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When, in the year 410,Alaric the Goth sacked Rome
公元410年 哥特人阿拉里克洗劫了羅馬
and the last two legions departed to prop up the tottering empire,
最后兩個駐守的羅馬軍團 也撤回保衛搖搖欲墜的帝國
that chill developed into an acute anxiety attack.
惶恐不斷升級 城內風聲鶴唳
This was one of the genuinely fateful moments in British history,the legions departing.
這是不列顛史上真正決定性的時刻 羅馬軍團退散
It wasn't like Hong Kong in 1997,there were no flags flying or pipers piping.
這并非1997年的香港回歸 沒有更迭的國旗 亦無奏樂聲飄揚
The Governor wasn't driving around his courtyard seven times pledging to return.
也無總督開車巡視七次宣誓撤出殖民
Doubtless,many of the Romano-British did hope and expect to see the eagles back someday.
無疑 很多羅馬-不列顛人期許著 羅馬有朝一日東山再起
The tax collectors, magistrates, town councillors,
稅務官 地方法官 議員
poets, potters, musicians and the newly-Christian priests
詩人 陶藝家 音樂家 以及新興的基督教牧師
all said to themselves, Well, this couldn't go on forever.
都自我安慰道 這種局面會結束的
We couldn't always look to Mother Rome,and Mother Rome is half-infested with barbarians anyway.
我們不能總求助于母國羅馬 更何況她正深陷與蠻族鏖戰的泥沼中
We can handle this.We've got the Saxon shore forts.
我們可以自救 我們有撒克遜沿岸堡壘
We can hire barbarians to deal with the other barbarians.
我們能雇傭蠻族來對付蠻族的入侵
We can handle this.We CAN handle this.
我們可以自救 肯定可以自救
For the less confident, of course,there was only one thing to do:
信心不足的他們 只有一條路可走
Bury their treasure and head for the hills.
埋藏好財寶 躲到山上去
planning, as refugees always do,to return when the worst was over and dig it all up again.
如同一切避難者所計劃的 當一切硝煙散去 再回來挖回財產
