House of Augustus opens to public
By Christian Fraser
BBC News, Rome
Almost 50 years ago, archaeologists searching for the ruined house of Augustus found a tiny clue buried deep in 2,000 years' worth of rubble overlooking the Forum in Rome.
約莫五十年前，在奧古斯都已成廢墟的居所中不斷搜索的考古學家找到一個微小的線索，兩千年來一直給深深埋藏在俯瞰羅馬古墟的碎石瓦礫堆之中。
The single fragment of painted plaster, discovered in masonry-filled rooms, led the experts to unearth a series of exquisite frescoes commissioned by the man who would later become Rome's first emperor.
在堆滿磚石的幾個室內找到的這個上了顏色的石膏碎片，引導著這群專家們發掘了一系列精美的壁畫，可能就是這個後來成為首位羅馬皇帝的人命人繪製的。
On Sunday following decades of painstaking restoration, the frescoes in vivid shades of blue, red and ochre went on public show for the first time since they were painted in about 30BC.
這些在西元前三十年以藍色、紅色和黃土色等鮮麗色彩所繪製成的壁畫，經過幾十年下來毫不懈怠的復原工作，在這個星期天做了首次公開的展示。
One large room boasts a theatrical theme, its walls painted to resemble a stage with narrow side-doors.
有個大房間更是以劇場主題為其特色，牆面上繪有一座舞台與幾個狹窄邊門。
High on the wall a comic mask peers through a small window.
一幅滑稽的面具由高牆上的小窗戶透了出來。
Other trompe l'oeil designs include an elegant garden vista, yellow columns and even a meticulously sketched blackbird.
其他採錯視畫法的設計中，有一幅雅緻的花園景色，黃色的圓柱林立，還鉅細靡遺地描繪了一隻畫眉鳥。
Builders' names preserved
The Rome authorities have spent nearly 2m euros preserving the four Augustus rooms - thought to comprise a dining-room, bedroom, an expansive reception hall at ground-level and a small study on the first floor.
羅馬當局已經花了近兩百萬歐元來保存四間奧古斯都的房間 – 應該包含了有一間餐廳、臥室、一樓高貴的宴會廳以及二樓一間小書房。
Experts say the frescoes are among the most splendid surviving examples of Roman wall paintings, on a par with those found in the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Archaeologists believe they may have been painted by an Egyptian.
專家們表示這些壁畫與龐貝城與Herculaneum城擁有的，並列為所有羅馬保存最完好的壁畫之一。考古學家們認為這些壁畫可能是由同一個埃及人所繪。
In the large entrance hall, graffiti on one wall is believed to have been left by the builders, who seem to have sketched out geometric designs, possibly for mosaic floors, and left their names.
刻在寬闊門廊上的字被認為是當時建造者所留下來的，這些留有他們的名字的人好像草擬了幾何圖案的設計，可能就是用來製作馬賽克地板。
In 31BC Augustus - or Octavian, as he was then known - had triumphed over the combined forces of Mark Antony and the Egyptian queen Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium.
西元31年，奧古斯都 – 也就是當時的屋大維，在亞克興會戰中大勝馬克安東尼及埃及女皇佩托拉克聯合的軍隊。
The victory brought Egypt, and with it immense wealth, into the empire.
戰爭的勝利將埃及以及她巨大的財富一併納入了帝國的版圖。
But if the frescoes on the walls are exquisite, their surroundings, though impressive, with vaulted ceilings, are less than palatial.
即使她的壁畫是這樣的精美，壁畫的四周和一重重美麗的穹頂也教人望而生畏，卻仍不及宮殿的華美。
The Roman historian Suetonius described how Augustus lived in a modest house on the Palatine before he assumed supreme power and built a sprawling imperial complex higher up the hill.
羅馬歷史學家Suetonius描述奧古斯都在握有至高無上的權力並在更高的山丘上建起一座向四面八方延伸的巨大建築之前，是如何生活在Palatine山中簡樸的房子裡。
Painstaking reconstruction
The great-nephew and adopted son of Julius Caesar, he took the name Augustus on becoming sole ruler in 27BC after the civil wars that followed Julius Caesar's assassination.
