Even in peacetime the most popular form of sport in Rome was a battle between two professional fighters called gladiators. These men fought each other with swords and spears. Usually one gladiator killed the other. Gladiators also fought wild animals for the amusement of the Roman crowds. Such entertainments were called circuses, and it was often said that“bread and circuses”4 were the only two things the Romans needed to be happy.

　　But the Romans did not spend all their time fighting. They were great builders. They built wonderful temples and public squares, heated baths and leisure centers, huge arches5 to celebrate the victories of their generals, and fine private houses, decorated with statues, fountains and mosaics. Their ideas of town planning were very advanced. The roads they built were stright and strong. In many parts of Europe, Roman roads are still in use.

　　閱讀自測

　　Ⅰ. According to the p as sage , fill in the blanks with proper words:

　　1. One of the favourite activities in ancient Rome was_____________ .

　　2. The entertainments that gladiators fought wild animals for amusement were called circuses, so there was a saying that_____________ and_____________ were the only two things the Romans needed to be happy.

　　3. Romans were great builders. They built wonderful_____________ and public squares, heated houses and_____________ and huge arches.

　　4. The Roman Empire was a wide state and it stretched from_____________ in the west to Persia in the_____________ , and from Germany in the north down to _______

　　Ⅱ. Question :

　　List two proverbs which are in relation to Rome.

　　參考答案

　　Ⅰ. 1. fighting 2. bread / circuses 3 . temples / leisure centers 4. Britain / east / Africa Ⅱ. The die is cast. All roads lead to Rome.

　　參考譯文

　　古羅馬人

　　古 羅馬人最為出名的可能要算斗士。搏斗理所當然地成為他們深愛的運動項目之一。 據傳說記載, 羅馬城是由戰神馬耳斯的雙胞胎兒子所建。羅馬人都是戰功赫赫的斗士, 所 向無敵。羅馬帝國鼎盛時期, 其疆域向西擴展至不列顛, 東到波斯, 自北面的德國向南直達 非洲。羅馬最著名的領袖——— 阿格里帕、哈德良、馬克· 安東尼、尤利烏斯· 愷撒都是斗 士, 而且羅馬文學中最偉大的著作對這些領袖指揮的戰斗都有所描述。

　　即使是和平年代, 羅馬最流行的運動形式也是在被稱為角斗士的兩名專業斗士之間進 行的搏斗。過去這些人用劍和矛對打, 經常是兩者必有一死。為了讓羅馬群眾娛樂, 角斗 士還與野生動物打斗。這類娛樂方式被稱為競技。人們常說, 只要有了“ 面包和競技”這兩 樣東西, 羅馬人就可以過得快活了。

　　但是, 羅馬人并沒把所有時間都花在搏斗上。他們也是偉大的建設者。他們建造了奇 特的廟宇、公共廣場、溫泉浴場、休閑中心、慶祝們凱旋而歸的巨大拱門, 以及裝飾有雕 像、噴泉和鑲嵌圖案的漂亮的私人會所。羅馬人的城市規劃思想非常先進。他們修造的道 路筆直而且堅固。在現代歐洲的許多地方, 羅馬人修筑的道路仍在使用。