.
組成了城市中的居民
And the men in turn had to steal wives
這些人不得不從鄰近的城市中
from neighboring cities.
竊取妻子
If you're familiar with Australian culture,
如果你們熟悉澳大利亞歷史
which prides itself on Australia's beginnings
它最初是流放犯人的地方
as a prison colony,
澳大利亞人以此為榮
you know that these things still happen.
這些事情依然在發生
But once Rome had become more powerful,
但是，當羅馬變得更強大后
a more attractive foundation myth was cooked up.
產生了更有吸引力的成立神話
It was merged in with the old one.
這是和舊神話融合的結果
But myth can hide things too.
但是神話中也隱藏了一些事情
And one thing the Romans seem most concerned
羅馬人最想隱藏的一件事是
to hide is Rome's history with the Etruscan Kings.
伊特魯利亞人國王統治的那段歷史
In segment 6d: A Farewell to Kings, 6d
告別國王
we shift myths and legends of the Roman monarchy
把羅馬君主國的神話和傳說
for even more exciting kernels of historical fact.
轉到更令人興奮的歷史核心事實上
There were warlike kings and peaceful kings,
羅馬有好戰的國王，也有熱愛和平的國王
Roman kings and Etruscan kings,
羅馬國王和伊特魯利亞國王
nice kinds and mean kings.
善良的國王和卑鄙的國王
It reads more like a soap opera than anything else.
這更像是肥皂劇
The same is true of the dramatic rape of Lucretia
戲劇性地強奸盧克麗霞也是真的
which supposedly motivated
這件事促使
the manly Roman Brutus to depose
羅馬人廢黜令人厭惡的
the hated Etruscan king, Tarquin the Proud.
伊特魯利亞國王，驕傲的塔奎因
Even though we can safely say that
即使我們可以肯定地說
these things did not exactly happen in that way,
這些事情并不是這樣的
it's worth keeping in mind that the Romans
但是應該記住
themselves considered these stories true
羅馬人相信這些故事的真實性
and considered them important.
認為這些故事很重要
So we've got to learn them anyway.
因此我們需要了解這些事情
Segment 6b: Why Rome? 6b
為什么學習羅馬的知識?
The influence of Rome can be felt
羅馬產生的影響
around America to this very day.
在今天的美國依然可以感受到
Just start with our government.
從我們的政府開始說起
Our nation's founders were very well read
我們的國父們熟讀
in Greek and Roman classical literature,
希臘和羅馬的古典文學作品
and particularly in their political thought.
特別是政治理念的作品
While the Greeks undoubtedly established
盡管希臘人比羅馬人
democratic traditions way before the Romans did,
更早地建立了民主傳統
the Romans actually made democracy work
羅馬人始終
on a consistent basis.
堅持民主做法
Our founders recognized this Roman tradition
美國的建立者在確定
when they claimed America's right to life,
美國在生命，自由和追求幸福時
liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
選擇了羅馬的傳統