凱撒大帝遭到暗殺以及隨之而來的內戰結束之後，這個凱撒大帝的甥孫同時也是他的養子，在西元前27年取得奧古斯都的封號並成為當時唯一的掌權者。
His rise ended the Roman Republic and marked the beginning of the Roman Empire. He died in AD14.
他的掘起終結了羅馬共和國，並且揭開了羅馬帝國的序幕。他逝世於公元14年。
Some of his interior decoration was found intact when the Italian archaeologist Professor Gianfilippo Carettoni finally broke through to the rooms in the early 1970s.
1970年初，當義大利的考古學家Gianfilippo Carettoni教授排除萬難進到這幾間室內時，一些內部的裝飾仍是完好如初。
.jpg)
Other frescoes had to be pieced together from fragments found by a team led by Irene Jacopi, the archaeologist in charge of the Palatine Hill.
負責管理帕拉蒂尼山的考古學家Irene Jacopi所領軍的團隊，則必須由尋獲的碎片中將其他的壁畫拼湊出來。
The art is so delicate that no more than five visitors at a time will be able to enter the rooms. Nevertheless, they are expected to attract large crowds.
由於這些藝術品需要非常小心的照顧，因此一次只能讓五位遊客同時進到裡頭參觀。但預計仍會吸引大批的人潮。
Recent archaeological work in Rome has boosted tourism by as much as 40%, according to the city authorities.
根據城市當局所說，近來羅馬的考古工作為旅遊業增加了約40%的業績。
The Palatine Hill has been giving up new finds for years, although much of the site is off limits to visitors and under threat of subsidence.
儘管帕拉蒂尼山的許多地方是禁止遊客進入而且有下陷坍塌的危險，數年來仍舊一直不斷有新的發現。
Future revelations
The minister of culture, Francesco Rutelli, said that 12m euros had been set aside to help protect the extensive ruins.
文化部長Francesco Rutelli說撥出的這一千兩百萬歐元是用來幫助保護這片廣闊的廢墟。
Mr Rutelli, who is standing for election as mayor of Rome next month, described the opening of the Augustus rooms as an "extraordinary event, the fruit of decades of work".
下個月將代表參選羅馬市長的Rutelli先生形容開放奧古斯都的幾間房間是件"破天荒的大事，也是數十載辛勤工作的成果"。
"Ancient history is here," he said. "Every day you have a new discovery. It's incredible - in the very heart of the city, in the middle of the traffic and ordinary life."
"古代歷史就在這裡，"他說。"每天都有新發現。這實在是太不可思議了 - 而且就在市中心，在車水馬龍、在日常生活中。"
In November last year archaeologists located a grotto deep beneath Augustus's imperial palace that may have been the shrine where ancient Romans worshipped Romulus, the founder of the city according to legend.
去年的十一月，考古學家在奧古斯都的宮殿下方深處找到一處洞穴，有可能是座古羅馬人用來敬拜傳說中創建羅馬城的Ramulus的神殿。
Next year archaeologists hope to open to the public Augustus's mausoleum - once a monument in white travertine marble that is now an overgrown ruin.
考古學家希望明年能夠將奧古斯都的陵墓對外開放，這座昔日以白色的石灰華大理石所打造的紀念碑，現在是一片雜草叢生的廢墟。
From Monday entry to the Roman Forum will no longer be free. Instead, visitors must pay 11 euros ($16; £8) for a combined ticket that will give entry to the Forum, the Palatine Hill and the nearby Colosseum.
從星期一開始，進入羅馬古墟將不再是免費的了。不僅如此，觀光客必須付11歐元購買套票，才得已進入古廣場、帕拉蒂尼山以及附近的古羅馬競技場。
Officials say the proceeds will fund increased security and restoration work around Rome. "There are exciting new finds every month," said Mr Rutelli, "and we need this money to preserve these treasures for future generations".
官員表示這些門票收入將用來提升羅馬各處的安全措施與修復工作。Rutelli先生說，"每個月都有令人驚喜的新發現，因此我們需要這些資金好為後世的子子孫孫保存這些貴重的古物"。
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/7286305.stm
Published: 2008/03/09 14:59:46 GMT
© BBC MMVIII
By Christian Fraser
BBC News, Rome
Almost 50 years ago, archaeologists searching for the ruined house of Augustus found a tiny clue buried deep in 2,000 years' worth of rubble overlooking the Forum in Rome.
