美国学生人类历史第56期:古希腊人的生活(5)

 　　The same simplicity¹ which prevailed in the dining room also dominated their choice of clothes. They liked to be clean and well groomed², to have their hair and beards neatly³ cut, to feel their bodies strong with the exercise and the swimming of the gymnasium, but they never followed the Asiatic fashion which prescribed loud colours and strange patterns. They wore a long white coat and they managed to look as smart as a modern Italian officer in his long blue cape⁴.

　　古希腊人餐桌上盛行的简朴之风，同样表现在他们对衣饰的选择上。他们热爱干净，修饰整洁，头发和胡 子梳理得有条不紊。他们常常锻炼，比如去体育馆游泳，比如练习 田径，好让自己感觉强壮。他们从不追赶亚洲的流行式样，穿那些色彩艳丽、图案古怪的服装。男人们通常着一袭白饱，看上去就像现代身披蓝色披肩的意大利官员一样时髦而有风度。

　　They loved to see their wives wear ornaments⁵ but they thought it very vulgar to display their wealth (or their wives) in public and whenever the women left their home they were as inconspicuous as possible.

　　当然，他们也喜欢自己的妻子戴点珠宝首饰，可他们觉得在公众场台炫耀财富是相当庸俗的行为。所以一旦女人们离家外出，她们都尽量不惹人注目。

　　In short, the story of Greek life is a story not only of moderation but also of simplicity. "Things," chairs and tables and books and houses and carriages, are apt to take up a great deal of their owner's time. In the end they invariably make him their slave and his hours are spent looking after their wants, keeping them polished and brushed and painted. The Greeks, before everything else, wanted to be "free", both in mind and in body. That they might maintain their liberty, and be truly free in spirit, they reduced their daily needs to the lowest possible point.

　　简而言之，古希腊的生活不仅节制，而且简朴。椅子、桌子、书籍、房子、马车等等"物件"，总会占据其拥有者大量的时间，最终，它们会使占有它们的人沦为自己的奴隶。他不得不耗神费力去照顾它们，擦拭、打磨、抛光。而古希腊人首先想要的是"自由 "，是身体和心灵的双重解放。所以他们将自己的日常需要压缩至最低的程度，以便他们维持精神的真正自由

1 simplicity   

n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯

参考例句：

• She dressed with elegant simplicity.她穿着朴素高雅。
• The beauty of this plan is its simplicity.简明扼要是这个计划的一大特点。

2 groomed   

v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的过去式和过去分词 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗

参考例句：

• She is always perfectly groomed. 她总是打扮得干净利落。
• Duff is being groomed for the job of manager. 达夫正接受训练，准备当经理。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 neatly   

adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地

参考例句：

• Sailors know how to wind up a long rope neatly.水手们知道怎样把一条大绳利落地缠好。
• The child's dress is neatly gathered at the neck.那孩子的衣服在领口处打着整齐的皱褶。

4 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

5 ornaments   

n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The shelves were chock-a-block with ornaments. 架子上堆满了装饰品。
• Playing the piano sets up resonance in those glass ornaments. 一弹钢琴那些玻璃饰物就会产生共振。 来自《简明英汉词典》