This is Sparta: Fierce warriors of the ancient world - Craig Zimmer

Prevoditelj: Hrvoje Tkalec Recezent: Sanda L

In ancient Greece, violent internal conflict between bordering neighbors

U antičkoj Grčkoj, nasilni unutarnji sukob između pograničnih susjeda

and war with foreign invaders was a way of life,

i rat sa stranim osvajačima je bio način života,

and Greeks were considered premier warriors.

a Grci su bili smatrani vrhunskim ratnicima.

Most Greek city-states surrounded themselves with massive defensive walls

Većina grčkih gradova-država je bila okružena ogromnim obrambenim zidovima

for added protection.

za dodatnu zaštitu.

Sparta in its prime was a different story,

Sparta je na vrhuncu svoje moći bila drugačija priča,

finding walls unnecessary

smatrala je zidove nepotrebnima

when it had an army of the most feared warriors in the ancient world.

kad je imala vojsku ratnika kojih se najviše bojao antički svijet.

So what was Sparta doing differently than everyone else

Dakle, što je Sparta radila drugačije od svih ostalih

to produce such fierce soldiers?

kako bi napravila tako žestoke vojnike?

To answer that question, we turn to the written accounts of that time.

Kako bismo odgovorili na to pitanje, okrećemo se zapisima iz tog vremena.

Ne postoje sačuvani zapisi od samih Spartanaca

There are no surviving written accounts from Spartans themselves,

as it was forbidden for Spartans to keep records,

jer je Spartancima bilo zabranjeno držiti zapise

so we have to rely on those of non-Spartan ancient historians,

pa se moramo osloniti na nespartanske antičke povjesničare

like Herodotus, Thucydides, and Plutarch.

kao što su Herodot, Tukidid i Plutarh.

These stories may be embellished

Ove priče su možda uljepšavane

and depict Sparta at the apex of its power,

i prikazuju Sparta na vrhuncu moći

so take them with a grain of salt.

pa ih uzmite sa zrnom soli.

For Spartans, the purpose for their existence was simple:

Za Spartance je smisao postojanja bio jednostavan:

to serve Sparta.

služiti Sparti.

On the day of their birth,

Na dan rođenja,

elder Spartan leaders examined every newborn.

stariji spartanski vođe su pregledavali svako novorođenče.

The strong healthy babies were considered capable of fulfilling this purpose,

Snažne zdrave bebe su smatrane sposobnima za ispunjavanje svoje svrhe,

and the others may have been left on Mount Taygetus to die.

a ostale su vjerojatno ostavljane na planini Tajget kako bi umrle.

Every Spartan, boy or girl, was expected to be physically strong,

Od svakog Spartanca, dječaka ili djevojčice,

se očekivalo da bude fizički snažan,

mentally sharp,

mentalno oštrouman

and emotionally resilient.

i emotivno otporan.

And it was their absolute duty to defend and promote Sparta at all costs.

Njihova apsolutna dužnost je bila obrana i promocija Sparte pod svaku cijenu.

So in the first years of their lives,

Stoga su tijekom prvih godina života

children were raised to understand that their loyalty belonged first to Sparta,

djeca bila odgajana kako bi razumijela da njihova lojalnost prvo pripada Sparti,

and then to family.

a onda njihovoj obitelji.

This mindset probably made it easier for the Spartan boys,

Ovakav mentalitet je vjerojatno bio lakši za spartanske dječake

who upon turning seven, were sent to the agoge,

koji su nakon sedmog rođendana poslani u agogu,

a place with one main purpose:

mjesto s jednom svrhom:

to turn a boy into a Spartan warrior

pretvoriti dječaka u spartanskog ratnika

through thirteen years of relentless, harsh, and often brutal training.

kroz 13 godina nemilosrdne, stroge i često brutalne obuke.

The Spartans prized physical perfection above all else,

Spartanci su prije svega cijenili fizičku savršenost

and so the students spent a great deal of their time learning how to fight.

pa su tako učenici provodili značajan dio svog vremena učeći kako se tući.

