Bishop, Michael. "For Thus Do I Remember Carthage"
Divergence: c 146 BCE
What if: Science and technology advanced faster in portions of the world.
Summary: [St.] Augustine of Hippo receives a visitor from Cathay who speaks of collapsing stars and other arcane heavenly topics.
Published: In The Universe, Bantam/Spectra 1987 (0553052276), 1989 (0553347829), QPBC 1987; The Year's Best Science Fiction, Fifth Annual Collection (ed. Gardner Dozois), St. Martin's 1988 (0312018541, 0312018533), v.t. Best New SF 2, Robinson 1988 (0948164778, 0948164786); and At the City Limits of Fate, Edgewood 1996 (0962906662).
Original in: English.
Translation: French by Pierre K. Rey as "Je me souviens de Carthage", in Univers 1989, J'ai Lu 1989 (227722572X).
Translation: Spanish by Damien Alou as "Asa recuerdo yo Cartago", in El Universo, Circulo de Lectores 1989.