世界小史 第128期:下跪
Anyone who came into his presence had to fall on their knees before him and speak to him as if he were a god.
任何人來到他的面前必須向他下跪并仿佛他真的是一個神似的同他講話。
And in the manner of Oriental kings he had several wives, among them the daughter of the Persian king, Darius,
他像東方國王們那樣娶了好幾個妻子，其中有波斯國王大流士的女兒，
which made him that king's rightful successor.
以便成為后者的真正的繼承人。
For Alexander didn't wish to be seen as a foreign conqueror1.
因為他不想被看作是個外來的占領者，
His aim was to combine the wisdom and splendor2 of the East with the clear thinking and vitality3 of the Greeks, and so create something entirely4 new and wonderful.
他的目標是把東方的智慧和財富與希臘人的清晰思路和活力融合為某種嶄新的、神奇的東西。
But this idea didn't please the Greeks and Macedonians at all.
可是希臘人和馬其他人不喜歡這樣。
They were the conquerors5, so they should be the masters.
他們這些征服者也想保持其主人的地位。
What was more, they were free men, and used to their freedom.
而且他們是自由人、他們習慣自由。
They weren't going to bow down to any man on earth – or, as they put it, lick any man's boots.
他們不愿意向任何人或大地跪拜——或者，像他們說的“拍任何人的馬屁”。
His Greek friends and the soldiers became increasingly rebellious6, and he was forced to send them home.
他的希臘朋友和士兵們變得越來越反叛，他不得不將他們遣送回家。
