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So the Romans found themselves fighting a three-front
羅馬就發(fā)現(xiàn)自己三面楚歌
war: a stalemate with Hannibal in central Italy,
在意大利中部與漢尼拔陷入僵局
a see-saw battle with Spain in the west,
在西部則是與西班牙僵持
and a holding action against Philip of Macedon
同時也對東部馬其頓的菲利浦有所動作
in the east, Carthage, for its part, considered Spain
而迦太基認(rèn)為西班牙
and its mineral wealth more crucial to the war
及其豐富的礦產(chǎn)資源對戰(zhàn)爭更重要
than Hannibal's Italian invasion force. By and by,
比漢尼拔在意大利的侵略更重要
Carthage diverted resources to their Spanish troops,
迦太基向西班牙軍隊輸送物資
which were led by Hannibal's brother Hasdrubal.
這是由漢尼拔的弟弟哈斯杜魯巴帶領(lǐng)的
After managing to trounce a Roman army
在公元前211年，痛打一只羅馬軍隊之后
in two eleven BC, Hasdrubal thought
哈斯杜魯巴想
he would cross the Alps and join his big brother.
他可以穿越阿爾卑斯山，加入他的哥哥
This was a bad career move.
這一步棋走錯了
Hasdrubal's decision basically abandoned Spain
他的決定就是放棄西班牙，交由羅馬
to Romans, who conquered most of the peninsula
羅馬占領(lǐng)了半島的絕大地區(qū)
under the brilliant young general Publius Cornelius
那也是在小將布普里烏斯的帶領(lǐng)下
Scipio. We'll hear more about this guy.
我們對這個人會了解更多
Even worse for Carthage,
對迦太基人來說，更壞的是
Hasdrubal was intercepted and killed by Roman troops
哈斯杜魯巴在中途被攔截，被羅馬軍隊殺死
in two zero seven. It meant that
那是在公元前207年，也意味著
all Hannibal could do was retreat to the mountains
是漢尼拔能做的就撤退到山后
and make the Romans force him out.
等羅馬軍隊逼退他
This could have taken forever,
這一次可能就是永遠(yuǎn)逼退
thanks to the delaying tactics invented by Fabius.
這多虧了馬克西姆斯的拖延策略
But in two zero five BC,
但在公元前205年
young Publius Cornelius Scipio was elected consul
年輕的普布里烏斯被選為領(lǐng)事
on a platform of taking the battle to Africa, thereby
他在非洲開始作戰(zhàn)
forcing Carthage to recall Hannibal.Scipio's election
逼迫迦太基重新召回漢尼拔，而普布烏里斯的當(dāng)選
as consul violated the mos maiorum.
他選為領(lǐng)事，這里違反常規(guī)
Scipio was a member of
普布里烏斯普屬于大家族
a very old and very famous patrician family,
那是一個古老而聞名的貴族家庭
but as a mere lad of thirty-one,
但他只是一個31歲的小伙子
he was twelve years too young to hold the consulship.
只有再過12年，他才能夠當(dāng)領(lǐng)事
The more conservative senators, such as
而更保守的元老們，比如
Fabius Maximus, opposed the invasion of Africa Fabius Maximus
他反對侵入非洲
and tried to force Scipio to keep his army in Sicily.
想牽制普布烏里斯的軍隊留在西西里島
To enhance their performance against Hannibal,
為了更好的與漢尼拔作戰(zhàn)
the Romans at this time brought in the cult of
那時的羅馬人引入一種祭祀禮儀
the Magna Mater, the Great Mother from Asia Minor,
那被稱為瑪格納瑪特，也就是小亞細(xì)亞的始母
with some genuinely zany circumstances,
也有一些滑稽的場景
which I will discuss later.
我待會兒還會講到
But Scipio was not one to listen to stodgy old men
西庇阿卻不愿聽老家伙的建議
or superstitious priests. Scipio invaded Africa and,
也不愿聽從那些迷信的牧師，西庇阿侵略非洲
as predicted, Hannibal abandoned Italy
正如預(yù)測，漢尼拔放棄意大利
to defend the Carthaginian homeland.
保衛(wèi)迦太基故土
After the battle of Zama, just outside of Carthage,
在扎馬戰(zhàn)爭之后，也就離迦太基不遠(yuǎn)
in two zero three BC, Hannibal himself realized
那是在公元前203年，漢尼拔自己也意識到
the game was up and
這場游戲該結(jié)束了
he convinced Carthage to sue for peace.
他說服迦太基追求和平
The more conservative Roman aristocracy,
但更多像Fabius一樣保守的貴族
like Fabius Maximus, wanted Carthage to be punished
希望迦太基受到懲罰
or even razed to the ground.
甚至將其夷為平地
Given the nastiness of the Second Punic War,
考慮到骯臟的第二布匿戰(zhàn)爭
it's hard to blame them. But the mos maiorum,
很難責(zé)備他們，但是根據(jù)法令
the final decision belonged to the victorious general.
那終決定權(quán)握在獲勝將軍的手中
Scipio rewarded Hannibal
西庇阿獎勵了漢尼拔
by appointing Hannibal the civic leader of Carthage.
他任命漢尼拔為迦太基民間領(lǐng)袖
The aristocracy was not pleased.
但貴族們并不滿意
The Roman masses, on the other hand,
但在另一方面，羅馬大眾
happily welcomed Scipio back to Rome
非常高興迎接Scipio回到羅馬
and they pleaded with him to take control of the state.
他們請求他掌管這片土地
