061: Revelation and Nero in the Sibylline Oracles
Sibyl, meaning "prophetess," refers to the oracles of ancient Greece. These oracles were created under divine inspiration and were recorded as such:
The Sibyl, with frenzied lips uttering things not to be smiled upon, unadorned, without fragrance, but with God's help, her voice lasts a thousand years.
The Sibylline Oracles are a collection of prophecies made by the legendary ancient Greek prophetess Sibyl in a state of frenzy.
There are 14 books and 8 fragments, often also regarded as 'Apocalyptic' literature.
What it showed Novia was the deeds of Romulus, founder of the ancient Roman Kingdom, and his brother Remus. Just as the Divine Body Osiris had once shown him being killed by his brother Set, it replayed in Novia's mind.
In the world of Type-Moon, Romulus is undoubtedly a human who could be described as 'light'—the existence representing the possibility of humanity separated from the Age of Gods.
His brother Remus was the opposite existence, his mission similar to that of Mesopotamia's Enkidu. After the twins disagreed on the city's location, a crack appeared in their bond. During the city's construction, Remus crossed the "boundary" Romulus had drawn, representing a plea to the gods for the connection between humans and gods.
And so the twins erupted into conflict. Like Enkidu and Gilgamesh, the twins fought with all their might. But unlike them, neither side "understood" the other during the battle. In the end, Romulus prevailed and survived, while Remus was defeated and died.
"No, Romulus. I must not allow your Rome to be born into this world. Its very existence should not be!"
Why are you doing this? Romulus asked at the time.
"On that day, I saw the Morning Star, the son of the dawn, who would fall to earth. Why, why, O Lucifer, son of the morning, have you fallen from heaven—"
Remus answered thus, his voice devoid of emotion, yet carrying within it a terrifying pulsation that was both icy cold and boiling like magma:
"You have won, but you are also finished. Your Rome, my people, will eventually, after the changing of ages, be dragged into a hell from which they will never emerge. The love of the Morning Star cannot reach them, for it is only a flame that burns everything to ashes, never again to be the former morning star. The end of desire only brings ruin. Romulus, all of this stems from your 'Rome.' You are the true sinner...."
And so, as he watched his brother breathe his last breath, the one who represented human potential came to understand—
Remus was actually the same as himself: one who saw everything as his child, which was Rome.
From then on, Romulus's mental state became somewhat abnormal, and the things he said sounded strange.
Until later, when the senators plotted a conspiracy against Romulus. During a military review ceremony, they made Romulus drink poisoned wine. Then, as a great wind arose, they pulled him into the inner hall to take shelter. Just as they were about to take up daggers to kill Romulus and dismember him—
"You all wish to kill me, but you are all my beloved children. You are all embodiments of glory and shadow."
Blood trickled from the corner of Romulus's mouth, yet he was smiling. To the conspirators, this man appeared utterly terrifying.
"I seek, I crave, I hope these hands exist not for destruction, but to pierce the darkness of ignorance, to touch the unknown, for the sake of human love."
"Your desire is an arrogant manifestation seeking to dominate all creation, yet it is also the radiance of humanity dreaming of progress tomorrow. Precisely because of this... I cannot help but love you."
The man's words still sounded so incomprehensible to the crowd, as they had for all the years since he had personally killed his brother Remus.
Perhaps their motive for the assassination stemmed both from a thirst for power and from the fact that Romulus's words were always so hard to understand.
"As you wish then. Remus must have hoped for this too. From now on, I shall no longer be human, but become the Supreme God."
"However, this is not out of divine pity for humanity, but because I shall cast off my human form, transform into stars in the sky, and bless you all. I shall bless the world, bless Rome, and bless all that loves you."
"Beneath glory, darkness naturally exists. After temperance, betrayal, and decline, beyond the waves rising from a sea of blood, O terrifying Babylon!"
"The rebuilding of the holy capital, the acceptance of the kingdom, the seven crowns of the great red dragon, the ten crowns of the beast from the sea, the seven red heads, the ten crowns of kings—all that harlot and mother of abominations! Returning from affectation and decadence, O Trinity! The three great seven-headed, ten-horned beasts are one. O Trinity! How terrifying! But so what?! That too is Rome! It is equal to my sister!"
Romulus, clad in blue robes, spread his arms and strode into the gale. In an instant, his entire body emanated a golden glory.
"The world is filled with Rome. Yes, embodiments of glory and shadow. O son of the dawn, your descent is my sin. But that too is still Rome. I think, even if I am the only one who believes this, it doesn't matter."
"I believe the love of the flame that burns to ashes can be conveyed. Therefore, you will surely see, amidst countless impurities, something dazzling enough to blind. My children—O Rome."
The golden majesty vanished into the gale, leaving only the man's laughter echoing for a long time. What remained there was merely human potential.
"...This is about the life of Romulus."
The Sibylline Oracle unfolded within Novia's mind the distant past, events of bygone days.
Right here, on this land recorded in the Revelation, this sudden occurrence.
By combining this oracle with the Revelation, it wasn't hard to see that in the distant past, before Rome was even founded, Remus foresaw that the son of the dawn—unable to become the morning star, born alongside Rome's sin and evil—would devour everything. That is why he fought a life-and-death battle with Romulus, ultimately falling in defeat.
And Romulus, later, due to the Senate's assassination attempt, abandoned his human identity and transformed into the Supreme God to protect 'Rome,' yet held an attitude opposite to his brother's.
Although it sounded cryptic, to Novia, these things were actually quite clear. Because in the world of Type-Moon, Satan and Lucifer are the same existence, so the twins mentioned naturally refer to Nero.
However, regarding 'love that cannot be conveyed,' Novia was greatly perplexed. Hadn't she and Nero gotten along very well all these years? They had even kissed. The only thing was she hadn't told Nero about the matter with Melusine yet... Could it be because of this?
Or was it actually a problem with her mother, Agrippina?
But regardless of which, Novia intended to find a way to resolve it.
Note: I'm new to translating so please be kind and tell me any mistakes you all find, I will try to release a chapter a day but don't expect much
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