A day in the life of a Roman soldier - Robert Garland

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

The year is 15 CE and the Roman Empire is prospering.

時間是公元十五年， 羅馬帝國正在興旺地發展。

Most of the credit will go to the emperor,

大部分的功勞要歸給皇帝，

but this success wouldn’t have been possible

但若沒有賽維爾斯菲利克斯

without loyal soldiers like Servius Felix.

這樣忠誠的士兵， 也不可能會成功。

Servius enlisted as a legionary eight years ago at age 18,

賽維爾斯在 18 歲時入伍， 加入羅馬軍團，

the son of a poor farmer with few prospects.

他是個貧農的兒子，沒有什麼前景。

Unlike the majority of legionaries, he doesn’t gamble,

和軍團中大部分的人不同，他不賭博，

so he’s been able to save most of his wages.

他把大部分的薪水存了下來。

He’s even kept his viaticum,

他甚至沒把旅行津貼花掉，

the three gold coins he received when he enlisted.

也就是他入伍時得到的三個金幣。

If he survives until retirement, he’ll receive several acres of land.

如果他能一直活到退休， 他將會得到七英畝地。

And he’s grown rather fond of a girl back home

他對家鄉的一個女孩漸漸產生愛慕，

whom he intends to marry.

打算要娶她。

But he’ll have to wait until he completes his 25 years of service

但得要等到他服完 二十五年的兵役之後

before that can happen.

才有可能實現。

And the life of a legionary is dangerous and grueling.

而軍團的生活既危險又勞累。

Today, Servius’s legion, along with three others,

現在，賽維爾斯的軍團 以及另外三個軍團

has undertaken a “great march” of 30,000 Roman paces,

已經進行了「偉大的行軍」， 走了三萬步「羅馬步」，

the equivalent of nearly 36 kilometers.

那相當於接近三十六公里。

Servius’s armor and weapons,

賽維爾斯的裝甲和武器，

including his gladius,

包括他的短劍，

scutum,

盾牌，

and two pila,

及兩支重標槍，

weigh over 20 kilograms.

重量就超過二十公斤。

And that’s not counting his backpack, or sarcina,

那還沒有包含他的背包，

which contains food and all the tools he needs to help build the camp –

背包裡裝了食物和所有 搭建營地必要的工具——

spade,

saw,

鏟子、

鋸子、

pickaxe,

鶴嘴鋤、

and basket.

以及籃子。

Although Servius is exhausted, he won’t sleep much tonight.

雖然賽維爾斯累壞了， 他在晚上也沒睡多少。

He’s been assigned the first watch,

他被分派做第一班的警戒，

which means looking after the baggage animals

意思就是要留意行李和動物，

and keeping alert against a possible ambush.

並且注意可能的埋伏。

After he’s done, he lies awake, dreading the day ahead,

換班後，他躺著也沒入睡， 害怕隔天不知道會如何，

which will force him to recall his worst nightmare.

讓他回想起他最糟的惡夢。

At dawn, Servius eats breakfast with his seven tent companions.

在黎明，賽維爾斯會和 七名營帳同伴一起吃早餐。

They’re like a family, all bearing scars from the battles they’ve fought together.

他們就像家人，身上都帶著過去 一起打過的仗所留下的傷疤。

Servius is from Italia,

賽維爾斯來自義大利，

but his fellow soldiers hail from all over the empire,

但他的士兵伙伴則來自帝國各地，

which stretches from Syria to Spain.

帝國的範圍從敘利亞 一直延伸到西班牙。

So they’re all far from home in the northern land of Germania.

所以他們都遠離了家園， 到北方的德國土地。

Servius’s legion and three others with him today

賽維爾斯的軍團及今天 和他同行的另三支軍團

are under the command of Emperor Tiberius’s nephew Germanicus,

都由皇帝提貝里烏斯的姪子 日耳曼尼庫斯領導，

named for his father’s military successes against the Germanic tribes.

