Sooner depart and leave Rome's seven famed hills to me.

Please do the poet a favor and shorten the glorious hours

Which the painter devours, eagerly filling his eyes.

Cast now but one ardent glance, while descending, on noble facades and

Cupolas, pillars, and--last--up at the obelisks. Then

Hastily plunge to the ocean. Come view all the sooner tomorrow

That which, for centuries now, gods have let you enjoy:

Italy's shoreline so long overgrown with moist reeds, elevations

Somberly rising to shades cast by the bushes and trees.

First were but few simple dwellings here, suddenly sunlight discovered

Nations enlivening hills teeming with fortunate thieves.

Onto this spot they assembled such plunder, in your eye so splendid

All earth's remaining orb scarcely was worthy of note.

You watched a world being born here, watched the same world sink to ruin,

And from those ruins yet arise world again greater, perhaps.