Θέογνις ὁ Μεγαϱεύς: Fragment aus Θεόϰϱιτος· Εἰδύλλια u. a.

a préface d’Alde est adressée à Bapt. Guarini. Cette édition est très rare, et la première de la plupart des ouvrages qu’elle contient. Il existe à la vérité un mince volume in fol., sans date, imprimé avec les mèmes caractères que l’Isocrate de Milan, 1493, et contenant dix-huit Idylles de Théocrite, avec l’ouvrage d’Hésiode, Opera e Dies. Il est possible que cette édition soit antérieure à celle d’Alde de quelques mois ou méme d’un an; mais elle a le desavantage de ne contenir qu’une petite partie des ouvrages d’Hésiode et de Théocrite. Sur cette édition milanaise très rare et peu connue, on peut lire une longue dissertation dans le Théocrite de Warton, in-4°, t. 1^er, p. LVIII.

Maittaire et Reiske ont apercu des différences dans les exemplaires de l’édition Aldine; et ce dernier a conclu qu’il en existe deux éditions distinctes. Warton, au contraire, est d’avis qu’il n’y en a qu’une seule: Duo sunt exemplaria, sed eadem editio. J’ai examiné, d’un bout à l’autre, des exemplaires de chaque sorte, et j’ai reconnu que véritablement il n’existoit qu’une seule et mème édition, dans laquelle dix feuillets ont été réimprimés avec des corrections et des additions très importantes : ce sont les pages 77 à 80, et 85 à 100, c’est-à-dire les cahiers Z F et Θ G moins les pages 81 à 84 formant le dedans du cahier Z F. On trouve dans le Théocrite de Reiske, pag. vii et suiv. le dé tail exact de ce qui différencie les deux sortes d’exemplaires. Pour les faire distinguer, il suffira ici d’indiquer que la première impression a sur le recto du premier feuillet Z F quatre vers doublés; tandis que dans la seconde, le deuxième seul est doublé, chacun des trois autres ne faisant qu’une seule ligne. Le verso du dernier feuillet Θ G contient, dans la reimpression, la pièce de vers sur la mort d’Adonis, tandis qu’il est blanc dans la première impression. Nul doute que les exemplaires corrigés ne soient bien plus précieux, et ne doivent être préférés, quoique probablement les premiers soient beaucoup plus rares; mérite trop peu réel pour faire choisir de préférence un livre moins ample et moins correct; d’un autre côté, il est vrai aussi que ces premiers exemplaires contiennent de bonnes leçons, abandonnées dans les dix feuillets réimprimés, compensations qui peuvent faire accueillir également l’une ou l’autre sorte d’exemplaires, et mème dé terminer un amateur à les acquérir toutes deux s’il en peut trouver l’occasion.

Daniel Heinsius estimoit cette édition, et avoit écrit sur son exemplaire: Ex hac Theocriti editione videntur quaedam non vulgaria in reliquis recentioribus posse emendari.

Ce livre formant deux parties, dont la seconde contient les ouvrages d’Hésiode, on rencontre quelquefois des exemplaires séparés de l’une des deux; mais alors ce n’est plus qu’un livre imparfait et presque sans valeur.

Dans une longue note sur Théocrite, qu’on lit à la fin d’une traduction des Bucoliques de Virgile publiée en 1806, l’auteur, parlant des deux sortes d’exemplaires de cette édition de 1495, et des détails que je donne sur la maniere de les discerner, dit que M. Renouard a aperçu que les vignettes et la composition de tels et tels feuillets n’étoient pas les mèmes, qu’il en a averti, et qu’on n’a pas le droit d’en demander davantage à un libraire. Je laisse le lecteur prendre cette phrase en bonne ou en mauvaise part, tout comme il le jugera convenable; et je me borne à faire remarquer que, si i’eusse écrit un ouvrage exprès sur Théocrite et ses diverses éditions, j’aurois pu épuiser la matiere, et me permettre beaucoup d’autres détails; mais qu’ici j’ai dû m’arrèter où me le prescrivoient le goût, et un certain instinct des convenances sans lequel on peut savoir beaucoup de choses, mais non pas les employer toujours à propos. Mon devoir étoit d’esquisser les différences servant à faire reconnoitre les deux sortes d’exemplaires du Théocrite de 1495; tout ce que j’aurois dit au-delà eût été inutile et hors de place.

Un peu plus loin, à l’occasion des éloges que je donne au savant et laborieux Alde l’ancien, l’auteur prétend que le François qui regarde ce savant imprimeur vénitien comme le premier de tous les imprimeurs anciens et modernes, n’aime pas son pays, blesse la vérité, et compte pour rien la correction d’un livre. Ainsi donc, quiconque met Raphael au-dessus de Nic. Poussin n’est pas un bon François. A Dieu ne plaise au reste que je croie mon opinion d’un assez grand poids pour décider ce procès de la prééminence typographique! mais mon admiration pour la savante et illustre famille des Estienne, le respect et la reconnoissance qu’avec tout ami des lettres j’ai pour ses innombrables travaux, et enfin la partialité dont l’homme le plus droit ne peut guère se défendre pour les personnes et les choses qui tiennent à sa patrie, toutes ces considérations ne peuvent m’empècher de reconnoitre que, si les éditions grecques des Estienne sont, en général, plus élaborées, et souvent plus correctes que celles d’Alde, il n’est pas moins évident aussi que les Estienne arriverent lorsque les premiers efforts étoient faits, lorsque le terrain étoit en grande partie défriché. Ils donnèrent bien un certain nombre d’éditions premières, mais les plus importantes et les plus difficiles avoient paru. La famille des Manuce depuis cinquante ans imprimoit, et imprimoit du grec; depuis quarante années la famille des Estienne imprimoit, et avec réputation, sans avoir encore rien publié en cette langue. A la vérité, ils surent habilement perfectionner; et dans leurs mains les beaux caractères grecs qu’avoit fait graver le Monarque protecteur des lettres, l’illustre Francois I^er, ne produisirent que des chefs d’œuvre; mais, quelque brillants, quelque importants méme que soient les utiles résultats de l’habileté et du savoir qui perfectionnent, la principale gloire est en toutes choses acquise au génie qui crée, ou qui sait tracer, mème imparfaitement, une route neuve à travers des régions inconnues. Enfin, les Estienne ont fait d’excellentes et magnifiques éditions grecques, parce qu’ils ètoient imprimeurs, parce qu’ils reçurent du Monarque la commission d’imprimer des livres en cette langue; et Alde l’ancien adopta cette profession tout exprès pour arracher à la destruction les antiques chefs d’œuvre de la langue de Démosthène et de Pindare; toutes ses études, toutes ses combinaisons tendirent constamment vers cet unique but. Etranger à l’art de l’imprimerie, il sut s’y rendre promptement habile. Son début fut un livre grec avec des caractères exécutés à ses frais, créés, pour ainsi dire, par lui, et plus beaux que tous ceux qu’on avoit employés jusqu’alors. Dès la seconde, la troisième année, on vit se succeder, presque sans aucun intervalle, Aristote, Théocrite, les Grammairiens grecs, Aristophane, etc., enfin toute cette immense série d’imposantes éditions qui, malgré quelques défauts, seront à jamais des monuments admirables.

Au reste, dans ce parallèle littéraire au tant que typographique, ce qui ne laisse aucune incertitude, c’est que les deux parties sont éminemment estimables: et si La Fontaine a très justement dit que:
  A tort et à travers,
  On ne sauroit manquer condamnant un pervers;
c’est ici le cas de dire qu’on ne sauroit manquer en adjugeant une double palme aux illustres familles qui, pendant tout le cours du mème siècle, furent l’honneur de la typographie françoise et de la typographie italienne.
— Antoine Auguste Renouard: Annales de l’imprimerie des Alde, histoire des trois Manuce et de leurs éditions. Troisième édition. Paris: Jules Renouard, 1834. pp. 5-7.

’est au mois de février 1495 (1496 n. st.) qu’Alde fit paraître sa première édition de Théocrite, suivie de Bion et de Moschus, d’Hésiode, de Théognis et de divers poëtes gnomiques, en un vol. in-fº . Dans sa préface, adressée à son précepteur, Baptiste Guarini, dont il vante les vertus et le mérite (1)Baptiste Guarini fut aussi le précepteur de Josse Bade; on lui doit la première édition du commentaire de Servius sur Virgile. Son père, Guarinide Vérone, est l’auteur de la traduction latine de Strabon, qu’il exécuta en 1466, ainsi que le constate lemanuscrit que je possède. C’est à lui qu’on a attribué la découverte du manuscrit de Catulle., Alde semble aller au-devant des reproches de ceux qui ignorent les difficultés qu’il eut à vaincre pour publier le premier un aussi grand nombre de textes grecs inédits.

« Veuillez, dit-il, ne pas m’imputer à moi, mais aux manuscrits, les fautes que vous pourrez remarquer tant dans ce livre que dans d’autres que je publie dans l’intérêt des études et des amis des lettres ; car je ne prétends nullementà l’honneur de restituer ce que les Œdipes même auraient peine à deviner (non enim recipio me emendaturum libros). Les textes manuscrits sont souvent mutilés et intervertis à tel point, que les auteurs eux-mêmes, s’ils revoyaient le jour, ne pourraient s’y reconnaître ou corriger les fautes ; je me borne donc à donner ces textes un peu plus corrects qu’ils ne le sont dans les manuscrits. C’est ce que j’ai pu faire pour l’Apollonios (Dyscolos). Dans cette circonstance j’ai cru qu’il valait mieux donner ces textes tels quels plutôt que rien du tout, et pour peu que, dans un passage incorrect, la restitution parût douteuse, c’est très-rarement, pour ne pas dire jamais, que je me suis permis d’y rien changer ; plus tard, il ne manquera pas de personnes qui à loisir proposeront des corrections. Mais ils seraient aussi ingrats qu’injustes, ceux qui m’accuseraient de négligence; et je ne leur souhaite, pour toute punition, que de prendre ma place et d’avoir le souci d’imprimer des textes grecs ; bientôt ils changeraient de langage (2)On est désarmé par cet aveu et cette modestie ; aussi mon père, dans une discussion un peu vive qu’il eut avec A.-A. Renouard au sujet du mérite comparé des Alde et des Estienne, tout en signalant les nombreuses erreurs commises par Alde dans la première édition de Théocrite, reconnaît qu’il en a rectifié une partie au moyen d’un second tirage fait la même année, ce qui constitue en quelque sorte deux éditions. Les détails littéraires, typographiques et bibliographiques, donnés par mon père dans la Note bibliographique et typographique qui termine sa traduction en vers des Bucoliques de Virgile, publiée en 1806, sont indispensables pour distinguer la première de la seconde édition et se reconnaître au milieu du désordre des signatures.. »

Les éditions d’Alde ont le grand avantage de nous donner souvent le texte de manuscrits qu’on ne possède plus aujourd’hui; aussi sont-elles toujours consultées des savants éditeurs qui veulent établir un texte d’après les sources originales. Ces avantages rachètent, et au delà, les fautes typographiques et les erreurs qui ont pu lui échapper.

