城市广场:终结古典时代的悲剧史诗

近年来的电影市场似乎越来越多地被诸如《阿凡达》(Avatar)这样的科幻电影所把持,而古装史诗片越来越难得一见。也许正因为如此,2009年下半年上映的《城市广场》(Agora)就显得特别难得。很多人称这部由美国和西班牙合拍的史诗片为“欧洲史诗片”,以区别于充斥着宏大战争场面和个人英雄的好莱坞史诗片。

《城市广场》讲述的是古希腊罗马文明时期最后一位古典学者、女性哲学家、数学家、天文学家、占星学家以及教师Hypatia (约370～415)在基督教席卷西方世界时被杀害的悲剧故事。影片的名称“Agora”来自于希腊语“agorein”,意为“public square”(城市广场)。城市广场在古希腊社会生活中占有重要地位,无数的辩论和演讲都在此地发生,它是民主观念的发源地,从某种程度上就是民主和多元思想的代名词。而Hypatia之死的悲剧也意味着多元思想从此被一元宗教终结的结局。

毁灭的序幕

影片一开始就将我们带回到公元4世纪罗马统治下的亚历山大城。此时的罗马帝国摇摇欲坠,新兴的基督教和古代多神教发生激烈的碰撞,奴隶社会正逐渐向封建社会转变。公元391年,罗马皇帝Theodosius I宣布基督教为国教,更加速了基督教的传播。而亚历山大城,这座古埃及、古希腊、古罗马和早期基督教文明相互交织,并拥有人类早期历史上最伟大的图书馆——亚历山大图书馆和古代世界七大奇迹中的亚历山大灯塔的伟大城市,也成为多神教和古典学者的最后堡垒。

在亚历山大图书馆的高墙内,Hypatia孜孜不倦地研究着天文学,并教授着众学生。但是高墙外风起云涌的宗教冲突最终还是渗透到高墙内,图书馆的部分学生和奴隶也开始倒向基督教。在一次讨论天文学知识的课堂上,Hypatia的奴隶Davus对着众学生讲述他自己制作的托勒密天体系统模型,却引来了Hypatia的学生Orestes对天体运行轨迹的质疑,也由此引发了Orestes与另一位学生Synesius之间激烈的争执。

Davus: Earth is the center of the cosmos. And revolving around it, the sun, and five wanderers (行星): Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, obstinately disobeying the law of the circle. Nevertheless, Ptolemy shows us that they do obey. The fact that we see them move in a loop is due to the joint effect of two circles. One that travels around the earth, and another lesser circle, prophet to each wanderer 1). So you see it’s heaven earth, but our eyes that deceive us.

…

Orestes: I tell you, the Gods should have consulted me before they created anything.

Hypatia: Why do you say that, Orestes?

Orestes: It all seems so whimsical (古怪的)! Why is the joint effect of two circles? Wouldn’t it be more perfect if the wanderers didn’t wander and a single circle gives sense to everything?

Synesius: Orestes, by what authority do you judge the work of God?

Orestes: What is wrong with you, Christians? Can a man no longer open his mouth in this city?

Synesius: If you criticize creation, you criticize our Lord and you offend us.

Orestes: You should move out to the desert. You won’t hear anything to offend you out there.

Synesius: You know nothing of what you speak. None of you.

Hypatia: Synesius, what is Euclid2)’s first rule?

...

Synesius: If two things are equal to a third thing, then they are all equal to each other.

Hypatia: Good. Now, are you both similar to me? ... Now I’m actually saying with everybody here in this room. More things unite us than divide us. Now, whatever may be going on in the streets, we are brothers. We are brothers. I want you to remember that brawls (争吵) are for slaves and riffraffs (乌合之众).

理想主义的Hypatia希望通过自己的努力至少在图书馆内消除不同信仰之间的歧见,但她不知道她最后一句有关slave的话深深刺痛了默默爱着她的奴隶Davus。

在图书馆的高墙之外,基督教正在蓬勃发展,狂热的教徒Ammonius在给穷人们传教。

Ammonius: He’ll judge us all, alive and dead! And then it will be too late, because only those who believed in Jesus will be saved. What are you waiting for? The Kingdom of God is upon us. Do you understand what I’m telling you?

