我们能做出的最接近事实的推测是：伊特拉斯坎人最初来自小亚细亚，可能是由于战争，也可能是因为一场大瘟疫，他们不得不离乡背井，到别处去寻找新的栖居之所。不管使他们流浪到意大利的原因为何，伊特拉斯坎人在历史上都担当了非常重要的角色。他们把古代文明的花粉从东方传到了西方，他们教会了来自北方的罗马人文明生活的基本原理，包括建筑术、修建街道、作战、艺术、烹调、医药以及天文。

　　But just as the Greeks had not loved their ?gean teachers, in this same way did the Romans hate their Etruscan masters. They got rid of them as soon as they could and the opportunity offered itself when Greek merchants discovered the commercial possibilities of Italy and when the first Greek vessels reached Rome. The Greeks came to trade, but they stayed to instruct. They found the tribes who inhabited the Roman country-side(and who were called the Latins) quite willing to learn such things as might be of practical use. At once they understood the great benefit that could be derived from a written alphabet and they copied that of the Greeks. They also understood the commercial advantages of a well-regulated system of coins and measures and weights. Eventually the Romans swallowed Greek civilisation hook, line and sinker.

　　不过正如希腊人不喜欢他们的爱琴海人导师一样，罗马人也同样憎恨他们的伊特拉斯坎师傅。当希腊商人发现与意大利通商的好处，当第一艘希腊商船满载货物抵达罗马城时，罗马人便迅速摆脱了伊特拉斯坎人。希腊人本是来意大利做生意的，后来却居留下来，担任罗马人的新指导。他们发现这些居住在罗马乡间（被称为拉丁人）的部族非常乐于接受有实用价值的新事物。一当罗马人意识到可以从书写文字中得到巨大的好处，他们便模仿希腊字母的样子，创造了拉丁文。他们还发现，统一制定的货币与度量方式将大大促进商业的发展，于是他们就毫不犹豫地如法炮制。最终，罗马人不仅咬上了希腊文明的鱼钩，甚至连鱼线和坠子都一古脑地吞了下去。

　　They even welcomed the Gods of the Greeks to their country. Zeus was taken to Rome where he became known as Jupiter and the other divinities followed him. The Roman Gods however never were quite like their cheerful cousins who had accompanied the Greeks on their road through life and through history.

　　他们还欢天喜地地把希腊的诸神也请进了自己的国家。宙斯移居罗马，新名字叫朱庇特。其余的希腊神抵接踵而至。不过，罗马的诸神可不像他们那些陪伴希腊人度过一生、走完整条历史长河的表兄妹们那样神采飞扬、喜笑颜开。