Why the people of the middle ages said that "city air is free air" 为什么中世纪的人们会说，"城市的空气是充满自由的空气"。

The early part of the Middle Ages had been an era of pioneering and of settlement. 中世纪初期是一个拓荒与定居的时代。

A new people, who thus far had lived outside the wild range of forest, mountains and marshes which protected the north-eastern frontier of the Roman Empire,  从中亚群山浩浩荡荡地西迁而来的日尔曼民族，他们原本生活在罗马帝国东北部的森林、高山与沼泽之外的荒野地带。

had forced its way into the plains of western Europe and had taken possession of most of the land. 此时，他们强行穿越这道天然的防护屏障，闯进西欧地区的肥沃平原，将大部分土地据为己有。

They were restless, as all pioneers have been since the beginning of time. They liked to be "on the go." 他们天生厌恶安分守己的生活，像历史上所有的拓荒者一样，他们喜欢"在路上"的感觉，宁愿不断迁移。

They cut down the forests and they cut each other's throats with equal energy. 他们精力充沛地砍伐森林，开荒放牧；他们也以同样的精力相互撕杀，割断对手的喉咙。

Few of them wanted to live in cities. 他们中很少有人居住在城市，因为他们希望保持"自由自在的"生活方式。

They insisted upon being "free,"they loved to feel the fresh air of the hillsides fill their lungs while they drove their herds across the wind-swept pastures. 他们喜欢驱赶着羊群越过劲风拂面的草坡，让山间树林的清新空气充满他们的五脏六腑。

When they no longer liked their old homes, they pulled up stakes and went away in search of fresh adventures. 当长居旧家已经令人生厌时，他们便毫不犹豫地拔起帐篷，收拾家什，出发去寻找新的牧场。

The weaker ones died. The hardy fighters and the courageous women who had followed their men into the wilderness survived. 在不断迁移的路上，弱者被淘汰，只有坚强的战士和跟随她们的男人勇敢进入荒野的女人幸存了下来。

In this way they developed a strong race of men. 就这样，他们发展成一个强健坚韧的种族，具有顽强的生命力。

They cared little for the graces of life. 他们对生活中优美细致的东西不甚在意。

They were too busy to play the fiddle or write pieces of poetry. 他们总是在奔波忙碌，没有闲情逸致去玩乐器或写作诗歌。

They had little love for discussions. 他们精明务实，不喜欢说空话，也不喜欢讨论问题。

The priest, "the learned man" of the village (and before the middle of the thirteenth century,a layman who could read and write was regarded as a "sissy")  教士作为村里唯一"有学问的人"（在13世纪中期以前，一个会读能写的男人一般被视为"女人气的男子"），

was supposed to settle all questions which had no direct practical value. 人们都仰赖他解决所有的问题，也就是那些没有直接实用价值的问题。