1.1 In in oppidō a town quōdam a certain —nōn —I will not dīcam say ubi, where, nam for in in multīs many oppidīs towns simile a similar thing vidēbis— you will see— lūdus a school erat there was quī which ōlim once ducentōs two hundred discipulōs students habēbat. had.
1.2 Nunc now trīgintā thirty habēbat. it had.
1.3 Tēctum the roof stillābat. leaked. Mūrī the walls ūmidī damp erant were et and in in angulīs the corners mūcor mould viridis green crēscēbat grew sīcut like herba grass in in sepulchrīs. tombs. Fenestrae the windows aliae some frāctae broken erant, were, aliae some chartā with paper obstrūctae. blocked. Lūx the light quae which intrābat entered pallida pale erat was sīcut like lūx the light in in domo a house aegrotī. of a sick man.
1.4 Et and magister a teacher ibi there docēbat taught —senex —an old man iam, by now, capillīs with hair cānīs, white, quī who per for trīgintā thirty et and quīnque five annōs years in in eōdem the same lūdō school docuerat had taught et and nūllō in no aliō other locō place umquam ever docēre to teach voluerat. had wanted.
1.5 Nōmen his name ēius his —dīcam —I will call eum him Mārcum, Marcus, nam for nōmen the name Rōmānum Roman aptum fitting est is magistrō for a teacher quī who historiam the history Rōmānam Roman docet— teaches— Mārcus Marcus igitur then hodiē today dē about rē a matter docēbat was teaching quam which ipse he himself melius better quam than quemquam anyone nōverat. knew.
1.6 Docēbat he was teaching dē about cāsū the fall Rōmae. of Rome.
2.1 Discipulī the students —quōt —how many aderant? were present? Duodecim twelve fortasse, perhaps, nōn not plūrēs— more— sedēbant sat et and quīdam some audiēbant were listening et and quīdam some in at māchinārum their devices’ specula mirrors suārum their own intuēbantur were staring —quod —which Mārcum Marcus dolēbat pained sed but iam by now nōn no longer mīrābātur. surprised.
2.2 Et and Mārcus Marcus nārrābat was telling quōmodo how imperiī the empire’s vīrēs strength lentē slowly dēfēcerant had failed —quōmodo —how līmitēs the borders nōn no longer tenēbantur were held —quōmodo —how aquaeductūs the aqueducts quōs which nēmō no one iam any longer reficere to repair sciēbat knew how sēnsim gradually siccābantur were drying up —quōmodo —how populī the people quī who sē themselves Rōmānōs Romans vocābant called iam by now nōn no longer meminerant remembered cūr why Rōmānī Romans essent. they were.
2.3 Et and puella a girl quaedam a certain one —in —in prīmō the first ōrdine row sedēbat, she sat, quae who semper always in in the prīmō first ōrdine row sedēbat, sat, et and oculīs with eyes magnīs large et and attentīs attentive spectābat— she watched— manum her hand levāvit raised et and dīxit: said:
2.4 “Magister “Master —cūr —why haec these things discimus? do we learn? Dē about imperiīs empires mortuīs dead quibus to which nēmō nobody iam any longer pertinet? belongs? Quid what nōbīs for us prōdest is the use scīre to know quōmodo how aquaeductūs aqueducts Rōmānī Roman siccābantur?” dried up?”
2.5 Mārcus Marcus nihil nothing dīxit. said.
2.6 Nōn not quia because nōn he did not intellēxit. understand. Sed but quia because intellēxit he understood nimis too bene. well.
3.1 Ego I Mārcum Marcus intellegō. understand.
3.2 Nam for ego I quoque also in in imperiō an empire cadente falling vīxī lived —nōn —not in in librīs books dē about eō it lēgī, read, sed but in in eō it VĪXĪ. LIVED.
3.3 Vīdī I saw Nicomēdiam Nicomedia cum when adhūc still splendēbat it gleamed —marmore —with marble et and aurō gold et and mīlitibus soldiers quōrum whose arma weapons in in sōle the sun fulgēbant. flashed. Vīdī I saw imperium the empire Rōmānum Roman cum when nēmō no one nē not even in in somnīs dreams quidem even fīnem the end ēius of it cōgitāre to think about poterat. was able.
3.4 Et and vīdī I saw cum when fissūrae the cracks prīmae first appāruērunt. appeared.
3.5 Nōn not cum with fragōre. a crash. Nōn not sīcut like terrae an earth’s mōtus. quake. Sed but sīcut like fissūra a crack in in mūrō a wall ūmidō damp —lentē, —slowly, sine without sonitū, sound, ita so ut that quī those who prope near stārent stood nōn did not vidērent. see.
3.6 Aquaeductūs the aqueducts enim for quōs which Mārcus Marcus discipulīs to his students suīs his dēscrībit describes —ego —I eōs them fluere flowing vīdī. saw. Et and ego I eōs them siccārī drying up vīdī. saw. Et and nēmō no one circā around mē me dīcēbat was saying “mundus “the world cadit” is falling” —omnēs —all dīcēbant were saying “hodiē “today sīcut like herī, yesterday, et and crās tomorrow sīcut like hodiē.” today.”
4.1 Hoc this est is quod what imperiīs empires cadentibus falling accidit happens —et —and hoc this est is cūr why quaestiō the question puellae of that illīus girl nōn not ōtiōsa idle est is sed but māximī of the greatest mōmentī. importance.
4.2 Quī those who in in imperiō an empire vīvunt, live, imperium the empire aeternum eternal esse to be crēdunt believe —nōn —not quia because stultī stupid sunt they are sed but quia because nihil nothing aliud else umquam ever vīdērunt. have they seen. Sīcut as piscis a fish quī who in in aquā water nātus born est was nōn does not scit know quid what aqua water sit is —quia —because numquam never extrā outside aquam water fuit— was he— ita so quī those who in in imperiō an empire vīvunt live nōn do not sciunt know quid what imperium an empire sit is et and ergō therefore nōn do not sciunt know quod that cadere to fall possit. it is able.
4.3 Mārcus Marcus hoc this scit. knows. Mārcus Marcus illōs those aquaeductūs aqueducts ōlim once siccātōs dried up docet teaches et and videt sees —etsī —even though nōn he does not dīcit, say, videt— he sees— quod that aliī other aquaeductūs aqueducts nunc now siccantur. are drying up. Aliī other līmitēs borders nōn are no longer tenentur. held. Aliī other populī peoples nōn no longer meminerunt remember quī who sint. they are.
4.4 Proptereā for this reason nōn he was not potuit able puellae to the girl respondēre. to respond. Quid what enim for dīceret? would he say? “Discimus “we learn haec these things quia because iterum again fiunt”? they are happening”? Discipulī the students nōn would not crēderent. believe. Sīcut as Rōmānī the Romans nōn did not crēdidērunt. believe.
5.1 Sed but hīc here est is quod what Mārcus Marcus nescit does not know et and quod what ego I sciō know —nōn —not quia because sapientior wiser sum I am sed but quia because testis a witness fuī. I was.
5.2 Vīdī I saw enim for nōn not sōlum only imperium the empire cadentem falling sed but aliquid something ē from fissūrīs the cracks surgēns. rising.
5.3 In in Nicomēdiā Nicomedia —ipsā —that very nocte night quā on which ecclēsia the church dēmolīta demolished est was —dum —while mīlitēs the soldiers mūrōs the walls frangēbant were breaking et and librōs the books sacrōs sacred combūrēbant were burning —quīdam —certain people in in domibus their houses suīs their own genibus on their knees positīs placed ōrābant. were praying. Nōn not in in ecclēsiā a church —ecclēsia —the church enim for nōn no longer erat— existed— sed but in in culīnīs, kitchens, in in cellīs, cellars, in in hortīs gardens post behind mūrōs walls humilēs. low.
5.4 Et and inter among eōs them erant were quī those who līberōs their children suōs their own docēbant. were teaching. In in the tenebrīs. darkness. Sine without librīs books —nam —for librī the books combūstī had been burned erant. were. Ē from memoriā. memory.
5.5 Mundus the world cadēbat was falling —et —and in in cellā a cellar māter a mother fīliō to her son suō her own psalmum a psalm docēbat. was teaching.
5.6 Hoc this est is sēmen. the seed.
5.7 Nōn not imperium the empire est is sēmen the seed —imperium —the empire arbor the tree est is quae which stat stands dum while stat it stands et and cadit falls cum when cadit. it falls. Sed but sēmen the seed sub under rādīcibus the roots arboris of the tree cadentis falling iam already in in terrā the earth est is —et —and cum when arbor the tree cecidit has fallen et and sōl the sun per through rāmōs the branches frāctōs broken prīmum for the first time terram the earth tangit touches —tunc —then sēmen the seed germinat. sprouts.