他被取這個名字，是因為他父親在 軍事上對抗日耳曼部落十分成功。

Each legion has close to 5,000 men,

每個軍團都有近五千人，

divided into cohorts of about 500,

分為約每五百人的大隊，

further subdivided into centuries of around 80-100 men.

大隊再進一步分為百人隊， 約有八十到一百人。

Each century is commanded by a centurion.

每個百人隊由一位百夫長領導。

An aquilifer, or eagle-bearer, marches at the head of each legion

一位鷹旗手會走在軍團的前方，

carrying its eagle standard.

帶著軍團的鷹旗。

The centurions march beside the legionaries belting out orders,

百夫長行軍時走在軍團士兵 旁邊，大聲喊著命令，

“Dex, sin, dex, sin,"

「Dex、Sin、Dex、 Sin。」（拉丁文）

“Right, left, right, left,"

「右、左、右、左。」

starting with the right foot as the left is considered unlucky or sinister.

從右腳開始，是因為左邊 被視為是厄運或凶兆。

Despite the strict discipline, there’s tension in the air.

儘管有嚴格的紀律， 空氣中仍然有緊張的味道。

Last year, some legions in the area revolted,

去年，該地區有些軍團造反，

demanding better pay and a cut in the length of service.

要求更優沃的薪水以及役期減半。

Only their general’s charisma and negotiating skills

好在他們的將軍有非凡的領導能力

prevented wholesale mutiny.

和談判技巧，預防了大規模叛亂。

Today is a “just march,” only 30 kilometers.

今天是「正義行軍」， 只有三十公里。

As the marshes and forests of Germania lie beyond the empire’s road system

德國的沼澤和森林位在 帝國的道路系統之外，

the men must build causeways and bridges to make headway—

他們必須要建立堤道 和橋樑才能前行——

something they’ve recently spent more time doing than fighting.

最近他們花在這方面的 時間比打仗還多。

Finally, they arrive at their destination, a place Servius knows too well.

終於，他們抵達了目的地， 一個賽維爾斯太了解的地方。

It’s a clearing on the outskirts of the Teutoburg Forest,

它是條頓堡森林郊區的一塊空地，

where six years ago, during the reign of the Emperor Augustus,

六年前，在奧古斯都統治的時候，

Germanic tribes under their chieftain Arminius

德國阿米尼烏斯酋長 底下的部落在此地

ambushed and destroyed three legions.

伏擊並摧毀了三支軍團。

Proceeding along a narrow path,

軍團順著一條狹窄的小路向前行，

the legions were attacked from forest cover under torrential rain

在森林覆蓋下的豪雨中遭受攻擊，

with their escape blocked.

逃脫退路也被阻擋。

It was one of the worst defeats the Romans ever suffered

那是羅馬打過最糟的敗仗之一，

and Augustus never lived it down.

而奧古斯都始終無法淡忘這事。

Servius was one of the few survivors.

賽維爾斯是少數生存者之一。

Servius still has nightmares of his comrades lying where they fell.

賽維爾斯還會作惡夢， 夢到他的同袍倒地而死。

But now the army is back to bury the dead with full military honors.

但現在軍隊回來 用完整的軍禮埋葬死者。

As he helps in the task,

在協助這項任務時他無法不去想，

he can’t help wondering whether the bones he handles belonged to someone he knew.

他在處理的屍骨 是否屬於他認識的人。

Several times he wants to weep aloud, but he pushes on with the task.

好幾次，他想要大聲哭泣， 但他繼續埋頭苦幹。

The glory of the Empire can go to the crows.

帝國的榮耀也可能 就這樣被烏鴉撿食掉。

All he craves is to retire on a small farm with his wife-to-be,

他渴望的只是退休並和未來的妻子 在他們的小農田裡過生活，

if the gods should spare his life for 17 more years.

如果在接下來的十七年間 上帝能容他不死的話。