Plato《法律篇》中英对照.doc

BOOK IV 　　Athenian Stranger. And now, what will this city be? I do not mean to ask what is or will hereafter be the name of the place; that may be determined by the accident of locality or of the original settlement-a river or fountain, or some local deity may give the sanction of a name to the newly-founded city; but I do want to know what the situation is, whether maritime or inland. Cleinias. I should imagine, Stranger, that the city of which we are speaking is about eighty stadia distant from the sea. 客： 【704a】现在，我们应该怎样来描述我们未来的国家呢?我可不是指它的名称：我既不问它现在叫什么名称，也不问将来叫什么名称。（因为这也许取决于它实际上所在的地理环境或某些相邻的地点。名称可以取自某条河川或溪流，或一个地方神的名字。河流或地方神把自己的风格和头衔给了这个新国家。）【704b】我的真正的问题是：这个国家在沿海地带还是在内陆? 克： 先生，刚才我们谈到的那个国家离海大致80斯坦特。 　　Ath. And are there harbours on the seaboard? 　　Cle. Excellent harbours, Stranger; there could not be better. 　　Ath. Alas! what a prospect! And is the surrounding country productive, or in need of importations? 　　Cle. Hardly in need of anything. Ath. And is there any neighbouring State? 客： 好，港口情况怎么样?在该国的沿海地带有港口吗?还是根本就没有? 克： 有，先生。这个国家沿海地带的港口几乎好得不能再好了。 客：【704c】 那么太遗憾了。四周农村的情况怎样?是不是每样东西都有出产，还是有些东西不出产? 克： 不，它实际上样样东西都出产。 客： 附近有国家吗? 　　Cle. None whatever, and that is the reason for selecting the place; in days of old, there was a migration of the inhabitants, and the region has been deserted from time immemorial. 　　Ath. And has the place a fair proportion of hill, and plain, and wood? 　　Cle. Like the rest of Crete in that. 　　Ath. You mean to say that there is more rock than plain? Cle. Exactly. 克： 一个都没有。这就是它建立的原因。很久很久以前，居民们都从该地区迁了出去，使土地不知荒芜了多久。 客： 平原、山脉、森林情况怎样?各占多少面积? 克：【704d】 整体上十分类似克里特其余的地方。 客： 你的意思是，崎岖之地多于平坦之地? 克： 是的，是的。 Ath. Then there is some hope that your citizens may be virtuous: had you been on the sea, and well provided with harbours, and an importing rather than a producing country, some mighty saviour would have been needed, and lawgivers more than mortal, if you were ever to have a chance of preserving your state from degeneracy and discordance of manners.