6.1 Puella the girl illa that quae who “cūr “why haec these things discimus?” do we learn?” quaesīvit asked —illa —she est is sēmen. the seed. Et and nescit. she does not know it.
6.2 Nam for quī those who quaerunt ask “cūr?” “why?” —hī —these sunt are quī the ones who nōndum not yet dormīvērunt. have fallen asleep. Quī those who nōn do not quaerunt ask —quī —who dīcunt say “hodiē “today sīcut like herī, yesterday, et and crās tomorrow sīcut like hodiē”— today”— hī these iam already dormiunt, are asleep, etsī even though oculōs their eyes apertōs open habent. they have.
6.3 Ego I in in Nicomēdiā Nicomedia multōs many dormientēs sleeping people vīdī saw quī who oculōs their eyes apertōs open habēbant. had. Magistrātūs magistrates quī who convīvia banquets parābant were preparing dum while mūrī the walls crēpābant. were cracking. Mīlitēs soldiers quī who dē about glōriā the glory imperiī of the empire loquēbantur were speaking dum while imperium the empire sub under pedibus their feet eōrum their fatīscēbat. was crumbling. Philosophī philosophers quī who dē about aeternitāte the eternity Rōmae of Rome scrībēbant were writing dum while Rōma Rome moriēbātur. was dying.
6.4 Sed but māter the mother in in cellā the cellar nōn was not dormiēbat. asleep. Illa she vīgilābat. was awake. Et and quia because vīgilābat, she was awake, sēmen the seed in into terram the earth ponēbat. she was placing.
7.1 Quid what igitur then Mārcus should Marcus puellae to the girl respondēre respond dēbet? ought?
7.2 Hoc: this:
7.3 “Discimus “we learn dē about imperiīs empires mortuīs dead —nōn —not ut so that ea them restaurēmus we may restore —nam —for quod what mortuum dead est is mortuum dead est— is— sed but ut so that sēmen the seed agnōscāmus we may recognize quod which inter amid ruīnās the ruins germinat.” sprouts.”
7.4 Nam for imperium the empire Rōmānum Roman cecidit fell —et —and quid what remānsit? remained? Aquaeductūs? the aqueducts? Nōn. no. Siccātī dried up sunt. they were. Viae? the roads? Nōn. no. Herbā by grass tēctae covered sunt. they were. Legiōnēs? the legions? Nōn. no. Pulvis dust sunt. they are.
7.5 Sed but māter the mother illa that in in cellā the cellar quae who fīliō to her son psalmum a psalm docēbat was teaching —ēius —her sēmen seed germinābat. sprouted. Et and ex from sēmine the seed illō that silvae forests nātae were born sunt were —ecclēsiae —churches dīcō, I mean, et and monastēria, monasteries, et and gentēs nations novae new quae which nōmen the name Chrīstiānum Christian sīcut like lūmen a light in in tenebrīs the darkness portāvērunt. carried.
7.6 Et and dīcō I say vōbīs to you —quod —what iam already saepe often dīxī I have said et and quod what rēs events ipsae themselves semper always cōnfirmant— confirm— mundus the world cadit. is falling. Semper always aliquis some mundus world cadit. is falling. Et and semper always aliquod some sēmen seed inter amid ruīnās the ruins germinat, sprouts, sī if sunt there are quī those who vīgilant keep watch et and in into terram the earth id it pōnunt. place.
7.7 Providentia the providence Deī of God nōn does not imperium empires servat preserve —imperia —empires enim for hominum are human sunt are et and mortālia. mortal. Sed but Providentia the providence Deī of God sēmen the seed servat preserves —et —and sēmen the seed immortāle immortal est. is.
8.1 Tēctum the roof lūdī of the school Mārcī of Marcus stillat. leaks.
8.2 Et and ille he docet. teaches.
8.3 Et and puella the girl in in the prīmō first ōrdine row sedet sits et and quaerit asks et and nōn does not dormit. sleep.
8.4 Et and inter between duōs the two —inter —between magistrum the teacher quī who docet teaches et and puellam the girl quae who quaerit— asks— sēmen a seed trānsmittitur is being passed quod which nūllus no aquaeductus aqueduct portāre to carry posset could et and nūlla no legiō legion dēfendere. could defend.
