纪录片《文明》 第31期 创世纪的第二个瞬间（31）（在线收听）

On the other side of the world in Central America,

而在世界另一边的中美洲

another culture would face a set of ecological conditions

另一个文明面对的生态环境

that seemed far more hospitable.

看起来就宜人多了

The Mayans lived amidst tropical forests.

玛雅人生活在热带丛林中

It looks almost absurdly fertile.

这里的土地看似异常肥沃

And these great ruins are proof that when the delicate balance

这些伟大的遗迹证明当生机勃勃的栖息地

between prospering habitat and vaulting ambition is maintained,

和人类巨大的野心之间保持微妙的平衡时

civilisations can bind rulers and the ruled,

文明能将统治者和被统治者联结到一起

and a culture can burst into riotously prolific bloom.

文化也会迸发出最蓬勃的活力

If you take away all this magnificent vegetation

如果把这些自然生长出的

that's sprung up naturally from the space,

高大植物从这里除去

you realise this is an extraordinary plaza,

你就会发现这是一个超大的广场

it's the centre of a city.

是城市的中心

Wherever you look, there are these huge stone staircases,

四目望去都是巨大的石阶

some temples, some tombs,

还有庙宇 坟墓

all the more amazing because there are no draft animals,

如此神奇 因为没有役畜

there are no wheels,

也没有轮状工具

so human labour only is responsible for these great things.

这些宏大的建筑全都由人力建造