The Empire rose
The Empire fell
Many men perished for the glory of state
Some were righteous
Some wicked
Most were soldiers thrown into the thicket
Patricians, plebians and freedmen dominated the scene
All desiring to be the best they could be
Monuments stand that attest to their brilliance
Arches, aquaducts and the venerated Colosseum
Writings survive from that classical period
History, prose and satire still haven’t withered
Virgil, Ovid and Tacitus still speak
If you’re willing to listen, their words are so deep
Bread, circuses and baths made the people smile
War, famine and plague made them humble
Caesar, Aurelius and Constantine won their hearts
Hannibal, Mithridates and Attila weakened their resolve
Rome was a whisper
Gone before you could catch it
Not till the Renaissance to be rediscovered
History is important
Lest you think differently
Learn from it
My ultimate plea
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem