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

譯者: Chen Chi-An 審譯者: Helen Chang

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

公元前 427 年

是古希臘史最嚴重紛爭的第四年，

in the ancient Greek world is in its fourth year.

The Peloponnesian War is being fought

伯羅奔尼薩戰爭在城邦雅典 和斯巴達聯盟間展開。

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

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

雅典在陸上不敵強大的斯巴達軍，

So they’ve abandoned the countryside

所以他們放棄了農村，

and moved inside the walls surrounding their city and port,

搬進有高牆保護的城市和港口。

now provisioned by a superior fleet and extensive maritime empire.

這些地方有先進的船艦， 由強大的海洋政權保護著。

The cramped conditions have taken a toll

壅擠的環境付出了代價，

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

最近一場瘟疫奪走三分之一人口。

But city life goes on.

但市民仍要繼續生活。

Archias and Dexileia live in the center of Athens.

阿奇亞斯和德希萊雅 住在雅典城的市中心，

As a painter of high-class pottery,

身為高級陶器的畫家，

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

阿奇亞斯相對富裕， 且對城市事務有強烈興趣

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

另一方面，德希萊雅不得參與政治 或擁有自己的財產。

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

這對伴侶感謝諸神，

因為他們的四個孩子中 有三個撐過嬰兒期，

a son and two daughters,

have survived past infancy.

包含一個兒子和兩個女兒。

Many parents see daughters as a liability

許多父母將女兒視為某種責任，

since they require dowries to find husbands.

因為她們需要嫁妝 來匹配未來的丈夫，

But Archias is confident that his wealth

但阿奇亞斯很有自信，

他認為他的財產夠讓女兒找到 好對象，且不會因此破產。

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

Like many Athenians, the family owns slaves.

和許多雅典人一樣， 他們家裡有奴隸，

Originally from Thrace, they were captured in war.

這些色雷斯人在戰爭中被俘，

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

薩塔做大部份家事， 以及幫忙養育小孩；

Philon is a paidagôgos,

樊隆是老師，

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

負責兒子的教育，教他讀書和寫字。

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

阿奇亞斯很早起床，

因為有場市民大會在清晨召開。

the assembly of citizens,

taking place at dawn.

Before setting out, he burns incense

出門前，他燒香，

and pours a libation at the small shrine in the courtyard

並在院子的小神殿倒酒，

on behalf of his entire household.

替自己的家庭獻祭。

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

德希萊雅整天待在家， 教女兒家務事，

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

之後，她會到內院休息， 呼吸些新鮮空氣。

When Archias arrives at the agora,

當阿奇亞斯抵達市場，

the civic and commercial heart of the city,

市場是市民和商業活動中心，

he finds the square swarming with his fellow citizens,

他發現其他市民，當地出生且 已服役的男性，將廣場擠滿了。

native-born adult males who have completed military training.

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

中央紀念碑上放著的是會議議程，

Today, there’s only one item of discussion:

今天只討論一個項目：

what to do with the people of Mytilene,

如何處置列斯伏斯島 米蒂利尼的人民？

a city on the island of Lesbos

這個城市反抗雅典的統治 剛剛被弭平。

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

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

會議在衛城西邊的小山丘舉行， 小山丘叫普尼克斯，

The word means “tightly packed,"

意思是「緊密包裹」。

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

當五千個市民擠在此地時， 意思不言而喻。

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

傳令官在山丘周圍 撒豬血來淨化山丘，

and call for order.

並維護秩序。

As everyone sits on benches facing the platform,

當人面向講台坐好後，

the presiding officer opens the meeting with the words:

主持人以此開場：

“Tis agoreuein bouleutai?”

“ Tis agoreuein bouleutai? ”

“Who wishes to address the assembly?”

「誰想在大會上發言？」

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

一個接一個，市民們發言；

有些建議寬恕，其他傾向報復。

A motion is proposed to execute all the Mytileneans

有個提議處決所有米蒂利尼市民，

and enslave their women and children

並將女人小孩抓來當奴隸，

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

因為他們在戰爭期間背叛雅典。

A majority raises their right hands in favor.

多數人舉起右手表示贊同。

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

會議一結束，阿奇亞斯 回到市場去買食物和酒，

Hundreds have gathered there to discuss the results,

數百人聚集於此討論會議結果，

many unhappy with the decision.

許多人不滿意這決定。

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

當阿奇亞斯回到家， 他告訴德希萊雅這場辯論。

She thinks that killing the innocent as well as the guilty

她覺得將無辜者當犯罪者處死

is harsh and counterproductive,

過於苛刻而且會有反效果。

and tells him as much.

她盡可能告訴他她的想法。

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

日落前夕，阿奇亞斯 去朋友家參加討論會，

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

共九個人喝著酒， 討論這場會議直到晚上。

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

阿奇亞斯分享妻子赦免的主張，

最後他的朋友都贊成。

黎明前，發生一件未曾聽聞的事：

Before dawn, something unprecedented happens.

Heralds circulate throughout Athens

傳令官穿梭整個雅典城，

announcing the council has called another meeting.

公告眾議院將再次召開會議。

The second debate is equally heated,

第二場辯論同樣激烈，

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

最後，只處決叛亂領導的 新決議驚險通過。

narrowly passes.

Yet there’s a problem –

然而，有一個問題，

a ship with orders to carry out the first resolution

第一個決議的船前一天已出發。

was dispatched the previous day.

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

因此另一艘船很快出航去收回成命。

a race of democracy against time.

這是一場民主和時間的競賽。