En ajoutant à Théocrite et Hésiode une série de poésies gnomiques, Alde rappelle que les Sentences de Théognis sont citées par Platon dans son Traité des Lois, et par Isocrate dans ses discours. A celles de Phocylide, cet ancien gnomique qu’Isocrate, dans ses Conseils à Démonique, range parmi les éthographes, Alde crut devoir joindre une traduction, faite par Planude en vers grecs élégants, d’un écrit commençant par: « Cum ego animadverterem », attribué à Caton (on ignore lequel) ; mais, quel qu’en soit l’auteur, Alde le déclare excellent. C’est par l’entremise d’un aimable et savant jeune homme, François Roscius, qu’il apprit l’existence du manuscrit de cette traduction écrite sur vélin depuis plus de trois siècles, et dont les caractères étaient très-effacés par la vétusté (3)C’est par erreur qu’Alde attribue trois cents ans et plus à cette traduction faite, dit-il, par Planude, car ce savant grec vivait dans la première moitié du quatorzième siècle, et par conséquent cent cinquante ans seulement avant l’édition de Théocrite d’Alde.. Il se trouvait à Vérone, (...)
— Ambroise Firmin Didot: Alde Manuce et l’Hellénisme à Venise. Orné de quatre portraits et d’un fac-simile. Hellénisme dans l’Occident. Isabelle d’Este, Marquise de Mantoue. Correspondance inédite des réfugiés grecs en Italie. Zacharias Calliergi et les calligraphes crétois. Premières impressions greques, etc. Paris: Ambroise Firmin-Didot, 1875. pp. 74-76.

alter Ashburner wurde in Boston, Massachusetts, als Sohn des Eisenbahningenieurs Samuel Ashburner und seiner Frau Anne Mead Barstow geboren. 1872 zog die Familie nach England, und in London wurde er an der University College School und am University College ausgebildet. Von 1883 bis 1887 studierte er Klassische Altertumskunde und Rechtswissenschaft am Balliol College in Oxford. Nach dem Abschluß blieb er dort als Fellow des Merton College. 1892 wurde er von Lincoln’s Inn an die Bar berufen. Während er in London lebte, war er Mitglied des Verwaltungsausschusses und Rates des University College, möglicherweise lernte er dadurch Alfred Edward Housman kennen und wurde dessen Freund; sie pflegten über zahlreiche Jahre hinweg eine Korrespondenz. Er veröffentlichte Principles of Equity, London: Butterworth & Company, 1902.

Ashburner empfand große Liebe zu Italien wie zur italienischen Kultur und siedelte 1903 nach Florenz um, wo er 1917 an der Gründung des British Institute of Florence beteiligt war. 1926 begab er als Professor für Jurisprudenz zurück nach Oxford, gesundheitliche Gründe zwangen ihn jedoch zum Rücktritt, und er reiste wieder nach Florenz, wo er im Februar 1936 starb.

Während seines Aufenthalts in Italien verfolgte Ashburner weiterhin seine akademischen Interessen und veröffentlichte eine bemerkenswerte Ausgabe des rhodischen Seerechts, The Rhodian Sea-Law. Edited from the Manuscripts. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1909, beschäftigte sich mit Studies in the text of Nicomachean Ethics, Journal of Hellenic Studies 36 (1916), pp. 45-64; 37 (1917), pp. 31-55; 38 (1918), pp. 74-87, und veröffentlichte 1927 ein Faksimile des Aristoteles-Manuskripts Plut.81.11 = K^b der Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana. Seine bibliophile Sammlung umfaßte zahlreiche Frühdrucke, sie wurde 1938 von Hoepli und Fischer in Luzern versteigert.

ἄνα, Λητοῦς υἱέ, Διὸς τέϰος, οὔποτε σεῖο
Λήσομαι ἀϱχόμενος οὐδ' ἀποπαυόμενος,
Ἀλλ' αἰεὶ πϱῶτόν τε ϰαὶ ὕστατον ἔν τε μέσοισιν
Ἀείσω· σὺ δέ μοι ϰλῦϑι ϰαὶ ἐσϑλὰ δίδου.
 
Φοῖβε ἄναξ, ὅτε μέν σε ϑεὰ τέϰε πότνια Λητώ 5
Φοίνιϰος ῥαδινῇς χεϱσὶν ἐφαψαμένη
Ἀϑανάτων ϰάλλιστον ἐπὶ τϱοχοειδέι λίμνῃ,
Πᾶσα μὲν ἐπλήσϑη Δῆλος ἀπειϱεσίη
Ὀδμῆς ἀμβϱοσίης, ἐγέλασσε δὲ Γαῖα πελώϱη,
Γήϑησεν δὲ βαϑὺς πόντος ἁλὸς πολιῆς. 10
 
Ἄϱτεμι ϑηϱοφόνη, ϑύγατεϱ Διός, ἣν Ἀγαμέμνων
Εἵσαϑ', Ὅτ' ἐς Τϱοίην ἔπλεε νηυσὶ ϑοῇς,
Εὐχομένῳ μοι ϰλῦϑι, ϰαϰὰς δ' ἀπὸ ϰῆϱας ἄλαλϰε·
Σοὶ μὲν τοῦτο, ϑεά, σμιϰϱόν, ἐμοὶ δὲ μέγα.
 
Μοῦσαι ϰαὶ Χάϱιτες, ϰοῦϱαι Διός, αἵ ποτε Κάδμου 15
Ἐς γάμον ἐλϑοῦσαι ϰαλὸν ἀείσατ' ἔπος,
„Ὅττι ϰαλόν, φίλον ἐστί· τὸ δ' οὐ ϰαλὸν οὐ φίλον ἐστί,“
Τοῦτ' ἔπος ἀϑανάτων ἦλϑε διὰ στομάτων.
 
Κύϱνε, σοφιζομένῳ μὲν ἐμοὶ σφϱηγὶς ἐπιϰείσϑω
Τοῖσδ' ἔπεσιν, λήσει δ' οὔποτε ϰλεπτόμενα, 20
Οὐδέ τις ἀλλάξει ϰάϰιον τοὐσϑλοῦ παϱεόντος·
Ὧδε δὲ πᾶς τις ἐϱεῖ· „Θεύγνιδός ἐστιν ἔπη
Τοῦ Μεγαϱέως· πάντας δὲ ϰατ' ἀνϑϱώπους ὀνομαστός.“
Ἀστοῖσιν δ' οὔπω πᾶσιν ἁδεῖν δύναμαι·
Οὐδὲν ϑαυμαστόν, Πολυπαΐδη· οὐδὲ γὰϱ ὁ Ζεύς 25
Οὔϑ' ὕων πάντεσσ' ἁνδάνει οὔτ' ἀνέχων.
 
Σοὶ δ' ἐγὼ εὖ φϱονέων ὑποϑήσομαι, οἷά πεϱ αὐτός,
Κύϱν', ἀπὸ τῶν ἀγαϑῶν παῖς ἔτ' ἐὼν ἔμαϑον·
Πέπνυσο, μηδ' αἰσχϱοῖσιν ἐπ' ἔϱγμασι μηδ' ἀδίϰοισιν
Τιμὰς μηδ' ἀϱετὰς ἕλϰεο μηδ' ἄφενος. 30
Ταῦτα μὲν οὕτως ἴσϑι· ϰαϰοῖσι δὲ μὴ πϱοσομίλει
Ἀνδϱάσιν, ἀλλ' αἰεὶ τῶν ἀγαϑῶν ἔχεο·
Καὶ μετὰ τοῖσιν πῖνε ϰαὶ ἔσϑιε, ϰαὶ μετὰ τοῖσιν
Ἵζε, ϰαὶ ἅνδανε τοῖσ', ὧν μεγάλη δύναμις.
Ἐσϑλῶν μὲν γὰϱ ἄπ' ἐσϑλὰ μαϑήσεαι· ἢν δὲ ϰαϰοῖσιν 35
Συμμίσγῃς, ἀπολεῖς ϰαὶ τὸν ἐόντα νόον.
Ταῦτα μαϑὼν ἀγαϑοῖσιν ὁμίλεε, ϰαί ποτε φήσεις
Εὖ συμβουλεύειν τοῖσι φίλοισιν ἐμέ.
 
Κύϱνε, ϰύει πόλις ἥδε, δέδοιϰα δὲ μὴ τέϰῃ ἄνδϱα
Εὐϑυντῆϱα ϰαϰῆς ὕβϱιος ἡμετέϱης. 40
Ἀστοὶ μὲν γὰϱ ἔϑ' οἵδε σαόφϱονες, ἡγεμόνες δέ
Τετϱάφαται πολλὴν εἰς ϰαϰότητα πεσεῖν.
Οὐδεμίαν πω, Κύϱν', ἀγαϑοὶ πόλιν ὤλεσαν ἄνδϱες,
Ἀλλ' ὅταν ὑβϱίζειν τοῖσι ϰαϰοῖσιν ἅδῃ
Δῆμόν τε φϑείϱουσι δίϰας τ' ἀδίϰοισι διδοῦσιν 45
Οἰϰείων ϰεϱδέων εἵνεϰα ϰαὶ ϰϱάτεος·
Ἔλπεο μὴ δηϱὸν ϰείνην πόλιν ἀτϱεμέ' ἧσϑαι,
Μηδ' εἰ νῦν ϰεῖται πολλῇ ἐν ἡσυχίῃ,
Εὖτ' ἂν τοῖσι ϰαϰοῖσι φίλ' ἀνδϱάσι ταῦτα γένηται,
Κέϱδεα δημοσίῳ σὺν ϰαϰῷ ἐϱχόμενα. 50
Ἐϰ τῶν γὰϱ στάσιές τε ϰαὶ ἔμφυλοι φόνοι ἀνδϱῶν·
Μούναϱχοι δὲ πόλει μήποτε τῇδε ἅδοι.
 
Κύϱνε, πόλις μὲν ἔϑ' ἥδε πόλις, λαοὶ δὲ δὴ ἄλλοι,
Οἳ πϱόσϑ' οὔτε δίϰας ἤιδεσαν οὔτε νόμους,
Ἀλλ' ἀμφὶ πλευϱαῖσι δοϱὰς αἰγῶν ϰατέτϱιβον, 55
Ἔξω δ' ὥστ' ἔλαφοι τῆσδ' ἐνέμοντο πόλεος.
Καὶ νῦν εἰσ' ἀγαϑοί, Πολυπαΐδη· οἱ δὲ πϱὶν ἐσϑλοί
Νῦν δειλοί. τίς ϰεν ταῦτ' ἀνέχοιτ' ἐσοϱῶν;
Ἀλλήλους δ' ἀπατῶσιν ἐπ' ἀλλήλοισι γελῶντες,
Οὔτε ϰαϰῶν γνώμας εἰδότες οὔτ' ἀγαϑῶν. 60
 
Μηδένα τῶνδε φίλον ποιεῦ, Πολυπαΐδη, ἀστῶν
Ἐϰ ϑυμοῦ χϱείης οὕνεϰα μηδεμιῆς·
Ἀλλὰ δόϰει μὲν πᾶσιν ἀπὸ γλώσσης φίλος εἶναι,
Χϱῆμα δὲ συμμείξῃς μηδενὶ μηδ' ὁτιοῦν
Σπουδαῖον· γνώσῃ γὰϱ ὀιζυϱῶν φϱένας ἀνδϱῶν, 65
Ὥς σφιν ἐπ' ἔϱγοισιν πίστις ἔπ' οὐδεμία,
Ἀλλὰ δόλους ἀπάτας τε πολυπλοϰίας τ' ἐφίλησαν
Οὕτως ὡς ἄνδϱες μηϰέτι σῳζόμενοι.
 
