"Megalopolis": A decaying iteration of ancient Rome
In the distant future, the city of Megalopolis stands as a testament to human ambition and ingenuity. Yet, as Francis Ford Coppola's latest film suggests, it requires more than just power and wealth to sustain such a city. The vision must extend beyond the material to encompass virtue, morality, and a sense of the divine.
The film, Megalopolis, draws thematic inspiration from the political turmoil of ancient Rome, specifically the work of Roman historian Sallust and his account of Lucius Sergius Catiline's conspiracy against the Roman Republic. Although Megalopolis is not a direct adaptation of Sallust's Bellum Catilinae, it echoes the concerns of power struggles, social fragmentation, and the consequences of political collapse that characterized the late Roman Republic.
In Sallust's work, Catiline is portrayed as a symbol of ambition, power, and corruption that ultimately led to the moral decay and political strife of the Roman Republic. Similarly, in Megalopolis, the character of Catiline represents all-devouring selfishness and unbridled ambition that threaten to destroy the city.
Megalopolis is not just a science fiction film; it is a commentary on the fall of civilizations and the importance of virtue, morality, and a sense of the divine in maintaining a society. It serves as a reminder of the importance of a moral compass and a direction upwards, a concept that may have been overlooked in ancient Rome.
The city of Megalopolis is reminiscent of Rome in its splendor and fall, reflecting a very old struggle, a battle for the soul of a nation that has lost its way. The characters in the film are caught between the desire to change things and the fear of losing what little they have left.
To understand Megalopolis, one must know Rome not as a tourist destination but as a city in crisis, fearing for its future. The film is a reflection on power, the fall of civilizations, and the influence of the past on the future. It is a testament to the old world that had not yet known the redemption of Christ.
In the end, the message of Megalopolis is clear: without virtue, without morality, without a sense of the divine, any society is doomed to fall. Sallust's Bellum Catilinae serves as a warning of this fate, and Megalopolis carries on this legacy, urging us to remember the lessons of the past and to strive for a better future.
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