Latin Poem- Translated by A Z Foreman- Poems Found in Translation

Poems Found In Translation: “Janus Vitalis Panormitanus: Ancient Rome (From Latin)” Janus Vitalis Panormitanus: Ancient Rome (From Latin) Posted: 05 Oct 2015 06:01 PM PDT This is a poem which spawned a veritable micro-genre of imitations and free translations into French, Spanish, Polish, Russian, English and other languages, including this sonnet by Quevedo as well as this one by Du Bellay. Though the poem has done quite well in its cross-linguistic journeys, the original does much that the imitators do not seek to capture. The implication of the use of the term Albula, for example (coupled with the nōmen rōmānum which is the Tiber) is quite impossible to carry over into another language and in any case requires a knowledge of Roman lore to appreciate. (Albula is the mythical "original" name of the river, supposedly renamed Tiber after one of Rome's kings.) Ancient Rome By Janus Vitalis Panormitanus (16th cent.) Translated by A.Z. Foreman O newcomer who seek Rome in rome's midst　　 　　yet find nothing of Rome amidst all rome, See the heaped walls, tall sundered stones, vast empty ã€€ã€€ 　　theaters with horrid ruin overrun. All this is Rome. See how so great a City　　 　　breathes threats of empire even from its corpse, The conqueror who conquered her own self ã€€ã€€ 　　that nothing be unconquered by her force.  Now that Unconquerable Rome lies tombed　　 　　In conquered rome: the victor in the victim.  Only the Tiber's left of what is Roman   　　 　　even as its fleet waters flee to sea.  Know Fortune's power: the immovable gives way. 　　 　　Only what moves unceasingly remains.   The Original: Rōma PrÄ«sca QuÄ« Rōmam in mediā quaeris novus advena Rōmā,　　 　　Et Rōmae in Rōmā nil reperis mediā, Aspice mÅ«rōrum mōlÄ“s, praeruptaque saxa,　　 　　Obrutaque horrentÄ« vasta theātra sitÅ«: Haec sunt Rōma.  Viden velut ipsa cadāvera, tantae　　 　　Urbis adhÅ«c spÄ«rent imperiōsa minās. VÄ«cit ut haec mundum, nixa est sÄ“ vincere; vÄ«cit,　　 　　Ā sÄ“ nōn victum nÄ“ quid in orbe foret. Nunc victā in Rōmā Rōma illa invicta sepulta est,　　 　　Atque eadem victrÄ«x victaque Rōma fuit. Albula RōmānÄ« restat nunc nōminis index,　　 　　QuÄ«n etiam rapidÄ«s fertur in aequor aquÄ«s. Disce hinc, quid possit fōrtÅ«na; immōta labāscunt,　　 　　Et quae perpetuō sunt agitāta manent.