Μήποτε, Κύϱνε, ϰαϰῷ πίσυνος βούλευε σὺν ἀνδϱί,
Εὖτ' ἂν σπουδαῖον πϱῆγμ' ἐϑέλῃς τελέσαι, 70
Ἀλλὰ μετ' ἐσϑλὸν ἰὼν βούλευ ϰαὶ πολλὰ μογῆσαι
Καὶ μαϰϱὴν ποσσίν, Κύϱν', ὁδὸν ἐϰτελέσαι.
 
Πϱῆξιν μηδὲ φίλοισιν ὅλως ἀναϰοινέο πᾶσιν·
Παῦϱοί τοι πολλῶν πιστὸν ἔχουσι νόον.
 
Παύϱοισιν πίσυνος μεγάλ' ἀνδϱάσιν ἔϱγ' ἐπιχείϱει, 75
Μή ποτ' ἀνήϰεστον, Κύϱνε, λάβῃς ἀνίην.
 
Πιστὸς ἀνὴϱ χϱυσοῦ τε ϰαὶ ἀϱγύϱου ἀντεϱύσασϑαι
Ἄξιος ἐν χαλεπῇ, Κύϱνε, διχοστασίῃ.
 
Παύϱους εὑϱήσεις, Πολυπαΐδη, ἄνδϱας ἑταίϱους
Πιστοὺς ἐν χαλεποῖς πϱήγμασι γινομένους, 80
Οἵτινες ἂν τολμῷεν ὁμόφϱονα ϑυμὸν ἔχοντες
Ἶσον τῶν ἀγαϑῶν τῶν τε ϰαϰῶν μετέχειν.
 
Τούτους οὔ χ' εὕϱοις διζήμενος οὐδ' ἐπὶ πάντας
Ἀνϑϱώπους, οὓς ναῦς μὴ μία πάντας ἄγοι,
Οἷσιν ἐπὶ γλώσσῃ τε ϰαὶ ὀφϑαλμοῖσιν ἔπεστιν 85
Αἰδώς, οὐδ' αἰσχϱὸν χϱῆμ' ἔπι ϰέϱδος ἄγει.
 
Μή μ' ἔπεσιν μὲν στέϱγε, νόον δ' ἔχε ϰαὶ φϱένας ἄλλῃ,
Εἴ με φιλεῖς ϰαί σοι πιστὸς ἔνεστι νόος.
Ἤ με φίλει ϰαϑαϱὸν ϑέμενος νόον, ἤ μ' ἀποειπών
Ἔχϑαιϱ' ἀμφαδίην νεῖϰος ἀειϱάμενος. 90
Ὃς δὲ μιῇ γλώσσῃ δίχ' ἔχει νόον, οὗτος ἑταῖϱος
Δεινός, Κύϱν', ἐχϑϱὸς βέλτεϱος ἢ φίλος ὤν.
 
Ἄν τις ἐπαινήσῃ σε τόσον χϱόνον ὅσσον ὁϱώιης,
Νοσφισϑεὶς δ' ἄλλην γλῶσσαν ἱῇσι ϰαϰήν,
Τοιοῦτός τοι ἑταῖϱος ἀνὴϱ φίλος οὔ τι μάλ' ἐσϑλός, 95
Ὅς ϰ' εἴπῃ γλώσσῃ λῷα, φϱονῇ δ' ἕτεϱα.
Ἀλλ' εἴη τοιοῦτος ἐμοὶ φίλος, ὃς τὸν ἑταῖϱον
Γινώσϰων ὀϱγὴν ϰαὶ βαϱὺν ὄντα φέϱει
Ἀντὶ ϰασιγνήτου. σὺ δέ μοι, φίλε, ταῦτ' ἐνὶ ϑυμῷ
Φϱάζεο, ϰαί ποτέ μου μνήσεαι ἐξοπίσω. 100
 
Μηδείς σ' ἀνϑϱώπων πείσῃ ϰαϰὸν ἄνδϱα φιλῆσαι,
Κύϱνε· τί δ' ἔστ' ὄφελος δειλὸς ἀνὴϱ φίλος ὤν;
Οὔτ' ἄν σ' ἐϰ χαλεποῖο πόνου ῥύσαιτο ϰαὶ ἄτης,
Οὔτε ϰεν ἐσϑλὸν ἔχων τοῦ μεταδοῦν ἐϑέλοι.
 
Δειλοὺς εὖ ἕϱδοντι ματαιοτάτη χάϱις ἐστίν· 105
Ἶσον ϰαὶ σπείϱειν πόντον ἁλὸς πολιῆς.
Οὔτε γὰϱ ἂν πόντον σπείϱων βαϑὺ λήιον ἀμῷς,
Οὔτε ϰαϰοὺς εὖ δϱῶν εὖ πάλιν ἀντιλάβοις·
Ἄπληστον γὰϱ ἔχουσι ϰαϰοὶ νόον· ἢν δ' ἓν ἁμάϱτῃς,
Τῶν πϱόσϑεν πάντων ἐϰϰέχυται φιλότης· 110
Οἱ δ' ἀγαϑοὶ τὸ μέγιστον ἐπαυϱίσϰουσι παϑόντες,
Μνῆμα δ' ἔχουσ' ἀγαϑῶν ϰαὶ χάϱιν ἐξοπίσω.
 
Μήποτε τὸν ϰαϰὸν ἄνδϱα φίλον ποιεῖσϑαι ἑταῖϱον,
Ἀλλ' αἰεὶ φεύγειν ὥστε ϰαϰὸν λιμένα.
 
Πολλοί τοι πόσιος ϰαὶ βϱώσιός εἰσιν ἑταῖϱοι, 115
Ἐν δὲ σπουδαίῳ πϱήγματι παυϱότεϱοι.
 
Κιβδήλου δ' ἀνδϱὸς γνῶναι χαλεπώτεϱον οὐδέν,
Κύϱν', οὐδ' εὐλαβίης ἐστὶ πεϱὶ πλέονος.
 
Χϱυσοῦ ϰιβδήλοιο ϰαὶ ἀϱγύϱου ἀνσχετὸς ἄτη,
Κύϱνε, ϰαὶ ἐξευϱεῖν ῥάιδιον ἀνδϱὶ σοφῷ. 120
Εἰ δὲ φίλου νόος ἀνδϱὸς ἐνὶ στήϑεσσι λελήϑῃ
Ψυδϱὸς ἐών, δόλιον δ' ἐν φϱεσὶν ἦτοϱ ἔχῃ,
Τοῦτο ϑεὸς ϰιβδηλότατον ποίησε βϱοτοῖσιν,
Καὶ γνῶναι πάντων τοῦτ' ἀνιηϱότατον.
Οὐδὲ γὰϱ εἰδείης ἀνδϱὸς νόον οὐδὲ γυναιϰός, 125
Πϱὶν πειϱηϑείης ὥσπεϱ ὑποζυγίου,
Οὐδέ ϰεν εἰϰάσσαις ὥσπεϱ ποτ' ἐς ὥϱιον ἐλϑών·
Πολλάϰι γὰϱ γνώμην ἐξαπατῶσ' ἰδέαι.
 
Μήτ' ἀϱετὴν εὔχου, Πολυπαΐδη, ἔξοχος εἶναι
Μήτ' ἄφενος· μοῦνον δ' ἀνδϱὶ γένοιτο τύχη. 130
 
Οὐδὲν ἐν ἀνϑϱώποισι πατϱὸς ϰαὶ μητϱὸς ἄμεινον
Ἔπλετο, οἷσ' ὁσίη, Κύϱνε, μέμηλε δίϰη.
 
Οὐδείς, Κύϱν', ἄτης ϰαὶ ϰέϱδεος αἴτιος αὐτός,
Ἀλλὰ ϑεοὶ τούτων δώτοϱες ἀμφοτέϱων·
Οὐδέ τις ἀνϑϱώπων ἐϱγάζεται ἐν φϱεσὶν εἰδώς, 135
Ἐς τέλος εἴτ' ἀγαϑὸν γίνεται εἴτε ϰαϰόν.
Πολλάϰι γὰϱ δοϰέων ϑήσειν ϰαϰὸν ἐσϑλὸν ἔϑηϰεν,
Καί τε δοϰῶν ϑήσειν ἐσϑλὸν ἔϑηϰε ϰαϰόν.
Οὐδέ τῳ ἀνϑϱώπων παϱαγίνεται, ὅσσα ϑέλῃσιν·
Ἴσχει γὰϱ χαλεπῆς πείϱατ' ἀμηχανίης. 140
Ἄνϑϱωποι δὲ μάταια νομίζομεν εἰδότες οὐδέν·
Θεοὶ δὲ ϰατὰ σφέτεϱον πάντα τελοῦσι νόον.
 
Οὐδείς πω ξεῖνον, Πολυπαΐδη, ἐξαπατήσας
Οὐδ' ἱϰέτην ϑνητῶν ἀϑανάτους ἔλαϑεν.
 
Βούλεο δ' εὐσεβέων ὀλίγοις σὺν χϱήμασιν οἰϰεῖν 145
Ἢ πλουτεῖν ἀδίϰως χϱήματα πασάμενος.
Ἐν δὲ διϰαιοσύνῃ συλλήβδην πᾶσ' ἀϱετή 'στι,
Πᾶς δέ τ' ἀνὴϱ ἀγαϑός, Κύϱνε, δίϰαιος ἐών.
 
Χϱήματα μὲν δαίμων ϰαὶ παγϰάϰῳ ἀνδϱὶ δίδωσιν,
Κύϱν'· ἀϱετῆς δ' ὀλίγοισ' ἀνδϱάσι μοῖϱ' ἕπεται. 150
 
Ὕβϱιν, Κύϱνε, ϑεὸς πϱῶτον ϰαϰῷ ὤπασεν ἀνδϱί,
Οὗ μέλλει χώϱην μηδεμίην ϑέμεναι.
 
Τίϰτει τοι ϰόϱος ὕβϱιν, ὅταν ϰαϰῷ ὄλβος ἕπηται
Ἀνϑϱώπῳ ϰαὶ ὅτῳ μὴ νόος ἄϱτιος ᾖ.
 
Μήποτέ τοι πενίην ϑυμοφϑόϱον ἀνδϱὶ χολωϑείς 155
Μηδ' ἀχϱημοσύνην οὐλομένην πϱόφεϱε·
Ζεὺς γάϱ τοι τὸ τάλαντον ἐπιϱϱέπει ἄλλοτε ἄλλῳ,
Ἄλλοτε μὲν πλουτεῖν, ἄλλοτε μηδὲν ἔχειν.
 
