纪录片《文明》 第85期 画卷天堂（9）（在线收听）

There are butterflies and birds.

这上面绣着蝴蝶和飞鸟

A leopard pounces on a goat.

扑向山羊的豹子

Fish swim in the four legendary watercourses which meet in a central pool.

游动在四条汇聚于中心的水渠里的鱼

The garden carpet was more than an oasis of super-abundance.

这张花园地毯不仅仅描绘了一个丰饶的绿洲

Any Muslim who sat upon it,

任何坐在其上的穆斯林

whether emperor or humble tribesman,

无论是帝王还是部落平凡的一员

found themselves in that most uplifting of all places,the heart of heaven.

都感到他们仿佛置身于那尘世之上的天国的中心

In Christian Medieval Europe,

在基督教主导下的中世纪欧洲

paradise gardens came with a health warning.

天国花园总让人担心自身的安危

After all, the whole mental world of Christendom turned on a single,

毕竟 基督教传说中整个世界都在伊甸园

fateful moment back in Eden.

那命运的一刻发生了转折

That moment when the serpent tempted Eve and set in motion

在那条蛇诱惑夏娃,并付诸行动的一刻

the great epic of sin and salvation,

整个关于罪与赎的史诗

culminating in the crucifixion of Christ.

以基督被钉死在十字架上达到高潮

But, in 14th-century Siena,

但在十四世纪的锡耶纳

anxieties about dangers lurking in the vegetation gave way to an exercise

对植物中隐藏危险的恐慌让位于

in the self-congratulation of urban rulers

城市统治者的讴歌自己的举措

who, in this fresco by Ambrogio Lorenzetti,

安布罗焦.洛伦采蒂这幅壁画中的统治者

ride out to enjoy the fruits of wise government.

骑马出城去欣赏贤明政府的治理成果

The satisfying sight of the contadini, Italian peasants,

也就是和平丰收年景里意大利乡间

sewing and harvesting in peace and fruitfulness.

农夫播种与丰收的愉悦图景

Two seasons in one painting.

一幅画囊括了两个季节

In the Renaissance, this rural test of urban leadership

文艺复兴时期 城市统治者的乡村治理实验

found its vindication in the rediscovery

为非宗教性风景画的

of pagan classical writings about the landscape.

经典篇章的重新解读提供了条件

Rusticating townsmen turned to their favourite Latin author, Virgil,

乡镇居民们则转向他们最爱的拉丁作家 维吉尔

whose nature poem, The Georgics,written for urbanites, of course,

他的一篇无疑写给都市人的名为《农事诗》的自然诗作

extolled the pleasures of country life and labour.

赞颂了乡间生活与劳作的愉悦