評論
打印
If we can now imagine Hadrian's Wall as not such a bad posting,
如果我們難以理解 哈德良長城的存在不無裨益
it's because our sense of what life was like at the time
則都因我們對于那個世界的認知
has been transformed by one of the most astonishing finds of recent archaeology the so-called Vindolanda Tablets.
因一項最近驚人的考古發現所改觀 這就是被稱為文都拉多便簽的發現
They're scraps of Roman correspondence, jottings,scribblings and drafts of letters thrown away as rubbish by their authors almost 2,000 years ago.
這些是兩千年前 羅馬人的通信札記涂鴉 以及一些被丟棄無用的草稿
For 25 years,archaeologists here have been digging up these letters,1,300 of them, from seven metres below the ground.
歷時二十五年 這里的考古學家不斷挖掘這些信件 自七米的地下挖掘出一千三百件文物
Up they've come,lovingly separated from dirt, debris and each other and painstakingly deciphered.
文物出土之后 他們悉心將泥土殘骸以及粘連的文物剝離 并煞費苦心地破譯字符
At once poignantly fragile and miraculously enduring,
一時間 這脆弱得可憐的碎片竟成不朽
the voices of the Roman frontier in the windy North Country,loud, clear and strong.
羅馬先驅在北國風聲中的聲音 響亮 清晰 擲地有聲
From Masculus to Tribune Serianus.Greeting.Please instruct as to what you want us to do tomorrow.
自馬斯克勒斯 至薩瑞奧里斯護民官 您好 請指示明日安排
Are we all to return with the standard or only half of us?
我們全撤退還是只撤退一半
My troops have no beer. Please order some to be sent.
營里啤酒告罄 請求調派
I sent you two pairs of socks and sandals,and two pairs of underpants.
我寄給你了兩雙襪子和便鞋 還有兩條底褲
Greet Elpus Tetricus and your messmates,with whom I pray you get on.
問候艾帕斯·泰特庫斯與你的戰友們 祈禱你們能相處融洽
He beat me and threatened to pour my goods down the drain.
他打我還威脅把我的東西 都倒進排水溝
I implore your mercifulness not to allow me,an innocent from overseas,to be beaten by rods as if a criminal.
我乞求你 不要讓我 一個漂洋過海的無辜人 像罪人一樣被鞭笞凌辱
I warmly invite you to my birthday party on the third day before the Ides of September.
我誠摯地邀請您參加我的生日聚會 聚會時間定在九月十日
Please come,as it will be so much more enjoyable if you were here.
請務必賞光 您的到來 將令寒舍蓬蓽生輝