Μήποτε, Κύϱν', ἀγοϱᾶσϑαι ἔπος μέγα· οἶδε γὰϱ οὐδείς
Ἀνϑϱώπων ὅ τι νὺξ χἠμέϱη ἀνδϱὶ τελεῖ. 160
 
Πολλοί τοι χϱῶνται δειλαῖς φϱεσί, δαίμονι δ' ἐσϑλῷ,
Οἷς τὸ ϰαϰὸν δοϰέον γίνεται εἰς ἀγαϑόν.
Εἰσὶν δ' οἳ βουλῇ τ' ἀγαϑῇ ϰαὶ δαίμονι δειλῷ
Μοχϑίζουσι, τέλος δ' ἔϱγμασιν οὐχ ἕπεται.
 
Οὐδεὶς ἀνϑϱώπων οὔτ' ὄλβιος οὔτε πενιχϱός 165
Οὔτε ϰαϰὸς νόσφιν δαίμονος οὔτ' ἀγαϑός.
 
Ἄλλ' ἄλλῳ ϰαϰόν ἐστι, τὸ δ' ἀτϱεϰὲς ὄλβιος οὐδείς
Ἀνϑϱώπων ὁπόσους ἠέλιος ϰαϑοϱᾶι.
 
Ὃν δὲ ϑεοὶ τιμῶσιν, ὁ ϰαὶ μωμεύμενος αἰνεῖ·
Ἀνδϱὸς δὲ σπουδὴ γίνεται οὐδεμία. 170
 
Θεοῖσ' εὔχου, ϑεοῖσ' οἷσιν ἔπι ϰϱάτος· οὔτοι ἄτεϱ ϑεῶν
Γίνεται ἀνϑϱώποισ' οὔτ' ἀγάϑ' οὔτε ϰαϰά.
 
Ἄνδϱ' ἀγαϑὸν πενίη πάντων δάμνησι μάλιστα,
Καὶ γήϱως πολιοῦ, Κύϱνε, ϰαὶ ἠπιάλου.
Ἣν δὴ χϱὴ φεύγοντα ϰαὶ ἐς βαϑυϰήτεα πόντον 175
Ῥιπτεῖν ϰαὶ πετϱέων, Κύϱνε, ϰατ' ἠλιβάτων.
Καὶ γὰϱ ἀνὴϱ πενίῃ δεδμημένος οὔτε τι εἰπεῖν
Οὔϑ' ἕϱξαι δύναται, γλῶσσα δέ οἱ δέδεται.
 
Χϱὴ γὰϱ ὁμῶς ἐπὶ γῆν τε ϰαὶ εὐϱέα νῶτα ϑαλάσσης
Δίζησϑαι χαλεπῆς, Κύϱνε, λύσιν πενίης. 180
 
Τεϑνάμεναι, φίλε Κύϱνε, πενιχϱῷ βέλτεϱον ἀνδϱί
Ἢ ζώειν χαλεπῇ τειϱόμενον πενίῃ.
 
Κϱιοὺς μὲν ϰαὶ ὄνους διζήμεϑα, Κύϱνε, ϰαὶ ἵππους
Εὐγενέας, ϰαί τις βούλεται ἐξ ἀγαϑῶν
Βήσεσϑαι· γῆμαι δὲ ϰαϰὴν ϰαϰοῦ οὐ μελεδαίνει 185
Ἐσϑλὸς ἀνήϱ, ἤν οἱ χϱήματα πολλὰ διδῷ,
Οὐδὲ γυνὴ ϰαϰοῦ ἀνδϱὸς ἀναίνεται εἶναι ἄϰοιτις
Πλουσίου, ἀλλ' ἀφνεὸν βούλεται ἀντ' ἀγαϑοῦ.
Χϱήματα μὲν τιμῶσι· ϰαὶ ἐϰ ϰαϰοῦ ἐσϑλὸς ἔγημε
Καὶ ϰαϰὸς ἐξ ἀγαϑοῦ· πλοῦτος ἔμειξε γένος. 190
Οὕτω μὴ ϑαύμαζε γένος, Πολυπαΐδη, ἀστῶν
Μαυϱοῦσϑαι· σὺν γὰϱ μίσγεται ἐσϑλὰ ϰαϰοῖς.
 
Αὐτός τοι ταύτην εἰδὼς ϰαϰόπατϱιν ἐοῦσαν
Εἰς οἴϰους ἄγεται χϱήμασι πειϑόμενος
Εὔδοξος ϰαϰόδοξον, ἐπεὶ ϰϱατεϱή μιν ἀνάγϰη 195
Ἐντύνει, ἥτ' ἀνδϱὸς τλήμονα ϑῆϰε νόον.
 
Χϱῆμα δ' ὃ μὲν Διόϑεν ϰαὶ σὺν δίϰῃ ἀνδϱὶ γένηται
Καὶ ϰαϑαϱῶς, αἰεὶ παϱμόνιμον τελέϑει.
Εἰ δ' ἀδίϰως παϱὰ ϰαιϱὸν ἀνὴϱ φιλοϰεϱδέι ϑυμῷ
Κτήσεται, εἴϑ' ὅϱϰῳ πὰϱ τὸ δίϰαιον ἑλών, 200
Αὐτίϰα μέν τι φέϱειν ϰέϱδος δοϰεῖ, ἐς δὲ τελευτήν
Αὖϑις ἔγεντο ϰαϰόν, ϑεῶν δ' ὑπεϱέσχε νόος.
Ἀλλὰ τάδ' ἀνϑϱώπων ἀπατᾶι νόον· οὐ γὰϱ ἔτ' αὔτως
Τίνονται μάϰαϱες πϱήγματος ἀμπλαϰίας·
Ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν αὐτὸς ἔτεισε ϰαϰὸν χϱέος οὐδὲ φίλοισιν 205
Ἄτην ἐξοπίσω παισὶν ἐπεϰϱέμασεν·
Ἄλλον δ' οὐ ϰατέμαϱψε δίϰη· ϑάνατος γὰϱ ἀναιδής
Πϱόσϑεν ἐπὶ βλεφάϱοισ' ἕζετο ϰῆϱα φέϱων.
 
Οὐδείς τοι φεύγοντι φίλος ϰαὶ πιστὸς ἑταῖϱος·
Τῆς δὲ φυγῆς ἐστιν τοῦτ' ἀνιηϱότεϱον. 210
 
Οἶνόν τοι πίνειν πουλὺν ϰαϰόν· ἢν δέ τις αὐτόν
Πίνῃ ἐπισταμένως, οὐ ϰαϰός, ἀλλ' ἀγαϑός.
 
Θυμέ, φίλους ϰατὰ πάντας ἐπίστϱεφε ποιϰίλον ἦϑος,
Ὀϱγὴν συμμίσγων ἥντιν' ἕϰαστος ἔχει·
Πουλύπου ὀϱγὴν ἴσχε πολυπλόϰου, ὃς ποτὶ πέτϱῃ, 215
Τῇ πϱοσομιλήσῃ, τοῖος ἰδεῖν ἐφάνη.
Νῦν μὲν τῇδ' ἐφέπου, τοτὲ δ' ἀλλοῖος χϱόα γίνου.
Κϱέσσων τοι σοφίη γίνεται ἀτϱοπίης.
 
Μηδὲν ἄγαν ἄσχαλλε ταϱασσομένων πολιητέων,
Κύϱνε, μέσην δ' ἔϱχευ τὴν ὁδὸν ὥσπεϱ ἐγώ. 220
 
Ὅστις τοι δοϰέει τὸν πλησίον ἴδμεναι οὐδέν,
Ἀλλ' αὐτὸς μοῦνος ποιϰίλα δήνε' ἔχειν,
Κεῖνός γ' ἄφϱων ἐστί, νόου βεβλαμμένος ἐσϑλοῦ·
Ἴσως γὰϱ πάντες ποιϰίλ' ἐπιστάμεϑα·
Ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν οὐϰ ἐϑέλει ϰαϰοϰεϱδείῃσιν ἕπεσϑαι, 225
Τῷ δὲ δολοπλοϰίαι μᾶλλον ἄπιστοι ἅδον.
Πλούτου δ' οὐδὲν τέϱμα πεφασμένον ἀνϑϱώποισιν·
Οἳ γὰϱ νῦν ἡμῶν πλεῖστον ἔχουσι βίον,
Διπλάσιον σπεύδουσι. τίς ἂν ϰοϱέσειεν ἅπαντας;
Χϱήματά τοι ϑνητοῖς γίνεται ἀφϱοσύνη, 230
Ἄτη δ' ἐξ αὐτῆς ἀναφαίνεται, ἣν ὁπότε Ζεύς
Πέμψῃ τειϱομένοισ', ἄλλοτε ἄλλος ἔχει.
Ἀϰϱόπολις ϰαὶ πύϱγος ἐὼν ϰενεόφϱονι δήμῳ,
Κύϱν', ὀλίγης τιμῆς ἔμμοϱεν ἐσϑλὸς ἀνήϱ.
 
Οὐδὲν ἐπιπϱέπει ἧμιν ἅτ' ἀνδϱάσι σῳζομένοισιν, 235
Ἀλλ' ὡς πάγχυ πόλει, Κύϱνε, ἁλωσομένῃ.
 
Σοὶ μὲν ἐγὼ πτέϱ' ἔδωϰα, σὺν οἷσ' ἐπ' ἀπείϱονα πόντον
Πωτήσῃ, ϰατὰ γῆν πᾶσαν ἀειϱόμενος
Ῥηϊδίως· ϑοίνῃς δὲ ϰαὶ εἰλαπίνῃσι παϱέσσῃ
Ἐν πάσαις πολλῶν ϰείμενος ἐν στόμασιν, 240
Καί σε σὺν αὐλίσϰοισι λιγυφϑόγγοις νέοι ἄνδϱες
Εὐϰόσμως ἐϱατοὶ ϰαλά τε ϰαὶ λιγέα
Ἄισονται. ϰαὶ ὅταν δνοφεϱῆς ὑπὸ ϰεύϑεσι γαίης
Βῇς πολυϰωϰύτους εἰς Ἀίδαο δόμους,
Οὐδέποτ' οὐδὲ ϑανὼν ἀπολεῖς ϰλέος, ἀλλὰ μελήσεις 245
Ἄφϑιτον ἀνϑϱώποισ' αἰὲν ἔχων ὄνομα,
Κύϱνε, ϰαϑ' Ἑλλάδα γῆν στϱωφώμενος, ἠδ' ἀνὰ νήσους
Ἰχϑυόεντα πεϱῶν πόντον ἐπ' ἀτϱύγετον,
Οὐχ ἵππων νώτοισιν ἐφήμενος· ἀλλά σε πέμψει
Ἀγλαὰ Μουσάων δῶϱα ἰοστεφάνων. 250
Πᾶσι δ', ὅσοισι μέμηλε, ϰαὶ ἐσσομένοισιν ἀοιδή
Ἔσσῃ ὁμῶς, ὄφϱ' ἂν γῆ τε ϰαὶ ἠέλιος.
Αὐτὰϱ ἐγὼν ὀλίγης παϱὰ σεῦ οὐ τυγχάνω αἰδοῦς,
Ἀλλ' ὥσπεϱ μιϰϱὸν παῖδα λόγοις μ' ἀπατᾶις.
 
