世界小史 第171期:仇恨人類

The Christians had often said that this world must end so that a better, purer world might take its place.

基督徒們?cè)３Ｕf，這個(gè)世界必須毀滅，好讓一個(gè)更好的、更純潔的世界誕生。

Of course, you and I know that they meant Heaven.

你知道，他們這話是什么意思。

But because people tend not to listen very carefully, soon they were saying: "The Christians want the world to end because they hate mankind."

但是由于人們通常只是粗略地傾聽別人說話，所以羅馬不久便盛傳：基督徒希望世界毀滅，他們仇恨人類。

An extraordinary accusation, don't you think?

這難道不是一個(gè)奇怪的指責(zé)嗎?

Nero had them arrested wherever he found them, and they were brutally put to death.

尼祿一找到他們便統(tǒng)統(tǒng)將其逮捕，并殘忍地處死他們。

Some were torn to pieces by wild beasts in the arena, while others were burnt alive as torches at a grand nocturnal banquet in his garden.

他不僅讓他們?cè)趧?chǎng)里被野獸撕碎，他也讓他們?cè)谒乃饺嘶▓@里在一個(gè)盛大的晚會(huì)上當(dāng)火炬活活燒死。

But the Christians bore all these tortures and those of later persecutions with unbelievable courage.

但是基督徒在這次以及后來受迫害時(shí)都以聞所未聞的勇氣忍受住了種種痛苦，

They were proud to testify to the power of their new faith.

他們?yōu)槌蔀檫@一新的信仰力量的見證人而感到自豪。

And these testifiers – or 'martyrs', to use the Greek word – later became the first saints.

這些見證人在希臘語中叫“martyrs”。這些殉教者后來被敬奉為第一批圣徒。

Christians used to pray at the tombs of their martyrs,

基督徒們?nèi)コ菟麄兊膲災(zāi)共⒃谀抢锲矶\。

whom they buried in a whole network of underground passages and burial chambers called catacombs, outside the city gates.

由于他們不能再大白天公開集會(huì)，所以他們就偷偷地在墓室里聚集。那是城市前面的地下通道和墓室。

 

The Christians had often said that this world must end so that a better, purer world might take its place.

 

 

基督徒們?cè)３Ｕf，這個(gè)世界必須毀滅，好讓一個(gè)更好的、更純潔的世界誕生。

 

 

Of course, you and I know that they meant Heaven.

 

 

你知道，他們這話是什么意思。

 

 

But because people tend not to listen very carefully, soon they were saying: "The Christians want the world to end because they hate mankind."

 

 

但是由于人們通常只是粗略地傾聽別人說話，所以羅馬不久便盛傳：基督徒希望世界毀滅，他們仇恨人類。

 

 

An extraordinary accusation, don't you think?

 

 

這難道不是一個(gè)奇怪的指責(zé)嗎?

 

 

Nero had them arrested wherever he found them, and they were brutally put to death.

 

 

尼祿一找到他們便統(tǒng)統(tǒng)將其逮捕，并殘忍地處死他們。

 

 

Some were torn to pieces by wild beasts in the arena, while others were burnt alive as torches at a grand nocturnal banquet in his garden.

 

 

他不僅讓他們?cè)趧?chǎng)里被野獸撕碎，他也讓他們?cè)谒乃饺嘶▓@里在一個(gè)盛大的晚會(huì)上當(dāng)火炬活活燒死。

 

 

But the Christians bore all these tortures and those of later persecutions with unbelievable courage.

 

 

但是基督徒在這次以及后來受迫害時(shí)都以聞所未聞的勇氣忍受住了種種痛苦，

 

 

They were proud to testify to the power of their new faith.

 

 

他們?yōu)槌蔀檫@一新的信仰力量的見證人而感到自豪。

 

 

And these testifiers – or 'martyrs', to use the Greek word – later became the first saints.

 

 

這些見證人在希臘語中叫“martyrs”。這些殉教者后來被敬奉為第一批圣徒。

 

 

Christians used to pray at the tombs of their martyrs,

 

 

基督徒們?nèi)コ菟麄兊膲災(zāi)共⒃谀抢锲矶\。

 

 

whom they buried in a whole network of underground passages and burial chambers called catacombs, outside the city gates.

 

 

由于他們不能再大白天公開集會(huì)，所以他們就偷偷地在墓室里聚集。那是城市前面的地下通道和墓室。