年轻的Davus被Ammonius的热情所吸引,他之前曾看过Ammonius在火中行走却毫发无损的奇迹。在Ammonius看来,这奇迹正是耶稣的神力。Davus请求Ammonius再次施展miracle,但Ammonius却把他带到穷人中,让他把为主人准备的面包分给众多穷人,并告诉他这就是miracle。在这些社会底层人中间,Davus似乎感受到了从未有过的力量,当Ammonius称赞他像一位真正的基督圣战士时,Davus第一次体验到被认可的感觉,彻底倒向了基督教。

如果作为奴隶的Davus只能把对Hypatia的爱慕之情埋在心里的话,Hypatia的学生Orestes则敢于热烈地追求她,甚至在一次公共演出中公开表达对她的爱意。但在当时的社会背景下,接受一个男人的求爱并与其结合,在很大程度上就意味着女人作为独立个体存在的结束。也许正因为如此,Hypatia拒绝了Orestes的求爱,因为她最大的乐趣还是追求科学和真理。但是Hypatia不知道前方等待她的是巨大的灾难。

当基督徒在城市广场集会,侮辱多神教的神像时,多年的宗教纷争终于爆发。愤怒不已的多神教徒冲出图书馆杀向基督徒,结果只是招来了更多基督徒的反攻,多神教徒被困在了图书馆内。而在图书馆内,也有众多的学生和奴隶倒向了基督教。但就是在这样的险境下,Hypatia还未忘记Orestes曾对天体运行轨迹提出的质疑,还一直在思考地球与太阳的关系。Hypatia的思考在图书馆内部引来了一场关于天体运行的大猜想。

Hypatia: [To Orestes], I’ve been thinking something you said about to me. That day you criticized the heavenly mechanism, and you called it whimsical.

Orestes: Yes, although ... actually, I was criticizing Ptolemy for complicating everything with his epicycles (本轮,详见注释1). But I don’t know, perhaps I’m just simple-minded.

Hypatia: No, the heavens should be simple.... What if … what if there were a simpler explanation for the wanderers?

Elderly: There is.... Aristarchus3) maintained that the earth moves…. The sun would be in the center, as befits his dignity as “King of the Stars”.

Hypatia: It would make Earth just another wanderer.

Vanus: If the earth is moving, every time you drop an object, it would fall further behind, and the wind would always blow against us, and the birds would lose their way in flight.

Hypatia: I feel that what you said can be refuted. But right now I don’t know how.

在整个影片中,Hypatia对于天文学的思考似乎和当时的宗教狂热形成鲜明的对比,她不断质疑已有的学说和理论,一步步迈向真理;而在她之外,众人纷纷被偏执的宗教情绪所吞噬,放弃了对智慧的探索和对他人质疑的能力。

当多神教和基督教的纷争传到罗马皇帝那里,已经皈依基督教的皇帝的决定可想而知。他命令亚历山大总督(Prefect)到亚历山大图书馆门外宣读他对这次纷争的处理结果。

Prefect: Prepare to hear and obey the verdict of our emperor. I, Flavius Theodosius Augustus, emperor and Supreme Head of the provinces of the Orient … do hereby declare and command that the insurgents (起义者) shall be pardoned and freed.... In exchange for my generosity, the insurgents will abandon the Serapeum and the Library immediately, allowing the Christians to enter and dispose of the premises as they see fit.

