and war with foreign invaders was a way of life

與外來侵略者間的戰爭更是家常便飯

and Greeks were considered premier warriors

而希臘人被視為一流戰士

Most Greek city-states surrounded themselves with massive defensive walls

大多希臘城都被大規模城牆圍住

for added protection

以加強防禦保護

Sparta in its prime was a different story

斯巴達強盛期時則非如此

finding walls unnecessary

他們發現根本沒必要築牆

when it had an army of the most feared warriors in the ancient world

因為擁有古代最令人畏懼的戰士

So what was Sparta doing differently than everyone else

斯巴達到底做了什麼與眾不同的事

to produce such fierce soldiers?

才能造就如此驍勇善戰的戰士呢？

To answer that question, we turn to the written accounts of that time

要回答這個問題，先看看當時文字記載

There are no surviving written accounts from Spartans themselves

斯巴達本身並未保存任何文獻

as it was forbidden for Spartans to keep records

因為斯巴達人自己嚴禁保存記錄

so we have to rely on those of non-Spartan ancient historians

必須仰賴非斯巴達的古歷史學家

like Herodotus, Thucydides, and Plutarch

像希羅多德、修昔底德，和普魯塔克

These stories may be embellished

這些故事可能被美化了

and depict Sparta at the apex of its power,

且描述斯巴達在巔峰時期的狀況

so take them with a grain of salt

所以只要聽聽就好

For Spartans, the purpose for their existence was simple:

對斯巴達人而言，他們存在的目的很單純：

to serve Sparta

就是效力斯巴達

On the day of their birth

在出生那天

elder Spartan leaders examined every newborn

年長斯巴達領導會檢查每個新生兒

The strong healthy babies were considered capable of fulfilling this purpose

強魄健體的嬰兒被認為足以滿足此目的

and the others may have been left on Mount Taygetus to die

其他的則可能被留在台吉都斯山上等死

Every Spartan, boy or girl, was expected to be physically strong mentally sharp and emotionally resilient.

每個斯巴達人，無論男女，都被期待成為身強體壯、腦筋敏銳、情感收放自如的人。

And it was their absolute duty to defend and promote Sparta at all costs

不惜代價捍衛和推廣斯巴達，是他們的絕對義務

So in the first years of their lives

因此出生後的前幾年

children were raised to understand that their loyalty belonged first to Sparta

孩子們被教養成必須先效忠斯巴達

and then to family

而後才是家庭

This mindset probably made it easier for the Spartan boys

這種心態對斯巴達男孩來說比較容易

who upon turning seven, were sent to the agoge

在滿七歲時，被送去接受斯巴達教育

a place with one main purpose:

那地方的主要目的是：

to turn a boy into a Spartan warrior

讓男孩蛻變成為斯巴達戰士

through thirteen years of relentless, harsh, and often brutal training.

是經由十三年冷酷、嚴厲，且通常是殘暴的訓練

The Spartans prized physical perfection above all else

斯巴達人視完美體態勝過一切

and so the students spent a great deal of their time learning how to fight

因此學生耗費大量時間學習如何戰鬥

To ensure resilience in battle

為確保在戰鬥中的韌性

boys were encouraged to fight among themselves

男孩們被鼓勵相互戰鬥

and bullying, unlike today, was acceptable

與今日不同的是，霸凌是被允許的

In order to better prepare the boys for the conditions of war

為強化男孩們的備戰狀態

the boys were poorly fed

他們飲食很差

sometimes even going days without eating

有時甚至好幾天沒有進食

They also were given little in the way of clothing

他們也不得穿太多

so that they could learn to deal with different temperatures

因為他們得適應不同的溫度

Spartan boys were encouraged to steal in order to survive

斯巴達男孩還被鼓勵為生存而偷竊

but if they were caught

但如果被抓到

they would be disciplined

就必須受罰

not because they stole, but because they were caught in the act

處罰他們並非因為偷竊，而是因為他們被逮

During the annual contest of endurance

年度耐力競賽期間

in a religious ritual known as the diamastigosis,

眾所皆知的鞭笞宗教儀式上

teenage boys were whipped in front of an altar at the Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia

青少年男孩在亞底米女神聖殿祭壇前被鞭打

It was common for boys to die on the altar of the goddess

男孩死在女神祭壇前是常見的事

Fortunately, not everything was as brutal as that

所幸，並非一切都如此殘酷

Young Spartans were also taught how to read

斯巴達年輕人也學習閱讀

write

書寫

and dance

和舞蹈

which taught them graceful control of their movements

舞蹈讓他們學會優美地控制動作

and helped them in combat

同時有助於戰鬥

While the responsibilities for the girls of Sparta were different

斯巴達女孩的責任雖然不同

the high standards of excellence

但高標準的要求

and expectation to serve Sparta with their lives remained the same

及期望她們以生命伺奉斯巴達的原則不變

Spartan girls lived at home with their mothers as they attended school

上學期間，斯巴達女孩跟母親同住

Their curriculum included the arts

她們的課程包括藝術

music

音樂

dance

舞蹈

reading

閱讀

and writing

和寫作

And to stay in peak physical condition, they learned a variety of sports

而為了保持身體顛峰狀況，她們學習各種競技術

such as discus

比如鐵餅

javelin

標槍

and horseback riding

和騎馬

In Sparta, it was believed that only strong and capable women

在斯巴達，普遍認為只有強壯有能力的女性

could bear children that would one day become strong and capable warriors

才能孕育孩子，使其他日成為勇猛能幹的戰士

To all Spartans, men and women

對所有斯巴達人來說，不論男女

perhaps the most important lesson from Spartan school

也許在斯巴達學校學到最重要的事情

was allegiance to Sparta

就是效忠斯巴達

To die for their city-state was seen as the completion of one's duty to Sparta

為國犧牲被視為個人盡到了對斯巴達的責任

Upon their death

在死後

only men who died in battle and women who died in childbirth

只有死於戰鬥的男人與死於分娩的婦女

were given tombstones

才能獲得墓碑

In the eyes of their countrymen, both died so that Sparta could live

在同胞眼中，因為他們的犧牲，斯巴達才得以生存