Περιμένοντας τους βαρβάρους
Nov. 25th, 2024 11:13 am- Τι περιμένουμε στην αγορά συναθροισμένοι; Είναι οι βάρβαροι να φθάσουν σήμερα. - Γιατί μέσα στην Σύγκλητο μια τέτοια απραξία; Τι κάθοντ' οι Συγκλητικοί και δεν νομοθετούνε; Γιατί οι βάρβαροι θα φθάσουν σήμερα. Τι νόμους πια θα κάμουν οι Συγκλητικοί; Οι βάρβαροι σαν έλθουν θα νομοθετήσουν. - Γιατί ο αυτοκράτωρ μας τόσο πρωί σηκώθη, και κάθεται στης πόλεως την πιο μεγάλη πύλη στον θρόνο επάνω, επίσημος, φορώντας την κορόνα; Γιατί οι βάρβαροι θα φθάσουν σήμερα. Κι ο αυτοκράτωρ περιμένει να δεχθεί. τον αρχηγό τους. Μάλιστα ετοίμασε για να τον δώσει μια περγαμηνή. Εκεί τον έγραψε τίτλους πολλούς κι ονόματα. - Γιατί οι δυο μας ύπατοι κι οι πραίτορες εβγήκαν σήμερα με τες κόκκινες, τες κεντημένες τόγες· γιατί βραχιόλια φόρεσαν με τόσους αμεθύστους, και δαχτυλίδια με λαμπρά, γυαλιστερά σμαράγδια· γιατί να πιάσουν σήμερα πολύτιμα μπαστούνια μ' ασήμια και μαλάματα έκτακτα σκαλιγμένα; Γιατί οι βάρβαροι θα φθάσουν σήμερα· και τέτοια πράγματα θαμπώνουν τους βαρβάρους. - Γιατί κι οι άξιοι ρήτορες δεν έρχονται σαν πάντα να βγάλουνε τους λόγους τους, να πούνε τα δικά τους; Γιατί οι βάρβαροι θα φθάσουν σήμερα· κι αυτοί βαριούντ' ευφράδειες και δημηγορίες. - Γιατί ν' αρχίσει μονομιάς αυτή η ανησυχία κι η σύγχυσις. (Τα πρόσωπα τι σοβαρά που εγίναν). Γιατί αδειάζουν γρήγορα οι δρόμοι κι οι πλατέες, κι όλοι γυρνούν στα σπίτια τους πολύ συλλογισμένοι; Γιατί ενύχτωσε κι οι βάρβαροι δεν ήλθαν. Και μερικοί έφθασαν απ' τα σύνορα, και είπανε πως βάρβαροι πια δεν υπάρχουν. Και τώρα τι θα γενούμε χωρίς βαρβάρους. Οι άνθρωποι αυτοί ήσαν μια κάποια λύσις. | What are we waiting for, assembled in the forum? The barbarians are due here today. Why isn’t anything going on in the senate? Why are the senators sitting there without legislating? Because the barbarians are coming today. What’s the point of senators making laws now? Once the barbarians are here, they’ll do the legislating. Why did our emperor get up so early, and why is he sitting enthroned at the city’s main gate, in state, wearing the crown? Because the barbarians are coming today and the emperor’s waiting to receive their leader. He’s even got a scroll to give him, loaded with titles, with imposing names. Why have our two consuls and praetors come out today wearing their embroidered, their scarlet togas? Why have they put on bracelets with so many amethysts, rings sparkling with magnificent emeralds? Why are they carrying elegant canes beautifully worked in silver and gold? Because the barbarians are coming today and things like that dazzle the barbarians. Why don’t our distinguished orators turn up as usual to make their speeches, say what they have to say? Because the barbarians are coming today and they’re bored by rhetoric and public speaking. Why this sudden bewilderment, this confusion? (How serious people’s faces have become.) Why are the streets and squares emptying so rapidly, everyone going home lost in thought? Because night has fallen and the barbarians haven't come. And some of our men just in from the border say there are no barbarians any longer. Now what’s going to happen to us without barbarians? Those people were a kind of solution. | - Ce așteptăm în piața adunați? Barbarii sosesc astăzi. - De ce așa inacțiune în Senat? De ce stau membrii Senatului și nu legiferează? Pentru că barbarii vor sosi astăzi. Ce legi va adopta Senatul acum? Când vor veni barbarii, vor legifera. - De ce s-a trezit împăratul nostru atât de devreme, și stă în oraș cea mai mare poartă întronat deasupra, solemn, purtând coroana? Pentru că barbarii vor sosi astăzi. Și împăratul așteaptă să primească pe șeful lor. Da, pregătește-te să-i dea un sul. Acolo i-a scris multe titluri și nume. - Pentru că cei doi superiori ai noștri și pretorii au ieșit astăzi cu togi roșii, brodate? de ce au purtat brățări cu atât de mulți bețivi, și inele sclipind de smaralde strălucitoare? de ce ar trebui să poarte astăzi toiage sculptate cu argint și aur? Pentru că barbarii vor sosi astăzi; iar astfel de lucruri îi vor orbi pe barbari. - De ce oratorii noști vrednici nu vin ca de obicei să-și oreze discursurile, să le spună pe ale lor? Pentru că barbarii vor sosi astăzi; și ei se plictisesc de elocvență și declamații. - De ce această îngrijorare dintr-o dată și confuzie? (Chipurile au devenit atât de serioase). De ce străzile și piețele se golesc repede, și toată lumea pleacă acasă foarte gânditoare? Pentru că s-a întunecat și barbarii nu au venit. Și unii au sosit de la graniță, şi au spus că nu mai sunt barbari. Și acum ce vom deveni fără barbari. Acești oameni au fost o soluție. |
Sources: GR/EN