End of the Road

(based on Viva La Vida, by Coldplay)

Photo (detail): Margaret Bourke-White, 1944. Source: LIFE/Google

"Quondam omnēs gentēs diciōne sōlus

ūnicā rēxī, pelagusque nūtū

aestuat meō; placidē resēdit

dicta facessens.

Fortūnae in palmō positus superbō

hostium timens pavidumque sensī

pectus; victorem et populus canēbat:

'Aemule dīvīs,

iō!' saevō ingressus milite ōlim in urbēs

gemmārum et aurī rapiēbam acervōs

templa infracta et foedera fracta līquī

turbinis instar.

mox terrōre armīsque regō cruentīs

ossibus trītīs procerum corōna est

et cruōre facta thronusque fūsō

sanguine fultus.

Cārius praedīs caput esse opīmīs

ōra per vulgī volitat susūrrus

nōvī stāre mōbilibus deinde

rēgiam harēnīs."

tālī garrulus mihi fātus ōre

senex nunc verrens trivium celebre

quod tyrannus tum numerāret inter

spōlia regnī.

Translation:

"Once I alone ruled all nations

with unparalleled might

and the sea at my nod

swells; and - eager to do my bidding -

there! has settled down again.

Placed in Fortune's haughty palm,

I sensed the quaking, timid heart

of my enemy, and as victor

the people would hymn me:

"Hail, O Rival to the Gods!"

Once, I invaded cities with savage armies

and seized heaps of gems and gold,

broken temples, and broken treaties

I left behind, like a savage tornado.

Then with terror and by cruel arms I rule;

From the ground bones and the gore

of princes has my diadem been made

and my throne supported

on their spilled blood.

The whisper flits across the people's lips

that my head is dearer than rich plunder

Then I know my palace stands

on shifting sand."

With such words did the talkative

old man address me, as now he swept

the crowded public square -

which back then as monarch - so he claimed -

he reckoned as a prize of war.

Model:

I used to rule the world

Seas would rise when I gave the word

Now in the morning I sleep alone

Sweep the streets I used to own

I used to roll the dice

Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes

Listen as the crowd would sing:

"Now the old king is dead, Long live the king"

One minute I held the key

next the walls were closed on me

and I discovered that my castles stand

on pillars of salt ʻnʻ pillars of sand

[refrain 1]

It was the wicked and wild wind

blew down the doors to let me in

shattered windows and the sound of drums

people couldn't believe what I'd become

Revolutionaries wait

for my head on a silver plate

Just a puppet on a lonely string

Oh, who would ever want to be king?

[refrain 2 x 2]