ɪnspˈaɪɚd baɪ ðə tˈiːtʃɪŋz ʌv soʊfˈiə, ɐ nˌiːoʊplˈætənˌɪst fɪlˈɑːsəfɚ ænd ðə dˈɔːɾɚɹ əvə stˈuːdənt ʌv haɪpˈeɪʃə, mˈænlɪəs kəmpˈoʊzᵻz ðə tˈɛkst tə dʒˈʌstᵻfˌaɪ ðə dᵻsˈɪʒənz hiː tˈeɪks wɛn fˈeɪsɪŋ ɐtˈæk baɪ ðə vˈɪsɪɡˌɑːθs ænd bɜːɡˈʌndiənz, wɪð lˈɪɾəl səpˈoːɹt fɹʌm ɹˈoʊm.
Inspired by the teachings of Sophia, a Neoplatonist philosopher and the daughter of a student of Hypatia, Manlius composes the text to justify the decisions he takes when facing attack by the Visigoths and Burgundians, with little support from Rome.