and there, in the year 475, Odoacer, commander of a regiment of the German mercenaries, 这里是一座海港，城墙高大，防御坚固。就是在这座海滨堡垒，公元475年，

who wanted the farms of Italy to be divided among themselves, gently 日尔曼雇佣军的指挥官鄂多萨企图瓜分意大利的土地。

but effectively pushed Romulus Augustulus, the last of the emperors who ruled the western division, from his throne, and proclaimed himself Patriarch or ruler of Rome. 于是，他采用温和而有效的手段，将最后一任西罗马帝国皇帝罗慕洛·奥古斯塔斯赶下了宝座，宣布自己是罗马的新主宰。

The eastern Emperor, who was very busy with his own affairs, recognised him, 正被国内事务弄得焦头烂额的东罗马皇帝无暇他顾，只得承认这一事实。

and for ten years Odoacer ruled what was left of the western provinces. 鄂多萨统治西罗马帝国余下的省份，长达十年之久。

A few years later, Theodoric, King of the East Goths, invaded the newly formed Patriciat, took Ravenna, 过了几年，东哥特国王西奥多里克率部侵人这个新建立的王国，攻克拉维纳，

murdered Odoacer at his own dinner table, and established a Gothic Kingdom amidst the ruins of the western part of the Empire. 在鄂多萨自己的餐桌上杀死了他。西奥多里克在西罗马帝国的废墟上建立起一个哥特王国。

This Patriciate state did not last long. 这个国家也未能维持多久。

In the sixth century a motley crowd of Longobards and Saxons and Slavs and Avars invaded Italy, 到公元6世纪，一伙伦巴德人、撒克逊人、斯拉夫人、阿瓦人拼凑起来的乌合之众侵人意大利，

destroyed the Gothic kingdom, and established a new state of which Pavia became the capital. 摧毁哥特王国，建立了一个以帕维亚为首都的新国家。

Then at last the imperial city sank into a state of utter neglect and despair. 连绵的战火，最终使帝国的首都沦为一片无人照管、绝望蔓延的瓦砾。

The ancient palaces had been plundered time and again. 古老的宫殿被强盗们反复洗劫，

The schools had been burned down. 只剩下空空如也的残垣颓壁。学校被烧毁，

The teachers had been starved to death. 老师们被活活饿死。

The rich people had been thrown out of their villas which were now inhabited by evil-smelling and hairy barbarians. The roads had fallen into decay. 富人被赶出他们的别墅，取而代之的是浑身毛发、散发恶臭的野蛮人。