e desolate bathing - halls, where the gilding still clings to the wall; the coliseum was a gigantic ruin; the church bells sounded, the incense sent up its fragrant cloud, and through the streets marched processions with flaming tapers and glowing canopies.

神聖的教會在那裡，藝術被視為一種崇高而神聖的事物。

holy church was there, and art was held as a high and holy thing.

世界上最偉大的畫家拉斐爾住在羅馬；最傑出的雕塑家米開朗基羅也住在那裡。

In Rome lived the greatest painter in the world, Raphael; there also dwelt the first of sculptors, michael Angelo.

連教皇都向這兩人表示敬意，並親自拜訪他們以示尊崇。

Even the pope paid homage to these two, and honored them with a visit.

藝術得到認可和尊重，也得到了回報。

Art was recognized and honored, and was rewarded also.

但儘管如此，並非所有偉大而輝煌的事物都被看到和知曉。

but, for all that, everything great and splendid was not seen and known.

在一條狹窄的小巷裡有一座老房子。

In a narrow lane stood an old house.

它曾經是一座廟宇；現在一位年輕的雕塑家住在那裡。

once it had been a temple; a young sculptor now dwelt there.

他很年輕，而且完全不為人知。

he was young and quite unknown.

他當然有朋友，年輕的藝術家們，像他自己一樣，精神年輕，充滿希望和思想的年輕；他們告訴他，他才華橫溢，是個藝術家，但他不相信自己的能力，這很愚蠢；因為他總是毀掉自己用黏土塑造的東西，從來沒有完成過任何作品；而一件作品如果要被看到並換來金錢，就必須完成。

he certainly had friends, young artists, like himself, young in spirit, young in hopes and thoughts; they told him he was rich in talent, and an artist, but that he was foolish for having no faith in his own power; for he always broke what he had fashioned out of clay, and never pleted any