当总督念完罗马皇帝的决定,手持武器的基督徒们冲入图书馆,Hypatia无力抢救珍贵的书籍,只能和众人逃离。Davus在最后时刻弃Hypatia而去,他加入到基督徒的狂潮中,和众暴徒们一起烧毁图书馆内所有的图书,捣毁了所有的雕像。这座曾经的世界奇迹、人类智慧的宝库最终遭到了彻底的摧毁。

信仰偏执的狂潮

罗马皇帝最终宣布基督教为国教,只允许在亚历山大举行基督教和犹太教的庆典,禁止其他宗教的传播。多年之后,很多散居四处的多神教徒都皈依了基督教,而Hypatia还在继续进行着教学和天文学研究。深爱着她的那位学生Orestes如今已成为亚历山大总督,掌握着军事大权,但他却面临着当地基督教极端主教Cyril对其世俗权力的挑战。

当多神教徒被消灭,犹太教徒便成为狂热基督徒的眼中钉。在主教Cyril的领导下,狂热的基督徒们在安息日(Sabbath)那天袭击了犹太教徒。当犹太教徒对基督徒进行了疯狂的报复之后,Cyril趁机掀起了对犹太教徒的大清洗。

Cyril: Christians all. Last night was a night to deplore. Now I say to you, grieve no longer for our dead brothers. Weep not. Shed your tears for the others, for they are executioners.... Weep for the Jews, those evil butchers of our Lord, because God has already condemned them. It is God’s will that they live as slaves, cursed and exiled until the end of time. cursed and exiled!

面对Cyril煽动的宗教清洗,身为总督的Orestes不知所措。面对Cyril的步步紧逼,Orestes为了维持与基督教之间的势力平衡,不断地妥协和退让。但他没有意识到,Cyril最终的目的是排斥所有的异己,这不仅包括犹太教徒,还包括Hypatia和他自己。

这时的Davus已成为基督徒中的骨干,但是当他看到对犹太教徒“清洗”后留下的血腥场面时,还是不禁怀疑自己的行为,他这样问Ammonius。

Davus: Tell me something. Do you ever think we’re mistaken?

Ammonius: Why?

Davus: I was forgiven. But now, I can’t forgive.

Ammonius: Forgive? Who? The Jews?

Davus: Well, Jesus pardoned them on the cross.

Ammonius: Jesus was God and only he can show such clemency (仁慈). Brother, we are still alive. Why? Because it was his will to save us from the stones. God wants us here, doing what we do. Don’t you believe in that anymore?

“God wants us here, doing what we do.”在这样的逻辑下,一切都可以在God的名义下进行。当犹太教徒最终被清洗,就只有Hypatia几个人需要对付了。Cyril假以讨论“和平”的名义邀请包括Orestes和Hypatia在内的各界人士参加讨论,并在会上借信仰基督教的官员的嘴说出了他的真正意图:要求所有人皈依基督教。

Official: The majority of us here have accepted Christ. Why not the rest of you? It’s only a matter of time and you know it!

Hypatia: Really? It is just a matter of time? Well, excuse me, honored member, but as far as I’m aware your God has not yet proved himself to be more just or more merciful than their predecessors. Is it really just a question of time before I accept your faith?

Official: Why, then, should this assembly accept the counsel of someone who admittedly believes in absolutely nothing?

Hypatia: I believe in philosophy.

当Hypatia无所畏惧地直言自己对philosophy的追求,结束了这场假以“和平”的“作秀”后,Cyril再次召集包括Orestes在内的官员以及基督徒们见面,并借宣读《圣经》的名义抨击Hypatia的行为。

Cyril: Reading from the first letter of Paul to Timothy: “... I desire women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds…. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. This is the word of God!” ... And yet, I know some in Alexandria who admire and even trust in the word of a woman, the philosopher Hypatia. A woman who declared in public her ungodliness. A witch! Dignitaries, it is the time for you all to reconcile yourselves with Christ. This is the word of God.

Cyril说的话句句都在针对Hypatia,当他手捧《圣经》要求官员们下跪接受时,所有人都不得不服从,只有Orestes拂袖而去。但Orestes在门外遭到基督徒们的围堵,并被Omminius用石头打伤。回到府邸,孤独无援的Orestes向昔日的同学、现任主教的Synesius寻求帮助,但是Synesius却早已加入Cyril的阵营。 最终,孤立无援的Orestes也不得不在现实面前低头。

这时的Hypatia依然沉浸在对天体运行规律的研究中,并发现了椭圆形或许就是解释地球和太阳关系的关键。当她兴致冲冲地要告诉Orestes她的理论时,Orestes却和Synesius一起态度冰冷地劝她接受基督的洗礼。

Orestes: All dignitaries who have yet to embrace the Christian faith are to be baptized in public....

