在公元前一千年和公元前二千年，海盗在地中海周围航行，攻击船只并躲避追捕者

In the first and second millennia BCE, pirates sailed around the Mediterranean, attacking ships and avoiding pursuers

A 一提到海盗，大多数人脑海中浮现的画面是一群不合群的、胆大妄为的冒险家在加勒比海指挥着一艘高大的帆船。然而，从公元前一千年到公元前三千年，在这些虚张声势的人开始在加勒比地区散布恐惧之前的几千年，海盗在地中海徘徊，袭击商船，威胁重要的贸易路线。然而，尽管古代各国尽了一切努力和力量，海盗行为还是无法被阻止。几千年来，这种情况一直没有改变。只有当海盗直接威胁到古罗马的利益时，罗马共和国才组织了一支庞大的舰队来消灭海盗。在罗马将军庞培的指挥下，罗马消灭了海盗，把地中海变成了“我们的海”。

A   When one mentions pirates, an image springs to most people's minds of a crew of misfits, daredevils and adventurers in command of a tall sailing ship in the Caribbean Sea. Yet from the first to the third millennium BCE, thousands of years before these swashbucklers began spreading fear across the Caribbean, pirates prowled the Mediterranean, raiding merchant ships and threatening vital trade routes. However, despite all efforts and the might of various ancient states, piracy could not be stopped. The situation remained unchanged for thousands of years. Only when the pirates directly threatened the interests of ancient Rome did the Roman Republic organise a massive fleet to eliminate piracy. Under the command of the Roman general Pompey, Rome eradicated piracy, transforming the Mediterranean into 'Mare Nostrum' (Our Sea).<

B 尽管地中海的海盗行为最早是在古埃及法老阿蒙霍特普三世统治时期(公元前1390-1353年)记录下来的，但我们有理由认为，在这个强大的文明出现之前，海盗行为就已经存在了。这部分是由于地中海在当时的重要性，部分是由于它的地理位置。虽然地中海地区主要是肥沃的，但有些地方崎岖不平，多山，甚至多山。在古代，这些地区的居民严重依赖海洋资源，包括鱼和盐。大多数人都有自己的船，拥有良好的航海技能，对当地海岸线和航行路线有着无与伦比的了解。因此，在困难时期，这些人转向海盗也就不足为奇了。地理位置本身也对海盗有利，沿海众多的海湾为他们隐藏船只和不被发现的袭击提供了场所。在15世纪发明远洋帆船之前，船只不容易在开阔水域上长距离航行。因此，在古代世界，大多数人都被限制在沿着海岸线的几条众所周知的通航路线上。一艘满载货物的缓慢商船陷入陷阱，除了投降别无选择。此外，对当地的了解有助于海盗在国家舰队抵达后避免报复。

B Although piracy in the Mediterranean is first recorded in ancient Egypt during the reign of Pharaoh Amenhotep III (c 1390–1353 BCE), it is reasonable to assume it predated this powerful civilisation. This is partly due to the great importance the Mediterranean held at this time, and partly due to its geography. While the Mediterranean region is predominantly fertile, some parts are rugged and hilly, even mountainous. In the ancient times, the inhabitants of these areas relied heavily on marine resources, including fish and salt. Most had their own boats, possessed good seafaring skills, and unsurpassed knowledge of the local coastline and sailing routes. Thus, it is not surprising that during hardships, these men turned to piracy. Geography itself further benefited the pirates, with the numerous coves along the coast providing places for them to hide their boats and strike undetected. Before the invention of ocean-going caravels* in the 15th century, ships could not easily cross long distances over open water. Thus, in the ancient world most were restricted to a few well-known navigable routes that followed the coastline. Caught in a trap, a slow merchant ship laden with goods had no other option but to surrender. In addition, knowledge of the local area helped the pirates to avoid retaliation once a state fleet arrived.

C 我们还应该补充说，在公元前一千年和公元前二千年，政府求助于海盗的服务，特别是在战争期间，利用他们的技能和数量来对付对手，这并非不为人知。海盗舰队将在第一波进攻中发挥作用，为海军铺平道路。其中一些地区以为海盗提供安全的避风港而闻名，而海盗反过来又促进了当地经济的发展。

C One should also add that it was not unknown in the first and second millennia BCE for governments to resort to pirates' services, especially during wartime, employing their skills and numbers against their opponents. A pirate fleet would serve in the first wave of attack, preparing the way for the navy. Some of the regions were known for providing safe harbours to pirates, who, in return, boosted the local economy.

D 在古埃及法老阿肯那吞统治时期(公元前1353-1336年)，关于地中海海盗的第一个已知记录出现在《阿玛纳书简》中。这些是法老和他的盟友之间外交通信的摘录，涵盖了许多紧迫的问题，包括海盗。似乎法老被两个不同的海盗组织所困扰，卢卡和谢尔登。尽管埃及舰队尽了最大的努力，海盗们仍继续对地区商业造成严重破坏。在信件中，Alashiya(现代塞浦路斯)的国王拒绝了Akhenaten关于与Lukka(位于现代土耳其)有联系的说法。国王向阿肯那顿保证，他准备惩罚任何参与海盗活动的臣民。

D The first known record of a named group of Mediterranean pirates, made during the rule of ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten (c 1353–1336 BCE), was in the Amarna Letters. These were extracts of diplomatic correspondence between the pharaoh and his allies, and covered many pressing issues, including piracy. It seems the pharaoh was troubled by two distinct pirate groups, the Lukka and the Sherden. Despite the Egyptian fleet's best efforts, the pirates continued to cause substantial disruption to regional commerce. In the letters, the king of Alashiya (modern Cyprus) rejected Akhenaten's claims of a connection with the Lukka (based in modern-day Turkey). The king assured Akhenaten he was prepared to punish any of his subjects involved in piracy.

