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The great amphitheater in Rome known as theColosseum held up to 50,000 spectators – few of our modern stadiums hold more.
羅馬的大劇場叫羅馬大斗獸場，它可容納約5萬名觀眾，即便是一座現代化的大城市的一座大體育場也容納不了更多的人。
They were mainly used for gladiatorialcontests and animal-baiting, and, as you remember, many Christians died there.
那里主要舉行斗劍士搏斗和斗獸。你知道，基督徒們也不得不在這樣的劇場里喪命。
The tiers of seats for the spectators rosehigh above the arena, like a giant oval funnel.
劇場場地上方的觀眾席四下里陡峭地向上建去，像一只巨大的、橢圓形的漏斗。
Imagine the noise 50,000 people must havemade when they were all in there together!
如果5萬名觀眾聚集在那里，這一定很壯觀！
The emperor sat below in the royal boxbeneath a magnificent awning to protect him from the sun.
在下面的主包廂里坐著皇帝，頭頂上方是一個給他遮陽的大遮蓬。
When he dropped his handkerchief into thearena, it was the signal for the games to begin.
他把一塊布扔進比賽場地，扔進角斗場地，角斗便開始。
The gladiators would appear and, standingin front of the imperial box, cry: "Hail Caesar! We who are about to diesalute you!"
于是劍斗士們進場，站立在宮廷包廂前并呼喊：“皇帝萬歲！將死的人問候你！”
But you mustn't imagine that emperors didnothing but sit in amphitheaters,
但是你不可以以為皇帝們無所事事，只會坐在劇場里，
or that they were all layabouts and ravinglunatics like Nero.
他們全都是像尼祿那樣的縱情享樂的人和殘忍的暴君。
On the contrary, they spent most of theirtime maintaining peace in the empire.
完全相反，他們為維護帝國的和平而忙碌著。
