題名 † 
原題 †
- Guide to the Imperial City
訳題 †
本文 †
原文 †
<div align="center"><font face=1>ALESSIA OTTUS' GUIDE<br>
TO THE IMPERIAL CITY<br>
<br><div align="left">
<IMG src="Book/fancy_font/p_59x62.dds" width=59 height=62>raise Akatosh! Bless the Empire and All Its People!<br>
My name is Alessia Ottus, and I'd like to tell you all about the Imperial City.<br>
<br>
<div align="center">* The Imperial City *<br>
<div align="left">Who do you think lives in the Imperial City? Uriel Septim, Emperor of Tamriel, Defender of the Faith, and Descendant of the Sainted Tiber Septim, Lord Talos, the Holy God of State and Law in our Blessed Nine Divines. All know the emperor to be a good and holy man, for he may often be seen in the Temple of the One, making his devotions to the Nine Divines and the Communion of Saints.<br>
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And where does he live? In the Imperial Palace, in the center of the Imperial City, in the White Gold Tower which was built many ages ago by the godless, Daedra-loving Ayleids. How fine it is that the stones raised high by this ancient evil empire are now reconsecrated as a monument to Imperial justice and piety.<br>
People who visit the Imperial Palace like to walk among the graves of saints and counts, battlemages and emperors, and gaze with wonder upon White Gold Tower, which can be seen from any place within the City.<br>
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The Elder Council Chamber here cannot be entered, and though you may marvel at their curious ancient armors, you will soon want be away from the rude and discourteous Imperial Guards.<br>
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<div align="center">* Imperial City Districts *<br>
<div align="left">The Imperial City is divided into ten districts. At the center is the Imperial Palace. The other districts are grouped around the Palace. To the northwest is Elven Gardens, a pleasant residential district.<br>
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Continuing widdershins, the Talos District, an exclusive residential area, lies to the west. To the southwest is the Temple District, and beyond it, outside the walls, the filthy and bad-smelling Waterfront District. To the southeast lies the Arboretum, and beyond that, outside the walls, the infamous Arcane University of the Mages Guild. To the east is the notorious Arena District. And last, to the northeast of the Palace lies the Market District, where anything may be bought, and beyond the Market District, outside the city walls, the Imperial Prison.<br>
<div align="center">* The Temple District *<br>
<div align="left">I live in the Temple District of the Imperial City, and it is a very pretty place. You are welcome to visit me, my husband, and daughter when you come to worship at the Temple of the One. This district is very pretty, and only pleasant and well-bred persons live here, though, as in all parts of the city, beggars are a constant problem.<br>
<div align="center">* The Arboretum *<br>
<div align="left">In this beautiful garden you will find the famous Statues of the Nine Divines. In the center you will find the statue of Lord Talos, Emperor Tiber Septim. But is it right, that Talos should have this place of honor rather than Akatosh, king of gods? It is the scheming pride of the Elder Council, who sought favor with the sons of Talos, that is responsible for this shameful error.<br>
<div align="center">* The Market District *<br>
