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After the French Revolution erupted in 1789, Europe was thrown into chaos.
1789年，法国大革命爆发后，欧洲陷入了一片混乱之中。
Neighboring countries' monarchs feared they would share the fate of Louis XVI, and attacked the New Republic,
邻国君主们担心自己也会遭到路易十六被推上断头台的命运，对新共和国群起而攻，
while at home, extremism and mistrust between factions lead to bloodshed.
而此时法国各党派中的极端主义和叛乱份子的杀戮暴行，又让国内血流成河。
In the midst of all this conflict, a powerful figure emerged to take charge of France.
在这场混战当中，一位强大的领袖诞生了，开始执掌法国政权。
But did he save the revolution or destroy it?
但他究竟是挽救还是破坏了这场革命呢？
'Order, order, who's the defendant today? I don't see anyone.'
“肃静，肃静，今日被告是何人？为何缺席法庭？”
'Your Honor, this is Napoléon Bonaparte,
“法官大人，被告是拿破仑·波拿巴，
the tyrant who invaded nearly all of Europe to compensate for his personal stature-based insecurities.'
那个侵略了几乎所有欧洲国家的暴君，只为了弥补个人身高缺陷造成的不安全感。”
'Actually, Napoléon was at least average height for his time.
“实际上，拿破仑的身高至少达到了那个时代的平均水平。”
The idea that he was short comes only from British wartime propaganda. And he was no tyrant.
他所谓的矮，仅是一种英国战期宣传时的说法。况且，他并不是个暴君。
He was safeguarding the young Republic from being crushed by the European monarchies.'
他保卫了年轻的共和国不被欧洲的君主们毁灭。”
'By overthrowing its government and seizing power himself?'
“通过推翻政府，独揽军政大权来保卫共和国？”
'Your Honor, as a young and successful military officer,
“法官大人，作为一名年轻有为的军官，
Napoléon fully supported the French Revolution, and its ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity.
拿破仑竭尽全力支持法国大革命，及其自由，平等，博爱的精神。
But the revolutionaries were incapable of real leadership.
但是之前的革命者们都没能掌握真正的领导权。
Robespierre and the Jacobins who first came to power unleashed a reign of terror on the population,
先掌权的罗伯斯庇尔和雅各宾派对民众进行了白色恐怖统治，
with their anti-Catholic extremism and nonstop executions of everyone who disagreed with them.
他们借用反天主教极端思想对每个反对者赶尽杀绝。
And The Directory that replaced them was an unstable and incompetent oligarchy.
而取代雅各宾派政权的是个内政混乱又软弱无能的寡头组织。
They needed a strong leader who could govern wisely and justly.'
他们需要一个强有力的领导者，既有治国韬略又能兼济各方。”
'So, France went through that whole revolution just to end up with another all-powerful ruler?'
“所以，法国经历了革命的种种，结局只是变成另一个集权的君主统治国家？”
'Not quite. Napoléon's new powers were derived from the constitution that was approved by a popular vote in the Consulate.'
“也不尽然。拿破仑的新政权由宪法授予，而宪法则是经过民主投票后由国会通过的。”
'Ha! The constitution was practically dictated at gunpoint in a military coup,
“哼！那个宪法基本上是在政变军队枪口威胁下口述出来的，
and the public only accepted the tyrant because they were tired of constant civil war.'
民众之所以接受那个暴君只是因为他们已经不愿忍受接连不休的内战了。”
'Be that as it may, Napoléon introduced a new constitution and a legal code
“就算是这样，拿破仑引入了新的宪法及一部法典，
that kept some of the most important achievements of the revolution in tact:
让法国大革命的重要成就得以完整保留：
freedom of religion abolition of hereditary privilege, and equality before the law for all men.'
即，宗教自由，废除世袭特权，及法律面前人人（男人）平等。”
'All men, indeed. He deprived women of the rights that the revolution had given them
“确实是‘男人’平等。他剥夺了大革命中赋予女性的权利，
and even reinstated slavery in the French colonies.
甚至在法国殖民地恢复了奴隶制。
Haiti is still recovering from the consequences centuries later. What kind of equality is that?'
