Why did they come up with this brand new idea

他们为什么提出这样一个
that nobody had ever seen?

史无前例闻所未闻的构想呢
In my view it was because

在我看来是因为伯里克利
Pericles was glad to have an opportunity

愿意借助这个机会
to demonstrate something about Athens' intentions now and in the future.

表明雅典今后的意向
That was the best way to advertise the fact

这是最好的宣传时机
that the Athenians were not interested

以便昭告天下雅典无意
in expanding their power out to the west,

继续向西方扩张势力
because if they had been

因为如果他们想扩展疆土
they would have made it an Athenian colony.

大可以抢占殖民地为雅典所有
Other scholars have taken the opposite view,

有些学者秉持相反意见
and think it is the sign of Athenian imperial interests,

他们认为在协议签订之后做出这种决策