Ancient Rome
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
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
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.