History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 1 — Page 11
The more peaceful and didactic episodes on the development of the Roman law, or even on the details of ecclesiastical history, interpose themselves as resting-places or divisions between the periods of barbaric invasion.
关于罗马法发展的较为平和且富有说教意味的篇章，乃至教会史细节的叙述，穿插其间，宛如蛮族入侵各时期之间的休憩之所或分界标志。
In short, though distracted first by the two capitals, and afterwards by the formal partition of the empire, the extraordinary felicity of arrangement maintains an order and a regular progression.
总而言之，尽管叙述先被两座都城所牵绊，后又因帝国的正式分裂而旁逸斜出，然而这种非凡巧妙的布局安排仍维持着一种秩序与有规律的递进。
As our horizon expands to reveal to us the gathering tempests which are forming far beyond the boundaries of the civilized world—as we follow their successive approach to the trembling frontier—the compressed and receding line is still distinctly visible; though gradually dismembered and the broken fragments assuming the form of regular states and kingdoms, the real relation of those kingdoms to the empire is maintained and defined;
随着我们的视野不断拓展，远在文明世界边界之外正在聚集的风暴逐渐显现——当我们追随着这些风暴一波接一波地逼近那颤抖的边疆——那条紧缩退守的界线依然清晰可辨；尽管帝国渐遭肢解，破碎的残片逐渐形成正规的邦国与王国，但这些王国与帝国之间的真实关系仍得以维系与界定；
and even when the Roman dominion has shrunk into little more than the province of Thrace—when the name of Rome, confined, in Italy, to the walls of the city—yet it is still the memory, the shade of the Roman greatness, which extends over the wide sphere into which the historian expands his later narrative;
乃至当罗马的统治已萎缩至仅剩色雷斯一省之地——当罗马之名在意大利仅囿于城墙之内——然而，正是罗马昔日伟大的记忆与余晖，依然笼罩于史家在后期叙述中所铺展开的广阔天地之上；
the whole blends into the unity, and is manifestly essential to the double catastrophe of his tragic drama.
全书融汇为一个整体，对于这部悲剧性史诗的双重灾难性结局而言，显然不可或缺。
But the amplitude, the magnificence, or the harmony of design, are, though imposing, yet unworthy claims on our admiration, unless the details are filled up with correctness and accuracy.
然而，设计的宏阔、壮丽或和谐，纵然令人印象深刻，若非细节皆以正确与精准加以充实，则不足以赢得我们真正的赞叹。
No writer has been more severely tried on this point than Gibbon.
在这一方面，没有哪位作家所受到的严格检验比吉本更为苛刻。
Vocabulary
- 关于
- guānyú — regarding; concerning a particular topic or subject
- 发展
- fāzhǎn — to develop; growth or progress over time
- 的
- de — structural particle indicating possession or modification
- 较为
- jiàowéi — comparatively; relatively more so than usual
- 平和
- pínghé — mild; calm and gentle in tone or manner
- 且
- qiě — and; moreover; furthermore connecting clauses
- 富有
- fùyǒu — rich in; full of a certain quality or characteristic
- 说教
- shuōjiào — moralizing; lecturing others in a preachy manner
- 意味
- yìwèi — flavor; implied meaning or undertone in expression
- 篇章
- piānzhāng — chapters and sections; passages of written work
- 乃至
- nǎizhì — even; ranging up to and including an extreme case
- 细节
- xìjié — details; small specific particulars of a subject
- 叙述
- xùshù — to narrate; describe events in sequential detail
- 穿插
- chuānchā — to intersperse; insert intermittently among other content
- 其间
- qíjiān — in between; within that period or space
- 宛如
- wǎnrú — just like; resembling as if exactly the same
- 入侵
- rùqīn — to invade; forcibly enter another's territory
- 各
- gè — each; every individual one of a group
- 时期
- shíqī — period; a span of time with distinct characteristics
- 之间
- zhījiān — between; in the space or time separating two things
- 或
- huò — or; alternatively indicating one of several options
- 分界
- fēnjiè — boundary; dividing line separating two distinct areas
- 标志
- biāozhì — marker; symbol or sign indicating something significant
- 总而言之
- zǒng ér yán zhī — in summary; to sum up everything said before
- 尽管
- jǐnguǎn — although; even though despite circumstances
- 先
- xiān — first; earlier in sequence before something else
- 被
- bèi — passive marker indicating subject receives an action
- 两座
- liǎng zuò — two (large structures); measure word for cities or buildings
- 都城
