古牆下的秘密
Archaeologists have unearthed a marble head of Augustus, Rome’s first emperor, in Isernia, located in the region of Molise.
考古學家們在義大利莫利塞大區的伊塞爾尼亞鎮挖掘出羅馬帝國首位皇帝「奧古斯都」的大理石頭像。
arch(a)eologist(n.)考古學家arch(a)eology(n.)考古學unearth(v.)發掘;掘出;使出土=dig up=excavateemperor(n.)皇帝;帝王(which was) located in…位於…
Led by archaeologist Francesca Giancola, the team of researchers made the remarkable discovery during restoration work to repair a medieval wall that collapsed in 2013.
由考古學家吉安科拉帶領的研究團隊在修復一座2013年崩塌的中世紀古牆時意外發現這尊頭像。
Led by…=While they (were) led by…由…帶領restoration(n.)修復;復原medieval(adj)中世紀的medieval times中世紀時期medieval architecture中世紀建築
“While we were digging behind the wall, I saw that the earth changed color,” Giancola said. “So we continued digging with precision trowels and a block of marble has come out. I immediately saw that it was a head that I recognized as belonging to a statue of Augustus due to the hair and the shape and cut of the eyes.”
吉安科拉說：「當我們在牆後挖掘時，我看到泥土顏色變了。」「所以我們用小鏟子繼續挖，接著露出了一塊大理石，我馬上看出來，根據頭髮和眼睛的形狀刻紋判斷，我認為是奧古斯都的頭像。」
precision trowels 精密的小鏟子precision instruments精密儀器=precision toolsbelong to…屬於…的一部分
The sculpture, which has lost its body and part of its nose, is believed to have been built during the imperial Roman period.
頭像沒有身體的部分，鼻子部分毀損，研究者認為是在羅馬帝國時期打造的。
be believed to RV據信;被認為…have been V.pp 完成被動式imperial (adj.) 帝國的;皇帝的
While it is not rare, as dozens of ancient statues, busts and coins of Augustus have been discovered over the years, the uncovering of the 2000-year-old marble head of Augustus “bodes well for other and more important historical finds” for Isernia, a local magazine reported.
雖然這尊頭像算不上是罕見，因為多年來不難發現奧古斯都的古雕像、半身像和錢幣，但當地雜誌報導，發現這尊有2000年歷史的奧古斯都頭像，表示伊塞爾尼亞鎮「未來很有可能還會有其它重大的歷史發現」。
while(conj.)雖然dozens of…數十個bust(n.)半身像uncover(v.)揭露、揭開、發現(秘密或隱藏物)uncover truth挖掘真相uncover the mystery of the universe揭開宇宙的奧秘bode well for 是...的好兆頭bode ill for~前景不妙、有惡兆find(n.)發現=discovery=uncovering
Researchers say the discovery marks the Roman’s presence in Isernia, known during Roman times as Aesernia.
研究人員說，這表示羅馬人曾在伊塞爾尼亞活動，伊塞爾尼亞在羅馬時期舊稱埃塞尼亞。
mark(v.)標示出presence(n.)存在;出席
The ancient colony once held strategic significance as the gateway to the rest of Italy.
埃塞尼亞曾是羅馬殖民地，是通往義大利其它地區的重要門戶，具有戰略價值。
colony(n.)殖民地strategic significance 戰略重要性gateway(n.)(通往…的)通道;門戶
It was conquered by the Romans in 295 BC and subsequently taken by the Samnites, an ancient people of southern Italy in 90 BC before reverting to Roman authority a few years later.
埃塞尼亞在西元前295年被羅馬人征服，後來在西元前90年被薩莫奈人佔領，薩莫奈人是居住在義大利南部的一支部落，幾年後恢復羅馬統治。
conquer; (v.); 佔領、征服=take overBC西元前(Before Christ的縮寫)revert to... 回歸…、恢復…=go back to...
Augustus was the first Roman emperor, ruling from 27 BC until passing away in 14 AD.
奧古斯都是首位羅馬皇帝，從西元前27年開始統治，一直到西元14年過世為止。
AD西元(拉丁語Anno Domini的縮寫)
During his rule, Augustus dramatically expanded the Roman Empire by annexing Egypt, Dalmatia and others.
統治期間併吞埃及、達爾馬提亞等地，大幅擴張羅馬帝國的版圖。
annex(v.)(通常指用武力或擅自)吞併;兼併;強佔
He boasted on his death bed, “I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble.”
他在臨終前驕傲地說：「我接掌的羅馬是座磚瓦之城，現在我走了，留給你們一座大理石城。」
boast(v.)吹噓;誇耀=brag about his achievementsbrick(n.)磚頭;磚塊