<div align="left">You will find crowds of people waiting outside the doors of the Office of Imperial Commerce to make their complaints about being cheated by some merchant. It is a very dirty place. Piles of crates lie around in untidy heaps, unwholesome toadstools and fungus grow in clumps, and the cobbles are slimy and encrusted with filth. If you may send your servant rather than visit yourself, it would be far better.<br>
<div align="center">* Arcane University *<br>
<div align="left">This place is unspeakably dirty and unkempt, no better than a slum. You will never find the students or wizards outside in the air, for they are squatting in their dark dungeons poring over profane texts and making crabbed scribbles on scrolls.<br>
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Within the Arch-Mage's Tower is hidden the Imperial Orrery, which the mages use to study the sky. Such fools! Why do they not look on the glory of Creation itself, and give praise to the Nine as they ought, rather than squat and peer at such a ridiculous and expensive machine?<br>
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The Mages are said to have a great library of precious books, but they jealously hoard them for themselves. This is no loss for the righteous, for these books are surely full of wicked nonsense.<br>
<div align="center">* Imperial Waterfront *<br>
<div align="left">This is a terrible place. It is not uncommon to stumble over the bodies of women and children who have been murdered here. There are no more wicked and godless men in Tamriel than merchants and sailors, and they gather here to plot and cheat citizens of their hard-earned gold. Gambling and slaving and skooma-sucking and even more depraved activities take place in warehouses and ships here. And where are the City Watch? Nowhere to be seen.<br>
<div align="center">* Imperial Prison *<br>
<div align="left">The prisons are very cruel and horrible, damp and dirty, with chains and pincers and manacles and instruments of torture on every hand. But did I find any prisoners in these cells? No! For the Watch is so lazy and careless that the cells are all empty!<br>
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There are guards everywhere in the Imperial City. They travel in groups, for even they are afraid of the cruel bandits and thieves that lurk everywhere in the City. I do not know why they do not throw the impertinent beggars into prison. Criminals are so bold as to introduce themselves to you on the street. One outlaw was so brazen as to boast that he had stolen his weapons and armor from the Imperial Prison. How careless and idle these Watchmen must be to allow this! They know no shame, for the wicked officers of the Watch are corrupt, and accept gold from the hands of the very people they are supposed to place behind bars.<br>
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<div align="center">* The Arena *<br>
<div align="left">I will not tell you about this place, for you have no need to visit it. Only idle or foolish persons come here to throw their money away on games of chance, or to spill their own blood when they would better devote themselves to exterminating the armies of robbers and beggars that swarm in the streets.<br>
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May the Nine bless you and keep you!
訳文 †
<div align="center"><font face=1>ALESSIA_OTTUS_による案内書<br>
帝都へのいざない<br>
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<IMG src="Book/fancy_font/p_59x62.dds" width=59 height=62>raise_Akatosh_(Akatosh_万歳)! 帝国と全人民に祝福を！<br>
私、Alessia_Ottus_が帝都の全てをお伝えします。<br>
