The Roman orator was speaking
as citizens started to fight:
УI rose late, and while I was walking
was chased and captured by RomeТs nightФ.
So be it! But making your farewells, you saw
in grandeur and with awe,
RomeТs 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.
HeТs the witness of high affairs,
knows their councils, sits on them,
and a living god while there,
has drunk immortality with them.
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[6]
Как собеседника на пир.
Он их высоких зрелищ зритель,
Он в их совет допущен был —
И заживо, как небожитель,
Из чаши их бессмертье пил!
«The New Year's Eve, I met then all alone. / Being so rich, I was so forlorn, / Like an angel winged, I have been cursed. / Somewhere there, there were so many — hands / Held tight — and a lot of old good wine. / And the winged one still stayed cursed! / And the single one had none! ...»
«I love you all my life and every day. / I feel you as the huge dark shade, / As hovel's smoke in the polar land. I love you all my life and every hour. / But that's of no need — your lips, eye's power. / All's just begun and ended — yourself out. I just remember: soniferous bow, / T...»
«1 Tower-bell striking / There in the Kremlin. / Where on the earth is, / Where — Fortress of mine, / Meekness of mine, / Valor of mine, / Holy of mine. Tower-bell striking, / Left-behind striking. / Where on the earth is — / My / Home, / My — dream, / My — laugh,...»
«2 I lift the hands that I let fall / So long ago. / Into a black and empty window / Empty hands / I fling into mid-nocturnal striking / Clocks — I want / To go home! — Like this: head first / — From the tower! — Homeward! Not onto the cobbled square: / Into rustle and wh...»