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In that year, Agricola, governor of the province, led an army across the border,
那一年，當時身為英國州長的阿格里科拉率領軍隊跨越國境，
and began to hew his way into the Caledonian forests.
進入蘇格蘭森林。
The wary general advanced slowly, and secured his ground as he advanced,
阿格里科拉是位很謹慎的將軍，
by building forts in commanding situations.
他率領軍隊向前緩慢推進，
The native tribes struggled bravely against the formidable invader,
所到之處都建立堡壘以作防衛之用。當地部落與強大的侵略者英勇作戰，
but having little union or combination among themselves, they were taken singly, and overcome in detail.
但是他們內部不團結，分散作戰，所以被各個擊破。
The Romans carried on their operations with merciless vigour.
羅馬人毫不留情地繼續他們的行動。
Tacitus, Agricola's son-in-law, who writes an account of his life,
塔西佗是阿格里科拉的女婿，他在自己的生平記述中告訴我們，
tells us that it was his policy to overcome the Britons by the terror of his ravages. We understand what that means.
在英國土地上實行這種恐怖的暴政都是他的主意。我們都明白他的意思。
Yonder, for example, in a forest clearing, is a native village, fenced with its ditch and stockade of posts.
比如，在森林遠處的開闊地帶有一個當地的村莊，周圍有溝渠和柵欄防護著。
It has children playing, cattle feeding, and patches of growing corn.
那里有正在玩耍的小孩，吃食的牛和長著玉米的土地。
The women sing the quern-song as they grind the meal for the evening repast in the quern or hand-mill.
女人們在磨粉做晚飯時唱著歌，
Some of the men are doing a little smith-work, or bit of homely carpentry; others are away hunting.
有些男子在打鐵，還有的人在做家具；其他的人都外出狩獵了。
Suddenly, at the edge of the forest, there is a gleam as of the sun's rays on polished metal.
突然間，森林的邊緣出現一道光，那是陽光照在磨光的金屬上發出的光芒。
A body of armed men, sheathed in brass, issue from the wood, and sweep across the clearing, their burnished mail flashing as they go.
他們洗劫了這個村子，離開時身上的鎧甲還在閃閃發光。
The lightsome quern-song changes into shrieks of terror.
輕快的曲調變成恐怖的尖叫聲。
The villagers close the gate of their stockade, and grasp their bows.
村民們關上寨子的大門，握緊弓箭。
The arrows shot through the openings of the posts rattle vainly against the strong plate-armour of the assailants.
箭矢穿過柱子的開口，徒勞地打在襲擊者堅硬的鎧甲上，咔嗒作響。
The gate goes down before the strokes of the axe; sword and torch do the rest.
寨子的大門在斧頭地敲擊下倒塌；劍和火把毀掉了村子的其他部分。
The cattle are driven away, and the crops destroyed.
牛群被趕走，莊稼也毀壞了。
