But one thing united the Greeks: their religion and their sport.

但只有一件事情把希腊联合在一起了：他们的信仰和体育运动。

And I say 'one thing' because, strangely enough, sport and religion weren't two separate things – they were closely connected.

太奇怪了，我说“一件事情”，因为体育和宗教是两件密不可分的事情——他们紧密相连。

For instance, in honor of Zeus, the Father of the Gods, great sporting contests were held every four years in his sanctuary at Olympia.

例如，为了纪念众神之父宙斯，人们每隔四年在其圣地奥林匹亚举行一次盛大的运动会。

As well as large temples there was a stadium at Olympia, and all the Greeks – the Dorians, Ionians, Spartans and Athenians,

奥林匹亚那里还有巨大的神庙和一座体育场，所有的希腊人——多里安人、伊安尼尔人、斯巴达人和雅典人,

came there to show how well they could run, throw the discus and the javelin, fight hand to hand and race chariots.

都来到那里以显示他们在跑步、掷铁饼、投标枪、摔跤和赛车方面的才能。

To be victorious at Olympia was the greatest honor in a man's life.

在奥林匹亚获得胜利被认为是一个人一生中最大的荣耀。

The prize was no more than a simple garland made from sprigs of wild olive,

奖赏仅仅是一个用野橄榄树树枝做成的花环，

but what fame for the winners: the greatest poets sang their praises, the greatest sculptors carved their statues to stand forever in Olympia.

但获胜者得到很大的名望：最著名的诗人为他们唱赞美诗，最著名的雕塑家塑造他们的雕像来代表曾经的奥林匹克。

They were shown in their chariots, throwing the discus, or rubbing oil into their bodies before the fight.

在这些雕像上，人们看到他们驾战车、掷铁饼，或也在比赛前他们用油擦身体。

Victory statues like these can still be seen today – there may even be one in your local museum.

这样的优胜者雕像，人们至今还可以见到——也许在你们当地的博物馆里也有一座这样的雕像。