美国学生人类历史 第74期:罗马和迦太基(2)

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　　随着岁月不断流逝，迦太基对临近地区的影响力也日渐增强，直到北非的大部分海岸地区。西班牙以及法国的部分地区都成为了它的属地，定期向这个阿非利加海滨的强大城市进贡、缴税、上缴红利。迦太基也因此富甲一方。

　　Of course, such a "plutocracy³"was forever at the mercy of the crowd. As long as there was plenty of work and wages were high, the majority of the citizens were quite contented⁴, allowed their"betters" to rule them and asked no embarrassing questions. But when no ships left the harbor, when no ore was brought to the smelting-ovens, when dockworkers and stevedores⁵ were thrown out of employment, then there were grumblings and there was a demand that the popular assembly be called together as in the olden days when Carthage had been a self-governing republic.

　　当然，这样一个富人政权的存在，总是要经过民众们的同意或默许的。只要它能够保证较多的工作机会及充足的薪水，大多数的市民就感到心满意足，任由那些个"能人"和"精英"们来发号施令，也不会问些令人尴尬的问题来为难政府。可是一旦船只不能出海，也不再有矿石运进港口来供熔炉冶炼，当码头工人和装卸工人无事可做，尽日面对饥肠辘辘的家人，大众中就会怨声四起，就会出现要求召开平民会议的呼声。当迦太基还是一个古代的自治共和国时，这是一个惯例。

　　To prevent such an occurrence the plutocracy was obliged to keep the business of the town going at full speed. They had managed to do this very successfully for almost five hundred years when they were greatly disturbed by certain rumors⁶ which reached them from the western coast of Italy. It was said that a little village on the banks of the Tiber had suddenly risen to great power and was making itself the acknowledged leader of all the Latin tribes who inhabited central Italy. It was also said that this village, which by the way was called Rome, intended to build ships and go after the commerce of Sicily and the southern coast of France.

　　为防止平民骚动的发生，富人政府不得不尽力维持整个城市的商业全速运转，不能有丝毫的懈怠。在500年的时间里，他们兢兢业业地推 进城市的商业扩张，非常成功地做到了这一点。可到了某一天，从意大利西海岸传来了一些谣言，顿时让这些统治迦太基的富人寝食难安。据说，台伯河边的一个毫不起眼的小村子突然崛起，成为意大利中部所有拉丁部落公认的领袖。传言还说，这个村庄名叫罗马，它正打算大建船只，积极谋求与西西里及法国南部地区通商。

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