Let us welcome you to the final day of dramatic battle between great tragedians.

歡迎你/妳來到悲劇擂台最後一天的現場，

It is a spring day here in Ancient Greece.

這裡是春天的古希臘。

Nearly 17,000 patrons are filing into the Theatre of Dionysus

將近17000的觀眾正進入帝奧尼索斯(希臘酒神)的劇院

to watch top playwrights,

看最頂尖的劇作家，

including favorites Aeschylus and Sophocles duke it out

包括幾位受歡迎的希臘悲劇詩人及悲劇作家來一決高下

to see whose hero may be deemed most tragic,

看誰筆下的英雄最悲慘，

whose story most awful.

誰寫的故事最令人畏懼。

Well Seacrestopolis,

好了! Seacrestopolis

in last week's battle of the choruses,

最後一周的詩歌比賽，

all 50 members of each playwright's chorus traveled back and forth across the stage,

50位劇作家每一位都在台前來回走過了

singing the strophe and antistrophe, telling misbegotten tales of woe.

一邊唱著詩歌，一邊訴說著哀傷的傳說。

Today's first chorus is entering through the parados,

今天第一個進場的詩歌團體

taking their positions in the orchestra at the bottom of the stage.

已經來到舞台下面的管弦樂隊的位置了

Mario Lopedokia, this is nothing we haven't seen before.

Mario Lopedokia，這個沒什麼特別的啊

All 50 members speaking from the depths of their souls.

50個團員用他們深沉的靈魂陳述故事。

Wait, what is this?

等等，這是什麼?

I've not seen this before, Seacrestopolis.

我還沒見過這個，Seacrestopolis

There is one actor stepping out of choral formation,

有個演員站出唱詩歌的隊伍，

assuming an independent role in this play.

擔任這齣戲的一個獨立的角色。

Can you make out who it is?

你可以辨認出他是誰嗎?

That looks like Thespis.

看來是狄斯比斯。

It seems he's changing his mask,

他似乎在換面具，

and taking on the role of another character.

然後飾演另一個角色。

Incredible. Surely, Thespis will go down in history as the very first actor.

太驚人了! 的確，狄斯比斯將會被記錄為歷史當中第一位演員。

He has changed the face of theater forever.

他永久地改變了劇院的樣貌。

And that was just the warm-up act.

這只是個熱身而已。

On to the main attraction.

轉到主要的焦點

Aeschylus will have the stage first.

埃斯庫羅斯首先上場

Let's see what he does.

讓我們看看他會做什麼。

We expect great things.

我們期待他傑出的表現。

Last competition, Sophocles beat him by a smidge,

上一場比賽，索福克勒斯略勝他一籌，

but Aeschylus is still considered the Father of Tragedy.

但埃斯庫羅斯仍被視為「悲劇之父」。

Now, Aeschylus frequently competes at this festival, the city Dionysia.

現在，埃斯庫羅斯經常來到酒神狂歡節參加比賽。

Though his plays are violent,

儘管他的劇本充滿暴戾，

the bloodshed is never seen by the audience,

觀眾也未曾見過流血場面，

which allows the dramatic tension to take center stage.

那也讓戲劇性的緊張感主導著舞台

Let's see what he does today to try to win his title back.

讓我們看今天他會做什麼來贏回他的頭銜。

Here comes Aeschylus's chorus,

現在出場的是埃斯庫羅斯的詩歌團，

but they seem to be missing quite a few people.

但他們的人看起有點少。

What is going on here?

這裡發生了甚麼事呢?

Not only are they down a few people.

他們不只是將人數減少。

There are two actors taking center stage.

還有兩位演員在主導。

This is absolutely unheard of.

完全沒聽過這種事啊。

He has build on Thespis's idea and added a second actor to the mix.

他的靈感取自迪斯比斯的想法，並且加上第二位演員。

Aeschylus is relying on the two individuals to tell the story.

埃斯庫羅斯靠這兩位演員來說故事。

The dialogue possible in tragedy now has taken precedence over the chorus.

現在悲劇中對白的可能性漸漸取代了唱詩團。

No wonder he drastically shrunk its size.

