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So the Nabataeans started as navigators and pilots, if you like,
為了這種珍貨 納巴泰人
for this precious cargo,
首先開始擔任向導
went on to be full-service providers,
然后提供全方位的服務
and then thought, "Well,
后來他們又想
why don't we trade it ourselves directly?"
"為什么我們不自己直接開展貿易呢"
Pretty soon they were monopolists of the incense trade,
很快他們便壟斷了熏香貿易
the emperors of aromatics.
成了芳香之王
But a civilisation here was inconceivable
但如果沒有一種比乳香更寶貴的東西
without the one thing more precious than frankincense -
此地就無法孕育文明
water.
水
The Nabataeans engineered systems
納巴泰人設計了能夠
to trap the rains which came in winter
收集冬天雨水的系統
and their desert hydraulics made this place not so much rose red,
他們的沙漠水利工程讓這里不再紅似旱漠
as bright green.
而是青如綠洲
A garden city of fountains, swimming pools,
帶有噴泉 游泳池的花園城市
groves and orchards.
還有樹林和果園
And the water which made all that possible
是水讓那一切成為了可能
also made it possible to feed a city of 30,000 people,
也是水滋養了一座三萬人口的城市
many of whom were immigrants from all over the region.
許多人都來自各個不同的地方
There were Egyptians and Syrians
埃及人 敘利亞人
and Judeans and Greeks and Romans,
猶太人 希臘人 羅馬人
and they were all coming to Petra
他們都來到佩特拉
to enjoy what the Persians called a pairi daiza,
欣賞波斯人口中的"天堂公園"
a pleasure resort, a little bit of heaven on Earth.
也就是度假勝地 有點"人間天堂"的意思