海地在之后的几个世纪里还依然挣扎着从奴隶制的阴影中恢复。这算什么平等？”
'The only kind that could be stably maintained at the time, and still far ahead of France's neighbors.'
“这是当时唯一一种能稳定保持的平等状况了，还超越了许多邻国。”
'Speaking of neighbors, what was with all the invasions?'
“说到邻国，它们是怎么被侵略的？”
'Great question, Your Honor.'
“问得好，法官大人。”
'Which invasions are we talking about?
“我们要谈的是哪场侵略呢？
It was the neighboring empires who had invaded France trying to restore the monarchy,
侵略法国的那些周边帝国，企图恢复君主专制体制，
and prevent the spread of liberty across Europe, twice by the time Napoléon took charge.
防止自由观念在欧洲传播，在拿破仑执政前两次侵略法国。
Having defended France as a soldier and a general in those wars, he knew that the best defense is a good offense.'
作为这些法国保卫战中的一名战士和将军，他知道最好的防守就是伺机进攻。”
'An offense against the entire continent?
“对抗整个欧洲大陆的进攻？
Peace was secured by 1802, and other European powers recognized the new French Regime.
1802年，和平局势稳固下来，其他欧洲势力也认可了这个法国新政权的地位。
But Bonaparte couldn't rest unless he had control of the whole continent, and all he knew was fighting.
但是除非掌控整个欧陆，否则波拿巴不肯罢休，当时的他只知征战各方。
He tried to enforce a European-wide blockade of Britain,
他曾试图强制欧洲各国对英国进行封锁，
invaded any country that didn't comply, and launched more wars to hold onto his gains.
对所有不服从的国家进行侵略，发动更多的战争，想将他获得的一切紧握于手。
And what was the result? Millions dead all over the continent, and the whole international order shattered.'
但结果又如何呢？欧洲百万人在战乱中丧生，国际秩序动荡不安。”
'You forgot the other result: the spread of democratic and liberal ideals across Europe.
“你忘了另一个后果：民主和自由的观点传遍欧洲。
It was thanks to Napoléon that the continent was reshaped from a chaotic patchwork of fragmented feudal and religious territories
幸而有了拿破仑，整个欧洲才得以从混乱中重振，从支离破碎的封建割据及被宗教恐怖包围的混乱残局中
into efficient, modern, and secular nation states where the people held more power and rights than ever before.'
重建成一个个富有生产力的、现代化的、稳固的单民族国家，在这里，民众拥有着前所未有的巨大权力和各种权益。”
'Should we also thank him for the rise of nationalism and the massive increase in army sizes?
“我们难道还得感谢他促成民族主义的崛起和大规模的扩大军备？”
You can see how well that turned out a century later.'
你会意识到，这些在一个世纪后发展成了什么好结果。”
'So what would European history have been like if it weren't for Napoléon?'
“那么，如果没有拿破仑，欧洲的历史会变成怎样？”
'Unimaginably better/worse.'
“出人意料的蒸蒸日上或江河日下。”
Napoléon seemingly unstoppable momentum would die in the Russian winter snows, along with most of his army.
拿破仑看似锐不可当的势头在俄罗斯的冬雪中消磨殆尽，随葬的还有他绝大部分军队。
But even after being deposed and exiled, he refused to give up,
但即便在被废黜和流放后，他也并未就此放手，
escaping from his prison and launching a bold attempt at restoring his empire before being defeated for the second and final time.
他从监狱里逃出，企图大胆发起战争，复辟他的帝国，然而他的军队再次，也是最后一次被击溃。
Bonaparte was a ruler full of contradictions, defending a popular revolution by imposing absolute dictatorship,
波拿巴的统治里充满了矛盾，通过强施专制独裁以保卫民主革命，
and spreading liberal ideals through imperial wars, and though he never achieved his dream of conquering Europe,
通过帝国战争来传播自由理念，尽管他从未实现征服整个欧洲的梦，
he undoubtedly left his mark on it, for better or for worse.
但无论光荣显赫或臭名昭著，他都无疑在历史上留下了浓墨重彩的一笔。
