17 The Four Ages
人类世界自从诞生以来就经历了四个时代。

There had been four ages since the human world first cameinto being ． —
它们分别是黄金时代，银色时代，铜质时代和铁器时代。 —

They are the Golden Age，the Silver Age，the Age of Bronze and the Age of Iron． —
The Four Ages. —

The Golden Agewas the best of all．It was an age when Kronus sat on thethrone． —
黄金时代是所有时代中最好的。那是一个克洛诺斯坐在王位上的时代。 —

Generous nature met all the needs of men ．There wereno extremes of cold and heat． —
慷慨的自然满足了所有人的需要。没有严寒和酷热。 —

And the evils of the human worldwere still kept in the cask． —
人类世界的邪恶仍然被囚禁在桶中。 —

Epimetheus guarded the cask and Pandora was not yet made to open．Men lived a happy life． —
厄庇墨修斯守护着桶，潘多拉还没有开启。人们过着幸福的生活。 —

They were forever young．They were always eating richly and knew neither hard labour nor sorrow． —
他们永远年轻。他们总是吃得丰盛，不知劳累和忧愁。 —

When death came it came like apeaceful sleep． —
当死亡来临时，就像安详的睡眠一样。 —

And they became good spirits in heaven ．
他们成为天堂中的善灵。

The Silver Age was one in which the human race was somewhat less valuable in body and mind． —
银时代是人类身心稍逊的时代。 —

The period was of helpless be ginning．It lasted a hundred years． —
这个时期是毫无助的开始。持续了一百年。 —

And it was the time of manhood，short and troubled．Men spent in ignorance and evil． —
这是短暂而艰难的成年时期。人们在无知和邪恶中度过。 —

They no longer admired the gods and offered no sacrifices． —
他们不再崇拜神灵，也不献祭。 —

However，as the race of the Silver Age was not entirely lack of goodness，they had some honour and lived on as spirits under the earth．
然而，作为银时代的人类并非毫无善行，他们受到一定的尊重，并作为冥界之灵继续存在。

During the age of Bronze men became further degenerated ． —
青铜时代的人类变得更加堕落。 —

Dressed in bronze and armed with weapons of bronze，they live din the houses of bronze． —
穿着青铜，手持青铜武器，居住在青铜房屋中。 —

Cruel and heartless，they delighted inwar and died in endless struggle． —
残忍无情，他们享受战争，死于无尽的斗争中。 —

When they passed away，they came into the darkness of the lower world．
当他们去世时，他们进入了下界的黑暗。

The last age，that of Iron，was one of continual care and grief． —
最后一个时代，也就是铁的时代，是一个充满着持续的忧虑和悲伤的时代。 —

There was no family love，no sense of respectful duty，no friend ship and hospitality． —
没有家庭的爱，没有尊重的责任感，没有友谊和款待。 —

Nor was there any faith，truth and justice． —
也没有信仰，真理和正义。 —

Evil was widespread，might was right，and the flames of war burnt the surface of the earth． —
邪恶蔓延，强权即公理，战火燃烧了地球的表面。 —

It was a race of men given up by gods ．
这是一个被众神抛弃的人类种族。