Κάλλιστον τὸ διϰαιότατον· λῷστον δ' ὑγιαίνειν· 255
Πϱᾶγμα δὲ τεϱπνότατον, τοῦ τις ἐϱᾶι, τὸ τυχεῖν.
 
Ἵππος ἐγὼ ϰαλὴ ϰαὶ ἀεϑλίη, ἀλλὰ ϰάϰιστον
Ἄνδϱα φέϱω, ϰαί μοι τοῦτ' ἀνιηϱότατον.
Πολλάϰι δ' ἠμέλλησα διαϱϱήξασα χαλινόν
Φεύγεν ἀπωσαμένη τὸν ϰαϰὸν ἡνίοχον. 260
 
Οὔ μοι πίνεται οἶνος, ἐπεὶ παϱὰ παιδὶ τεϱείνῃ
Ἄλλος ἀνὴϱ ϰατέχει πολλὸν ἐμοῦ ϰαϰίων.
Ψυχϱόν μοι παϱὰ τῇδε φίλοι πίνουσι τοϰῆες,
Ὥσϑ' ἅμα ϑ' ὑδϱεύει ϰαί με γοῶσα φέϱει,
Ἔνϑα μέσην πεϱὶ παῖδα λαβὼν ἀγϰῶν' ἐφίλησα 265
Δειϱήν, ἡ δὲ τέϱεν φϑέγγετ' ἀπὸ στόματος.
 
Γνωτή τοι πενίη γε ϰαὶ ἀλλοτϱίη πεϱ ἐοῦσα·
Οὔτε γὰϱ εἰς ἀγοϱὴν ἔϱχεται οὔτε δίϰας·
Πάντῃ γὰϱ τοὔλασσον ἔχει, πάντῃ δ' ἐπίμυϰτος,
Πάντῃ δ' ἐχϑϱὴ ὁμῶς γίνεται, ἔνϑα πεϱ ᾖ. 270
 
Ἴσως τοι τὰ μὲν ἄλλα ϑεοὶ ϑνητοῖσ' ἀνϑϱώποις
Γῆϱάς τ' οὐλόμενον ϰαὶ νεότητ' ἔδοσαν.
Τῶν πάντων δὲ ϰάϰιστον ἐν ἀνϑϱώποις – ϑανάτου τε
Καὶ πασέων νούσων ἐστὶ πονηϱότατον –
Παῖδας ἐπεὶ ϑϱέψαιο ϰαὶ ἄϱμενα πάντα παϱάσχοις, 275
Χϱήματα δ' ἐγϰαταϑῇς πόλλ' ἀνιηϱὰ παϑών,
Τὸν πατέϱ' ἐχϑαίϱουσι, ϰαταϱῶνται δ' ἀπολέσϑαι
Καὶ στυγέουσ' ὥσπεϱ πτωχὸν ἐσεϱχόμενον.
 
Εἰϰὸς τὸν ϰαϰὸν ἄνδϱα ϰαϰῶς τὰ δίϰαια νομίζειν,
Μηδεμίαν ϰατόπισϑ' ἁζόμενον νέμεσιν· 280
Δειλῷ γάϱ τ' ἀπάλαμνα βϱοτῷ πάϱα πόλλ' ἀνελέσϑαι
Πὰϱ ποδός, ἡγεῖσϑαί ϑ' ὡς ϰαλὰ πάντα τιϑεῖ.
 
Ἀστῶν μηδενὶ πιστὸς ἐὼν πόδα τῶνδε πϱόβαινε
Μήϑ' ὅϱϰῳ πίσυνος μήτε φιλημοσύνῃ,
Μηδ' εἰ Ζῆν' ἐϑέλῃ παϱέχειν βασιλῆα μέγιστον 285
Ἔγγυον ἀϑανάτων πιστὰ τιϑεῖν ἐϑέλων.
Ἐν γάϱ τοι πόλει ὧδε ϰαϰοψόγῳ ἁνδάνει οὐδέν·
Ὡς δε το σῶσαι οἱ πολλοὶ ἀνολβότεϱοι.
 
Νῦν δὲ τὰ τῶν ἀγαϑῶν ϰαϰὰ γίνεται ἐσϑλὰ ϰαϰοῖσιν
Ἀνδϱῶν· ἡγέονται δ' ἐϰτϱαπέλοισι νόμοις· 290
Αἰδὼς μὲν γὰϱ ὄλωλεν, ἀναιδείη δὲ ϰαὶ ὕβϱις
Νιϰήσασα δίϰην γῆν ϰατὰ πᾶσαν ἔχει.
 
Οὐδὲ λέων αἰεὶ ϰϱέα δαίνυται, ἀλλά μιν ἔμπης
Καὶ ϰϱατεϱόν πεϱ ἐόνϑ' αἱϱεῖ ἀμηχανίη.
 
Κωτίλῳ ἀνϑϱώπῳ σιγᾶν χαλεπώτατον ἄχϑος, 295
Φϑεγγόμενος δ' ἀδαὴς οἷσι παϱῇ μελετᾶι,
Ἐχϑαίϱουσι δὲ πάντες· ἀναγϰαίη δ' ἐπίμειξις
Ἀνδϱὸς τοιούτου συμποσίῳ τελέϑει.
 
Οὐδ' ἐϑέλει φίλος εἶναι, ἐπὴν ϰαϰὸν ἀνδϱὶ γένηται,
Οὐδ' ἤν ἐϰ γαστϱός, Κύϱνε, μιᾶς γεγόνῃ. 300
 
Πιϰϱὸς ϰαὶ γλυϰὺς ἴσϑι ϰαὶ ἁϱπαλέος ϰαὶ ἀπηνής
Λάτϱισι ϰαὶ δμωσὶν γείτοσί τ' ἀγχιϑύϱοις.
 
Οὐ χϱὴ ϰιγϰλίζειν ἀγαϑὸν βίον, ἀλλ' ἀτϱεμίζειν,
Τὸν δὲ ϰαϰὸν ϰινεῖν, ἔστ' ἂν ἐς ὀϱϑὰ λάβῃς.
 
Τοὶ ϰαϰοὶ οὐ πάντες ϰαϰοὶ ἐϰ γαστϱὸς γεγόνασιν, 305
Ἀλλ' ἄνδϱεσσι ϰαϰοῖς συνϑέμενοι φιλίην
Ἔϱγα τε δείλ' ἔμαϑον ϰαὶ ἔπη δύσφημα ϰαὶ ὕβϱιν
Ἐλπόμενοι ϰείνους πάντα λέγειν ἔτυμα.
 
„Ἐν μὲν συσσίτοισιν ἀνὴϱ πεπνυμένος εἶναι.“ –
Πάντα δέ μιν λήϑειν ὡς ἀπεόντα δοϰεῖ. 310
Εἰς δὲ φέϱοι τὰ γελοῖα – ϑύϱηφιν ϰαϱτεϱὸς εἴη –
Γινώσϰων ὀϱγὴν ἥντιν' ἕϰαστος ἔχει.
Ἐν μὲν μαινομένοις μάλα μαίνομαι, ἐν δὲ διϰαίοις
Πάντων ἀνϑϱώπων εἰμὶ διϰαιότατος.
 
Πολλοί τοι πλουτοῦσι ϰαϰοί, ἀγαϑοὶ δὲ πένονται, 315
Ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς τούτοισ' οὐ διαμειψόμεϑα
Τῆς ἀϱετῆς τὸν πλοῦτον, ἐπεὶ τὸ μὲν ἔμπεδον αἰεί,
Χϱήματα δ' ἀνϑϱώπων ἄλλοτε ἄλλος ἔχει.
Κύϱν', ἀγαϑὸς μὲν ἀνὴϱ γνώμην ἔχει ἔμπεδον αἰεί,
Τολμᾶι δ' ἔν τε ϰαϰοῖς ϰείμενος ἔν τ' ἀγαϑοῖς. 320
Εἰ δὲ ϑεὸς ϰαϰῷ ἀνδϱὶ βίον ϰαὶ πλοῦτον ὀπάσσῃ,
Ἀφϱαίνων ϰαϰίην οὐ δύναται ϰατέχειν.
 
Μήποτ' ἐπὶ σμιϰϱᾶι πϱοφάσει φίλον ἄνδϱ' ἀπολέσσαι
Πειϑόμενος χαλεπῇ, Κύϱνε, διαβολίῃ.
Εἴ τις ἁμαϱτωλῇσι φίλων ἐπὶ παντὶ χολῷτο, 325
Οὔποτ' ἂν ἀλλήλοισ' ἄϱϑμιοι οὐδὲ φίλοι
Εἶεν· ἁμαϱτωλαὶ γὰϱ ἐν ἀνϑϱώποισιν ἕπονται
Θνητοῖς, Κύϱνε· ϑεοὶ δ' οὐϰ ἐϑέλουσι φέϱειν.
Καὶ βϱαδὺς εὔβουλος εἷλεν ταχὺν ἄνδϱα διώϰων,
 
Κύϱνε, σὺν εὐϑείῃ ϑεῶν δίϰῃ ἀϑανάτων. 330
 
Ἥσυχος ὥσπεϱ ἐγὼ μέσσην ὁδὸν ἔϱχεο ποσσίν,
Μηδ' ἑτέϱοισι διδούς, Κύϱνε, τὰ τῶν ἑτέϱων.
 
Οὐϰ ἔστιν φεύγοντι φίλος ϰαὶ πιστὸς ἑταῖϱος·332α
Τῆς δὲ φυγῆς ἐστιν τοῦτ' ἀνιηϱότατον.332β
Μήποτε φεύγοντ' ἄνδϱα ἐπ' ἐλπίδι, Κύϱνε, φιλήσῃς·
Οὐδὲ γὰϱ οἴϰαδε βὰς γίνεται αὐτὸς ἔτι.
 
Μηδὲν ἄγαν σπεύδειν· πάντων μέσ' ἄϱιστα· ϰαὶ οὕτως, 335
Κύϱν', ἕξεις ἀϱετήν, ἥντε λαβεῖν χαλεπόν.
 
Ζεύς μοι τῶν τε φίλων δοίη τίσιν, οἵ με φιλεῦσιν,
Τῶν τ' ἐχϑϱῶν μεῖζον, Κύϱνε, δυνησόμενον.
Χοὔτως ἂν δοϰέοιμι μετ' ἀνϑϱώπων ϑεὸς εἶναι,
Εἴ μ' ἀποτεισάμενον μοῖϱα ϰίχῃ ϑανάτου. 340
 
Ἀλλά, Ζεῦ, τέλεσόν μοι, Ὀλύμπιε, ϰαίϱιον εὐχήν·
Δὸς δέ μοι ἀντὶ ϰαϰῶν ϰαί τι παϑεῖν ἀγαϑόν.
Τεϑναίην δ', εἰ μή τι ϰαϰῶν ἄμπαυμα μεϱιμνέων
Εὑϱοίμην, δοίην δ' ἀντ' ἀνιῶν ἀνίας.
Αἶσα γὰϱ οὕτως ἐστί. τίσις δ' οὐ φαίνεται ἡμῖν 345
Ἀνδϱῶν, οἳ τἀμὰ χϱήματ' ἔχουσι βίῃ
Συλήσαντες· ἐγὼ δὲ ϰύων ἐπέϱησα χαϱάδϱην
Χειμάϱϱῳ ποταμῷ πάντ' ἀποσεισάμενος·
Τῶν εἴη μέλαν αἷμα πιεῖν· ἐπί τ' ἐσϑλὸς ὄϱοιτο
Δαίμων, ὃς ϰατ' ἐμὸν νοῦν τελέσειε τάδε. 350
Ἆ δειλὴ πενίη, τί μένεις πϱολιποῦσα παϱ' ἄλλον
Ἄνδϱ' ἰέναι; μὴ ὦν δὴν οὐϰ ἐϑέλοντα φίλει·
Ἀλλ' ἴϑι ϰαὶ δόμον ἄλλον ἐποίχεο, μηδὲ μεϑ' ἡμέων
Αἰεὶ δυστήνου τοῦδε βίου μέτεχε.
 