- dūchéng — capital city; the seat of imperial or national power
- 所
- suǒ — particle used in passive constructions with 被
- 后
- hòu — afterward; later in time or sequence
- 又
- yòu — again; also indicating an additional action or state
- 因
- yīn — because of; due to a cause or reason
- 帝国
- dìguó — empire; a vast state ruled by an emperor
- 正式
- zhèngshì — official; formal in nature or recognition
- 分裂
- fēnliè — to split; divide into separate opposing parts
- 而
- ér — and then; conjunction linking cause and result
- 然而
- rán'ér — however; nevertheless introducing a contrasting statement
- 这种
- zhè zhǒng — this kind of; this type or sort of thing
- 非凡
- fēifán — extraordinary; exceptional and far above the ordinary
- 巧妙
- qiǎomiào — ingenious; cleverly designed with skillful artistry
- 布局
- bújú — layout; overall structural arrangement or plan
- 安排
- ānpái — arrangement; to organize or plan something systematically
- 仍
- réng — still; continuing to be as before
- 维持着
- wéichí zhe — maintaining; keeping something in its current state
- 一种
- yī zhǒng — a kind of; one type of something
- 秩序
- zhìxù — order; systematic and organized arrangement of things
- 与
- yǔ — and; together with linking two nouns or concepts
- 有
- yǒu — to have; there is existence of something
- 规律
- guīlǜ — pattern; regular rule or law governing phenomena
- 随着
- suízhe — along with; as something progresses or changes
- 我们
- wǒmen — we; us referring to a group including the speaker
- 视野
- shìyě — field of vision; breadth of perspective or outlook
- 不断
- búduàn — continuously; without stopping or interruption
- 拓展
- tuòzhǎn — to expand; broaden the scope of something
- 远在
- yuǎn zài — far away; located at a distant place
- 文明
- wénmíng — civilization; an advanced state of human society
- 世界
- shìjiè — world; the earth and all of human existence
- 边界
- biānjiè — border; the boundary line of a territory
- 之外
- zhī wài — outside of; beyond the limits of something
- 正在
- zhèngzài — in the process of; currently doing an action
- 聚集
- jùjí — to gather; accumulate or assemble in one place
- 风暴
- fēngbào — storm; a violent disturbance in weather or events
- 逐渐
- zhújiàn — gradually; slowly and incrementally over time
- 显现
- xiǎnxiàn — to emerge; become visible or apparent gradually
- 当
- dāng — when; at the time that something occurs
- 追随着
- zhuīsuí zhe — following; tracing along behind something or someone
- 这些
- zhèxiē — these; referring to multiple things nearby
- 地
- de — adverbial particle linking adverb to verb
- 逼近
- bījìn — to close in; approach threateningly and relentlessly
- 那
- nà — that; referring to something previously mentioned
- 颤抖
- chàndǒu — to tremble; shake with fear or instability
- 边疆
- biānjiāng — frontier; remote border region of a country
- 那条
- nà tiáo — that (long thing); measure word for lines or borders
- 紧缩
- jǐnsuō — to contract; shrink or tighten under pressure
- 界线
- jièxiàn — boundary line; clear line of demarcation between areas
- 依然
- yīrán — still; remaining unchanged as before
- 清晰
- qīngxī — clear; distinct and easy to perceive or understand
- 破碎
- pòsuì — fragmented; broken into many scattered pieces
- 形成
- xíngchéng — to form; gradually develop into a definite shape
- 正规
- zhèngguī — regular; formally established and properly organized
- 王国
- wángguó — kingdom; a state ruled by a king or queen
- 但
- dàn — but; however introducing a contrasting idea
- 真实
- zhēnshí — real; genuine and corresponding to actual facts
- 关系
- guānxi — relationship; connection between people or things
- 得以
- déyǐ — to be able to; manage to accomplish something
- 维系
- wéixì — to maintain; keep a relationship or system intact
- 界定
- jièdìng — to define; establish the boundaries of a concept
- 罗马
- Luómǎ — Rome; the ancient city and civilization of Italy
- 统治
- tǒngzhì — to rule; exercise authority and control over others
- 已
