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

譯者: Charlize Hung 審譯者: Ann Chen

In ancient Greece, violent internal conflict between bordering neighbors

古希臘時期，城邦之間的暴力衝突不斷

and war with foreign invaders was a way of life,

與外來侵略者間的戰爭 更是家常便飯

and Greeks were considered premier warriors.

而希臘人被視為一流戰士

Most Greek city-states surrounded themselves with massive defensive walls

大多希臘城都被大規模城牆圍住

for added protection.

以加強防禦保護

Sparta in its prime was a different story,

斯巴達強盛期時則非如此

finding walls unnecessary

他們發現根本沒必要築牆

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

因為擁有古代最令人畏懼的戰士

So what was Sparta doing differently than everyone else

斯巴達到底做了什麼與眾不同的事

to produce such fierce soldiers?

才能造就如此驍勇善戰的戰士呢？

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

要回答這個問題 先看看當時文字記載

There are no surviving written accounts from Spartans themselves,

斯巴達本身並未保存任何文獻

as it was forbidden for Spartans to keep records,

因為斯巴達人自己嚴禁保存記錄

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

必須仰賴非斯巴達的古歷史學家

like Herodotus, Thucydides, and Plutarch.

像希羅多德，修昔底德和普魯塔克

These stories may be embellished

這些故事可能被美化了

and depict Sparta at the apex of its power,

且描述斯巴達在巔峰時期的狀況

so take them with a grain of salt.

所以只要聽聽就好

For Spartans, the purpose for their existence was simple:

對斯巴達人而言 他們存在的目的很單純：

to serve Sparta.

就是對斯巴達效力

On the day of their birth,

在出生那天

elder Spartan leaders examined every newborn.

年長斯巴達領導會檢查每個新生兒

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

強魄健體的嬰兒 被認為能滿足此一盡忠目的

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

其他的則可能被留在台吉都斯山上等死

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

每個斯巴達人，無論男女 都被期待成為身強體壯

mentally sharp,

腦筋敏銳

and emotionally resilient.

情感收放自如的人

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

不惜代價捍衛和推動斯巴達 是他們絕對義務

So in the first years of their lives,

因此人生前幾年

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

孩子們被教養成 必須先效忠斯巴達

and then to family.

而後才是家庭

This mindset probably made it easier for the Spartan boys,

這種心態使得斯巴達男孩 變得比較容易

who upon turning seven, were sent to the agoge,

在滿七歲時 被送去接受 斯巴達教育／agoge

a place with one main purpose:

那地方的主要目的是：

to turn a boy into a Spartan warrior

讓一位男孩蛻變成為斯巴達戰士

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

是經由十三年冷酷、嚴厲 而且通常是殘暴的訓練

The Spartans prized physical perfection above all else,

斯巴達人視完美體態勝過一切

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

學生也耗費大把時間學習如何戰鬥

To ensure resilience in battle,

為確保在戰鬥中的韌性

boys were encouraged to fight among themselves,

男孩們被鼓勵相互戰鬥

and bullying, unlike today, was acceptable.

與今日不同的是 霸凌也是被允許的

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

為強化男孩們的備戰狀態

the boys were poorly fed,

他們飲食很差

sometimes even going days without eating.

有時甚至幾天不給食物

They also were given little in the way of clothing

也不給他們多穿衣服

so that they could learn to deal with different temperatures.

是為了讓他們適應不同溫度

Spartan boys were encouraged to steal in order to survive,

斯巴達男孩還被鼓勵為生存而偷竊

but if they were caught,

但如果被抓住

they would be disciplined,

就必須受罰

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

處罰並非因為偷竊 而是技巧太差被逮

During the annual contest of endurance

年度耐力競賽期間

in a religious ritual known as the diamastigosis,

眾所皆知的鞭笞宗教儀式上

teenage boys were whipped in front of an altar

青少年男孩在亞底米女神 聖殿祭壇前被鞭打

at the Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia.

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

男孩死在女神祭壇前是常見的事

Fortunately, not everything was as brutal as that.

所幸，並非所有事都如此殘酷

Young Spartans were also taught how to read,

斯巴達年輕人也必須學會 如何閱讀

write,

書寫

and dance,

和舞蹈

which taught them graceful control of their movements

舞蹈讓他們學會優美地控制動作

and helped them in combat.

同時有助他們戰鬥技巧

While the responsibilities for the girls of Sparta were different,

斯巴達女孩的責任雖然不同

the high standards of excellence

但高標準的要求

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

及期望她們以生命 伺奉斯巴達的原則不變

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

因為要上學 斯巴達女孩跟母親同住家中

Their curriculum included the arts,

她們的課程包括藝術

music,

音樂

dance,

舞蹈

reading,

閱讀

and writing.

和寫作

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

而為了保持身體顛峰狀況 她們學習各種競技術

such as discus,

比如鐵餅

javelin,

標槍

and horseback riding.

和騎馬等

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

在斯巴達 普遍認為只有強壯有能力的女性

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

才能孕育孩子 他日成為勇猛能幹的戰士

To all Spartans, men and women,

也許對所有斯巴達人來說 不論男女

perhaps the most important lesson from Spartan school

在斯巴達學校學到最重要的事情

was allegiance to Sparta.

就是效忠斯巴達

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

為國犧牲被視為 個人盡到了對斯巴達的責任

Upon their death,

在死後

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

只有死於戰鬥的男人 與死於分娩的婦女

were given tombstones.

才能獲得墓碑

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

在同胞眼中，因為他們犧牲 斯巴達才得以生存

翻譯：Charlize Hung