評(píng)論
打印
In his scanty free time often late at night Marcus wrote down his meditations a series of unconnected philosophical observations on life, religion and public affairs.
在他為數(shù)不多的閑暇時(shí)間里，通常是在深夜，馬可寫下了一系列自己對(duì)于生命，宗教和公共事務(wù)的哲學(xué)思想的片段。
His personal focus on ensuring the solace generus humani, or good of the human race
他個(gè)人非常注重確保和追求全人類的福祉，
reflected a stoic tradition going all the way back to ancient Greece.
反映了一種起源于古希臘的斯多噶傳統(tǒng)。
Unfortunately Marcus picked a poor successor the reign of Marcus' biological son Commodus from 180 to 192 AD marked the end of the age of the five good emperors.
不幸的是，馬可選擇了自己的親生兒子康茂德作為繼位者，康茂德從公元180到192年的統(tǒng)治標(biāo)志著五賢帝時(shí)代的終結(jié)。
The age of the five good emperors brought unprecedented material prosperity and military security to the entire roman world, hence the term Pax Romano. Roman Peace.
五賢帝時(shí)代為整個(gè)羅馬世界帶來了前所未有的物質(zhì)繁榮和軍事安全，因此被稱為羅馬和平時(shí)期。
In this way at least the solace generus humani was enhanced. The wealthiest always benefited most but in order to retain favour with the emperors the wealthy were also made to donate great amounts of money to the upkeep of their communities and to those of their fellow Romans who were less fortunate.
至少人類的福祉得到了促進(jìn)。最富有的人總是從中獲益最多，但是為了得到皇帝的垂青，富人也得捐獻(xiàn)大筆的錢來維持自己的社會(huì)階層也幫助那些不這么幸運(yùn)的羅馬同胞。
The Alimenta was invented, a complicated form of welfare payment to the poor,
圖拉真還推行了供養(yǎng)政策，一種形式復(fù)雜的為窮人提供的福利，
financed by the profit on low interest small business loans.
由低利息小額商業(yè)貸款的利潤提供資金。
Apparently the Alimenta program was so prevalent and so wide spread that none of our surviving Roman historians wrote about it.
顯然供養(yǎng)政策非常的普遍盛行，幸存的羅馬史學(xué)家都沒有特別寫過，
All Romans benefitted from the building projects and festivals sponsored by the emperor and the upper class.
所有羅馬人都從皇帝和上層階級(jí)贊助的建筑項(xiàng)目和節(jié)慶活動(dòng)中受益。
Even those Romans eking a rough life out in the countryside benefitted too.
甚至是那些農(nóng)村地區(qū)生活艱辛的人們也從中受益。
If only from the improved personal and internal safety coming from secure borders.
因?yàn)檫吔陌踩玫奖ＷC，國內(nèi)的人民安全也得到了改善，
But all Romans alike had to pay a certain price for their prosperity,
但是所有羅馬人也都得為繁榮付出一定的代價(jià)，
these costs included the permanent loss of personal liberty, and loss of the chance to make an individual contribution to Roman life.
比如永遠(yuǎn)失去個(gè)人自由,也沒有機(jī)會(huì)為羅馬人的生活作出個(gè)人貢獻(xiàn)。
The so called five good emperors ruled to ensure the safety and well being of the roman world's inhabitants
五賢帝的統(tǒng)治確保了羅馬帝國居民的安全，促進(jìn)了他們的福祉，
but they didn't really do that much for the intellectual or spiritual life of the Roman world.
但是他們并沒有為羅馬世界的知識(shí)和精神生活作出多少貢獻(xiàn)。
It's no accident that the quote unquote golden period of Latin literature ends during this time.
拉丁文學(xué)的黃金時(shí)代在這個(gè)時(shí)期終結(jié)并非偶然。
The Roman upper class seems to have picked luxury over education.
羅馬上層階級(jí)似乎更追求奢華而非教育。
From this point on, most of the Roman world's literary development took place outside the city of Rome.
從這個(gè)時(shí)期開始，羅馬世界的文學(xué)發(fā)展大多是在羅馬城外發(fā)生的。
In North Africa, in Greece, and even in the Middle East.
在北非，希臘，甚至是在中東。
It is also telling that the Roman mob welcomed the succession of Marcus Aurelius' son Commodus.
馬可·奧勒留的兒子康茂德繼任的時(shí)候受到了羅馬民眾的歡迎。
And they continued to support him long after he had shown his true colours,
即便是康茂德顯露出本色后，他們也繼續(xù)支持了他很久，
who needs a boring old philosopher king like Marcus Aurelius
誰還需要一個(gè)又無聊又年老的馬可·奧勒留那樣的哲學(xué)家皇帝呢？
when you have a god emperor who appears in the coliseum and shoots ostriches with a bow and arrow from the imperial box, all the while dressed up as Hercules.
有這么個(gè)神皇打扮成赫爾克里斯的模樣出現(xiàn)在競技場，從皇室包廂手持弓箭射擊鴕鳥。
And just what was one of Rome's leading citizens to do if they were summoned by the emperor and commanded from now on to address him as Hercules?
并且如果羅馬的高等公民受皇帝召見，被命令從現(xiàn)在起要稱呼他為赫爾克里斯，他們會(huì)怎么做呢？
Say hello Hercules! All it took to set the age of the five good emperors on its ear was one wackjob.
當(dāng)然會(huì)說：“您好，赫爾克里斯了！”五賢帝的時(shí)代就此終結(jié)。
Back in one second.
稍事休息 很快回來。
