He was Beli Tsar, White Knight, in the language of his birth, but in a Romanized world he was Belisarius. Is Donald Trump a Belisarius? A Cincinnatus? Byzantium lived because Belisarius lived. Rome lived because Cincinnatus lived. Will the United States live because Donald Trump lived? It is truly said that no one and nothing lives forever, and so it is with every state, large or small, powerful or powerless, mean or great. Is the United States poised to enter that great decline despite a President Donald Trump? Byzantium and Rome are no longer with us, and for all of us, man or state, the end will come, as surely as the sun will rise and the birds will sing.

They called the young man Beli Tsar
White Knight, they said, you will go far
Byzantium his rightful home
But still his eyes cast west to Rome
A Rome a shell of Rome before
Torn down the jointed gates of war
The city sacked of slaves and gold
A Rome once vibrant, sick and old
Byzantium though still stood fast
Another thousand years ‘twould last
Until at last the knee would bend
And by the sword would see the end
And so it is for every state
Howsoever mean or great
A Belisarius will come
And by his strength the world for some
Will seem much blessed in wondrous ways
With scent filled nights and golden days
And yet the days are numbered fast
And soon enough they will not last