A day in the life of an ancient Athenian - Robert Garland

翻译人员: Riley WANG 校对人员: Yulin Li

“在很多事情上，多人做出的判断好于个人。” —亚里士多德《政治学》

It’s 427 BCE and the worst internal conflict ever to occur

公元前 427 年，古希腊帝国 最严重的内战已经到了第四个年头。

in the ancient Greek world is in its fourth year.

The Peloponnesian War is being fought

这场伯罗奔尼撒战争

between the city-states of Athens and Sparta, as well as their allies.

在雅典和斯巴达及其盟国之间展开。

The Athenians can’t match the formidable Spartan army on land.

雅典人无法在陆地作战中 对抗强大的斯巴达军队，

So they’ve abandoned the countryside

于是他们放弃了乡村地区，

and moved inside the walls surrounding their city and port,

转移到高墙环绕的城市和港口，

now provisioned by a superior fleet and extensive maritime empire.

由一支高级舰队和 广阔的海军帝国提供保障。

The cramped conditions have taken a toll

有限的条件带来了恶果，

and a recent plague wiped out a third of the population.

一场近期爆发的瘟疫 夺去了雅典三分之一的人口。

But city life goes on.

但城市生活仍在继续。

Archias and Dexileia live in the center of Athens.

阿奇亚斯和迪克西莉亚 住在雅典市中心。

阿奇亚斯是高档陶器的漆匠，

As a painter of high-class pottery,

Archias is relatively well-off and takes great interest in the city’s affairs.

他比较富裕， 对城市事务很感兴趣。

Dexileia, on the other hand, can't participate in politics or own property.

迪克西莉亚却无法 参与政治或拥有财产

The couple are grateful to the gods that three of their four children,

夫妇感激神明， 让他们四个孩子中的三个，

a son and two daughters,

一个男孩和两个女孩，

have survived past infancy.

都平安长大。

Many parents see daughters as a liability

许多父母将女儿视为拖累，

since they require dowries to find husbands.

因为女儿结婚需要嫁妆。

But Archias is confident that his wealth

但是阿奇亚斯对自己的 财富状况很有自信，

will allow him to make good matches for them without going bankrupt.

相信自己不用破产 也能为女儿找到如意郎君。

Like many Athenians, the family owns slaves.

和很多雅典人一样， 这个家庭也拥有奴隶。

Originally from Thrace, they were captured in war.

这些奴隶都来自色雷斯， 在战争中被抓获。

Thratta does most of the housework and helps raise the children.

色雷斯人承担绝大多数的家务， 并帮助抚养孩子。

Philon is a paidagôgos,

菲伦是一个 paidagôgos， 即家庭教师，

who supervises the son’s education, teaching him reading and writing.

他监督家中男孩的教育， 教他读书写作。

Archias is up early because there’s a meeting of the Ekklêsia,

阿奇亚斯起得很早， 因为在黎明时分

the assembly of citizens,

教会有一场会议，

taking place at dawn.

众市民将进行集会。

Before setting out, he burns incense

出发前，他点燃一支香，

and pours a libation at the small shrine in the courtyard

代表全家人在小花园里

on behalf of his entire household.

的神龛中倾倒奠酒。

Dexileia will remain at home all day, teaching her daughters domestic skills.

迪克西莉亚全天都待在家中 教女儿家务技能。

Later, she’ll retire to the inner courtyard for some fresh air.

之后，她到内院稍作休息透透气。

When Archias arrives at the agora,

集会的广场是

the civic and commercial heart of the city,

城市的市政和商业中心

当阿奇亚斯到达这里时， 他发现广场挤满了市民

he finds the square swarming with his fellow citizens,

native-born adult males who have completed military training.

都是已经完成 军事训练的本国成年男性。

Attached to the central monument is a noticeboard with the meeting’s agenda.

中央纪念碑上 的一个记事板写有会议议程。

Today, there’s only one item of discussion:

今天讨论的事项只有一个：

what to do with the people of Mytilene,

如何处置米蒂利尼人？

a city on the island of Lesbos

米蒂利尼是莱斯沃斯岛上 的一个城市，

where a revolt against Athenian rule has just been put down.

该城对雅典统治的反抗刚遭到镇压。

The meeting takes place on a hill west of the acropolis known as the Pnyx.

会议地点是在 雅典卫城西边的一座山上，

The word means “tightly packed,"

该山名为普尼克斯，意思是紧凑的，

and the crowd of 5,000 citizens makes it clear why.

5000 民众拥挤在此， 这名字的含义就不言而喻了。

The heralds purify the hill by sprinkling its boundary with pig’s blood

传信官用猪血 划出边界以净化此山，

and call for order.

要求在场人员安静。

As everyone sits on benches facing the platform,

每个人都坐在面向平台的长椅上，

the presiding officer opens the meeting with the words:

会议主席宣布会议开始。

“Tis agoreuein bouleutai?”

他说：“Tis agoreuein bouleutai?”

“Who wishes to address the assembly?”

意思是“谁希望发表演讲？”

One by one, citizens speak, some advising mercy, others bent on vengeance.

市民轮番发表意见。一些人 提倡宽容，另一些则诉诸报复。

A motion is proposed to execute all the Mytileneans

提议之一是 处决所有米蒂利尼男人，

and enslave their women and children

将女人和孩子贬为奴隶，

because they betrayed their Athenian allies during a time of war.

因为他们在战争时期 背叛了雅典一方的盟国。

A majority raises their right hands in favor.

大多数人举起右手表示赞同。

Once the meeting’s over, Archias heads back to the agora to buy food and wine.

会议一结束，阿奇亚斯 会到雅典卫城买食物和酒。

Hundreds have gathered there to discuss the results,

上百人已经聚集在此讨论会议结果，

许多人对此决议并不开心。

many unhappy with the decision.

When Archias returns home, he tells Dexileia about the debate.

阿奇亚斯回到家后， 将辩论告诉迪克西莉亚。

She thinks that killing the innocent as well as the guilty

迪克西莉亚认为， 杀害无辜和杀害有罪之人

is harsh and counterproductive,

二者一样残酷， 并且结果适得其反。

and tells him as much.

她把自己的想法告诉了丈夫。

Around dusk, Archias goes to a friend’s house for a symposium.

黄昏时分，阿奇亚斯 去朋友家参加讨论。

The nine men drink wine and discuss the meeting well into the night.

九个男人一边喝酒， 一边讨论会议内容，直至深夜。

Archias shares his wife’s opinion urging mercy, and his friends eventually agree.

阿奇亚斯分享了妻子要求仁慈 的意见，朋友最终也表示同意。

黎明之前， 意想不到的事情发生了。

Before dawn, something unprecedented happens.

Heralds circulate throughout Athens

传信官环绕雅典城，

announcing the council has called another meeting.

宣布议会已经召集了另一场会议。

The second debate is equally heated,

第二次辩论同样激烈，

but a new resolution, to execute only the leaders of the revolt,

但是产生了一项新的决议： 只处决反叛的主谋，

narrowly passes.

这项新决议惊险通过。

Yet there’s a problem –

但是，仍然有一个问题——

a ship with orders to carry out the first resolution

带着执行第一次决议的船只

was dispatched the previous day.

已经在前一天出发。

And so another ship quickly sets sail to countermand the order –

另一艘船立刻出航 前往解除命令——

a race of democracy against time.

这是一场民主和时间的赛跑。