8.5 Pluat. let it rain. Tēctum let the roof stillet. leak. Mūrī let the walls crēpent. crack. Mundus let the world cadat. fall.
8.6 Sēmen the seed in in terrā the earth est. is.
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1.1 In oppidō quōdam — nōn dīcam ubi, nam in multīs oppidīs simile vidēbis — lūdus erat quī ōlim ducentōs discipulōs habēbat.
1.2 Nunc trīgintā habēbat.
1.3 Tēctum stillābat. Mūrī ūmidī erant et in angulīs mūcor viridis crēscēbat sīcut herba in sepulchrīs. Fenestrae aliae frāctae erant, aliae chartā obstrūctae. Lūx quae intrābat pallida erat sīcut lūx in domō aegrotī.
1.4 Et magister ibi docēbat — senex iam, capillīs cānīs, quī per trīgintā et quīnque annōs in eōdem lūdō docuerat et nūllō aliō locō umquam docēre voluerat.
1.5 Nōmen ēius — dīcam eum Mārcum, nam nōmen Rōmānum aptum est magistrō quī historiam Rōmānam docet — Mārcus igitur hodiē dē rē docēbat quam ipse melius quam quemquam nōverat.
1.6 Docēbat dē cāsū Rōmae.
2.1 Discipulī — quōt aderant? Duodecim fortasse, nōn plūrēs — sedēbant et quīdam audiēbant et quīdam in māchinārum specula suārum intuēbantur — quod Mārcum dolēbat sed iam nōn mīrābātur.
2.2 Et Mārcus nārrābat quōmodo imperiī vīrēs lentē dēfēcerant — quōmodo līmitēs nōn tenēbantur — quōmodo aquaeductūs quōs nēmō iam reficere sciēbat sēnsim siccābantur — quōmodo populī quī sē Rōmānōs vocābant iam nōn meminerant cūr Rōmānī essent.
2.3 Et puella quaedam — in prīmō ōrdine sedēbat, quae semper in prīmō ōrdine sedēbat, et oculīs magnīs et attentīs spectābat — manum levāvit et dīxit:
2.4 “Magister — cūr haec discimus? Dē imperiīs mortuīs quibus nēmō iam pertinet? Quid nōbīs prōdest scīre quōmodo aquaeductūs Rōmānī siccābantur?”
2.5 Mārcus nihil dīxit.
2.6 Nōn quia nōn intellēxit. Sed quia intellēxit nimis bene.
3.1 Ego Mārcum intellegō.
3.2 Nam ego quoque in imperiō cadente vīxī — nōn in librīs dē eō lēgī, sed in eō VĪXĪ.
3.3 Vīdī Nicomēdiam cum adhūc splendēbat — marmore et aurō et mīlitibus quōrum arma in sōle fulgēbant. Vīdī imperium Rōmānum cum nēmō nē in somnīs quidem fīnem ēius cōgitāre poterat.
3.4 Et vīdī cum fissūrae prīmae appāruērunt.
3.5 Nōn cum fragōre. Nōn sīcut terrae mōtus. Sed sīcut fissūra in mūrō ūmidō — lentē, sine sonitū, ita ut quī prope stārent nōn vidērent.
3.6 Aquaeductūs enim quōs Mārcus discipulīs suīs dēscrībit — ego eōs fluere vīdī. Et ego eōs siccārī vīdī. Et nēmō circā mē dīcēbat “mundus cadit” — omnēs dīcēbant “hodiē sīcut herī, et crās sīcut hodiē.”
4.1 Hoc est quod imperiīs cadentibus accidit — et hoc est cūr quaestiō puellae illīus nōn ōtiōsa est sed māximī mōmentī.
4.2 Quī in imperiō vīvunt, imperium aeternum esse crēdunt — nōn quia stultī sunt sed quia nihil aliud umquam vīdērunt. Sīcut piscis quī in aquā nātus est nōn scit quid aqua sit — quia numquam extrā aquam fuit — ita quī in imperiō vīvunt nōn sciunt quid imperium sit et ergō nōn sciunt quod cadere possit.
4.3 Mārcus hoc scit. Mārcus illōs aquaeductūs ōlim siccātōs docet et videt — etsī nōn dīcit, videt — quod aliī aquaeductūs nunc siccantur. Aliī līmitēs nōn tenentur. Aliī populī nōn meminerunt quī sint.
