罗马帝国晚期,战乱频仍,政治黑暗,民不聊生,“古希腊的光荣”与“古罗马的伟大”(爱伦坡语)皆成明日黄花。在风雨飘摇中维系西方文明一脉不绝的是一些被称为“教父”(Churchfathers)的基督教学者们,其中最有名的两位就是圣哲罗姆(st Jerome,c.347—420)与圣奥古斯丁(st Augustine,354—430)了。哲罗姆生于巴尔干半岛一个叫斯特瑞东(Stridon,今属克罗地亚或斯洛文尼亚)的地方,当时属于罗马帝国的一个行省,多数居民信奉基督教。他后来在罗马接受教育,随后 Late in the Roman Empire, frequent wars, political darkness, unscrupulous people, “the glory of ancient Greece” and “the great” of ancient Rome (Poem) are the bright yellow flowers. A constant source of Western civilization in the precariousness is some Christian scholars known as Churchfathers, the most famous of whom are St Jerome (c. 347-420) And St. Augustine (354-430). Jerome was born in the Balkan Peninsula called Stridon (now Croatia or Slovenia), was a province of the Roman Empire, the majority of residents believe in Christianity. He later received education in Rome, then