Τόλμα, Κύϱνε, ϰαϰοῖσιν, ἐπεὶ ϰἀσϑλοῖσιν ἔχαιϱες, 355
Εὖτέ σε ϰαὶ τούτων μοῖϱ' ἐπέβαλλεν ἔχειν.
Ὡς δέ πεϱ ἐξ ἀγαϑῶν ἔλαβες ϰαϰόν, ὣς δὲ ϰαὶ αὖϑις
Ἐϰδῦναι πειϱῶ ϑεοῖσιν ἐπευχόμενος.
Μηδὲ λίην ἐπίφαινε· ϰαϰὸν δέ τε, Κύϱν', ἐπιφαίνειν.
Παύϱους ϰηδεμόνας σῆς ϰαϰότητος ἔχεις. 360
 
Ἀνδϱός τοι ϰϱαδίη μινύϑει μέγα πῆμα παϑόντος,
Κύϱν'· ἀποτεινυμένου δ' αὔξεται ἐξοπίσω.
 
Εὖ ϰώτιλλε τὸν ἐχϑϱόν· ὅταν δ' ὑποχείϱιος ἔλϑῃ,
Τεῖσαί νιν πϱόφασιν μηδεμίαν ϑέμενος.
 
Ἴσχε νόῳ, γλώσσης δὲ τὸ μείλιχον αἰὲν ἐπέστω· 365
Δειλῶν τοι τελέϑει ϰαϱδίη ὀξυτέϱη.
 
Οὐ δύναμαι γνῶναι νόον ἀστῶν ὅντιν' ἔχουσιν·
Οὔτε γὰϱ εὖ ἕϱδων ἁνδάνω οὔτε ϰαϰῶς·
Μωμεῦνται δέ με πολλοί, ὁμῶς ϰαϰοὶ ἠδὲ ϰαὶ ἐσϑλοί·
Μιμεῖσϑαι δ' οὐδεὶς τῶν ἀσόφων δύναται. 370
 
Μή μ' ἀέϰοντα βίῃ ϰεντῶν ὑπ' ἄμαξαν ἔλαυνεεἰς φιλότητα λίην, Κύϱνε, πϱοσελϰόμενος.
 
Ζεῦ φίλε, ϑαυμάζω σε· σὺ γὰϱ πάντεσσιν ἀνάσσεις
Τιμὴν αὐτὸς ἔχων ϰαὶ μεγάλην δύναμιν·
Ἀνϑϱώπων δ' εὖ οἶσϑα νόον ϰαὶ ϑυμὸν ἑϰάστου· 375
Σὸν δὲ ϰϱάτος πάντων ἔσϑ' ὕπατον, βασιλεῦ.
Πῶς δή σευ, Κϱονίδη, τολμᾶι νόος ἄνδϱας ἀλιτϱούς
Ἐν ταὐτῇ μοίϱῃ τόν τε δίϰαιον ἔχειν,
Ἤν τ' ἐπὶ σωφϱοσύνην τϱεφϑῇ νόος ἤν τε πϱὸς ὕβϱιν
Ἀνϑϱώπων ἀδίϰοισ' ἔϱγμασι πειϑομένων; 380
Οὐδέ τι ϰεϰϱιμένον πϱὸς δαίμονός ἐστι βϱοτοῖσιν,
Οὐδ' ὁδὸν ἥντιν' ἰὼν ἀϑανάτοισιν ἅδοι.
Ἔμπης δ' ὄλβον ἔχουσιν ἀπήμονα· τοὶ δ' ἀπὸ δειλῶν
Ἔϱγων ἴσχοντες ϑυμὸν ὅμως πενίην
Μητέϱ' ἀμηχανίης ἔλαβον τὰ δίϰαια φιλεῦντες, 385
Ἥτ' ἀνδϱῶν παϱάγει ϑυμὸν ἐς ἀμπλαϰίην
Βλάπτουσ' ἐν στήϑεσσι φϱένας ϰϱατεϱῆς ὑπ' ἀνάγϰης·
Τολμᾶι δ' οὐϰ ἐϑέλων αἴσχεα πολλὰ φέϱειν
Χϱημοσύνῃ εἴϰων, ἣ δὴ ϰαϰὰ πολλὰ διδάσϰει,
Ψεύδεά τ' ἐξαπάτας τ' οὐλομένας τ' ἔϱιδας, 390
Ἄνδϱα ϰαὶ οὐϰ ἐϑέλοντα· ϰαϰὸν δέ οἱ οὐδὲν ἔοιϰεν·
Ἡ γὰϱ ϰαὶ χαλεπὴν τίϰτει ἀμηχανίην.
 
Ἐν πενίῃ δ' ὅ τε δειλὸς ἀνὴϱ ὅ τε πολλὸν ἀμείνων
Φαίνεται, εὖτ' ἂν δὴ χϱημοσύνη ϰατέχῃ·
Τοῦ μὲν γὰϱ τὰ δίϰαια φϱονεῖ νόος, οὗτέ πεϱ αἰεί 395
Ἰϑεῖα γνώμη στήϑεσιν ἐμπεφύῃ·
Τοῦ δ' αὖτ' οὔτε ϰαϰοῖσ' ἕπεται νόος οὔτ' ἀγαϑοῖσιν.
Τὸν δ' ἀγαϑὸν τολμᾶν χϱὴ τά τε ϰαὶ τὰ φέϱειν,
Αἰδεῖσϑαι δὲ φίλους φεύγειν τ' ὀλεσήνοϱας ὅϱϰους,
Ἐντϱάπελ' ἀϑανάτων μῆνιν ἀλευάμενον. 400
 
Μηδὲν ἄγαν σπεύδειν· ϰαιϱὸς δ' ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ἄϱιστος
Ἔϱγμασιν ἀνϑϱώπων· πολλάϰι δ' εἰς ἀϱετήν
Σπεύδει ἀνὴϱ ϰέϱδος διζήμενος, ὅντινα δαίμων
Πϱόφϱων εἰς μεγάλην ἀμπλαϰίην παϱάγει,
Καί οἱ ἔϑηϰε δοϰεῖν, ἃ μὲν ᾖ ϰαϰά, ταῦτ' ἀγάϑ' εἶναι 405
Εὐμαϱέως, ἃ δ' ἂν ᾖ χϱήσιμα, ταῦτα ϰαϰά.
 
Φίλτατος ὢν ἥμαϱτες· ἐγὼ δέ σοι αἴτιος οὐδέν,
Ἀλλ' αὐτὸς γνώμης οὐϰ ἀγαϑῆς ἔτυχες.
 
Οὐδένα ϑησαυϱὸν παισὶν ϰαταϑήσει ἀμείνω
Αἰδοῦς, ἥτ' ἀγαϑοῖσ' ἀνδϱάσι, Κύϱν', ἕπεται. 410
 
Οὐδενὸς ἀνϑϱώπων ϰαϰίων δοϰεῖ εἶναι ἑταῖϱος,
ᾯ γνώμη ϑ' ἕπεται, Κύϱνε, ϰαὶ ᾧ δύναμις.
 
Πίνων δ' οὐχ οὕτως ϑωϱήξομαι, οὐδ' ἐμέ τ' οἶνος
Ἐξάγει, ὥστ' εἰπεῖν δεινὸν ἔπος πεϱὶ σοῦ.
 
Οὐδέν' ὁμοῖον ἐμοὶ δύναμαι διζήμενος εὑϱεῖν 415
Πιστὸν ἑταῖϱον, ὅτῳ μή τις ἔνεστι δόλος·
Ἐς βάσανον δ' ἐλϑὼν παϱατϱίβομαι ὥστε μολύβδῳ
Χϱυσός, ὑπεϱτεϱίης δ' ἄμμιν ἔνεστι λόγος.
 
Πολλά με ϰαὶ συνιέντα παϱέϱχεται· ἀλλ' ὑπ' ἀνάγϰης
Σιγῶ, γινώσϰων ἡμετέϱην δύναμιν. 420
 
Πολλοῖσ' ἀνϑϱώπων γλώσσῃ ϑύϱαι οὐϰ ἐπίϰεινται
Ἁϱμόδιαι, ϰαί σφιν πόλλ' ἀμέλητα μέλει.
Πολλάϰι γὰϱ τὸ ϰαϰὸν ϰαταϰείμενον ἔνδον ἄμεινον,
Ἐσϑλὸν δ' ἐξελϑὸν λώιον ἢ τὸ ϰαϰόν.
 
„Πάντων μὲν μὴ φῦναι ἐπιχϑονίοισιν ἄϱιστον“ 425
Μηδ' ἐσιδεῖν αὐγὰς ὀξέος ἠελίου,
„Φύντα δ' ὅπως ὤϰιστα πύλας Ἀίδαο πεϱῆσαι“
Καὶ ϰεῖσϑαι πολλὴν γῆν ἐπαμησάμενον.
 
Φῦσαι ϰαὶ ϑϱέψαι ῥᾶιον βϱοτὸν ἢ φϱένας ἐσϑλάς
Ἐνϑέμεν· οὐδείς πω τοῦτό γ' ἐπεφϱάσατο, 430
ᾯ τις σώφϱον' ἔϑηϰε τὸν ἄφϱονα ϰἀϰ ϰαϰοῦ ἐσϑλόν.
Εἰ δ' Ἀσϰληπιάδαις τοῦτό γ' ἔδωϰε ϑεός,
Ἰᾶσϑαι ϰαϰότητα ϰαὶ ἀτηϱὰς φϱένας ἀνδϱῶν,
Πολλοὺς ἂν μισϑοὺς ϰαὶ μεγάλους ἔφεϱον.
Εἰ δ' ἦν ποιητόν τε ϰαὶ ἔνϑετον ἀνδϱὶ νόημα, 435
Οὔποτ' ἂν ἐξ ἀγαϑοῦ πατϱὸς ἔγεντο ϰαϰός,
Πειϑόμενος μύϑοισι σαόφϱοσιν· ἀλλὰ διδάσϰων
Οὔποτε ποιήσει τὸν ϰαϰὸν ἄνδϱ' ἀγαϑόν.
 
