Where did Russia come from? - Alex Gendler

譯者: Crystal Yip 審譯者: cindy fong

Where did Russia come from,

俄羅斯從何而來？

why is it so big,

為何它幅員如此遼闊？

and what are the differences between it and its neighbors?

而且它和鄰近國家有何不同？

The answers lie in an epic story of seafaring warriors,

答案隱藏於一個壯麗故事， 故事包括一群海上戰士

nomadic invaders,

遊牧的侵略者

and the rise and fall of a medieval state known as Kievan Rus.

和一個中世紀國家（基輔羅斯）的興衰

In the first millennium,

在第一個千年

a large group of tribes spread through the dense woodlands of Eastern Europe.

一大群部落散佈於東歐的茂密林地

Because they had no writing system,

因為他們沒有書寫文字

much of what we know about them comes from three main sources:

我們主要透過三類資料來認識他們：

archaeological evidence,

考古證據

accounts from literate scholars of the Roman Empire and the Middle East,

羅馬帝國和中東學者的文字描述

and, lastly, an epic history called the Primary Chronicle

和一個宏大的歷史記錄 《往年紀事：古羅斯第一部編年史》

compiled in the 12th century by a monk named Nestor.

由12世紀一位名叫涅斯托爾的僧侶 編集而成

What they tell us is that these tribes who shared a common Slavic language

這些資料告訴我們這些部落 有著共同的斯拉夫語言

and polytheistic religion

並且信奉共同的多神宗教

had by the 7th century split into western, southern and eastern branches,

在7世紀以前， 分裂成西部、南部和東部

the latter stretching from the Dniester River

後者從德涅斯特河伸展至

to the Volga and the Baltic Sea.

伏加河和波羅的海

As Nestor's story goes, after years of subjugation by Vikings from the north,

據涅斯托爾記載， 多年被北方來的維京人征服後

who, by the way, did not wear horned helmets in battle,

順便一提， 這些維京人在戰爭中不戴有角頭盔

the region's tribes revolted and drove back the Northmen,

地區部落群起革命， 把維京人逐回北方

but left to their own devices, they turned on each other.

但後來，部落間兵戎相見

Such chaos ensued that, ironically,

諷刺地，這樣的混亂導致

the tribes reached out to the foreigners they had just expelled,

眾部落聯絡剛被他們驅逐的外國人

inviting them to return and establish order.

邀請他們回來建立秩序

The Vikings accepted, sending a prince named Rurik and his two brothers to rule.

維京人接受邀請， 派遣魯里克王子和他兩名兄弟前來統治

With Rurik's son, Oleg, expanding his realm into the south,

魯里克王子的兒子奥列格向南擴展國土

and moving the capitol to Kiev,

並遷都基輔

a former outpost of the Khazar Empire,

這曾是可薩汗國的前哨基地

the Kievan Rus was born,

基輔羅斯正式誕生

"Rus" most likely deriving from an old Norse word for "the men who row."

「Rus」大概源自古納維亞語， 意為「划船的人們」

The new princedom had complex relations with its neighbors,

這個新王國與鄰國關係複雜

alternating between alliance and warfare with the Khazar and Byzantine Empires,

與可薩汗國和拜占庭帝國 徘徊於結盟和戰爭之間

as well as neighboring tribes.

和其他鄰近部落的關係亦如是

Religion played an important role in politics,

宗教在政治扮演重要的角色

and as the legend goes, in 987,

在公元987年

the Rus prince Vladamir I decided it was time to abandon Slavic paganism,

當時的羅斯王子（維拉基米爾一世） 決定摒棄斯拉夫的異教信仰

and sent emissaries to explore neighboring faiths.

並且派遣使者到鄰國尋找其他信仰

Put off by Islam's prohibition on alcohol

得知伊斯蘭教禁酒

and Judaism's expulsion from its holy land,

並有見猶太教被逐出自己的聖地

the ruler settled on Orthodox Christianity

他最後決定採納東正教

after hearing odd accounts of its ceremonies.

