世界小史 第18章:原始人

Now let's take a last look at these people dressed inskins,

現(xiàn)在讓我們一起最后再看一看這些身上穿著動物毛皮的原始人，

as they paddle their boats made of hollowed-out treetrunks towards their villages of huts on stilts,bringing grain, or perhaps salt from mines in themountains.

當他們乘著挖空的樹干制成的小船向他們木樁上的棚屋村落劃去，他們運來糧食或者大概是從礦山上運來的鹽。

They drink from splendid pottery vessels, and their wives and daughters wear jewelry made ofcolored stones, and even gold.

他們用漂亮的陶罐飲水，他們的妻子和女兒戴著用彩色石塊，甚至金子做成的首飾。

Do you think much has changed since then?

你以為此后發(fā)生了許多變化了嗎?

They were people just like us. Often unkind to one another.

這已經(jīng)是和我們一樣的人類了。

Often cruel and deceitful. Sadly, so are we.

他們很殘忍，常常爾虞我詐。可惜我們也是這樣的人。

But even then a mother might sacrifice her life for her child and friends might die for eachother.

但當時大概也出現(xiàn)過母親為其孩子犧牲自己這樣的事情，當時也一定有戀人互相徇情而死的事情。

No more but also no less often than people do today. And how could it be otherwise?

這些不經(jīng)常有，但也不比今天少。為什么也會有呢?

After all, we're only talking about things that happened between three and ten thousand yearsago.

畢竟我們正在談?wù)摰氖虑橹皇前l(fā)生在3000年至1萬年之間嘛。

There hasn't been enough time for us to change!

從那以后我們還沒有時間去徹底改變我們自己!

So, just once in a while, when we are talking, or eating some bread, using tools or warmingourselves by the fire,

但是有時候，當我們講話或吃面包或使用一件工具或烤火取暖的時候，

we should remember those early people with gratitude, for they were the greatest inventors ofall time.

我們就會感恩地回憶起這些原始人，這些前所未有的最偉大的發(fā)明家。