History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 1 — Page 6
This vast design of Gibbon, the magnificent whole into which he has cast the decay and ruin of the ancient civilization, the formation and birth of the new order of things, will of itself, independent of the laborious execution of his immense plan, render "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" an unapproachable subject to the future historian: 101 in the eloquent language of his recent French editor, M. Guizot:—
Este vasto diseño de Gibbon, el magnífico conjunto en el que ha plasmado la decadencia y ruina de la civilización antigua, la formación y el nacimiento del nuevo orden de las cosas, por sí mismo, independientemente de la laboriosa ejecución de su inmenso plan, convertirá «La decadencia y caída del Imperio Romano» en un tema inabordable para el futuro historiador: 101 en las elocuentes palabras de su reciente editor francés, M. Guizot:—
101 (return) [ A considerable portion of this preface has already appeared before us public in the Quarterly Review.]
101 (vuelta) [ Una parte considerable de este prefacio ya ha aparecido ante el público en la Quarterly Review.]
"The gradual decline of the most extraordinary dominion which has ever invaded and oppressed the world; the fall of that immense empire, erected on the ruins of so many kingdoms, republics, and states both barbarous and civilized; and forming in its turn, by its dismemberment, a multitude of states, republics, and kingdoms; the annihilation of the religion of Greece and Rome; the birth and the progress of the two new religions which have shared the most beautiful regions of the earth; the decrepitude of the ancient world, the spectacle of its expiring glory and degenerate manners; the infancy of the modern world, the picture of its first progress, of the new direction given to the mind and character of man—such a subject must necessarily fix the attention and excite the interest of men, who cannot behold with indifference those memorable epochs, during which, in the fine language of Corneille—
«La gradual decadencia del dominio más extraordinario que jamás ha invadido y oprimido al mundo; la caída de ese inmenso imperio, erigido sobre las ruinas de tantos reinos, repúblicas y estados tanto bárbaros como civilizados; y que forma a su vez, mediante su desmembramiento, una multitud de estados, repúblicas y reinos; la aniquilación de la religión de Grecia y Roma; el nacimiento y el progreso de las dos nuevas religiones que se han repartido las regiones más hermosas de la tierra; la decrepitud del mundo antiguo, el espectáculo de su gloria agonizante y sus costumbres degeneradas; la infancia del mundo moderno, el cuadro de su primer progreso, de la nueva dirección dada a la mente y al carácter del hombre—tal asunto debe necesariamente fijar la atención y despertar el interés de los hombres, quienes no pueden contemplar con indiferencia esas memorables épocas, durante las cuales, en el bello lenguaje de Corneille—
'Un grand destin commence, un grand destin s'achève.
'Un grand destin commence, un grand destin s'achève.
Vocabulary
- Este
- This; that (demonstrative adjective or pronoun)
- vasto
- Vast; extensive; very large in area or scope
- diseño
- Design; plan; artistic or technical drawing or concept
- de
- Of; from; preposition indicating possession or origin
- el
- The (definite article, masculine singular)
- magnífico
- Magnificent; splendid; impressive and beautiful in appearance
- conjunto
- Whole; set; collection of things considered together
- en
- In; on; at; preposition indicating location or position
- que
- That; which; who; relative pronoun connecting clauses
- ha
- Has; auxiliary verb (present perfect third person singular)
- plasmado
- Shaped; molded; created or formed into concrete expression
- la
- The (definite article, feminine singular)
- decadencia
- Decline; decay; gradual fall from power or prosperity
- ruina
- Ruin; destruction; state of being destroyed or demolished
- civilización
- Civilization; advanced state of human social development
- antigua
- Ancient; old; belonging to past historical periods
- formación
- Formation; creation; process of forming or being formed
- nacimiento
- Birth; origin; beginning of existence or development
- nuevo
- New; recently made; not existing before now
- orden
- Order; arrangement; system or sequence of things
- las
- The (definite article, feminine plural)
- cosas
- Things; objects; matters or affairs of concern
- por
- By; for; through; preposition indicating agency or purpose
- sí
- Yes; oneself; affirmative response or reflexive pronoun
- mismo
- Same; self; identical or emphasizing a person or thing
- independientemente
- Independently; separately; without dependence on external factors
- laboriosa
- Laborious; arduous; requiring great effort and hard work
- ejecución
- Execution; performance; carrying out of a plan
- su
- His; her; its; your; possessive adjective third person
- inmenso
- Immense; enormous; very large in size or extent
- plan
- Plan; scheme; detailed proposal for doing something
- convertirá
- Will convert; will transform into something different
- La
- The (definite article, feminine singular)
- caída
- Fall; decline; act of falling from power position
- Imperio
- Empire; powerful dominion or group of territories ruled
- Romano
- Roman; of ancient Rome or relating to Romans
- un
- A; an; indefinite article (masculine singular)
- tema
- Theme; subject; topic of discussion or composition
- inabordable
- Unapproachable; impossible to address or tackle directly
- para
- For; to; in order to; preposition showing purpose
- futuro
- Future; time yet to come; relating to what lies ahead
- historiador
- Historian; scholar who studies and writes historical records
- elocuentes
- Eloquent; fluent; expressive in language and persuasive speech
- palabras
- Words; units of language with independent meaning
- reciente
- Recent; recently occurring; of the past few days
- editor
- Editor; person who prepares text for publication
- francés
- French; of France or relating to French language
- vuelta
- Turn; return; act of going back to place
- Una
- A; one; indefinite article (feminine singular)
- parte
- Part; portion; section of whole or component
- considerable
- Considerable; significant; worthy of attention and thought
- prefacio
- Preface; introduction to book or written work
- ya
- Already; now; at this moment or before
- aparecido
- Appeared; emerged; came into view or existence
- ante
- Before; in the presence of; facing toward
- público
- Public; people; general population or audience
- gradual
- Gradual; happening slowly over extended period of time
- dominio
- Dominion; control; power over territory or people
- más
- More; additional; greater in quantity or degree
- extraordinario
- Extraordinary; unusual; remarkable and unusual beyond normal
- jamás
- Never; at no time; not ever in history
- invadido
- Invaded; entered forcibly; entered as military invader
- oprimido
- Oppressed; burdened; subjected to harsh unjust treatment
- al
- To the; preposition 'a' combined with article 'el'
- mundo
- World; earth; all of humanity or planet
- ese
- That; that one; demonstrative adjective or pronoun
- imperio
- Empire; powerful dominion or group of territories ruled
- erigido
- Erected; built; constructed or raised upright structure
- sobre
- On; upon; above; preposition indicating position or basis
- ruinas
- Ruins; destroyed remains; physical remnants of destruction
- tantos
- So many; such great number of things or people
- reinos
- Kingdoms; realms; territories ruled by monarchs or rulers
- repúblicas
- Republics; states governed by elected representatives system
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