- yǐ — already; indicating a completed or current state
- 萎缩
- wěisuō — to shrink; wither and diminish in size or scope
- 至
- zhì — to; reaching as far as a limit or destination
- 仅剩
- jǐn shèng — only remaining; with just a small remnant left
- 在
- zài — at; in; located at a place or time
- 意大利
- Yìdàlì — Italy; the country in southern Europe
- 仅
- jǐn — only; merely limited to a small extent
- 城墙
- chéngqiáng — city walls; defensive walls surrounding an ancient city
- 之内
- zhī nèi — within; inside the boundaries of something
- 正是
- zhèng shì — precisely; it is exactly this that matters
- 昔日
- xīrì — former days; times long past in history
- 伟大
- wěidà — great; magnificent and of enormous significance
- 记忆
- jìyì — memory; recollection of past experiences or events
- 笼罩
- lǒngzhào — to envelop; cover over completely like a shroud
- 于
- yú — at; in; preposition indicating location or object
- 后期
- hòuqī — later period; the latter stage of a time span
- 中
- zhōng — in; within; among indicating inclusion or location
- 广阔
- guǎngkuò — vast; expansive and wide in scope or area
- 天地
- tiāndì — heaven and earth; the entire world or realm
- 之上
- zhī shàng — above; upon the surface or top of something
- 全书
- quán shū — the entire book; the complete work as a whole
- 为
- wéi — into; to become or serve as something
- 一个
- yīgè — one; a single unit of something
- 整体
- zhěngtǐ — whole; a complete unified entity or totality
- 对于
- duìyú — regarding; with respect to a particular matter
- 这部
- zhè bù — this (work); measure word for books or films
- 悲剧性
- bēijùxìng — tragic in nature; having the quality of a tragedy
- 史诗
- shǐshī — epic; a grand narrative poem of heroic events
- 双重
- shuāngchóng — dual; twofold having two aspects simultaneously
- 灾难性
- zāinànxìng — catastrophic; having the nature of a great disaster
- 结局
- jiéjú — ending; the final outcome of a story or event
- 而言
- ér yán — in terms of; speaking from a certain perspective
- 显然
- xiǎnrán — obviously; clearly evident without need for explanation
- 不可或缺
- bùkě huòquē — indispensable; absolutely necessary and cannot be omitted
- 设计
- shèjì — design; a plan or scheme conceived purposefully
- 壮丽
- zhuànglì — magnificent; splendidly grand and awe-inspiring
- 和谐
- héxié — harmonious; having pleasing agreement among parts
- 纵然
- zòngrán — even if; granting that a certain condition exists
- 令人
- lìngrén — causing people to feel; making one experience something
- 印象深刻
- yìnxiàng shēnkè — impressive; leaving a deep mark on one's memory
- 皆
- jiē — all; every one without exception
- 以
- yǐ — with; using as a means or instrument
- 正确
- zhèngquè — correct; accurate and free from error
- 精准
- jīngzhǔn — precise; exactly accurate with no margin of error
- 加以
- jiāyǐ — to apply; proceed to do something to an object
- 充实
- chōngshí — to enrich; fill out with substantial content
- 则
- zé — then; consequently in a conditional statement
- 不足以
- bùzúyǐ — insufficient to; not enough to achieve something
- 赢得
- yíngdé — to win; earn or gain through effort or merit
- 真正
- zhēnzhèng — genuine; truly and authentically the real thing
- 赞叹
- zàntàn — to admire; exclaim in admiration and praise
- 这一
- zhè yī — this one; referring to a specific aspect or point
- 方面
- fāngmiàn — aspect; a particular side or dimension of something
- 没有
- méiyǒu — no; does not have; there is none
- 哪位
- nǎ wèi — which person; polite form asking about a person
- 作家
- zuòjiā — writer; a person who creates literary works professionally
- 受到
- shòudào — to receive; to be subjected to something
- 严格
- yángé — strict; rigorous and demanding without leniency
- 检验
- jiǎnyàn — to test; examine critically to verify quality
- 比
- bǐ — than; used in comparisons between two things
- 更为
- gèngwéi — even more; to a greater degree than before
- 苛刻
- kēkè — harsh; excessively severe and demanding in judgment
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