This voluminous manuscript was discovered on October 22, 19xx, in the archives of the magistrate of the city of Geneva. In all likelihood, it is the work of Arnold Enke, a doctor of medicine, considered to be one of Geneva’s most worthy and devout citizens, who rendered invaluable aid to the city throughout its frequent pandemics, in particular the outbreaks of the black plague. Although Doctor Enke had the good fortune to live to a ripe old age, his final hours were not spent peacefully in bed. Compelled both by his sense of professional duty and his Christian conscience, he traveled to Bern during a cholera outbreak in 1419, to treat the victims there, and ended up succumbing to the disease himself. His last words were: “Ave Crux, triumphator, victoria Christi, Gloria christiani.”[1]
Upon presenting you with this translation of his notes, we have taken it upon ourselves to make some stylistic changes to the original transcripts in order to add a dose of dynamism and make the narrative style sound less dated to the modern ear. In all other material aspects the manuscript has been preserved almost without change.
Geneva/Moscow/Atlanta, October 2000-2015
[1] “Long live the triumphant cross, the victory of Christ and the glory of Christians.” (Lat.)