Description of Rome
Look at how proliferating grass and decay now cover these massive structures and walls once threatening ‘with deities’. Here, where now the heights fall down from heaven, once greatest Rome was. Now it pleases me to see corroded columns lay about everywhere, and temples of the Gods buried everywhere. Now the Campus Martius, the baths, the Circus and the Forum, now the seven hills and monuments of men. On this side the victors mounted the high Capitol, here were the double fasces, the power of the consul. Here the site of the rostra, here the great Tullius used to reign, here large throngs of people gathered. Alas, such a great empire, dominant at land and sea, has turned into ashes by the sword and the flame. The City that once emulated the highest Gods, has been able to bring its neck under a barbarian yoke. That City has become prey of the world, that (before) had exhausted the whole world; all the riches that belonged to this City, are now in possession of the world. All other things devouring time covers, overthrown by long periods of time, and dead Rome is now her own tomb. Learn from this how much faith human affairs deserve: this is – so short – the lifespan of such a great empire. Mighty Rome is dead, but learned Virgil lives on everywhere; the melodious strings of the Latin lyre live on; Ovid’s loves and Tibullus’ live on, as do your poems, learned Catullus. Greetings, o ashes, greetings to the holy poets, which famous Rome counted among her seers. May I be allowed, a Frenchman, to reopen your sources, while I enjoy the generous genius of this place.