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Come, see and conquer ancient Rome
http://www.sina.com.cn 2006/10/31 22:37  英语周报大学版


Come, see and conquer ancient Rome

  By Rick Steves 翻译:郑睿

  [1]Two thousand years ago, the word “Rome” meant civilization itself. Today, Rome is still the center of the ancient world, littered with evocative remains. These ancient Roman sights — including the Colosseum and the Forum — bring history to life. And after braving Rome’s tourist crowds, you may wind up channeling Julius Caesar: “Veni, vidi, visa.” (“I came, I saw, I charged.”)

  [2]For most of us, “Rome” is a world of chariots, centurions and trumpet fanfares. Seeing the Colosseum — a 2,000-year-old building that sends engineers’ hearts a-flutter — gives you the chance to play gladiator. The remarkable ancient design and construction is a marvel and the Colosseum still gets a unanimous thumbs-up. You can tour it today.

  [3]The Colosseum says a lot about the Romans. They were great engineers, not artists, and the building is more functional than beautiful. Inside, the games began with a few warm-up acts (familiar to today’s reality-television fans): watching dogs bloody themselves attacking porcupines, female gladiators fighting each other, or a dwarf battling a one-legged man. (There’s no record of Christians being persecuted here; the Colosseum was used as a sports stadium.) The main event was the gladiators. Some wielded swords, protected only with a shield and a heavy helmet. Others represented fishermen, with a net to snare opponents and a trident to spear them. The victors were rewarded like our modern sports stars are, with fan clubs, great wealth and possibly even product endorsements.

  [4]A different kind of fighting took place at the nearby Roman Forum, ancient Rome’s birthplace and civic center, where Senate politicians waged their political battles. Anything important that happened in ancient Rome happened here — it was once the most important piece of real estate in Western civilization. Today it’s free and open to visitors.

  [5]The original Forum was a huge courtyard surrounded by law courts, triumphal arches and temple. One temple was dedicated to Julius Caesar; after becoming a dictator, he was assassinated and his body was burned here. One of his successors, the notorious Emperor Caligula — known for torturing enemies, stealing senators’ wives and parking his chariot in handicap spaces — lived on the hill overlooking the Forum.

  [6]The Vestal Virgins lived at the Forum as well. Chosen from noble families before they reached the age of 10, the six Vestal Virgins were honored and revered by the Romans. They even had their own box on the 50?yard line opposite the emperor’s in the Colosseum. The home of the Vestals — who took a vow of chastity — was the model both architecturally and sexually for medieval convents and monasteries to come.

  [7]The Basilica of Constantine is the most impressive structure at the Forum. Giant arches still on site represent only one-third of the original basilica, a mammoth hall of justice. The hall itself was as long as a football field, lavishly furnished with statues, fountains, colorful inlaid marble and a gilded bronze ceiling. No doubt about it, the Romans built monuments on a more epic scale than any previous Europeans, wowing their “barbarian” neighbors.

  [8]At its peak, Rome ruled an empire of 54 million people, stretching from Scotland to Africa and from Spain to Turkey. When Rome eventually fell in 476 — due to corruption, disease and enemies at its borders — Europe plunged into a thousand years of darkness.

  [9]But Rome lived on in the Catholic Church. Christianity, the state religion of Rome’s last generations, adopted Rome’s hierarchy. Emperors became popes (both were called “Pontifex Maximus”), senators became bishops, orators became priests and basilicas became churches. Rome is truly the Eternal City.

光临、游览、并征服古罗马

  参考译文:

  光临、游览、并征服古罗马

  [1]两千年前,“罗马”这个词本身就意味着文明。时至今日,罗马依然是古代的世界中心,那里散布的断壁残垣使人浮想联翩。这些古老的罗马名胜,包括古罗马圆形竞技场与古罗马广场,使历史重现。随同游览的人群直面伟大的罗马城后,你也许已完成了与尤利乌斯·恺撒的心灵交汇:“Veni, vidi,visa. ”(“我来了,我看见了,我征服了。”)

  [2]对我们大多数人而言,“罗马”是古战车、百人队队长与号角声的世界。古罗马圆形竞技场有两千年之久,参观这座建筑令工程师的心都会为之悸动,能让你有机会参与角斗士的游戏。这座非凡的古建筑,其设计和建造都是一个奇迹,因此仍然获得了世人的一致称赞。今天你能够在这里参观游览。

  [3]古罗马圆形竞技场会告诉我们很多关于罗马人的故事。他们是伟大的工程师,而不是艺术家。这座建筑的实用性大于观赏性。在场内:比赛开场是一些热身性的项目(类似于今天的电视真人秀节目迷):观看猎狗血腥地攻击豪猪,女角斗士互相搏击,或一名侏儒同一个一条腿的人打斗。(没有基督徒在此受到迫害的记载,古罗马圆形竞技场被当作一个运动体育场使用。)而主要的赛事则是角斗士的竞技。一些角斗士挥舞着剑,护具则只是一面盾牌和一顶重盔。另一些人则代表渔民,配备着一张网来诱捕对方,以及一把用来戳刺对手的三叉戟。胜者可以得到如同当代体育明星那样的拥戴,拥有追崇的群体、巨大的财富,甚至可能有品牌产品的支持。

  [4]另一种战斗发生在附近的古罗马广场,这里是古罗马的诞生地与市镇中心。在这里,元老院的政客们进行着政治斗争。古罗马任何重大的事件都在此发生,它曾经是西方文明中最重要的一块不动产。如今它免费向游客开放。

  [5]最初的古罗马广场是一个巨大庭院,周围被法院、凯旋拱门和大殿所包围着。其中一座神殿是献给尤利乌斯·恺撒的;在成为独裁者之后,他被人刺杀并在此火葬。他的继任者之一,声名狼藉的皇帝卡利古拉,因酷刑拷打敌人,与元老院议员的妻子偷情和在残疾人区域停放四轮马车等举动而闻名,他就居住在俯瞰古罗马广场的山丘上。

  [6]维斯塔贞女也居住在古罗马广场。6名在10岁之前就从贵族家族中挑选出来的维斯塔贞女备受罗马人的尊崇。她们甚至在大圆形竞技场拥有自己的50码包厢,与皇帝相对而坐。维斯塔贞女在自己的居所宣誓贞节,其寓所在建筑上和性别上后来都成为了中世纪女修道院和修道院效仿的典范。

  [7]康斯坦丁的长方形廊柱大厅是古罗马广场给人留下最深刻印象的建筑。残存的巨大拱门如今仍然屹立在那里,只显现出原址(一个宏伟庞大的审判大厅)的三分之一。大厅本身有一个足球场那么长,奢华地布置着雕像、喷泉、色彩斑斓的镶饰大理石以及一个镀金青铜天花板。毫无疑问,罗马人超越了先前所有的欧洲人,创造了一个更为壮丽史诗般的纪念碑,让他们“野蛮的”邻居们拍手叫绝,惊叹不已。

  [8]在其顶峰时期,罗马统治着一个5400万人口的大帝国,疆域从苏格兰延伸至非洲,从西班牙直至土耳其。由于腐败、疾病与其周边的敌对势力,当罗马帝国在公元476年最终崩溃之后,欧洲陷入了长达千年的黑暗时期。

  [9]但罗马在天主教的教堂里继续生存着。基督教,罗马的末代国教,吸纳了原罗马的等级体制。皇帝变成了教皇( 两者都被称为大祭司长),元老院议员变成了主教,雄辩家变成了牧师,而长方形大会堂则变成了教堂。罗马是一座真正的永恒之城。


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