<br>
<div align="center">*_帝都_*<br>
<div align="left">帝都の人間と言えば、誰を思い浮かべますか？それは、Nine_Divines_の国と法の守護神、Lord_Talos、聖_Tiber_Septim_の子孫、信仰の保護者にして、Tamriel_皇帝_Uriel_Septim_でしょう。聖人と交感し、Nine_Divines_を参拝するために、Temple_of_the_One_に足繁く通われる陛下の善良にして敬虔な人を知らぬ者は居ないでしょう。<br>
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ですが、陛下の住まいはどこでしょうか？、それは帝都中央、Imperial_Palace_内の_White_Gold_Tower_です。White_Gold_Tower_は、遥か昔に_Daedra_を崇拝する邪教徒_Ayleid_によって築かれました。古代の悪の帝国によって築き上げられた堅牢な石の塔は、いまや帝国の正義と信仰の記念碑として生まれ変わったのです。<br>
帝都を訪れれば、聖人や伯爵、バトルメイジや皇帝の霊廟を散策したくなるでしょう。また、市内の随所から見る事ができる_White_Gold Tower_には、目が釘付けになるでしょう。<br>
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元老院内は立ち入り禁止になっています。もっとも周囲の珍しい鎧に驚嘆した後では、無骨な衛兵が鬱陶しく思えてきます。<br>
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<div align="center">*_Imperial_City_Districts_*<br>
<div align="left">帝都は10の地区に分かれています。中央の地区が_Imperial_Palace。他の地区は、中央地区を取り囲んでいます。北西の地区が_Elven_Gardens。快適な住宅地です。<br>
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左回りに見ていくと、宮殿の西に位置する場所が_Talos_District、高級住宅地です。南西が_Temple_District。近くの城門の外には_Waterfront_District_があります。悪臭漂う不潔な場所です。南東に位置する場所が_Arboretum（植物園）です。近くの城門は有名なメイジ・ギルドの_Arcane_University_に通じています。東側は悪名高い_Arena_District_です。最後になりますが、宮殿の北東に位置する場所が_Market_District_です。Market_District_では、あらゆる品が手に入ります。城壁の外には_Imperial_Prison_があります。<br>
<div align="center">*_The_Temple_District_*<br>
<div align="left">私は帝都の_Temple_District_に住んでいます。すばらしい場所です。読者の皆さんが、Temple_of_the_One_に参拝する際には、是非我が家を訪ねてください。夫と娘と一緒にお迎えします。とても快適な地区で、住民は気さくで上品です。しかし、帝都の他の地区と同様に、常に乞食に悩まされます。<br>
<div align="center">*_The_Arboretum_*<br>
<div align="left">美しい庭園内では、有名な_Nine_Divines_の像を見る事ができます。中央には、Tiber_Septim_帝の_Lord_Talos_像を見る事ができます。しかし、Talos_が、諸神の王たる_Akatosh_より、目立つ場所に祀られて良いのでしょうか？この恥ずべき過ちの理由は、Talos_の子孫たちの支持を得るための、元老院の横柄な作戦でした。<br>
<div align="center">*_The_Market_District_*<br>
<div align="left">ここでは_Office_of_Imperial_Commerce_前に詰め掛ける、商人に一杯食わされた客の一団を見る事ができます。とても汚れた場所です。木箱が乱雑に積み上げられ、陰には不潔なキノコやカビが生え、通りは埃っぽく、喧騒に包まれています。自分で行くより、召使を送った方が賢明でしょう。<br>
<div align="center">*_Arcane_University_*<br>
<div align="left">この場所は表現しがたいほど汚く乱雑で、スラムも同然です。学生や魔法使いは薄暗い迷宮のような場所に身を潜め、不敬な書物や難解な書き物に執心しているため、外で彼らを見かける事はまずありません。<br>
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Arch-Mage's_Tower_内には、インペリアル・オーラリ（太陽系儀）が納められています。空を研究するメイジたちに利用されています。なんと愚かな者たちでしょう！Nine_を崇めず、天地創造に目もくれず、このような馬鹿げた機械に付っきりになるのは、なぜでしょうか？<br>
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メイジたちは、希少本を納めた大きな図書館を持っていると言われていますが、それでも彼らの希少本に対する欲求が消える事はありません。これは有徳な本の損失にはなりません。というのも、彼らの求める本は虚構で満たされているのですから。<br>
<div align="center">*_Imperial_Waterfront_*<br>
<div align="left">ここは最悪の場所です。女性や子供の死体に出くわす事も珍しくありません。兵士や商人と同様にTamriel_の神を信じぬ、不道徳な者たちが、市民が汗水垂らして稼いだお金を騙し取ろうと、ここに集まります。ギャンブル、奴隷取引、skooma_の吸飲、さらに倉庫や船の中で、不正な取引が行われます。警備隊はどこでしょう？姿が見えません。<br>
<div align="center">*_Imperial_Prison_*<br>
<div align="left">この刑務所は残酷で恐ろしく、じめじめした不潔な場所で、鎖、くさび、手かせ、足かせ、拷問道具がそこら中に転がっています。ですが、独房で囚人を見かけた事はありません。職務怠慢で注意散漫な警備隊のお陰で、独房はいつも空なのです！<br>
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帝都には至る所に衛兵がいます。彼らは集団で行動します。というのも、帝都のあちこちに潜む恐ろしい盗賊や泥棒に恐れをなしているのです。彼らが、不埒な乞食たちを投獄しない理由は、私には分かりません。犯罪者は、通りであなたに自己紹介するほど大胆です。ある無法者は、Imperial_Prison_から武器と鎧を分捕ってきたと自慢する始末でした。職務怠慢で散漫な警備隊が、この惨状を許しているのです！彼らは恥というものを知りません。警備隊の士官にいたっては、汚職に手を染めています。彼らは入所するはずの犯罪者たちから賄賂を受け取っています。<br>
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<div align="center">*_The_Arena_*<br>
<div align="left">この場所について教える事はありません。訪れる必要がないからです。ここに足を運ぶのは、堕落した愚か者だけです。彼らはここで博打でお金を無駄にしたり、通りに跋扈する泥棒や乞食の群れを一掃にするために流されるべき血を無駄に流すのです。<br>
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Nine_の祝福と守護があらんことを!
