Цицерон

Оратор римский говорил 
Средь бурь гражданских и тревоги: 
"Я поздно встал - и на дороге 
Застигнут ночью Рима был!" 
Так!.. но, прощаясь с римской славой, 
С Капитолийской высоты 
Во всем величье видел ты 
Закат звезды ее кровавый!.. 

Счастлив, кто посетил сей мир 
В его минуты роковые! 
Его призвали всеблагие 
Как собеседника на пир. 
Он их высоких зрелищ зритель, 
Он в их совет допущен был- 
И заживо, как небожитель, 
Из чаши их бессмертье пил! 

Фёдор Тютчев, 1830

---

Cecero

The Roman orator was speaking
as citizens started to fight:
"I rose late, and while I was walking
was chased and captured by Rome's night".
So be it!  But making your farewells, you saw
in grandeur and with awe,
Rome's bloody star go down.
	
Blessed is he who visits this life
at its fateful moments of strife:
the all-wise sent him an invitation
to speak with them at their celebrations.
He's the witness of high affairs,
knows their councils, sits on them,
and a living god while there,
has drunk immortality with them.

F.Jude, 2000

---

Cicero 

A Roman orator once said,  
Watching resentment and decay,   
"I got up very late and met  
The night of Rome on my way!"    
True... But farewell to Roman's glory 
You bade from th'heights of Capitol;  
For seeing the end of a great story,   
You paid a reasonable toll.       


Happy is one who came to Earth 
In minutes of terror and frustration.
Gods recognized that he is worth  
Their company and conversation.  
A looker of the highest sight,          
Distinguished more than he could think, 
Like a celestial only might, 
From chalice of Gods he had to drink. 

VG, 19 июля 2013