LESSON 110

A VIEW OF THE COLOSSEUM

角斗场印象记

Orville Dewey, 1794-1882, a well known Unitarian clergyman and author, was born in Sheffield, Massachusetts, graduated with distinction at Williams College in 1814, and afterward studied theology at Andover. For a while he was assistant to Dr. W. E. Channing in Boston, and later, was a pastor in New Bedford, New York City, and Boston. He made two or three voyages to Europe, and published accounts of his travels.

“Discourses on Human Life,” “Discourses on the Nature of Religion,” “Discourses on Commerce and Business,” are among his published works. His writings are both philosophical and practical; and, as a preacher, he was esteemed original, earnest, and impressive.

On the eighth of November, from the high land, about fourteen miles distant, I first saw Rome; and although there is something very unfavorable to impression in the expectation that you are to be greatly impressed, or that you ought to be, or that such is the fashion; yet Rome is too mighty a name to be withstood by such or any other influences. Let you come upon that hill in what mood you may, the scene will lay hold upon you as with the hand of a giant. I scarcely know how to describe the impression, but it seemed to me as if something strong and stately, like the slow and majestic march of a mighty whirlwind, swept around those eternal towers; the storms of time, that had prostrated the proudest monuments of the world, seemed to have left their vibrations in the still and solemn air; ages of history passed before me; the mighty procession of nations, kings, consuls, emperors, empires, and generations had passed over that sublime theater. The fire, the storm, the earthquake, had gone by; but there was yet left the still, small voice like that at which the prophet “wrapped his face in his mantle.”

I went to see the Colosseum by moonlight. It is the monarch, the majesty of all ruins; there is nothing like it. All the associations of the place, too, give it the most impressive character. When you enter within this stupendous circle of ruinous walls and arches, and grand terraces of masonry, rising one above another, you stand upon the arena of the old gladiatorial combats and Christian martyrdom; and as you lift your eyes to the vast amphitheater, you meet, in imagination, the eyes of a hundred thousand Romans, assembled to witness these bloody spectacles. What a multitude and mighty array of human beings; and how little do we know in modern times of great assemblies! One, two, and three, and, at its last enlargement by Constantine, more than three hundred thousand persons could be seated in the Circus Maximus!

But to return to the Colosseum; we went up under the conduct of a guide upon the walls and terraces, or embankments, which supported the ranges of seats. The seats have long since disappeared; and grass overgrows the spots where the pride, and power, and wealth, and beauty of Rome sat down to its barbarous entertainments. What thronging life was here then! What voices, what greetings, what hurrying footsteps upon the staircases of the eighty arches of entrance! And now, as we picked our way carefully through the decayed passages, or cautiously ascended some moldering flight of steps, or stood by the lonely walls—ourselves silent, and, for a wonder, the guide silent, too—there was no sound here but of the bat, and none came from without but the roll of a distant carriage, or the convent bell from the summit of the neighboring Esquiline.

It is scarcely possible to describe the effect of moonlight upon this ruin. Through a hundred lonely arches and blackened passageways it streamed in, pure, bright, soft, lambent, and yet distinct and clear, as if it came there at once to reveal, and cheer, and pity the mighty desolation. But if the Colosseum is a mournful and desolate spectacle as seen from within—without, and especially on the side which is in best preservation, it is glorious. We passed around it; and, as we looked upward, the moon shining through its arches, from the opposite side, it appeared as if it were the coronet of the heavens, so vast was it—or like a glorious crown upon the brow of night.

I feel that I do not and can not describe this mighty ruin. I can only say that I came away paralyzed, and as passive as a child. A soldier stretched out his hand for “un dono,” as we passed the guard; and when my companion said I did wrong to give, I told him that I should have given my cloak, if the man had asked it. Would you break any spell that worldly feeling or selfish sorrow may have spread over your mind, go and see the Colosseum by moonlight.

【中文阅读】

十一月八日那天，从约相距十四英里的高地，我平生第一次俯瞰罗马城；尽管在满怀期冀的期待中存在某种非常不适宜的印象，你必然留下极为深刻的印象，或者你应该留下深刻的印象，抑或就应该是这样的印象。不过，罗马太神气活现，单单它的名字就足以配得上这样或任何别的影响力。不论你怀着什么样的心情，你都会从那座小山丘开始你的罗马之行，那里就像巨人之手一样呈现在你眼前。我真不晓得该如何形容这一印象，但是在我看来似乎既强烈又庄重，就像一股巨大的旋风缓慢而壮观地向前推进似的，在那些永恒的高塔四周盘旋；将世界上最值得骄傲的名胜古迹变成一堆断壁残垣的时间风暴，似乎在寂静和肃穆的空气中留下它们的共鸣。历史岁月在我面前匆匆而过；各个国家、列王、执政官、皇帝、帝国和一代一代人在对这令人赞叹的剧场视而不见中已成过往。火灾、暴雨和地震也拿它无可奈何。然而，还有一个微弱的声音就像先知“用它他的斗篷蒙住他的脸”。

在月光下我去拜谒角斗场。在所有遗迹中它是帝王，具有君临天下的气度。世界上没有哪个遗迹能与它相比。所有与这个地方有关的联想，都赋予其给人印象最深刻的特征。当你走进这个由残毁的墙和拱门围成的巨大的圆形广场时，砖瓦铺成的宏伟台地一级高过一级，你站在这个古老的角斗士角斗和基督徒殉道的地方；随着你举目眺望这个巨大的圆形剧场，在想象中你会与聚在一起观看这血腥的角斗场景的成千上万罗马人四目相对。这么多的人和队列啊，而现代社会我们所知的大集会相形之下显得多么小啊！一，二，三，最后由康斯坦丁执政时达到最大，超过三十万人坐在马西莫斯环形广场！

还是回到角斗场吧。我们在导游的引导下登上围墙和台地，以及用来支撑座位的路堤。那些座位早已不见踪影，昔日骄傲、强大、集天下财富与一身和美轮美奂的罗马人坐下来欣赏野蛮娱乐的地方，如今已经草长人非。这里昔日人头攒动！在入口八十座拱门的台阶上，喊叫声、欢呼声和急匆匆的脚步声此起彼伏！现在，当我们小心地穿过已经废弃的通道，或者谨慎地登上还处在腐朽状态的台阶，或者倚着孤独冷清的围墙而立时——我们一语皆无，导游也默不作声——除了蝙蝠，什么动静也没有；要不是远方的四轮马车的车辙，或者从附近埃斯奎林山顶传来的女修道院暮钟，这里了无生气。

几乎无法形容月光下废墟的别样印象，穿过一百个寂寞荒凉的拱门和黑魆魆的通道，光线豁然变得明亮、纯粹、柔和与闪烁不停，但泾渭分明和清晰，那无以名状的巨大孤独仿佛一下子显露出来，乐悲尽在不言中。如果说从里面看角斗是一道令人不胜唏嘘和遗世而立的风景的话，特别是在它那保存得完好的一侧看，那么它完全可以用辉煌来形容。我们绕着场地缓步而行，从对面看月光透过拱门倾洒下来，仿佛它是上天的宝冠，显得如此空旷——就像夜晚额头上辉煌的王冠。

我觉得自己不能也无法形容这个巨大的废墟。我只能说我离开时身体有些僵硬，像孩子一样冷漠。我们经过岗哨时，一个士兵伸手要“小费”。当我的同伴说我不该不给时，我告诉他说我本来想把我的披风给他，如果他要的话。如果你想打破世俗的情感或源于自私的忧患会占据你的内心这个魔咒，不妨在月光下去角斗场看看。