E 古希腊世界的海盗经历与埃及统治者不同。埃及的力量以陆地为基础，而古希腊人几乎在生活的各个方面都依赖地中海，从贸易到战争。有趣的是，古希腊作家荷马在他的作品《伊利亚特》和《奥德赛》中，不仅宽恕，而且赞扬海盗的生活方式和行为。在接下来的几个世纪里，这种观点一直没有改变。例如，古希腊历史学家修昔底德(Thucydides)赞扬了海盗对船只甚至城市的大胆袭击。对希腊人来说，海盗是他们日常生活的一部分。甚至国家的高级官员也参与了这些活动。根据希腊演说家德摩斯梯尼的说法，公元前355年，雅典的大使们在公务旅行中绕道而行，劫持了一艘从埃及驶来的船，并将船上发现的财富据为己有!希腊人对海盗的宽容态度并不意味着他们总是容忍海盗行为，但遏制海盗行为的努力受到大量在地中海活动的海盗的阻碍。

E The ancient Greek world's experience of piracy was different from that of Egyptian rulers. While Egypt's power was land-based, the ancient Greeks relied on the Mediterranean in almost all aspects of life, from trade to warfare. Interestingly, in his works the Iliad and the Odyssey, the ancient Greek writer Homer not only condones, but praises the lifestyle and actions of pirates. The opinion remained unchanged in the following centuries. The ancient Greek historian Thucydides, for instance, glorified pirates' daring attacks on ships or even cities. For Greeks, piracy was a part of everyday life. Even high-ranking members of the state were not beyond engaging in such activities. According to the Greek orator Demosthenes, in 355 BCE, Athenian ambassadors made a detour from their official travel to capture a ship sailing from Egypt, taking the wealth found onboard for themselves! The Greeks' liberal approach towards piracy does not mean they always tolerated it, but attempts to curtail piracy were hampered by the large number of pirates operating in the Mediterranean.

F 古罗马的崛起需要罗马共和国来对付地中海的海盗。虽然海盗对共和国来说是一个严重的问题，但罗马却从海盗的存在中获益良多。海盗的袭击为罗马的农业和采矿业提供了稳定的奴隶来源。但这种安排只有在海盗不干涉罗马利益的情况下才能奏效。海盗袭击对罗马公民至关重要的粮食船，这在元老院引发了愤怒的声音，要求惩罚罪犯。然而，罗马没有采取任何行动，反而进一步助长了海盗行为。到了公元前1世纪，胆大妄为的海盗绑架了罗马显贵，要求支付巨额赎金。他们最著名的人质不是别人，正是公元前75年被俘的尤利乌斯·凯撒。

F The rising power of ancient Rome required the Roman Republic to deal with piracy in the Mediterranean. While piracy was a serious issue for the Republic, Rome profited greatly from its existence. Pirate raids provided a steady source of slaves, essential for Rome's agriculture and mining industries. But this arrangement could work only while the pirates left Roman interests alone. Pirate attacks on grain ships, which were essential to Roman citizens, led to angry voices in the Senate, demanding punishment of the culprits. Rome, however, did nothing, further encouraging piracy. By the 1st century BCE, emboldened pirates kidnapped prominent Roman dignitaries, asking for a large ransom to be paid. Their most famous hostage was none other than Julius Caesar, captured in 75 BCE.

G 此时，罗马已经意识到海盗已经不再有用了。采取一致行动的时候到了。公元前67年，一项新的法律授予庞培大量资金来对抗地中海的威胁。庞培亲自指挥，将整个地中海划分为13个地区，并为每个地区分配了一支舰队和指挥官。在清除一个地区的海盗后，舰队将加入下一个地区的海盗。这个过程一直持续到整个地中海没有海盗为止。尽管成千上万的海盗死于庞培的军队之手，但作为解决这个问题的长期办法，更多的海盗得到了远离海洋的肥沃地区的土地。罗马没有受到海上威胁，而是有了多产的农民，进一步推动了经济发展。

G By now, Rome was well aware that pirates had outlived their usefulness. The time had come for concerted action. In 67 BCE, a new law granted Pompey vast funds to combat the Mediterranean menace. Taking personal command, Pompey divided the entire Mediterranean into 13 districts, assigning a fleet and commander to each. After cleansing one district of pirates, the fleet would join another in the next district. The process continued until the entire Mediterranean was free of pirates. Although thousands of pirates died at the hands of Pompey's troops, as a long-term solution to the problem, many more were offered land in fertile areas located far from the sea. Instead of a maritime menace, Rome got productive farmers that further boosted its economy.

* caravel: a small, highly manoeuvrable sailing ship developed by the Portuguese

**小帆船:由葡萄牙人发明的一种小型、高度机动的帆船