视听文本

Greek comedies and Greek tragedies were translated

希腊喜剧和希腊悲剧被翻译成

into Latin and performed in Rome before enthusiastic

拉丁语并在罗马激动的人群中演出

crowds. But the audiences had to stand or sit in

但是观众必须站着或者坐在

temporary bleachers erected for every festival

临时为每次节日而搭的露天看台上

because the idea of permanent theaters somehow

因为修建永久的剧场一定程度上

went against the mos maiorum.

与祖制背道而驰

Moreover, the worldly, sophisticated comedy characters

而且，翻译本中的这些世界的复杂的喜剧人物

in these translated plays, were portrayed as Greeks

被刻画成希腊人

so as not to offend Roman sensibilities. Roman

这样就不会冒犯罗马的感受性

dramatists who claimed the traditional Hellenistic

罗马戏剧家宣称传统古希腊文化的

freedom of speech sometimes found themselves in

言论自由，他们有时会进监狱

prison thinking of ways to get out. As a nation,

想着怎么逃出来

the Romans were typically free of self-esteem issues.

罗马人很典型地不在乎自尊

They were secure knowing that despite their apparent

他们很安心地知道即使

cultural inferiority,they had conquered and pacified

在文化上明显的落后，但他们征服并平定了

the entire Greek world.They were big enough to admit

整个希腊世界，他们足够强大

the Hellenic culture was superior in many ways. Yet

来承认古希腊文化在很多方面优越于他们的

I believe they never entirely let go of the idea that

但是我相信他们从不放下希腊人

the Greeks were somehow still a little more civilized.

或多或少更文明的这个想法

As Rome became more powerful and more interested

随着罗马变得越来越强大，越来越有兴趣

in shaping how people saw Roman culture, Romans

影响人们如何看待罗马文化

became concerned that Roman art and Roman literature

罗马人变得很关心罗马艺术和罗马文学

should reflect Rome's special place in the world.

认为应该反映罗马在世界的特别地位

Having Greeks like Polybius write about the

有希腊人例如波利比奥斯来撰写

Roman Constitution, that was great, but the

罗马宪法是很好，但是

Roman Constitution really was best explained by

罗马宪法还是由一位

a Roman political scientist. Ironically, the Roman art

罗马政治学家解读得最好，讽刺的是

and Roman literature which resulted invariably

罗马艺术和罗马文学总是或多或少

resembled Greek models in one way or another.

模仿希腊模式

This helps explains why the Roman civilization of

这就解释了为什么帝国的罗马文明

the empire is most often known as Greco-Roman.

最常为人所知为希腊罗马的

Although the Romans would never entirely lose

罗马人永远不会放掉

their envy of Greek accomplishments, their admiration

对希腊成就的羡慕，但他们的赞美

never faded away either. Ironically, this Greco-Roman

也不会消失，讽刺的是，这个希腊罗马的文化

culture would later be carried on by the Byzantines,

不久被拜占庭人延续下去

a Greek-speaking people which called itself the Romaioi,

他们说希腊语，称自己为Romaioi

which is Ancient Greek for the Romans.

是古希腊语中的罗马人意思

Segment nine C: The Costs of Success. Rome's conquests

第九节 C 成功的代价

had brought new ager publicus, new prisoners of war

罗马的征服带来了新的公地

to be slaves, and other material riches. Combined with

新的战俘成为奴隶，物质变得富有

the cultural wealth of the Hellenistic tradition,

与古希腊传统的文化财富相结合

it was all good. But serious trouble lay just beneath

是很好的，但是表面下存在很严重的问题

the surface.Without an official plan for dispersing the

没有官方的计划来处理

spoils of war, the generals and the Senate were free to

战争遗留下的东西，将军和元老院可以随意

do as they pleased with the booty.

处置战利品

This of course helped the wealthy aristocrats more than

这当然更利于富有的贵族

it helped the plebeian slugs who actually fought the

而不利于为战争出力的平民懒汉

wars. Supposedly the ager publicus was merely lent to

假设这些公地只是借给

the victorious generals,the senators, or their friends,

胜利的将军，元老或者他们的朋友

but then as now, possession was nine tenths of the law.

但是那时他们基本可以合法获得这些公地

Advances in agriculture and the booming number of

农业上的进步以及不断增多的奴隶

slaves had made it profitable to run large-scale

使经营大规模农场，或者大庄园

plantations,or latifundia.Naturally,the wealthy

有利可图，自然而然这些富有的贵族

patricians who wound up with the ager publicus,the

拥有公地就很容易

public land,were in perfect position to make a killing.

大赚一笔

They could have their latifundia worked with

他们可以用廉价的奴隶作为劳动力

cheap slave labor, driving their small farmer neighbors

来经营大庄园，把周围的小农赶出竞争

out of business. Best of all, they could pretend to be

最棒的是，他们可以变为成功的农民来

honoring the mos maiorum by being successful farmers.

假装尊敬祖制

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：