The Social Cancer: A Complete English Version of Noli Me Tangere — Page 12
Rapid and brilliant was her rise, gradual and inglorious her steady decline, from the bright morning when the banners of Castile and Aragon were flung triumphantly from the battlements of the Alhambra, to the short summer, not so long gone, when at Cavite and Santiago with swift, decisive havoc the last ragged remnants of the once world-dominating power were blown into space and time, to hover disembodied there, a lesson and a warning to future generations.
Rápido y brillante fue su ascenso, gradual e inglorioso su constante declive, desde la luminosa mañana en que los estandartes de Castilla y Aragón fueron lanzados triunfalmente desde las almenas de la Alhambra, hasta el breve verano, no hace tanto tiempo, cuando en Cavite y Santiago con rápida y decisiva devastación los últimos jirones andrajosos de lo que fuera una potencia dominadora del mundo fueron dispersados en el espacio y el tiempo, para flotar allí incorpóreos, como lección y advertencia para las generaciones futuras.
Whatever her final place in the records of mankind, whether as the pioneer of modern civilization or the buccaneer of the nations or, as would seem most likely, a goodly mixture of both, she has at least--with the exception only of her great mother, Rome--furnished the most instructive lessons in political pathology yet recorded, and the advice to students of world progress to familiarize themselves with her history is even more apt today than when it first issued from the encyclopedic mind of Macaulay nearly a century ago.
Cualquiera que sea su lugar definitivo en los registros de la humanidad, ya sea como pionera de la civilización moderna o como bucanera de las naciones, o bien, como parecería más probable, una buena mezcla de ambas, ha proporcionado al menos —con la única excepción de su gran madre, Roma— las lecciones más instructivas en patología política hasta ahora registradas, y el consejo a los estudiosos del progreso mundial de familiarizarse con su historia es incluso más pertinente hoy que cuando surgió por primera vez de la mente enciclopédica de Macaulay hace casi un siglo.
Hardly had she reached the zenith of her power when the disintegration began, and one by one her brilliant conquests dropped away, to leave her alone in her faded splendor, with naught but her vaunting pride left, another "Niobe of nations."
Apenas había alcanzado el cénit de su poder cuando comenzó la desintegración, y una a una sus brillantes conquistas se fueron desprendiendo, para dejarla sola en su esplendor marchito, sin más que su jactancioso orgullo, otra «Níobe de las naciones».
Vocabulary
- Rápido
- Quick, fast, or rapid in speed or movement.
- brillante
- Bright, shining, or intellectually clever and impressive.
- fue
- Was; past tense third person singular of ser.
- su
- His, her, its, your, or their possessive adjective.
- ascenso
- Rise, ascent, or promotion to a higher position.
- gradual
- Happening or changing slowly and by small degrees.
- constante
- Continuous, persistent, or happening without interruption always.
- declive
- Decline, descent, or downward slope in fortune.
- desde
- From; indicating starting point in space or time.
- la
- The; feminine singular definite article in Spanish.
- mañana
- Morning, or tomorrow depending on context and usage.
- en
- In, on, or at indicating location or position.
- que
- That, which, or what as relative or interrogative.
- los
- The; masculine plural definite article in Spanish.
- de
- Of, from, or indicating possession and relationship.
- fueron
- Were; past tense third person plural of ser.
- lanzados
- Thrown, launched, or cast forward with force.
- las
- The; feminine plural definite article in Spanish.
- hasta
- Until, up to, or as far as.
- el
- The; masculine singular definite article in Spanish.
- breve
- Brief, short, or lasting only a little time.
- verano
- Summer; warmest season of the year annually.
- no
- No, not; negation particle or negative response.
- hace
- Makes, does, or ago in temporal expressions.
- tanto
- So much, so many, or such a long.
- tiempo
- Time, weather, or period of duration in general.
- cuando
- When; temporal conjunction or interrogative time reference.
- con
- With; indicating accompaniment, means, or manner.
- decisiva
- Decisive; determining outcome or settling matter conclusively.
- devastación
- Devastation; complete destruction or ruin widespread damage.
- últimos
- Last, final, or most recent in sequence.
- lo
- It; masculine singular direct object pronoun him.
- fuera
- Outside, or subjunctive form of ser/estar.
- una
- A, an; feminine singular indefinite article.
- potencia
- Power, potency, or nation with great strength.
- mundo
- World; the earth or global human society.
- espacio
- Space, room, or outer space cosmic expanse.
- para
- For, to, or in order to indicate purpose.
- flotar
- Float; to remain suspended in air liquid.
- allí
- There; at that place or location indicated.
- lección
- Lesson; instruction or moral teaching example truth.
- advertencia
- Warning; caution notice or alert about danger.
- generaciones
- Generations; groups of people born same period.
- futuras
- Future; coming later or yet to happen.
- Cualquiera
- Whoever, whichever, or any person whatsoever.
- sea
- Be; subjunctive form of ser or estar.
- lugar
- Place, location, or spot in physical space.
- definitivo
- Definitive, conclusive, or final without further change.
- registros
- Records, registers, or written accounts documentation.
- humanidad
- Humanity; human beings collectively or human nature.
- ya
- Already, now, or yet indicating time progression.
- pionera
- Pioneer; early explorer or founder of movement.
- civilización
- Civilization; advanced society with culture and institutions.
- moderna
- Modern; contemporary or of present time period.
- naciones
- Nations; sovereign states or countries politically organized.
- bien
- Well, good, or correctly in manner/fashion.
- parecería
- Would seem, appear, or look in subjunctive.
- más
- More, or indicating greater quantity or degree.
- probable
- Probable, likely, or having good chance occurring.
- buena
- Good; positive quality or morally virtuous trait.
- mezcla
- Mix, blend, or combination of different elements.
Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.
Create free account →