約莫五十年前，在奧古斯都已成廢墟的居所中不斷搜索的考古學家找到一個微小的線索，兩千年來一直給深深埋藏在俯瞰羅馬古墟的碎石瓦礫堆之中。
The single fragment of painted plaster, discovered in masonry-filled rooms, led the experts to unearth a series of exquisite frescoes commissioned by the man who would later become Rome's first emperor.
在堆滿磚石的幾個室內找到的這個上了顏色的石膏碎片，引導著這群專家們發掘了一系列精美的壁畫，可能就是這個後來成為首位羅馬皇帝的人命人繪製的。
On Sunday following decades of painstaking restoration, the frescoes in vivid shades of blue, red and ochre went on public show for the first time since they were painted in about 30BC.
這些在西元前三十年以藍色、紅色和黃土色等鮮麗色彩所繪製成的壁畫，經過幾十年下來毫不懈怠的復原工作，在這個星期天做了首次公開的展示。
One large room boasts a theatrical theme, its walls painted to resemble a stage with narrow side-doors.
有個大房間更是以劇場主題為其特色，牆面上繪有一座舞台與幾個狹窄邊門。
High on the wall a comic mask peers through a small window.
一幅滑稽的面具由高牆上的小窗戶透了出來。
Other trompe l'oeil designs include an elegant garden vista, yellow columns and even a meticulously sketched blackbird.
其他採錯視畫法的設計中，有一幅雅緻的花園景色，黃色的圓柱林立，還鉅細靡遺地描繪了一隻畫眉鳥。
Builders' names preserved
The Rome authorities have spent nearly 2m euros preserving the four Augustus rooms - thought to comprise a dining-room, bedroom, an expansive reception hall at ground-level and a small study on the first floor.
羅馬當局已經花了近兩百萬歐元來保存四間奧古斯都的房間 – 應該包含了有一間餐廳、臥室、一樓高貴的宴會廳以及二樓一間小書房。
Experts say the frescoes are among the most splendid surviving examples of Roman wall paintings, on a par with those found in the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
Archaeologists believe they may have been painted by an Egyptian.
專家們表示這些壁畫與龐貝城與Herculaneum城擁有的，並列為所有羅馬保存最完好的壁畫之一。考古學家們認為這些壁畫可能是由同一個埃及人所繪。
In the large entrance hall, graffiti on one wall is believed to have been left by the builders, who seem to have sketched out geometric designs, possibly for mosaic floors, and left their names.
刻在寬闊門廊上的字被認為是當時建造者所留下來的，這些留有他們的名字的人好像草擬了幾何圖案的設計，可能就是用來製作馬賽克地板。
In 31BC Augustus - or Octavian, as he was then known - had triumphed over the combined forces of Mark Antony and the Egyptian queen Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium.
西元31年，奧古斯都 – 也就是當時的屋大維，在亞克興會戰中大勝馬克安東尼及埃及女皇佩托拉克聯合的軍隊。
The victory brought Egypt, and with it immense wealth, into the empire.
戰爭的勝利將埃及以及她巨大的財富一併納入了帝國的版圖。
But if the frescoes on the walls are exquisite, their surroundings, though impressive, with vaulted ceilings, are less than palatial.
即使她的壁畫是這樣的精美，壁畫的四周和一重重美麗的穹頂也教人望而生畏，卻仍不及宮殿的華美。
The Roman historian Suetonius described how Augustus lived in a modest house on the Palatine before he assumed supreme power and built a sprawling imperial complex higher up the hill.
羅馬歷史學家Suetonius描述奧古斯都在握有至高無上的權力並在更高的山丘上建起一座向四面八方延伸的巨大建築之前，是如何生活在Palatine山中簡樸的房子裡。
Painstaking reconstruction
The great-nephew and adopted son of Julius Caesar, he took the name Augustus on becoming sole ruler in 27BC after the civil wars that followed Julius Caesar's assassination.