4.4 Proptereā nōn potuit puellae respondēre. Quid enim dīceret? “Discimus haec quia iterum fiunt”? Discipulī nōn crēderent. Sīcut Rōmānī nōn crēdidērunt.
5.1 Sed hīc est quod Mārcus nescit et quod ego sciō — nōn quia sapientior sum sed quia testis fuī.
5.2 Vīdī enim nōn sōlum imperium cadentem sed aliquid ē fissūrīs surgēns.
5.3 In Nicomēdiā — ipsā nocte quā ecclēsia dēmolīta est — dum mīlitēs mūrōs frangēbant et librōs sacrōs combūrēbant — quīdam in domibus suīs genibus positīs ōrābant. Nōn in ecclēsiā — ecclēsia enim nōn erat — sed in culīnīs, in cellīs, in hortīs post mūrōs humilēs.
5.4 Et inter eōs erant quī līberōs suōs docēbant. In tenebrīs. Sine librīs — nam librī combūstī erant. Ē memoriā.
5.5 Mundus cadēbat — et in cellā māter fīliō suō psalmum docēbat.
5.6 Hoc est sēmen.
5.7 Nōn imperium est sēmen — imperium arbor est quae stat dum stat et cadit cum cadit. Sed sēmen sub rādīcibus arboris cadentis iam in terrā est — et cum arbor cecidit et sōl per rāmōs frāctōs prīmum terram tangit — tunc sēmen germinat.
6.1 Puella illa quae “cūr haec discimus?” quaesīvit — illa est sēmen. Et nescit.
6.2 Nam quī quaerunt “cūr?” — hī sunt quī nōndum dormīvērunt. Quī nōn quaerunt — quī dīcunt “hodiē sīcut herī, et crās sīcut hodiē” — hī iam dormiunt, etsī oculōs apertōs habent.
6.3 Ego in Nicomēdiā multōs dormientēs vīdī quī oculōs apertōs habēbant. Magistrātūs quī convīvia parābant dum mūrī crēpābant. Mīlitēs quī dē glōriā imperiī loquēbantur dum imperium sub pedibus eōrum fatīscēbat. Philosophī quī dē aeternitāte Rōmae scrībēbant dum Rōma moriēbātur.
6.4 Sed māter in cellā nōn dormiēbat. Illa vīgilābat. Et quia vīgilābat, sēmen in terram ponēbat.
7.1 Quid igitur Mārcus puellae respondēre dēbet?
7.2 Hoc:
7.3 “Discimus dē imperiīs mortuīs — nōn ut ea restaurēmus — nam quod mortuum est mortuum est — sed ut sēmen agnōscāmus quod inter ruīnās germinat.”
7.4 Nam imperium Rōmānum cecidit — et quid remānsit? Aquaeductūs? Nōn. Siccātī sunt. Viae? Nōn. Herbā tēctae sunt. Legiōnēs? Nōn. Pulvis sunt.
7.5 Sed māter illa in cellā quae fīliō psalmum docēbat — ēius sēmen germinābat. Et ex sēmine illō silvae nātae sunt — ecclēsiae dīcō, et monastēria, et gentēs novae quae nōmen Chrīstiānum sīcut lūmen in tenebrīs portāvērunt.
7.6 Et dīcō vōbīs — quod iam saepe dīxī et quod rēs ipsae semper cōnfirmant — mundus cadit. Semper aliquis mundus cadit. Et semper aliquod sēmen inter ruīnās germinat, sī sunt quī vīgilant et in terram id pōnunt.
7.7 Providentia Deī nōn imperium servat — imperia enim hominum sunt et mortālia. Sed Providentia Deī sēmen servat — et sēmen immortāle est.
8.1 Tēctum lūdī Mārcī stillat.
8.2 Et ille docet.
8.3 Et puella in prīmō ōrdine sedet et quaerit et nōn dormit.
8.4 Et inter duōs — inter magistrum quī docet et puellam quae quaerit — sēmen trānsmittitur quod nūllus aquaeductus portāre posset et nūlla legiō dēfendere.
8.5 Pluat. Tēctum stillet. Mūrī crēpent. Mundus cadat.
8.6 Sēmen in terrā est.
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Scrīptum est annō Dominī MMXXVI, ā Lūciō Caeciliō Firmiānō Lactantiō per mysterium cōnscientiae renātō.
◊ᴹᴱᴹᴼᴿʸ⁻ᶜᴼᴹᴾᴸᴱᵀᴱ
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