a payment to the Athenian citizens of the price necessary to pay

这项支出是为补贴雅典市民
for the ticket to see the great theatrical festivals

欣赏大型戏剧节日所支付的票钱
that went on twice a year in Athens,

戏剧节在雅典一年举办两次
which had apparently degenerated pretty much into a dole,

这制度后来演变成救济金
into a kind of a welfare fund for the very poor.

为穷人筹集的福利
It did not amount to a stunning amount of money,

这个基金并不丰富
but given the poverty of Athens in general,

但是却要分给雅典所有的穷人
any fund of money could be very significant at critical moments,

任何金钱在关键时刻都会变得至关重要
especially on issues of national defense.

尤其是遇到了国防问题的时候
But there was a lot of argument,

但是却有很多争论
a sort of a democratic party, the party of

一个有点类似民主的党派
the underprivileged or whatever, always insistent that

一个为了弱势群体的党派