世界小史 第176期:羅馬大斗獸場(chǎng)

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The great amphitheater in Rome known as theColosseum held up to 50,000 spectators – few of our modern stadiums hold more.

羅馬的大劇場(chǎng)叫羅馬大斗獸場(chǎng)，它可容納約5萬(wàn)名觀(guān)眾，即便是一座現(xiàn)代化的大城市的一座大體育場(chǎng)也容納不了更多的人。

They were mainly used for gladiatorialcontests and animal-baiting, and, as you remember, many Christians died there.

那里主要舉行斗劍士搏斗和斗獸。你知道，基督徒們也不得不在這樣的劇場(chǎng)里喪命。

The tiers of seats for the spectators rosehigh above the arena, like a giant oval funnel.

劇場(chǎng)場(chǎng)地上方的觀(guān)眾席四下里陡峭地向上建去，像一只巨大的、橢圓形的漏斗。

Imagine the noise 50,000 people must havemade when they were all in there together!

如果5萬(wàn)名觀(guān)眾聚集在那里，這一定很壯觀(guān)!

The emperor sat below in the royal boxbeneath a magnificent awning to protect him from the sun.

在下面的主包廂里坐著皇帝，頭頂上方是一個(gè)給他遮陽(yáng)的大遮蓬。

When he dropped his handkerchief into thearena, it was the signal for the games to begin.

他把一塊布扔進(jìn)比賽場(chǎng)地，扔進(jìn)角斗場(chǎng)地，角斗便開(kāi)始。

The gladiators would appear and, standingin front of the imperial box, cry: "Hail Caesar! We who are about to diesalute you!"

于是劍斗士們進(jìn)場(chǎng)，站立在宮廷包廂前并呼喊：“皇帝萬(wàn)歲!將死的人問(wèn)候你!”

But you mustn't imagine that emperors didnothing but sit in amphitheaters,

但是你不可以以為皇帝們無(wú)所事事，只會(huì)坐在劇場(chǎng)里，

or that they were all layabouts and ravinglunatics like Nero.

他們?nèi)际窍衲岬撃菢拥目v情享樂(lè)的人和殘忍的暴君。

On the contrary, they spent most of theirtime maintaining peace in the empire.

完全相反，他們?yōu)榫S護(hù)帝國(guó)的和平而忙碌著。