Konstatinos P. Kavafis wrote his poem - Waiting for the Barbarians in 1904, before the two World Wars.
Waiting for the Barbarians
K. P. Kavafis
What are we waiting for, all gathered in the public square ?
Because the the barbarians are to arrive today.
Why is the Senate so idle, the Senators all in their places passing no laws ?
Because the barbarians are to arrive today, when they come, they will make the laws.
Why has our emperor risen so early, to sit at the principal gate of the city in state, on his throne, wearing his crown ?
Because the barbarians are to arrive today and the Emperor is waiting to welcome their chieftain. Indeed, he has made ready a parchment to give him, on which are inscribed lots of titles and names of honour.
Why have our consuls and praetors appeared, so early wearing their best embroidered togas;
Why are their armlets encrusted with amethysts, and their rings bright with glistening emeralds and why are they bearing their sticks of office, exquisitely chased in silver and gold ?
Because the barbarians are to arrive today, and things like that dazzle barbarians.
Why don't the eminent orators turn up as usual, to make their speeches and have their say ?
Because the barbarians are to arrive today and they get bored by such eloquence and public speaking.
Why this sudden uneasiness and confusion? (The faces - how serious they have become.). Why are the squares and the avenues emptying, everyone turning so pensively homeward?
Because night has fallen and the barbarians have not come. Some people have come from the borders who say that there are no barbarians left any more.
And now what is to come of us without any barbarians ? These people were a kind of solution.
For Europeans, the barbarians have arrived yet again - only this time they are holding office in Washington D.C. - and they are the problem, not the solution.