Both wisdom of thought and beauty of form were to be united by the Athenians in a third art: the art of poetry.
在第三種藝術(shù)中,即在詩藝中,雅典人把思想的睿智和形式的美統(tǒng)一起來。
And here, too, they invented something new: the theater.
而且它們也在這方面發(fā)明了新的東西——戲劇。
Their theater, like their sport, was also once bound up with their religion, with festivals held in honor of their god Dionysus, also known as Bacchus.
他們的戲劇也曾和體育那樣與宗教,與紀(jì)念狄俄倪索斯神(也叫巴克科斯的)的節(jié)日會(huì)演聯(lián)系在一起的。
On his feast-day a performance was held which could last all day.
在他的節(jié)慶日上,一個(gè)節(jié)目可能要持續(xù)一整天。
It took place in the open air, and the actors wore huge masks and high heels, so that they could be easily seen from a distance.
人們?cè)诼短煅莩?,演員們頭戴大面具腳穿高跟鞋,這樣他們?cè)谶h(yuǎn)處也能被看清楚。
We still have plays which they performed. Some are serious, grand and solemn. They are called tragedies.
當(dāng)初演出的戲劇至今還保存著。一些戲劇嚴(yán)肅、莊重、肅穆。它們叫悲劇。
But there were other ones that were very sharp, witty1 and lively, which made fun of certain Athenian citizens. These are called comedies.
但是也有一些其它的戲劇,它們很尖刻、詼諧、生動(dòng),逗笑了一些雅典公民。這些叫喜劇。
I could tell you lots more about the Athenians – about their historians2 and their doctors, their singers, their thinkers and their artists,
我還可以講更多關(guān)于雅典人的事情——講述他們的歷史學(xué)家、醫(yī)生們、歌唱家們、思想家們和藝術(shù)家們,
but I think it would be better for you to find out about them yourself, one day.
但我認(rèn)為有一天你找一些他們的作品來讀會(huì)更好。
Then you'll see that I haven't exaggerated.
到時(shí)候你就會(huì)看到,我沒有言過其實(shí)。