ULTIMAVERBA

THE LAST WORD

HALT! HALT YOUR PROGRESS! CONQUEROR,

AT THIS EXALTED MOMENT OF VICTORY. SET ASIDE A TIME OF SILENCE AND ASK YOURSELF WHAT YOU SHOULD THINK AS YOU REACH THIS SUMMIT, WHAT YOU SHOULD THINK THAT WILL NOT BE WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE.

IT IS A VOW, A PLEDGE, AN IRREVERSIBLE ACT,

A MONUMENT IN THE SOUL, AND LIKE UNTO A SOLEMN PRAYER, WHICH YOU OWE, TO THE DEAD AND TO THE LIVING, TO PRONOUNCE AND ESTABLISH, IN ORDER THAT THIS MOST NOBLE MOMENT OF SILENCE DOES NOT PERISH LIKE ANY OTHER.

SWEAR TO YOURSELF AND ENGRAVE IT WITHIN YOUR HEART: THAT THE DAY NEVER GLEAMS WHEN THE MEMORY OF THIS DAY OF VICTORY MAY BRING BACK A BITTERNESS AND A RECURRENCE OF HATRED TO THE PRESENT JOY: THAT NEVER WHEN RELIVING THAT DAY WHICH IS TODAY MAY THERE BE BROUGHT TO MIND THIS OPPRESSIVE WORD: TO WHAT GOOD?