To ensure resilience in battle,

Kako bi osigurali otpornost u bitki,

boys were encouraged to fight among themselves,

dječaci su poticani da se tuku međusobno,

and bullying, unlike today, was acceptable.

a nasilničko ponašanje, za razliku od danas, je bilo prihvatljivo.

In order to better prepare the boys for the conditions of war,

Kako bi što bolje pripremili dječake za ratne uvjete,

the boys were poorly fed,

slabo su ih hranili,

sometimes even going days without eating.

nekad su provodili dane bez hrane.

They also were given little in the way of clothing

Također su im davali malo odjeće

so that they could learn to deal with different temperatures.

kako bi se naučili nositi s različitim temperaturama.

Spartan boys were encouraged to steal in order to survive,

Spartanski dječaci su poticani na krađu kako bi preživjeli,

but if they were caught,

ali ako su bili uhvaćeni,

they would be disciplined,

bili bi disciplinirani, ne zato što su krali,

not because they stole, but because they were caught in the act.

nego jer su ih uhvatili na djelu.

During the annual contest of endurance

Tijekom godišnjeg natjecanja u izdržljivosti

in a religious ritual known as the diamastigosis,

u vjerskom ritualu znanom kao dijamastigoza,

teenage boys were whipped in front of an altar

dječaci tinejdžeri su bičevani ispred oltara

at the Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia.

u svetištu Artemide Ortije.

It was common for boys to die on the altar of the goddess.

Bilo je uobičajeno da dječaci umiru na oltaru ove boginje.

Fortunately, not everything was as brutal as that.

Nasreću, nije sve bilo tako brutalno.

Young Spartans were also taught how to read,

Mlade Spartance su također učili čitati,

write,

pisati

and dance,

i plesati,

which taught them graceful control of their movements

što im je omogućilo elegantnu kontrolu pokreta

and helped them in combat.

i pomoglo u borbi.

While the responsibilities for the girls of Sparta were different,

Iako su dužnosti za djevojčice Sparte bile različite,

the high standards of excellence

visoki standardi izvrsnosti

and expectation to serve Sparta with their lives remained the same.

i očekivanje da služe Sparti svojim životom su ostali isti.

Spartan girls lived at home with their mothers as they attended school.

Spartanske djevojčice su živjele kod kuće sa svojim majkama dok su išle u školu.

Their curriculum included the arts,

Njihov nastavni plan je uključivao umjetnost,

music,

glazbu,

dance,

ples,

reading,

čitanje

and writing.

i pisanje.

And to stay in peak physical condition, they learned a variety of sports,

Kako bi ostale u vrhunskoj kondiciji, učile su niz sportova

such as discus,

kao što su bacanje diska,

javelin,

bacanje koplja

and horseback riding.

i jahanje konja.

In Sparta, it was believed that only strong and capable women

U Sparti se vjerovalo da samo snažne i sposobne žene

could bear children that would one day become strong and capable warriors.

mogu roditi djecu koja će jednog dana postati snažni i sposobni ratnici.

To all Spartans, men and women,

Svim Spartancima, muškarcima i ženama,

perhaps the most important lesson from Spartan school

vjerojatno najvažnija lekcija iz spartanske škole

was allegiance to Sparta.

je bila odanost Sparti.

To die for their city-state was seen as the completion of one's duty to Sparta.

Umrijeti za svoju grad-državu se smatralo izvršenjem svojih dužnosti prema Sparti.

Upon their death,

Nakon smrti,

only men who died in battle and women who died in childbirth

jedino su muškarcima poginulima u borbi i ženama koje su umrle pri porodu

were given tombstones.

podizani nadgrobni spomenici.

In the eyes of their countrymen, both died so that Sparta could live.

U očima njihovih sunarodnjaka, oni su umrli kako bi Sparta mogla živjeti.