Νήπιος, ὃς τὸν ἐμὸν μὲν ἔχει νόον ἐν φυλαϰῇσιν,
Τῶν δ' αὐτοῦ ἰδίων οὐδὲν ἐπιστϱέφεται. 440
 
Οὐδεὶς γὰϱ πάντ' ἐστὶ πανόλβιος· ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν ἐσϑλός
Τολμᾶι ἔχων τὸ ϰαϰόν, ϰοὐϰ ἐπίδηλος ὁμῶς,
Δειλὸς δ' οὔτ' ἀγαϑοῖσιν ἐπίσταται οὔτε ϰαϰοῖσιν
Θυμὸν ἔχων μίμνειν. ἀϑανάτων τε δόσεις
Παντοῖαι ϑνητοῖσιν ἐπέϱχοντ'. ἀλλ' ἐπιτολμᾶν 445
Χϱὴ δῶϱ' ἀϑανάτων, οἷα διδοῦσιν, ἔχειν.
 
Εἴ μ' ἐϑέλεις πλύνειν, ϰεφαλῆς ἀμίαντον ἀπ' ἄϰϱης
Αἰεὶ λευϰὸν ὕδωϱ ῥεύσεται ἡμετέϱης,
Εὑϱήσεις δέ με πᾶσιν ἐπ' ἔϱγμασιν ὥσπεϱ ἄπεφϑον
Χϱυσὸν ἐϱυϑϱὸν ἰδεῖν τϱιβόμενον βασάνῳ, 450
Τοῦ χϱοιῆς ϰαϑύπεϱϑε μέλας οὐχ ἅπτεται ἰός
Οὐδ' εὐϱώς, αἰεὶ δ' ἄνϑος ἔχει ϰαϑαϱόν.
 
Ὤνϑϱωπ', εἰ γνώμης ἔλαχες μέϱος ὥσπεϱ ἀνοίης
Καὶ σώφϱων οὕτως ὥσπεϱ ἄφϱων ἐγένου,
Πολλοῖσ' ἂν ζηλωτὸς ἐφαίνεο τῶνδε πολιτῶν 455
Οὕτως ὥσπεϱ νῦν οὐδενὸς ἄξιος εἶ.
 
Οὔ τοι σύμφοϱόν ἐστι γυνὴ νέα ἀνδϱὶ γέϱοντι·
Οὐ γὰϱ πηδαλίῳ πείϑεται ὡς ἄϰατος,
Οὐδ' ἄγϰυϱαι ἔχουσιν· ἀποϱϱήξασα δὲ δεσμά
Πολλάϰις ἐϰ νυϰτῶν ἄλλον ἔχει λιμένα. 460
 
Μήποτ' ἐπ' ἀπϱήϰτοισι νόον ἔχε μηδὲ μενοίνα
Χϱήμασι, τῶν ἄνυσις γίνεται οὐδεμία.
 
Εὐμαϱέ' οἷς τοι χϱῆμα ϑεοὶ δόσαν οὔτε τι δειλόν
Οὔτ' ἀγαϑόν· χαλεπῷ δ' ἔϱγματι ϰῦδος ἔπι.
 
Ἀμφ' ἀϱετῇ τϱίβου ϰαί τοι τὰ δίϰαια φίλ' ἔστω, 465
Μηδέ σε νιϰάτω ϰέϱδος, ὅ τ' αἰσχϱὸν ἔῃ.
 
Μηδένα τῶνδ' ἀέϰοντα μένειν ϰατέϱυϰε παϱ' ἡμῖν,
Μηδὲ ϑύϱαζε ϰέλευ' οὐϰ ἐϑέλοντ' ἰέναι,
Μηδ' εὕδοντ' ἐπέγειϱε, Σιμωνίδη, ὅντιν' ἂν ἡμῶν
Θωϱηχϑέντ' οἴνῳ μαλϑαϰὸς ὕπνος ἕλῃ, 470
Μηδὲ τὸν ἀγϱυπνέοντα ϰέλευ' ἀέϰοντα ϰαϑεύδειν.
„Πᾶν γὰϱ ἀναγϰαῖον χϱῆμ' ἀνιηϱὸν ἔφυ.“
Τῷ πίνειν δ' ἐϑέλοντι παϱασταδὸν οἰνοχοείτω·
Οὐ πάσας νύϰτας γίνεται ἁβϱὰ παϑεῖν.
Αὐτὰϱ ἐγώ – μέτϱον γὰϱ ἔχω μελιηδέος οἴνου – 475
Ὕπνου λυσιϰάϰου μνήσομαι οἴϰαδ' ἰών.
Ἥξω δ' ὡς οἶνος χαϱιέστατος ἀνδϱὶ πεπόσϑαι·
Οὔτε τι γὰϱ νήφω οὔτε λίην μεϑύω.
Ὃς δ' ἂν ὑπεϱβάλλῃ πόσιος μέτϱον, οὐϰέτι ϰεῖνος
Τῆς αὐτοῦ γλώσσης ϰαϱτεϱὸς οὐδὲ νόου· 480
Μυϑεῖται δ' ἀπάλαμνα, τὰ νήφοσι γίνεται αἰσχϱά,
Αἰδεῖται δ' ἕϱδων οὐδέν, ὅταν μεϑύῃ,
Τὸ πϱὶν ἐὼν σώφϱων, τότε νήπιος. ἀλλὰ σὺ ταῦτα
Γινώσϰων μὴ πῖν' οἶνον ὑπεϱβολάδην,
Ἀλλ' ἢ πϱὶν μεϑύειν ὑπανίστασο – μή σε βιάσϑω 485
Γαστὴϱ ὥστε ϰαϰὸν λάτϱιν ἐφημέϱιον –
Ἢ παϱεὼν μὴ πῖνε. σὺ δ' „ἔγχεε“ τοῦτο μάταιον
Κωτίλλεις αἰεί· τοὔνεϰά τοι μεϑύεις·
Ἡ μὲν γὰϱ „φέϱεται φιλοτήσιος“, ἡ δὲ „πϱόϰειται,“
Τὴν δὲ „ϑεοῖς σπένδεις“, τὴν δ' „ἐπὶ χειϱὸς ἔχεις“· 490
Αἰνεῖσϑαι δ' οὐϰ οἶδας. ἀνίϰητος δέ τοι οὗτος,
Ὃς πολλὰς πίνων μή τι μάταιον ἐϱεῖ·
Ὑμεῖς δ' εὖ μυϑεῖσϑε παϱὰ ϰϱητῆϱι μένοντες,
Ἀλλήλων ἔϱιδος δὴν ἀπεϱυϰόμενοι,
Εἰς τὸ μέσον φωνεῦντες ὁμῶς ἑνὶ ϰαὶ συνάπασιν· 495
Χοὔτως συμπόσιον γίνεται οὐϰ ἄχαϱι.
 
Ἄφϱονος ἀνδϱὸς ὁμῶς ϰαὶ σώφϱονος οἶνος, ὅταν δή
Πίνῃ ὑπὲϱ μέτϱον, ϰοῦφον ἔϑηϰε νόον.
 
Ἐμ πυϱὶ μὲν χϱυσόν τε ϰαὶ ἄϱγυϱον ἴδϱιες ἄνδϱες 500
Γινώσϰουσ', ἀνδϱὸς δ' οἶνος ἔδειξε νόον
Καὶ μάλα πεϱ πινυτοῦ, τὸν ὑπὲϱ μέτϱον ἤϱατο πίνων,
Ὥστε ϰαταισχῦναι ϰαὶ πϱὶν ἐόντα σοφόν.
 
Οἰνοβαϱέω ϰεφαλήν, Ὀνομάϰϱιτε, ϰαί με βιᾶται
Οἶνος, ἀτὰϱ γνώμης οὐϰέτ' ἐγὼ ταμίης 505
Ἡμετέϱης, τὸ δὲ δῶμα πεϱιτϱέχει. ἀλλ' ἄγ' ἀναστάς
Πειϱηϑῶ, μή πως ϰαὶ πόδας οἶνος ἔχει
Καὶ νόον ἐν στήϑεσσι· δέδοιϰα δὲ μή τι μάταιον
Ἕϱξω ϑωϱηχϑεὶς ϰαὶ μέγ' ὄνειδος ἔχω.
Οἶνος πινόμενος πουλὺς ϰαϰόν· ἢν δέ τις αὐτόν 510
Πίνῃ ἐπισταμένως, οὐ ϰαϰόν, ἀλλ' ἀγαϑόν.
 
Ἦλϑες δή, Κλεάϱιστε, βαϑὺν διὰ πόντον ἀνύσσας
Ἐνϑάδ' ἐπ' οὐδὲν ἔχοντ', ὦ τάλαν, οὐδὲν ἔχων.
Νηός τοι πλευϱῇσιν ὑπὸ ζυγὰ ϑήσομεν ἡμεῖς,
Κλεάϱισϑ', οἷ' ἔχομεν χοἶα διδοῦσι ϑεοί.
Τῶν δ' ὄντων τἄϱιστα παϱέξομεν· ἢν δέ τις ἔλϑῃ 515
Σεῦ φίλος ὤν, ϰατάϰεισ', ὡς φιλότητος ἔχεις.
Οὔτε τι τῶν ὄντων ἀποϑήσομαι, οὔτε τι μείζω
Σῆς ἕνεϰα ξενίης ἄλλοϑεν οἰσόμεϑα·
Ἢν δέ τί σ' εἰϱωτᾶι τὸν ἐμὸν βίον, ὧδέ οἱ εἰπεῖν·
„Ὡς εὖ μὲν χαλεπῶς, ὡς χαλεπῶς δὲ μάλ' εὖ, 520
Ὥσϑ' ἕνα μὲν ξεῖνον πατϱώιον οὐϰ ἀπολείπειν,
Ξείνια δὲ πλέον' ἔστ' οὐ δυνατὸς παϱέχειν.“
 
Οὔ σε μάτην, ὦ Πλοῦτε, βϱοτοὶ τιμῶσι μάλιστα·
Ἦ γὰϱ ῥηϊδίως τὴν ϰαϰότητα φέϱεις.
Καὶ γάϱ τοι πλοῦτον μὲν ἔχειν ἀγαϑοῖσιν ἔοιϰεν, 525
Ἡ πενίη δὲ ϰαϰῷ σύμφοϱος ἀνδϱὶ φέϱειν.
 
Ὤ μοι ἐγὼν ἥβης ϰαὶ γήϱαος οὐλομένοιο,
Τοῦ μὲν ἐπεϱχομένου, τῆς δ' ἀπονισομένης.
 
Οὐδὲ ἕνα πϱοὔδωϰα φίλον ϰαὶ πιστὸν ἑταῖϱον,
Οὐδ' ἐν ἐμῇ ψυχῇ δούλιον οὐδὲν ἔνι. 530
 
Αἰεί μοι φίλον ἦτοϱ ἰαίνεται, ὁππότ' ἀϰούσω
Αὐλῶν φϑεγγομένων ἱμεϱόεσσαν ὄπα.
Χαίϱω δ' εὖ πίνων ϰαὶ ὑπ' αὐλητῆϱος ἀϰούων,
Χαίϱω δ' εὔφϑογγον χεϱσὶ λύϱην ὀχέων.
 
