第十章

　　The Phoenicians

　　腓尼基人

　　The Phoenicians who gave us our alphabet

　　腓尼基人为我们创造了字母

　　The Phoenicians, who were the neighbours of the Jews, were a Semitic tribe which at a very early age had settled along the shores of the Mediterranean. They had built themselves two well-fortified towns, Tyre and Sidon, and within a short time they had gained a monopoly of the trade of the western seas. Their ships went regularly to Greece and Italy and Spain and they even ventured beyond the straits of Gibraltar to visit the Scilly islands where they could buy tin. Wherever they went, they built themselves small trading stations, which they called colonies. Many of these were the origin of modern cities, such as Cadiz and Marseilles.

　　腓尼基人是犹太人的邻居，同属闪米特部族。在很早的时候，他们沿地中海海岸定居下来。他们修筑了两座防备坚固的城市--提尔和西顿。没用多长时间，他们便垄断了西方海域的贸易。他们的船只定期开往希腊、意大利和西班牙，甚至还冒险地驶过直布罗陀诲峡，到锡利群岛采购锡。所到之处，他们建立起一些小型的贸易振点，称为"殖民地"。许多现代城市都起源于腓尼基人建立的小贸易站，比如加的斯和马赛。

　　(Here is a picture of a Phoenician trader.)They bought and sold whatever promised to bring them a good profit.They were not troubled by a conscience. If we are to believe all their neighbours they did not know what the words honesty or integrity meant.They regarded a well-filled treasure chest the highest ideal of all good citizens. Indeed they were very unpleasant people and did not have a single friend.

　　（这是一张画着一个腓尼基商人的图片。）腓尼基人买卖有利可图的一切东西，从未觉得良心不安。如果他们的邻居没有夸大其辞，那么腓尼基人就是既不诚实，也不正直的人。他们把装得满满的钱箱当成是所有正派公民的最高理想。事实上，他们极不招人喜欢，也从未交到过朋友。