Hypatia: You speak of peddling faith. Ok, very well. Since everything seems to be decided already, I didn’t understand why you required my presence here.

Orestes: If you don’t agree, I won’t be able to protect you any longer... Don’t you see? I can’t go on without you... Without you, I can’t defeat Cyril.

Hypatia: Oh Orestes, Cyril has already won.

当Orestes也无力保护Hypatia时,就没有什么能阻挡基督徒了,他们抓住了Hypatia,要用刀子刺入她的皮肤。在一旁冷眼旁观却无法拯救自己心爱女人的Davus最终对基督徒说了一句话:“Don’t stain your hands with impure blood.”众人听后决定用乱石砸死Hypatia。为了不让Hypatia受到这样的凌辱,Davus趁众人找寻石头的空当亲手结束了Hypatia的生命……

尾声

当众人揣着石头砸向Hypatia,Davus转身悲伤而去时,一曲悲歌响起,镜头慢慢拉起,逐渐远去,画面里显出美丽的蓝色地球。人们可以杀死Hypatia这样伟大的智者,人们也可以互相杀戮,但是我们的星球却从来都是不以人类意志为转移地绕日而转。影片结尾的字幕是这样的:

The body of Hypatia was mutilated and the remains were dragged through the streets and burned in a fire. Orestes was outlawed forever and Cyril took control of the power in Alexandria. Later, Cyril was declared a saint and Doctor of the church. Although not any of Hypatia works remains, it is known that she was an exceptional astronomer, well-known for the mathematical study of conical curves….

虽然Davus和Orestes都深爱着Hypatia,但他们都太过渺小,无力阻止Hypatia和她代表的那个理性古典时代的悲剧式宿命。作为奴隶,Davus虽然通过拥抱基督教而获得自由,却又不由自主地被另一种力量所奴役,他无力摆脱,最终迷失在两个世界之间。作为政治家, Orestes则选择通过妥协来达到某种平衡,但是在当时新生的、极端排他的基督教运动面前,他并没有妥协的空间,最终,Cyril代表的宗教力量战胜并取代了世俗政府。而随着Hypatia最后一个古典学者的死去,西方世界滑入了近千年的“黑暗中世纪”(Dark Medieval Ages)。一千多年后,西方世界才开始破除枷锁,发起文艺复兴运动,而所谓的“复兴”,就是试图找回早期古典时期的理性精神。

拍摄这样一部影片其实需要很大的勇气,因为影片中涉及到的基督教内容相当敏感。在我看来,这部影片的精髓超越了对基督教本身的评价,更多的是向Hypatia身上所代表的“智慧”“理性”和“坚持”等古典时代价值致敬。Hypatia质疑一切,她质疑基督教,也质疑希腊科学家关于天体运行的众多理论。也正是这种质疑使她超脱于她的时代,成为另类的史诗英雄。最后用Hypatia拒绝接受基督教洗礼时对她的学生Synesius说的话作为结尾,与大家共勉独立精神的重要性:“Synesius, you don’t question what you believe. I cannot. I must.”

1.这句话是Davus在通过托勒密模型讲述天体运行轨迹。公元2世纪,古希腊著名的天文学家托勒密(Ptolemy)提出了自己的宇宙结构学说“地心说”:地球静静地屹立于宇宙的中心,日、月、行星都围绕地球转动。他认为每个行星都在一个小圆形轨道上匀速转动,而每个小圆的圆心则在以地球为中心的圆周上运动。他把每个小圆叫“本轮”,绕地球的那个圆叫“均轮”。

2. Euclid:欧几里得(323 BC～283 BC),古希腊数学家,被称为“几何之父”。

3.Aristarchus:阿里斯塔克斯(约310 BC～约230 BC),古希腊天文学家、数学家,首位提倡日心说的天文学者

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