来自《耶鲁大学开放课程：新约及其历史背景第3集第3集》

So this maintained, even when--why would a person

维持着这样的关系那为什么奴隶主
free a slave?

要释放奴隶
Well if you have a slave

其实如果只是一名奴隶的话
that slave can't actually sign contracts.

没有权利签署任何条约
The slave might be your business manager,

这个奴隶可能是你的商业代理人
but all the slave could do is the paperwork.

但奴隶最多只能做文书工作
But if you need a slave representing your business,

然而如果想要奴隶全权代表你经商
and you live in Rome and you need somebody in Ostia,

你居住在罗马但想要在奥斯蒂亚
the port city of Rome, to be able to be there and

一个罗马的港口城市安排个人
watch your imports and your exports of your business,

打理进出口生意
you need someone who can sign contracts,

那就需要一个有权力签署合同的人
who can lend money, who can borrow money,

有权贷款有权放债