Stephen Baxter
Emperor

oraculum nectovelinium (the prophecy of nectovelin, 4bc)

aulaeum temporum te involvat, puer, at libertas habes: cano ad tibi de memoriam atque posteritam, omni gentum et omni deorum, imperatori tres erunt. nomabitur vir germanicus cum oculum hyalum; scandabit equos enormes quam domuum dentate quasi gladio. tremefacabit caelum, erit filius romulum potens atque graeculus parvus erit. nascitur deus iuvenus. ruabit roma cervixis islae in laqueui cautei. emergabit in brigantio, exaltabitur in romae. pudor! comprecabit deum servi, sed ispe apparebit deum. ecclesiam marmori moribundi fiet complexus imperii. reminisce! habemus has verita et sunt manifesta: indico: omnis humanitas factus aequus sunt, rebus civicum dati sunt ab architecto magno, et sunt vita et libertas et venatus felicitae. o puer! involvaris in aulaeum temporum, fere!

the prophecy of nectovelin (freely translated with acrostic preserved):

ah child! bound in time's tapestry, and yet you are born free come, let me sing to you of what there is and what will be, of all men and all gods, and of the mighty emperors three. named with a german name, a man will come with eyes of glass straddling horses large as houses bearing teeth like scimitars. the trembling skies declare that rome's great son has come to earth a little greek his name will be. whilst god-as-babe has birth roman force will ram the island's neck into a noose of stone. emerging first in brigantia, exalted later then in rome! prostrate before a slavish god, at last he is revealed divine, embrace imperial will make dead marble of the church's shrine. remember this: we hold these truths self-evident to be- i say to you that all men are created equal, free rights inalienable assured by the maker's attribute endowed with life and liberty and happiness's pursuit. o child! thou tapestried in time, strike home! strike at the root!

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