難怪就算他的唱詩團戲劇性地「縮水」了

This applause is well deserved.

他還是得到了應得的掌聲。

The crowd has hushed.

群眾安靜下來了。

Sophocles's actors and chorus

索福克勒斯的演員和唱詩團

are taking the stage for the play, "Oedipus Rex."

上場並演出「伊底帕斯王」。

As usual, the chorus is set up in the orchestra.

就如往常，唱詩團是位在管絃樂隊的位置。

And what's this?

這是什麼?

Sophocles has added a third actor.

索福克勒斯添加了第三位演員。

Will this one-upmanship never end?

這種「高人一等」的作風會有停止的時候嗎?

Three actors,

三位演員，

and they are changing their masks to take on several different roles

他們不斷變換面具來飾演幾個不同的角色

as they weave the tale of Oedipus,

就像他們在「伊底帕斯王」這齣戲劇中編造出的故事，

a nice fellow who kills his father and marries his mother.

一好人殺了他的爸爸並娶了他媽媽。

Kills his father and marries his mother.

殺了他的爸爸並娶了他媽媽。

That sounds pretty tragic to me.

這對我來說真的挺悲劇的。

It is most tragic, Mario Lopedokia.

這是最悲慘的，Mario Lopedokia。

Call me crazy, but I'm willing to bet that future generations

也許你認為我很瘋狂，但我打賭未來的世代

will hold this play up as the perfect example of tragedy.

會將這齣戲視為完美的悲劇代表。

Excuse me, Seacrestopolis.

不好意思，Seacrestopolis。

Oedipus has left the stage after realizing Jocasta was his wife and also his mother.

伊底帕斯發現伊俄卡斯忒是他的妻子，也是他的媽媽後，便離開舞台了。

Where has he gone?

他去哪裡了?

I can't even imagine.

我甚至不敢想像。

Wait. The messenger has stepped on stage

等等。傳令員上台了

and is telling us of the great king's actions.

並告訴我們那位偉大國王的行動。

He says that Oedipus, upon finding his mother, wife, whatever, Jocasta,

他說伊底帕斯找到了他的媽媽、妻子，無論是啥，伊俄卡斯忒

dead of her own hand in their incestuous bedroom,

在他們的臥房自殺了，

took the broaches from her dress and stabbed his eyes repeatedly.

伊底帕斯拿起在她裙子上的鑽頭，不斷戳自己的眼睛。

You can't blame the guy, can you?

你無法去指責他，不是嗎?

Bedded his mother, killed his father, is father and brother to his children.

跟他的媽媽同床，又殺了他爸爸，他是他的爸爸和兄弟的孩子

I might do the same.

要是我可能也會這樣做。

My friend, I do believe we've seen it all.

我的朋友，我真的相信我們所看到的

Indeed, we have.

我們確實相信。

There is nothing more tragic than Oedipus.

沒有比「伊底帕斯王」更悲劇的事情了。

And sure enough, the judges who have been chosen by lot from all over Greece

不出所料，被全希臘人民選出來的裁判們

are ready to announce the winner.

準備要宣布優勝者是誰了。

Oh, folks! This is one for the history books.

喔，各位鄉親! 這是歷史的一頁。

Dark horse playwright, Philocles, has taken first prize.

有一位黑馬，Philocles獲得優勝

What an upset. What a tragedy.

多麼混亂和悲劇啊!

What a night, folks.

鄉親們，多麼棒的夜晚。

We have witnessed the laying of the foundation of modern theater

我們正目睹了創造現代戲劇的基礎

and some great innovations:

和一些創舉:

the shrinking of the chorus,

詩歌團人數的減少、

the addition of three actors,

三位演員的增加

and such catharsis.

和精神上的淨化。

Doesn't a great tragedy just make you feel renewed and cleansed?

一齣偉大的悲劇有沒有讓你覺得煥然一新呢?

It sure does, but now we are out of time.

當然有，但現在我們的時間到了。

I'm Seacrestopolis,

我是Seacrestopolis，

and I'm Mario Lopedokia.

我是 Mario Lopedokia

Peace, love and catharsis.

和平、愛以及淨化萬歲。