to father children:father 是动词,作父亲,生养孩子.
例：
He fathered two sons.他生了两个儿子.father an orphan 收养孤儿.
were around to father children：跟前句,生存,长大,生儿育女.
Archers stood a better chance of survival and were around to father children,who would also tend to have better eyesight than those who failed the test.
射手座的人有更好的生存机会,并长大成人,生儿育女.他们还比其他不易生存的人有更好的视力.