have in common with ancient barbarians?

與古老蠻族有何共通之處？

Not much.

並不多

So why are both known as goths?

但為何兩者都被稱為歌德族？

Is it a weird coincidence

是不可思議的巧合

or a deeper connection stretching across the centuries?

或其中有更深的淵源存在於幾個世紀

The story begins in Ancient Rome.

一切要從古羅馬開始說起

As the Roman Empire expanded, it faced raids and invasions

羅馬帝國擴張後，面臨外族入侵

from the semi-nomadic populations along its borders.

受到邊境的半遊牧民族騷擾

Among the most powerful were a Germanic people known as Goths

其中最兇悍的是日耳曼人，也就是哥德族

who were composed of two tribal groups,

這一族是由兩個部落組成：

the Visigoths

西歌德人

and Ostrogoths.

以及東歌德人

While some of the Germanic tribes remained Rome's enemies,

當時部分日耳曼民族仍與羅馬帝國對抗

the Empire incorporated others into the imperial army.

但羅馬收編其他日耳曼族成為帝國軍隊

As the Roman Empire split in two,

羅馬帝國分裂為東西兩國後，

these tribal armies played larger roles in its defense

這些蠻族軍是抵禦外敵的重要角色

and internal power struggles.

但也內鬥不斷

In the 5th century, a mercenary revolt lead by a soldier named Odoacer

五世紀時，奧多亞塞發動傭兵戰爭

captured Rome and deposed the Western Emperor.

奪取羅馬並罷黜西羅馬皇帝

Odoacer and his Ostrogoth successor Theoderic

奧多亞塞和東歌德的繼承者狄奧多里克大帝

technically remained under the Eastern Emperor's authority

實質上仍效忠東羅馬帝國政權

and maintained Roman traditions.

保留羅馬文化

But the Western Empire would never be united again.

而西羅馬帝國再也無法統一

Its dominions fragmented into kingdoms ruled by Goths

分裂的領土由歌德族

and other Germanic tribes

以及其他日耳曼族統治

who assimilated into local cultures,

這些民族融合當地文化

though many of their names still mark the map.

這些地區仍保留民族姓氏

This was the end of the Classical Period

以上就是古典時代

and the beginning of what many call the Dark Ages.

接著進入所謂的黑暗時代

Although Roman culture was never fully lost,

即便羅馬文化從未徹底消失

its influence declined and new art styles arose

文化影響減少，隨後新的藝術風格興起

focused on religious symbolism and allegory

主要為宗教象徵和寓言故事

rather than proportion and realism.

而非強調比例和現實主義

This shift extended to architecture

藝術風氣改變影響建築

with the construction of the Abbey of Saint Denis in France in 1137.

例如 1137 年位於法國的聖但尼聖殿

Pointed arches, flying buttresses, and large windows

尖拱、飛扶壁以及大片玻璃

made the structure more skeletal and ornate.

使建築物更絢麗又瘦骨嶙峋

That emphasized its open, luminous interior

室內強調寬敞開放且明亮

rather than the sturdy walls and columns of Classical buildings.

有別以往傳統建築的堅厚牆壁以及圓柱風格

Over the next few centuries,

接著持續幾個世紀

this became a model for Cathedrals throughout Europe.

此建築風格成為歐洲教堂的楷模

But fashions change.

時過境遷

With the Italian Renaissance's renewed admiration for Ancient Greece and Rome,

義大利文藝復興崇尚古希臘、古羅馬的建築特色

the more recent style began to seem crude and inferior in comparison.

相較下，當代建築風格更顯得低俗又毫無設計感

Writing in his 1550 book, "Lives of the Artists,"

1550 年瓦薩里出版的傳記「藝苑名人傳」之中

Giorgio Vasari was the first to describe it as Gothic,

首次使用歌德式稱呼此建築風格

a derogatory reference to the Barbarians

貶損蠻族當初

thought to have destroyed Classical civilization.

摧毀古典文明的歷史

The name stuck, and soon came to describe the Medieval period overall,

此臭名遠播，隨即用來稱呼整個中世紀

with its associations of darkness, superstition, and simplicity.

比喻中世紀的黑暗、迷信、愚昧

But time marched on, as did what was considered fashionable.

隨時代轉變，歌德式風格成為藝術流行

In the 1700s, a period called the Enlightenment came about,

西元 1700 年，進入啟蒙時代

which valued scientific reason above all else.

注重科學理性

Reacting against that, Romantic authors like Goethe and Byron

有別於浪漫主義作家歌德和拜倫

sought idealized visions of a past of natural landscapes

用理想化的視角描寫自然景色

and mysterious spiritual forces.

以及神祕的靈魂力量

Here, the word Gothic was repurposed again

這時，「歌德」這詞被重新定義

to describe a literary genre that emerged as a darker strain of Romanticism.

用來形容浪漫主義文學的黑色格調

The term was first applied by Horace Walpole

這詞首次出現在霍勒斯．渥波爾

to his own 1764 novel, "The Castle of Otranto"

1764 年出版的小說「奧特蘭托堡」

as a reference to the plot and general atmosphere.

描寫劇情以及一般情境

Many of the novel's elements became genre staples

許多小說元素成為主流

inspiring classics and the countless movies they spawned.

激勵出很多經典文學以及無數的電影作品

The gothic label belonged to literature and film until the 1970s

直到 1970 年代，歌德式標籤一直跟著文學以及電影界

when a new musical scene emerged.

隨後就應用在音樂領域上

Taking cues from artists like The Doors and The Velvet Underground,

例如：門戶樂團、地下絲絨樂團

British post-punk groups,

英國後龐克搖滾族

like Joy Division,

例如歡樂分隊

Bauhaus,

包豪斯樂團

and The Cure,

治療樂團

combined gloomy lyrics and punk dissonance

融合抑鬱的歌詞以及龐克曲風

with imagery inspired by the Victorian era,

使用維多利亞時期的寫作風格

classic horror,

經典恐怖元素

and androgynous glam fashion.

雌雄同體的穿著打扮

By the early 1980s, similar bands were consistently described

1980 年代早期，相似的樂團持續出現

as Gothic rock by the music press,

皆以歌德搖滾為音樂風格

and the style's popularity brought it out of dimly lit clubs

歌德音樂受到歡迎，把昏暗的地下搖滾

to major labels and MTV.

搖身一變成為主流音樂還上音樂頻道

And today, despite occasional negative media attention and stereotypes,

現今，即便偶爾仍有負面媒體評論以及刻板印象

Gothic music and fashion continue as a strong underground phenomenon.

歌德式音樂和打扮已成為地下文化

They've also branched into sub-genres,

甚至被歸類為次文化

such as cybergoth,

例如賽博歌德

gothabilly,

鄉村歌德

gothic metal,

歌德金屬

and even steampunk.

還有蒸氣龐克

The history of the word gothic is embedded

「歌德」這詞歷史非常悠久

in thousands of years worth of countercultural movements,

歷經上千年的反主流文化運動

from invading outsiders becoming kings

從一開始外族入侵，自立為王

to towering spires replacing solid columns

變成高聳尖塔建築取代實心圓柱

to artists finding beauty in darkness.

再到作家尋求黑暗美學

Each step has seen a revolution of sorts

每個過程都經過一場革命

and a tendency for civilization to reach into its past to reshape its present.

也是文明取源過往，重塑現代的表徵