世界小史 第136期:对法律的忠诚

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　　有许多古老的、美好的故事讲述罗马人的这种对家乡的热爱和他们对法律的忠诚。

　　Stories of fathers who sentenced their own sons to death without turning a hair, because the law so demanded,

　　有的故事讲述父亲泰然自若就处死了他们自己的儿子，因为法律要求这样做。

　　and of heroes who didn't hesitate to give their lives for their fellow countrymen on the battlefield or in captivity¹.

　　的故事讲述英雄们在战场上或在监禁中毫不犹豫为其同胞作出自我牺牲。

　　While we don't have to believe every word of them,

　　这些故事我们不见得字字句句都信，

　　such stories give us an idea of what was expected of a Roman: the harshness² and discipline that it was his duty to show towards himself and to others whenever his native land or the law were involved.

　　但是这些故事给我们的印象是罗马人在评价一个人时看重的是什么：在涉及到法或祖国时的刚强和严厉。

　　Nothing could shake these Romans. They never gave up.

　　没有什么不幸能把这些罗马人吓倒。他们从不放弃。

　　Not even when their city was captured and burnt to the ground by tribesmen from the north called Gauls, in 390 BC.

　　就连他们的城市在公元前390年被北方的一个部落，高卢人攻陷并烧毁的时候，

　　They just rebuilt it, fortified³ it, and gradually brought the small surrounding towns back under their control.

　　他们也没有泄气。他们将它重建，重新加固它并渐渐迫使各毗邻的小城邦臣服。

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