Corruption, wealth and beauty: The history of the Venetian gondola - Laura Morelli

貪腐，財富及美麗：威尼斯貢多拉的歷史—蘿拉·莫瑞莉 (Laura Morelli)

譯者: Regina Chu 審譯者: Adrienne Lin

If I say, "Venice," do you imagine yourself gliding down the Grand Canal,

如果我說「威尼斯」 你會不會想到自己在大運河順流而下

serenaded by a gondolier?

聽著船夫唱小夜曲？

There's no doubt that the gondola is a symbol of Venice, Italy,

毫無疑問，貢多拉 是義大利威尼斯的象徵

but how did this curious banana-shaped black boat get its distinctive look?

但是這個奇怪的香蕉形黑船 怎麼演變成這種獨特的外觀？

The origins of the Venetian gondola are lost to history,

威尼斯貢多拉的起源早已失去考據

but by the 1500s, some 10,000 gondolas transported dignitaries, merchants and goods

但直至 16 世紀，約一萬艘的 貢多拉載著政要、商賈及貨物

through the city's canals.

穿流在城市的水道上

In fact, Venice teemed with many types of handmade boats,

事實上，威尼斯充滿著 各式各樣的手工船

from utilitarian rafts to the Doge's own ostentatious gilded barge.

從實用的木筏 到總督御用闊氣的鍍金駁船都有

Like a modern day taxi system, gondolas were leased to boatmen

就像現代的計程車系統 船夫租賃貢多拉

who made the rounds of the city's ferry stations.

行遍城內的各個渡口

Passengers paid a fare to be carried from one side of the Grand Canal to the other,

乘客要付一筆船費 從大運河的一邊到另一邊

as well as to other points around the city.

或到城內其他地方

But gondoliers soon developed a bad rap.

但是船夫很快就搞壞了名聲

Historical documents describe numerous infractions involving boatmen,

歷史文件描述了多種 牽涉船夫的違法事件

including cursing, gambling, extorting passengers --

包括詛咒、賭博、敲詐乘客

even occasional acts of violence.

甚至偶爾還有暴力事件發生

To minimize the unpredictability of canal travel,

為了減少運河旅行的意外

Venetian citizens who could afford it purchased their own gondolas,

負擔得起的威尼斯人 都買了自己的貢多拉

just as a celebirty might use a private car and driver today.

就像今天的名流請司機開私家車一樣

These wealthy Venetians hired two private gondoliers to ferry them around the city

這些有錢的威尼斯人雇用兩名 私人船夫載著他們在城內穿梭

and maintain their boats.

並維修他們的船

The gondolas soon became a status symbol, much like an expensive car,

貢多拉很快就成為一種地位的象徵 就像昂貴的汽車

with custom fittings, carved and gilded ornamentation,

有客製化的內裝、精雕及鍍金的裝飾

and seasonal fabrics, like silk and velvet.

還有隨季節變換的布料，如絲及絨

However, the majority of gondolas seen today are black

然而，今天所見的貢多拉大多是黑色

because in 1562, Venetian authorities decreed

因為在 1562 年，威尼斯當局下令

that all but ceremonial gondolas be painted black

除了慶典用船 所有的貢多拉都要漆成黑色

in order to avoid sinfully extravagant displays.

以避免不道德的過度奢華

Apparently, Venetian authorities did not believe in "pimping their rides."

很明顯，威尼斯當局並不相信 「愛船大改造」這玩意！

Still, some wealthy Venetians chose to pay the fines

儘管如此，一些有錢的威尼斯人 還是選擇付罰款

in order to maintain their ornamental gondolas,

以繼續保有他們華麗的貢多拉

a small price to keep up appearances.

擺門面的小錢哪！

The distinctive look of the gondola developed over many centuries.

貢多拉特殊的外觀 經過多個世紀演變而來

Each gondola was constructed in a family boatyard called a squero.

每一艘貢多拉都由家庭式的 小船廠造出，稱為「斯奎諾」

From their fathers and grandfathers, sons learned how to select and season

兒子們從父親和祖父那裡 學到如何選擇及乾燥木料

pieces of beech, cherry, elm, fir, larch, lime, mahogany, oak and walnut.

如櫸木、櫻木、榆木、杉木、落葉松 椴木、桃木、橡木及胡桃木

The gondola makers began with a wooden template

貢多拉製造者從一段木頭模板開始

that may have been hammered into the workshop floor generations earlier.

早在幾世代前就已製好 放入車間地板上

From this basic form, they attached fore and aft sterns,

從這個基本型 他們再加上船艏及船艉

then formed the longitudinal planks and ribs that made up the frame

然後放上縱材肋材組成船身

of a boat designed to glide through shallow, narrow canals.

專門設計在淺窄的水道上滑行

A gondola has no straight lines or edges.

貢多拉沒有任何直線或尖角

Its familiar profile was achieved through an impressive fire and water process

熟悉的船體側面要經由一段 令人驚嘆的水火處理來達成

that involved warping the boards with torches made of marsh reeds set ablaze.

這包括以燃燒的蘆葦火炬翹曲木板

However, the majority of the 500 hours that went into building a gondola

然而，造一艘貢多拉所需的五百小時

involved the final stages:

大部分都花在最後一道手續：

preparing surfaces and applying successive coats of waterproof varnish.

表面處理及上幾道防水漆

The varnish was a family recipe, as closely guarded as one for risotto

防水漆是祖傳秘方 就像義大利燉飯食譜

or a homemade sauce.

或自製調醬一樣緊緊保衛著

Yet even with the woodwork finished, the gondola was still not complete.

但即使完成了木工 貢多拉仍然只是半成品

Specialized artisans supplied their gondola-making colleagues

專業工匠供應製造貢多拉的熟客

with elaborate covered passenger compartments,

精心製作的船艙

upholstery and ornaments of steel and brass.

坐墊及鋼飾、銅飾

Oar makers became integral partners to the gondola makers.

槳的製造者是貢多拉製造商 不可或缺的夥伴

The Venetian oarlock, or fórcola, began as a simple wooden fork,

威尼斯槳架，或稱「弗考拉」 最初只是一個簡單的木製叉狀物

but evolved into a high-precision tool that allowed a gondolier

但演變成高度精確的工具

to guide the oar into many positions.

讓船夫能操縱船槳到很多位置

By the late 1800s,

到十九世紀末期

gondola makers began to make the left side of the gondola wider than the right

貢多拉製造者開始將貢多拉左側 做得比右側寬一點

as a counter balance to the force created by a single gondolier.

以抵銷單一船夫所產生的力道

This modification allowed rowers to steer from the right side only,

這種修正使槳手只需在右側駕船

and without lifting the oar from the water.

無需從水中提槳

While these modifications improved gondola travel,

雖然這樣的修正改進了貢多拉的移動

they were not enough to keep pace with motorized boats.

它們仍然不敵電動船的速度

Today, only about 400 gondolas glide through the waterways of Venice,

今天，只剩約四百艘貢多拉 還在威尼斯的水道上滑行

and each year, fewer authentic gondolas are turned out by hand.

而正宗的手工貢多拉出產量年年減少

But along the alleys, street signs contain words in Venetian dialect

但在小巷內，寫著威尼斯語的路牌

for the locations of old boatyards, oar makers and ferry stations,

指示著老船廠、槳製造商 及渡輪站的地點

imprinting the memory of the boat-building trades

銘刻著造船業曾經何等繁茂

that once kept life in the most serene republic gliding along at a steady clip.

在寧靜的共和國內川流不息的記憶