We refused though they asked us often,

虽然他们多次请求但我们仍予以拒绝
and from that came the clash of shields."

而保卫之战正是从此开始
Now, using the evidence of Athenian comedy to understand

用雅典喜剧的细枝末节来理解
contemporary politics is a tricky business.

当时的政治是非常棘手的
Just imagine the trouble somebody 2,000 years from now

想象一下两千多年前的人
would have making sense of a Jay Leno monologue

能理解杰·雷诺在脱口秀中的诙谐独白
or a skit from Saturday Night Live.

或是《周六夜现场》的讽刺之语
Aristophanes is clearly having fun

阿里斯托芬很明显
by connecting the Megarian decree,

热衷于写麦加拉禁令
which we know was supported by Pericles, with the rape of women,

这是无视女权的伯里克利主张的禁令
which according to Homer started the Trojan war,

在荷马看来这引发了特洛伊战争
and according to Herodotus,

根据希罗多德的记述