视听文本

Segment 7a: Introduction.
7a 介绍
In this lecture, we do our best to get into the heads of the ancient Romans,
这节课，我们要学习古罗马的首领
and move to the Roman way of making war.
以及罗马发动战争的方法
The similarities between Roman and American civilization are interesting.
罗马和美国文明之间的相似之处非常有趣
For example, both societies are characterized by theoretical equality,
例如，罗马和美国都有理论上的平等
when in fact both societies were under the rule of elderly, wealthy males.
事实上，这两个社会都处于年长富有的男性统治下
But then the differences
这两个社会之间的差异
are pretty interesting as well.
也很有趣

For example the Roman state religion was almost devoid of what we would call real spiritual content.
例如，罗马的国教几乎没有真正的精神内涵
Segment 7b: Mos Maiorum,
7b 祖先的道路
way of our elders examines
先人的方式构成了
the two underlying principles of Roman society.
罗马社会中两个基本原则
First is the Patria Potestas; power of the father,
第一个是Patria Potestas
which replicated itself in Roman politics, economic life and even religion.
家父权，在罗马政治经济甚至宗教中一再重复这一点
I smell an essay exam question.
这可能是在考试时是个问答题
Second is the fixation upon the mos maiorum,
第二个是固定沿袭mos maiorum
way of our elders, which the Romans held up as the measure of all proper conduct.
祖先的道路，罗马人认为这能衡量全部合适的行为
Essay question.
问答题
The Romans took these two principles very seriously.
罗马人很重视这两项原则
But the foundation of the Roman Republic contradicted them both.
但是罗马共和国的基础和这两项都冲突
The break from monarchy was itself
脱离君主制本身就是
so drastic a deviation from the mos maiorum,
偏离了祖先的道路
because Rome had never had elective government before.
因为罗马之前从未有过选举产生的政府
Moreover, the election of completely new magistrates every year made two men,
而且这种审判官的选举每年任命两个人
called consuls, into the father figures of the Roman state every year.
称作consul 担任罗马城邦的领导者
Fortunately, for the Romans,
幸运的是，对罗马人来说
they more often than not recognized when a change from the mos maiorum was in fact necessary.
他们认为改变父辈们的做法是必要的
Segment 7c: The Roman State Religion
7c 罗马的国教
cuts into the heart of what the ancient Romans did and did not believe.
侵犯了古罗马人心中信仰和不信仰的东西
The Romans started out worshipping formless spirits called numina.
罗马人开始信仰无形体的精神，称为numina
But through Etruscan and Greek influence,
但是通过伊特鲁利亚人和希腊的影响
the Romans came to visualize their gods
罗马把他们的神形象化
and goddesses in human form,
有了人类的形态
for example, their supreme god Jupiter.
例如，至高无上的神朱庇特
Yet, the Roman deities didn't really care about the Roman's moral conduct.
但是，罗马的神灵并不在乎罗马人的道德行为
The Romans didn't believe their gods and goddesses
罗马人不相信他们的神
interfered in their lives,
会干涉他们的生活
unless they were persuaded or bribed to do so.
除非受到劝说或者贿赂
To the Romans, prayer was a social contract.
在罗马人看来，起到是社会契约
The deity was rewarded, if and only if he or she did what the mortal asked.
神得到了礼物前提是神完成了凡人的请求
Oh Lord, would you give me a Mercedes-Benz.
主啊，赐我一辆奔驰吧
And if you don't give me a Mercedes-Benz,
如果你不赐给我奔驰
then I don't give you anything either.
那我就不会给你任何供奉
Roman religious rituals were complicated to the point of being utterly ridiculous.
罗马的宗教仪式很繁琐甚至都到了完全可笑的地步
At the same time, the Romans state's well being
同时，罗马城邦国的安全繁荣
depended on the exact performance of these rituals in accordance with the mos maiorum.
完全依赖这些宗教仪式符合前人的做法
So these ridiculous rituals would be performed over and over and over again,
因此，这些可笑的仪式要一遍遍地举行
until they were done correctly.
直到整个过程没有纰漏
In segment 7d: Wars and Peaces,
7d 战争和和平
we examine some of the major reasons for the Roman's military success.
我们探索罗马取得军事胜利的一些原因
First, every Roman citizen was automatically a soldier,
第一，每个罗马公民都是天生的战士
which was a great source of civic pride.
这是公民自豪的源泉之一
The Romans also had the concept of the ius fetiales,
罗马也有 ius fetiales这个概念
or the just war which specified that Rome should only fight defensive battles.
也就是指定罗马只能打防卫型的战争
Roman gods and goddesses would not support aggressive territory grabbing.
罗马众神不会支持侵略性的领土抢夺战

视频及简介

课程介绍:
本课程对罗马帝国和前苏联的兴衰进行回顾，探讨它们历史变迁的内在规律，并将现代的超级大国——美国与它们进行比较，从而作出对未来可能的一些预测。

原声视频：