評(píng)論
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Each of the four emperors had his own capital and his own court, close to the hot spots on the Roman frontier,
每個(gè)皇帝都有自己的首都和宮廷，在靠近羅馬邊境的熱點(diǎn)地區(qū)，
which excluded by the way Rome herself the plan was that the Augustii would retire at the same time,
并且按照計(jì)劃主皇帝在退位的同時(shí)，
each would be replaced by his Caesar.
將權(quán)力移交凱撒。
The two new Augustii would each pick a new Caesar and the Tetrarchy would just keep rolling along, in theory.
兩位新的主皇帝又會(huì)選出新的凱撒，四帝共治制就會(huì)這樣理論上一直延續(xù)下去。
The Tetrarchy was a well-intentioned attempt to divide the ruling responsibility of the empire.
四帝共治制是一次劃分帝國統(tǒng)治權(quán)的出發(fā)點(diǎn)很好的嘗試。
It was an attempt to ensure the succession of qualified emperors.
也試圖確保繼任者都是有資質(zhì)的皇帝。
As long as Diocletian himself was one of the Augustii it worked well.
但這個(gè)制度僅僅是在戴克里先自己在位期間得到良好的效果。
But the plan was far too complicated to survive his retirement.
戴克里先退位后，這個(gè)制度就過于復(fù)雜，難以延續(xù)了。
The tetrarchy's only lasting effect was foreshadowing the ultimate division of the Roman world into eastern and western empires.
四帝共治制也使得東羅馬帝國和西羅馬帝國最終永遠(yuǎn)地劃分開來。
Finally Diocletian wanted the economy to support his approach to government.
戴克里先還希望經(jīng)濟(jì)能夠支持自己的行政手段。
He first tried to reform currency and that did not work.
他首先試著改革貨幣，但并未見效。
He next fixed wages and prices on pain of death, this also failed.
接著他又冒險(xiǎn)固定了工資和物價(jià)，但這也以失敗告終。
Finally he wound up taxing the masses in labor, in money and by taking their possessions.
最后他只能向大眾收稅，剝削他們的勞動(dòng)力，錢財(cái)，沒收他們的財(cái)產(chǎn)。
Landowners and tradesmen were obliged to stay in their livelihoods so they could not escape their share of the tax burden;
地主和商人都不得改變自己的生機(jī)，因而也不能逃脫繳稅的重?fù)?dān)。
in that regard at least Diocletian was an equal opportunity tyrant.
在這方面看來，戴克里先至少是一個(gè)實(shí)行機(jī)會(huì)平等的暴君。
The elaborate economic rules and regulations was overseen by a bloated expensive bureaucracy locking the government into a vicious circle and marking the first step of western society into feudalism.
詳盡的經(jīng)濟(jì)規(guī)則并未得到監(jiān)督，因?yàn)楣倭艡C(jī)構(gòu)腫脹，政府陷入惡性循環(huán)，標(biāo)志著西方社會(huì)邁入封建社會(huì)的第一步。
The bureaucracy also was responsible for governing the Dioces each of which was made up of several provinces.
羅馬的官僚機(jī)構(gòu)也負(fù)責(zé)管理教區(qū)，每個(gè)教區(qū)由數(shù)個(gè)行省構(gòu)成。
Instead of letting the major cities of a region rule the surrounding countryside
戴克里先并沒有讓每個(gè)地區(qū)的主要城市來管理周邊的農(nóng)村地區(qū)，
everybody was responsible to the Diocican vicar who was appointed by Diocletian.
而是親自指派了教皇代理。
Needless to say this vicar put his god and master's best interest ahead regardless what it meant for Rome or the Roman people.
不用說，教皇代理并不會(huì)顧及羅馬或是羅馬人民的利益，只會(huì)把自己的神和主人的利益放在第一位。
The layers upon layers of bureaucracy added nothing to the tax revenues and even less to the security of the empire.
一層又一層的官僚機(jī)構(gòu)對(duì)稅收毫無貢獻(xiàn)，對(duì)帝國的安全更是毫無建樹。
