in the ancient Greek world is in its fourth year.

最慘烈的內戰的第四年

The Peloponnesian War is being fought

伯羅奔尼撒戰役正在進行中

between the city-states of Athens and Sparta, as well as their allies.

敵對雙方為雅典城邦和斯巴達城邦，以及他們彼此的盟友

The Athenians can't match the formidable Spartan army on land.

雅典人抵不過斯巴達人強大的陸上部隊

So they've abandoned the countryside

所以他們放棄了鄉間領地

and moved inside the walls surrounding their city and port,

轉而搬入圍繞他們城市和港口的城墻內

now provisioned by a superior fleet and extensive maritime empire.

並且有一支優良的艦隊和廣泛的海上帝國

The cramped conditions have taken a toll

戰爭帶來了一定程度的傷亡

and a recent plague wiped out a third of the population.

近期發生的瘟疫也帶走了三分之一的人口

But city life goes on.

但城市生活依然繼續著

Archias and Dexileia live in the center of Athens.

Archias 和 Dexileia 住在雅典城的中心

As a painter of high-class pottery,

作為一位高級陶器的彩繪師傅

Archias is relatively well-off and takes great interest in the city's affairs.

Archias 相對比較富裕，並且積極於參與城內事務

Dexileia, on the other hand, can't participate in politics or own property.

另一方面， Dexileia 則不能參政或是擁有個人資產

The couple are grateful to the gods that three of their four children,

這對夫婦感謝眾神庇佑他們四個孩子中的三個

a son and two daughters,

一個兒子和兩個女兒

have survived past infancy.

順利活過了幼年期

Many parents see daughters as a liability

多數父母將女兒視為負擔

since they require dowries to find husbands.

因為要嫁女兒必須付嫁妝

But Archias is confident that his wealth

但 Archias 相信他的財富

will allow him to make good matches for them without going bankrupt.

足夠讓他幫女兒找到好人家，而且不會有破產的風險

Like many Athenians, the family owns slaves.

和許多雅典家庭一樣，這個家一樣有奴隸

Originally from Thrace, they were captured in war.

他們是來自 Thrace 的戰俘

Thratta does most of the housework and helps raise the children.

Thratta 負責大多數的家務事還有幫忙照顧小孩

Philon is a paidagôgos,

Philon 則是私人導師

who supervises the son's education, teaching him reading and writing.

負責監督兒子的教育，教導他讀書寫作

Archias is up early because there's a meeting of the Ekklêsia,

Archias 一早就起來了，為的是去參加 Ekklêsia 會議

the assembly of citizens,

也就是公民集會

taking place at dawn.

在黎明時舉辦

Before setting out, he burns incense

出發之前，他先燒了香

and pours a libation at the small shrine in the courtyard

然後倒一小杯奠酒到庭院的小神龕

on behalf of his entire household.

代表全家人祈福

Dexileia will remain at home all day, teaching her daughters domestic skills.

Dexileia 會整天在家，教導女兒操辦家事

Later, she'll retire to the inner courtyard for some fresh air.

晚點她會到中庭喘口氣，呼吸新鮮空氣

When Archias arrives at the agora,

當 Archias 抵達市場

the civic and commercial heart of the city,

也就是城市的商貿中心時

he finds the square swarming with his fellow citizens,

他發現廣場上擠滿了他的公民夥伴們

native-born adult males who have completed military training.

這些都是已經完成軍事訓練的當地成年男子

Attached to the central monument is a noticeboard with the meeting's agenda.

在中央紀念碑上有一個告示板，宣佈今日的集會討論事項

Today, there's only one item of discussion:

今天，只有一件事要討論

what to do with the people of Mytilene,

那就是該如何處置 Mytilene 的人民

a city on the island of Lesbos

Mytilene 是 Lesbos 島上的一座城市

where a revolt against Athenian rule has just been put down.

那裡剛有一陣反抗雅典統領的暴動被平息下來

The meeting takes place on a hill west of the acropolis known as the Pnyx.

集會舉辦在衛城西方一座名叫 Pnyx 的山丘上

The word means “tightly packed,"

Pnyx 一詞有「擁擠」的意味

and the crowd of 5,000 citizens makes it clear why.

不難想象這名字從何而來，因為公民集會的參與者高達五千名

The heralds purify the hill by sprinkling its boundary with pig's blood

傳令官用豬血標示集會界限，同時藉此淨化山丘

and call for order.

然後呼召大家聚集

As everyone sits on benches facing the platform,

當大家坐在面向平台的長凳時

the presiding officer opens the meeting with the words:

主席用一句話來開始這次的會議

“Tis agoreuein bouleutai?”

“Tis agoreuein bouleutai?”

“Who wishes to address the assembly?”

「誰想上台表達意見？」

One by one, citizens speak, some advising mercy, others bent on vengeance.

一個接一個，公民們開始上台發表，有人建議施與恩惠，其他則支持給予報仇

A motion is proposed to execute all the Mytileneans

其中一項建議是處決所有的 Mytilene 人民

and enslave their women and children

然後奴役他們的婦女和孩童

because they betrayed their Athenian allies during a time of war.

畢竟他們在戰時背叛了他們的雅典盟友

A majority raises their right hands in favor.

大多數人舉起右手表示同意

Once the meeting's over, Archias heads back to the agora to buy food and wine.

一旦會議結束， Archias 返回市場採買食物和酒

Hundreds have gathered there to discuss the results,

上百人聚集在那裡，討論會議的結果

many unhappy with the decision.

其中許多人不滿意最後的決定

When Archias returns home, he tells Dexileia about the debate.

當 Archias 回到家，他和 Dexileia 討論今天會議上的辯論

She thinks that killing the innocent as well as the guilty

她覺得連同罪人一同殺害無辜者

is harsh and counterproductive,

太過嚴厲而且沒什麼好處

and tells him as much.

並且如此告訴他

Around dusk, Archias goes to a friend's house for a symposium.

黃昏時， Archias 前去朋友家參加酒宴

The nine men drink wine and discuss the meeting well into the night.

九個男人聚在一起徹夜喝酒並且討論當天的會議

Archias shares his wife's opinion urging mercy, and his friends eventually agree.

Archias 提出他老婆憐憫人心的意見，最終他的朋友們也都贊同了

Before dawn, something unprecedented happens.

在破曉前，一件前所未有的事情發生了

Heralds circulate throughout Athens

傳令官在雅典人之間穿梭

announcing the council has called another meeting.

宣佈要再舉辦一次會議

The second debate is equally heated,

第二次的討論過程一樣火熱

but a new resolution, to execute only the leaders of the revolt,

但最終決定只處決暴動領導人的動議

narrowly passes.

以些微差距險些通過了

Yet there's a problem –

然而還有個問題

a ship with orders to carry out the first resolution

在前一天，船隻已經被發排去

was dispatched the previous day.

執行前一次會議的決定

And so another ship quickly sets sail to countermand the order –

所以另一艘船趕緊出發去撤回前一道命令

a race of democracy against time.

這是一場民主和時間的賽跑