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Segment 12c:the five good emperors
12c 五賢帝
The period from Nerves' succession in 96 AD to Marcus Aurelius' death in 180 AD is generally called the time of the five good emperors
從公元96年涅爾瓦繼位到公元180年馬可·奧勒留逝世
during this time period living conditions were better for some Romans than they were for others.
這一時期稱為五賢帝時期，在這段時期里，一些羅馬人的生活條件要比另外一些羅馬人好得多。
The wealthy still were far outnumbered by the poor.
窮人的數量要遠遠大于富人數量。
In the country side life was nastier more brutish and shorter than in the cities,
在農村地區，生活更難熬，粗野，壽命也比城里人要短，
where the masses wallowed in the proverbial bread and circuses.
而那些城里人，還享有眾所周知的公共當局提供的飲食和娛樂。
Yet the Roman life offered unusual compensations, the Roman peoples was diverse and its culture inclusive.
羅馬人的生活得到了不同尋常的補助，與此同時，羅馬的人口結構非常多樣化，文化也極具包容性。
The Roman government respected the rule of law and the emperors in fact believed themselves responsible for the solace generus humani,
羅馬政府崇尚法制，事實上皇帝也相信自己有責任慰藉全人類，
the well being of the entire world and its people.
也要對全世界人民的福祉負責。
The time of the 5 good emperors was indeed the high water mark of the ancient world's greatest empire.
五賢帝時期的確是這個古代世界最偉大帝國的高峰標志。
Riding in decline and fall of the Roman Empire.
在寫到羅馬帝國的衰落與衰亡時，
Edward Gibbon describes the 18th century admiration for the time of the five good emperors, and I quote:
愛德華 吉本描寫了18世紀人民對于五賢帝時期的羨慕這里我引用他的原文，
If a man were called to fix the period in the history of the world during which the condition of the human race was most happy and prosperous
如果讓一個人說出在世界歷史的什么時代，人類過著最為幸福繁榮的生活，
he would without hesitation name that which elapsed from the death of Domician to the accession of Commodus.
他定會毫不猶豫地說那是從圖密善去世到康茂德繼位的那段時間。
The vast extent of the Roman Empire was governed by absolute power under the guidance of virtue and wisdom.
那時廣袤的羅馬帝國按照仁政和明智的原則，完全處于專制權力的統治之下。
The armies were restrained by the firm but gentle hand of four successive emperors whose characters and authority commanded involuntary respect,
接連四代在為人和權威方面很自然地普遍受到尊重的羅馬皇帝堅決而溫和地控制著所有的軍隊，
the forms of the civil administration were carefully preserved by Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian and Anthonius,
涅爾瓦，圖拉真，哈德良和兩位安東尼
who delighted in the image of liberty and were pleased with considering themselves the accountable ministers of the law.
全都喜愛自由生活的景象，愿意把自己看成是負責的執法者。
Such princes deserved the honour of restoring the republic.
因而一直保持著文官政府的形式。
Had the Romans of their days been capable of enjoying a rational freedom the path of this remarkable development was itself rather amazing.
如果他們那一時代的羅馬人能夠安享一種合乎理性的自由生活，這幾位君王完全可以享有恢復共和制的榮譽的。
When Domician met his end in 96 AD the roman senate did have a chance to reestablish the old republican government.
公元96年圖密善去世時，羅馬議會的確有機會重新建立古老的共和制政府。
Yet a century and a quarter the principate had in fact rendered Rome unable to enjoy its quote unquote "rational freedom".
但是一個多世紀的元首統治事實上已經讓羅馬人無法享受所謂的合乎理性的自由生活。
To the senate's credit it decided instead to appoint one of its own as the next emperor.
因此，議會決定從自己的成員中選擇一位任命為下一任皇帝。
The respected old senator Nerva accepted the purple,
受人敬重的老議員涅爾瓦繼任皇位，
not only filling the power vacuum but setting many positive precedents during his brief reign from 96 to 98 AD.
不僅補上了權力真空，也在他從公元96到98年短暫的任期內創下了許多積極的先例。