在聽說其奇怪儀式之後

With Vladimir's conversion and marriage to the Byzantine emperor's sister,

維拉基米爾皈依東正教， 並迎娶拜占庭皇帝的妹妹為妻

as well as continued trade along the Volga route,

往來「㐲加之路」的貿易日益頻繁

the relationship between the two civilizations deepened.

這些都使兩個文明的關係日漸緊密

Byzantine missionaries created an alphabet for Slavic languages

拜占庭的傳教士為斯拉夫語創造字母

based on a modified Greek script

建基於一套改良後的希臘字母系統

while Rus Viking warriors served as the Byzantine Emperor's elite guard.

與此同時，羅斯的維京戰士 聘為拜占庭皇帝的精銳守衛

For several generations,

數世代以來

the Kievan Rus flourished from its rich resources and trade.

基輔羅斯受益於豐富資源和貿易， 社會經濟蓬勃發展

Its noblemen and noblewomen married prominent European rulers,

貴族紛紛與顯赫的歐洲皇室 結成姻親

while residents of some cities enjoyed great culture,

部分城市的居民享有豐富的文化生活

literacy, and even democratic freedoms uncommon for the time.

高文化水平， 甚至享有當時少見的民主自由

But nothing lasts forever.

但沒有東西是恒久不變的

Fratricidal disputes over succession began to erode central power

針對王位繼承權的爭辯和互相殘殺， 開始削弱中央權力

as increasingly independent cities ruled by rival princes vied for control.

王子們爭奪控制權，各據城市

The Fourth Crusade and decline of Constantinople

第四次十字軍東征 和君士坦丁堡的衰落

devastated the trade integral to Rus wealth and power,

徹底破壞了貿易 羅斯的財富和權力的命脈

while Teutonic crusaders threatened northern territories.

同時，條頓騎士團進犯北部地區

The final blow, however, would come from the east.

但最後一擊來自東方

Consumed by their squabbles,

耗盡心力於內部爭鬥

Rus princes paid little attention to the rumors

羅斯的王子們忽視

of a mysterious unstoppable hoard

關於一隊萬夫莫敵的 神秘大軍的傳聞

until 1237, when 35,000 mounted archers led by Batu Khan

直至1237年，拔都汗率領3,500名騎射手

swept through the Rus cities,

橫掃羅斯眾城

sacking Kiev before continuing on to Hungary and Poland.

洗劫基輔， 後至匈牙利和波蘭

The age of Kievan Rus had come to an end, its people now divided.

基輔羅斯的時代來到尾聲， 國土分裂，人民分屬不同的統治者

In the east, which remained under Mongol rule,

在仍然受蒙古統治的東部

a remote trading post, known as Moscow,

一個荒蕪的貿易站，名為莫斯科

would grow to challenge the power of the Khans,

漸漸強大，威脅蒙古可汗的統治

conquering parts of their fragmenting empire,

佔領正在分裂的蒙古帝國

and, in many ways, succeeding it.

並運用不同方法獲得勝利

As it absorbed other eastern Rus territories,

當它擴張至其他羅斯東部國土

it reclaimed the old name in its Greek form, Ruscia.

它重新運用希臘文舊名： Ruscia（俄羅斯）

Meanwhile, the western regions whose leaders had avoided destruction

與此同時，西部地區的領袖

through political maneuvering until the hoard withdrew

運用種種政治策略而得保據地， 直至蒙古大軍撒離

came under the influence of Poland and Lithuania.

開始受到波蘭和立陶宛的影響

For the next few centuries,

在接下來的數百年

the former lands of Kievan Rus

基輔羅斯的故土

populated by Slavs,

那曾住著斯拉夫人的

ruled by Vikings,

那曾受維京人統治的

taught by Greeks,

那曾得文字於希臘文的

and split by Mongols

那曾被蒙古人分裂的

would develop differences in society, culture and language

發展出社會、文化和語言上各種差異

that remain to the present day.

直至今天