This was the famous Marathon Run after which we call our race.

这便是著名的马拉松长跑的由来。

Famous, because the messenger ran so far and so fast that all he could do was deliver his message before he fell down dead.

马拉松长跑之所以这么著名是因为这位使者跑得非常远，非常快这样他能在他倒地身亡前将消息传到。

Meanwhile Miltiades and his army had taken the same route, marching in tremendous haste.

同时米尔提亚德斯也率领整支大军顺着这同一条道路以极快的速度行军，

This was just as well, for no sooner had they reached the harbor at Athens than the Persian fleet appeared over the horizon.

恰恰就在全军到达雅典港口的时候，波斯舰队出现在地平线上。

But there was no more fighting: at the sight of their heroic enemy, the disheartened Persians turned tail and sailed for home.

但他们之间没有发生战争：看到他们的敌人这么英勇，灰心丧气的波斯舰队掉头就跑，划船回家。

And not just Athens, but the whole of Greece was saved. This was 490 BC.

不仅雅典，而且整个希腊都得救了。这是发生在公元前490年的事。

How the great Darius, King of Kings, must have cursed when he learned of the defeat at Marathon!

大流士大国王，这位王中王得知在马拉松吃败仗时一定气得直咒骂！

But at the time there was little he could do about Greece, for a revolt had broken out in Egypt which had to be suppressed.

但是他暂时无法对希腊采取多少新的行动，因为在埃及已爆发一场起义，他得领军去镇压起义。