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My teaching which has always come first, and my
我的教学总是排在第一位
scholarship on ancient Roman oratory. I was also
还有我关于古罗马的研究
kind of pursuing a young instructor in the
当时我还在追求英语系的
English department who is now my loving
一位年轻的讲师丽莎
and beautiful and adored wife, Lisa.
她现在是我美丽可人的妻子了
I kind of dropped the ball when I didn't notice
我当时没有注意，小时候
the evil empire of my youth disintegrate before
我们眼中的那个邪恶的帝国
the world's very eyes and even when I did
在全世界眼前解体，即便是
pay attention to the Berlin wall coming down
我后来开始关注柏林墙的倒塌
and the implosion of the Soviet Union
和苏联解体
I took a scholarly interest in comparing the
我也是以一种学者的眼光
Soviet world's fall to that of the Roman Empire.
将苏联的解体和罗马帝国进行对比
I was not one of those however who took a big
有些人对于共产主义的灭亡不禁拍手称快
victory lap over the death of communism.
而我绝不属于这一行列
I knew enough history to know that what goes
我的历史知识告诉我
around comes around. Nor was I convinced
历史在反复重演，我也不相信
by those theorists like Francis Fukazawa who
弗朗西斯之类的理论家们的观点
boldly claimed that history as we knew it had ended,
即历史已经终结
the good guys had won and now we're just
正义的一方已经获得了胜利
going to like tweak everything.
我们需要做的只是进行微调
Somehow I suspected that the world had not in fact
但是我怀疑，世界实际上并没有
begun an unstoppable march to democracy,
向着民主，资本主义
capitalism and all around happiness. Not that I had
以及全人类的幸福发展
any clue about what would happen to
关于世界未来的发展方向
mess all of this up, I just believed history as
我也没有一个清晰的线索
anybody knows, it will never be over.
但我坚信，历史永远不会终结
In fact I pointed this out a few times already;
关于这一点，我已经多次指出
you and I are living in history, we are a part
你我就在创造历史，我们是历史的
of history. The terrorist attacks of
一部分 2011年的911恐怖袭击
September 11th 2001 provide the proof.
就是一个明证
Reasonable people may disagree about what changed on
理性的人们或许并不同意911给我们
9/11 2001, people may disagree about what to do about
带来的改变，关于面对这些改变我们应
these changes but we can all agree that America will
采取哪些行动，人们也有不同意见，但我们
never be the same and the trajectory of our nation has
都赞同的一点是，美国在前进，我们的发展
been changed. As I speak these words in the spring of
轨迹不会一成不变 2007年春天我说
2007 these attacks are more than 5 years in our past.
这些话的时候 911事件已经过去5年了
America is still struggling with the causes of these
美国依旧在与恐怖袭击作斗争
attacks and all of their consequences. I am confident
但是我有信心，我的祖国
that the nation that I love, the United States
我所热爱的美国
of America, will prevail. Unfortunately I am
将会繁荣发展，不幸的是
not necessarily convinced.
我或许并不是那么坚信
Back in the day the people of the Roman Empire
回首过去，当年罗马帝国的人们也坚信
were confident that their country would always last.
他们的国家会千秋万代，生生不息
The people of the Byzantine Empire were confident
拜占庭帝国的人们也相信
that their empire would go on forever,
自己的国家会永远存在下去
the same is true of the Russian Empire,
沙俄帝国也是如此
the same is true of the Soviet Empire;
苏联也是如此
I personally believe the Soviet Union would
我自己也曾认为，在我有生之年
never end in my lifetime; and they are all gone.
苏联不会解体，但现在它们都已土崩瓦解
America's future in fact is far from guaranteed.
实际上，美国的未来也充满了未知性
To me the public affairs mission calls on the entire
我认为公共事务委员会也要求
Missouri State University community to act on this
密苏里州立大学在这一原则上
principal; America's future is in fact not guaranteed.
行动，即美国的未来充满了未知性
To take proper action we have to understand
要采取适当的行动，我们就要
America's challenges as best we can
尽可能弄清美国面临的挑战
and it's my hope that you will find rise and fall
我希望大家能从"大国沉浮"
of superpowers a means
这门课上找到
towards that all important end.
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