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Segment 12e Conclusions
12e 結論
One: Rome's civilizing mission
第一點 羅馬的開化使命
Some of the Roman Empire's peoples needed all the civilizing they could get,
羅馬帝國的一些民眾需要盡可能多的得到開化
as in Gaul and my own ancient ancestors in Great Britain.
例如高盧地區以及我祖先居住的大不列顛地區。
Some had already been civilized for millennia before Romulus and Remus went up the hill, as was the case in ancient Egypt.
而一些民眾早在羅慕勒斯和雷摩斯創建古羅馬之前就已經得到了開化，例如古埃及人。
Regardless for more than two centuries the roman empire excelled in giving their subjects the best government possible at the time.
盡管如此在二百多年里，羅馬帝國一直都為其子民提供了當時最好的政府。
Not to say that lower class people or women or certain minorities did not get more than their fair share of abuse. They did.
當然這并不是說當時的下層階級女性或者少數群體就沒有受到不公平對待
But rich or poor alike they got the rule of law, a secure lifestyle within secure borders
但是不管貧富，他們都享受到了法制，生活安定，邊疆穩定，
and the chance to better their lives through hard work.
努力工作就有可能過上更好的生活。
The empire heeded Vergil's call to spare the vanquished in fact the Romans usually assimilated their vanquished.
羅馬帝國聽取維吉爾的號召，寬大對待被擊敗的敵人，事實上，他們通常會同化戰敗方。
Yet the Roman empires, emprerors had less luck with humbling the haughty.
但是羅馬帝國的皇帝們在挫敗傲慢敵人方面卻不太幸運。
The Deitian war the wars with the Persians were very costly, the Romans however did not get so caught up in this that they lost sight of the nation's best interests.
和波斯人的戰爭就代價高昂，但是羅馬人并沒有盲目于此而忽視了國家的最大利益。
Two: Co-option works
第二點 共擇和平傳位
When Domician went to his eternal reward in 96 AD leaving behind no heir the Roman senate had a chance to restore the republic.
公元96年，圖密善辭世沒有留下繼承人，羅馬議會有機會重建共和國政府，
They decided not to, instead the senator Nerva was appointed Princeps with the understanding that he would adopt the successful general Trajan as his heir.
但是他們并沒有這么做，而是選派涅爾瓦為繼位者并且達成諒解，他會認養圖拉真將軍為其繼承人。
This policy of co-option solved the problem of ensuring a smooth transfer of power to a worthy successor.
這種共擇和平傳位的方式確保了權力能夠順利過渡給有資質的繼位者。
Although the five good emperors each had different personalities and different strengths they shared one major concern.
盡管五賢帝性格各不相同，長處也各異，但是他們有著共同的關切。
They all believed that the princeps was there to promote the well being of the human race. The Solace Generus Humani.
那就是，他們認為君主的存在是為了促進全人類的福祉，對天下蒼生負責。
Marcus Aurelius last of the five good emperors believed that his biological son Commodus would rule the same way.
馬可·奧勒留是五賢帝里的最后一位他相信自己的親兒子康茂德也會繼續同樣的統治，
Unfortunately Commodus flushed it right down the commode.
然而遺憾的是，康茂德將帝國帶向了下坡路。
Three: diversity is good
第三點 多樣性的益處
The wise republican policy of letting Plebians intermarry with Patricians had enhanced Roman diversity from the third century BC onwards.
公元前三世紀，羅馬共和國推行了非常明智的政策，允許平民和貴族通婚，這極大地增強了羅馬人口的多樣性。