凱撒大帝遭到暗殺以及隨之而來的內戰結束之後，這個凱撒大帝的甥孫同時也是他的養子，在西元前27年取得奧古斯都的封號並成為當時唯一的掌權者。
His rise ended the Roman Republic and marked the beginning of the Roman Empire. He died in AD14.
他的掘起終結了羅馬共和國，並且揭開了羅馬帝國的序幕。他逝世於公元14年。
Some of his interior decoration was found intact when the Italian archaeologist Professor Gianfilippo Carettoni finally broke through to the rooms in the early 1970s.
1970年初，當義大利的考古學家Gianfilippo Carettoni教授排除萬難進到這幾間室內時，一些內部的裝飾仍是完好如初。
.jpg)
Other frescoes had to be pieced together from fragments found by a team led by Irene Jacopi, the archaeologist in charge of the Palatine Hill.
負責管理帕拉蒂尼山的考古學家Irene Jacopi所領軍的團隊，則必須由尋獲的碎片中將其他的壁畫拼湊出來。
The art is so delicate that no more than five visitors at a time will be able to enter the rooms. Nevertheless, they are expected to attract large crowds.
由於這些藝術品需要非常小心的照顧，因此一次只能讓五位遊客同時進到裡頭參觀。但預計仍會吸引大批的人潮。
Recent archaeological work in Rome has boosted tourism by as much as 40%, according to the city authorities.
根據城市當局所說，近來羅馬的考古工作為旅遊業增加了約40%的業績。
The Palatine Hill has been giving up new finds for years, although much of the site is off limits to visitors and under threat of subsidence.
儘管帕拉蒂尼山的許多地方是禁止遊客進入而且有下陷坍塌的危險，數年來仍舊一直不斷有新的發現。
Future revelations
The minister of culture, Francesco Rutelli, said that 12m euros had been set aside to help protect the extensive ruins.
文化部長Francesco Rutelli說撥出的這一千兩百萬歐元是用來幫助保護這片廣闊的廢墟。
Mr Rutelli, who is standing for election as mayor of Rome next month, described the opening of the Augustus rooms as an "extraordinary event, the fruit of decades of work".
下個月將代表參選羅馬市長的Rutelli先生形容開放奧古斯都的幾間房間是件"破天荒的大事，也是數十載辛勤工作的成果"。
"Ancient history is here," he said. "Every day you have a new discovery. It's incredible - in the very heart of the city, in the middle of the traffic and ordinary life."
"古代歷史就在這裡，"他說。"每天都有新發現。這實在是太不可思議了 - 而且就在市中心，在車水馬龍、在日常生活中。"
In November last year archaeologists located a grotto deep beneath Augustus's imperial palace that may have been the shrine where ancient Romans worshipped Romulus, the founder of the city according to legend.
去年的十一月，考古學家在奧古斯都的宮殿下方深處找到一處洞穴，有可能是座古羅馬人用來敬拜傳說中創建羅馬城的Ramulus的神殿。
Next year archaeologists hope to open to the public Augustus's mausoleum - once a monument in white travertine marble that is now an overgrown ruin.
考古學家希望明年能夠將奧古斯都的陵墓對外開放，這座昔日以白色的石灰華大理石所打造的紀念碑，現在是一片雜草叢生的廢墟。
From Monday entry to the Roman Forum will no longer be free. Instead, visitors must pay 11 euros ($16; £8) for a combined ticket that will give entry to the Forum, the Palatine Hill and the nearby Colosseum.
從星期一開始，進入羅馬古墟將不再是免費的了。不僅如此，觀光客必須付11歐元購買套票，才得已進入古廣場、帕拉蒂尼山以及附近的古羅馬競技場。
Officials say the proceeds will fund increased security and restoration work around Rome. "There are exciting new finds every month," said Mr Rutelli, "and we need this money to preserve these treasures for future generations".
官員表示這些門票收入將用來提升羅馬各處的安全措施與修復工作。Rutelli先生說，"每個月都有令人驚喜的新發現，因此我們需要這些資金好為後世的子子孫孫保存這些貴重的古物"。
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/7286305.stm
Published: 2008/03/09 14:59:46 GMT
© BBC MMVIII
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