Οὔποτε δουλείη ϰεφαλὴ ἰϑεῖα πέφυϰεν, 535
Ἀλλ' αἰεὶ σϰολιὴ ϰαὐχένα λοξὸν ἔχει.
Οὔτε γὰϱ ἐϰ σϰίλλης ῥόδα φύεται οὔϑ' ὑάϰινϑος,
Οὐδέ ποτ' ἐϰ δούλης τέϰνον ἐλευϑέϱιον.
 
Οὗτος ἀνήϱ, φίλε Κύϱνε, πέδας χαλϰεύεται αὑτῷ,
Εἰ μὴ ἐμὴν γνώμην ἐξαπατῶσι ϑεοί. 540
 
Δειμαίνω, μὴ τήνδε πόλιν, Πολυπαΐδη, ὕβϱις
Ἥ πεϱ Κενταύϱους ὠμοφάγους ὄλεσεν.
 
Χϱή με παϱὰ στάϑμην ϰαὶ γνώμονα τήνδε διϰάσσαι,
Κύϱνε, δίϰην, ἶσόν τ' ἀμφοτέϱοισι δόμεν,
Μάντεσί τ(οι) οἰωνοῖς τε ϰαὶ αἰϑομένοισ' ἱεϱοῖσιν, 545
Ὄφϱα μὴ ἀμπλαϰίης αἰσχϱὸν ὄνειδος ἔχω.
 
Μηδένα πω ϰαϰότητι βιάζεο· τῷ δὲ διϰαίῳ
Τῆς εὐεϱγεσίης οὐδὲν ἀϱειότεϱον.
 
Ἄγγελος ἄφϑογγος πόλεμον πολύδαϰϱυν ἐγείϱει,
Κύϱν', ἀπὸ τηλαυγέος φαινόμενος σϰοπιῆς. 550
Ἀλλ' ἵπποισ' ἔμβαλλε ταχυπτέϱνοισι χαλινούς·
Δήιων γάϱ σφ' ἀνδϱῶν ἀντιάσειν δοϰέω.
Οὐ πολλὸν τὸ μεσηγύ· διαπϱήξουσι ϰέλευϑον,
Εἰ μὴ ἐμὴν γνώμην ἐξαπατῶσι ϑεοί.
 
Χϱὴ τολμᾶν χαλεποῖσιν ἐν ἄλγεσι ϰείμενον ἄνδϱα 555
Πϱός τε ϑεῶν αἰτεῖν ἔϰλυσιν ἀϑανάτων.
 
Φϱάζεο· ϰίνδυνός τοι ἐπὶ ξυϱοῦ ἵσταται ἀϰμῆς·
Ἄλλοτε πόλλ' ἕξεις, ἄλλοτε παυϱότεϱα,
Ὥστε σε μήτε λίην ἀφνεὸν ϰτεάτεσσι γενέσϑαι,
Μήτε σέ γ' ἐς πολλὴν χϱημοσύνην ἐλάσαι. 560
 
Εἴη μοι τὰ μὲν αὐτὸν ἔχειν, τὰ δὲ πόλλ' ἐπιδοῦναι
Χϱήματα τῶν ἐχϑϱῶν τοῖσι φίλοισιν ἔχειν.
 
Κεϰλῆσϑαι δ' ἐς δαῖτα, παϱέζεσϑαι δὲ παϱ' ἐσϑλόν
Ἄνδϱα χϱεὼν σοφίην πᾶσαν ἐπιστάμενον.
Τοῦ συνιεῖν, ὁπόταν τι λέγῃ σοφόν, ὄφϱα διδαχϑῇς 565
Καὶ τοῦτ' εἰς οἶϰον ϰέϱδος ἔχων ἀπίῃς.
 
Ἥβῃ τεϱπόμενος παίζω· δηϱὸν γὰϱ ἔνεϱϑεν
Γῆς ὀλέσας ψυχὴν ϰείσομαι ὥστε λίϑος
Ἄφϑογγος, λείψω δ' ἐϱατὸν φάος ἠελίοιο·
Ἔμπης δ' ἐσϑλὸς ἐὼν ὄψομαι οὐδὲν ἔτι. 570
 
Δόξα μὲν ἀνϑϱώποισι ϰαϰὸν μέγα, πεῖϱα δ' ἄϱιστον·
Πολλοὶ ἀπείϱητοι δόξαν ἔχουσ' ἀγαϑῶν.
 
Εὖ ἕϱδων εὖ πάσχε· τί ϰ' ἄγγελον ἄλλον ἰάλλοις;
Τῆς εὐεϱγεσίης ῥῃδίη ἀγγελίη.
 
Οἵ με φίλοι πϱοδιδοῦσιν, ἐπεὶ τόν γ' ἐχϑϱὸν ἀλεῦμαι 575
Ὥστε ϰυβεϱνήτης χοιϱάδας εἰναλίας.
 
„Ῥήιον ἐξ ἀγαϑοῦ ϑεῖναι ϰαϰὸν ἢ 'ϰ ϰαϰοῦ ἐσϑλόν.“
Μή με δίδασϰ'· οὔ τοι τηλίϰος εἰμὶ μαϑεῖν.
 
Ἐχϑαίϱω ϰαϰὸν ἄνδϱα, ϰαλυψαμένη δὲ πάϱειμι
Σμιϰϱῆς ὄϱνιϑος ϰοῦφον ἔχουσα νόον. – 580
Ἐχϑαίϱω δὲ γυναῖϰα πεϱίδϱομον ἄνδϱα τε μάϱγον,
Ὃς τὴν ἀλλοτϱίαν βούλετ' ἄϱουϱαν ἀϱοῦν.
 
Ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν πϱοβέβηϰεν, ἀμήχανόν ἐστι γενέσϑαι
Ἀεϱγά· τὰ δ' ἐξοπίσω, τῶν φυλαϰὴ μελέτω.
 
Πᾶσίν τοι ϰίνδυνος ἐπ' ἔϱγμασιν, οὐδέ τις οἶδεν 585
Πῇ σχήσειν μέλλει πϱήγματος ἀϱχομένου.
Ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν εὐδοϰιμεῖν πειϱώμενος οὐ πϱονοήσας
Εἰς μεγάλην ἄτην ϰαὶ χαλεπὴν ἔπεσεν·
Τῷ δὲ ϰαλῶς ποιεῦντι ϑεὸς πεϱὶ πάντα τίϑησιν
Συντυχίην ἀγαϑήν, ἔϰλυσιν ἀφϱοσύνης. 590
 
Τολμᾶν χϱή, τὰ διδοῦσι ϑεοὶ ϑνητοῖσι βϱοτοῖσιν,
Ῥηϊδίως δὲ φέϱειν ἀμφοτέϱων τὸ λάχος,
Μήτε ϰαϰοῖσιν ἀσῶντα λίην φϱένα, μήτ' ἀγαϑοῖσιν
Τεϱφϑῇς ἐξαπίνης, πϱὶν τέλος ἄϰϱον ἰδεῖν.
 
Ἄνϑϱωπ', ἀλλήλοισιν ἀπόπϱοϑεν ὦμεν ἑταῖϱοι· 595
Πλὴν πλούτου παντὸς χϱήματός ἐστι ϰόϱος.
„Δὴν δὴ ϰαὶ φίλοι ὦμεν“· ἀτάϱ τ' ἄλλοισιν ὁμίλει
Ἀνδϱάσιν, οἳ τὸν σὸν μᾶλλον ἴσασι νόον.
Οὔ μ' ἔλαϑες φοιτῶν ϰατ' ἀμαξιτόν, ἣν ἄϱα ϰαὶ πϱίν
Ἠλάστϱεις ϰλέπτων ἡμετέϱην φιλίην. 600
Ἔϱϱε, ϑεοῖσίν τ' ἐχϑϱὲ ϰαὶ ἀνϑϱώποισιν ἄπιστε,
Ψυχϱὸν ὃς ἐν ϰόλπῳ ποιϰίλον εἶχες ὄφιν.
 
Τοιάδε ϰαὶ Μάγνητας ἀπώλεσεν ἔϱγα ϰαὶ ὕβϱις,
Οἷα τὰ νῦν ἱεϱὴν τήνδε πόλιν ϰατέχει.
 
Πολλῷ τοι πλέονας λιμοῦ ϰόϱος ὤλεσεν ἤδη 605
Ἄνδϱας, ὅσοι μοίϱης πλεῖον ἔχειν ἔϑελον.
 
Ἀϱχῇ ἔπι ψεύδους μιϰϱὰ χάϱις· εἰς δὲ τελευτήν
Αἰσχϱὸν δὴ ϰέϱδος ϰαὶ ϰαϰόν, ἀμφότεϱον,
Γίνεται. οὐδέ τι ϰαλόν, ὅτῳ ψεῦδος πϱοσαμαϱτῇ
Ἀνδϱὶ ϰαὶ ἐξέλϑῃ πϱῶτον ἀπὸ στόματος. 610
 
Οὐ χαλεπὸν ψέξαι τὸν πλησίον, οὐδὲ μὲν αὐτόν
Αἰνῆσαι· δειλοῖσ' ἀνδϱάσι ταῦτα μέλει.
Σιγᾶν δ' οὐϰ ἐϑέλουσι ϰαϰοὶ ϰαϰὰ λεσχάζοντες,
Οἱ δ' ἀγαϑοὶ πάντων μέτϱον ἴσασιν ἔχειν.
 
Οὐδένα παμπήδην ἀγαϑὸν ϰαὶ μέτϱιον ἄνδϱα 615
Τῶν νῦν ἀνϑϱώπων ἠέλιος ϰαϑοϱᾶι.
 
Οὔ τι μάλ' ἀνϑϱώποις ϰαταϑύμια πάντα τελεῖται·
Πολλὸν γὰϱ ϑνητῶν ϰϱέσσονες ἀϑάνατοι.
 
Πόλλ' ἐν ἀμηχανίῃσι ϰυλίνδομαι ἀχνύμενος ϰῆϱ·
Ἄϰϱην γὰϱ πενίην οὐχ ὑπεϱεδϱάμομεν. 620
 
Πᾶς τις πλούσιον ἄνδϱα τίει, ἀτίει δὲ πενιχϱόν
Πᾶσιν δ' ἀνϑϱώποισ' αὐτὸς ἔνεστι νόος.
 
Παντοῖαι ϰαϰότητες ἐν ἀνϑϱώποισιν ἔασιν,
Παντοῖαι δ' ἀϱεταὶ ϰαὶ βιότου παλάμαι.
 
Ἀϱγαλέον φϱονέοντα παϱ' ἄφϱοσι πόλλ' ἀγοϱεύειν 625
Καὶ σιγᾶν αἰεί· τοῦτο γὰϱ οὐ δυνατόν.
 
Αἰσχϱόν τοι μεϑύοντα παϱ' ἀνδϱάσι νήφοσιν εἶναι,
Αἰσχϱὸν δ' εἰ νήφων πὰϱ μεϑύουσι μένει.
 
Ἥβη ϰαὶ νεότης ἐπιϰουφίζει νόον ἀνδϱός,
Πολλῶν δ' ἐξαίϱει ϑυμὸν ἐς ἀμπλαϰίην. 630
ᾯτινι μὴ ϑυμοῦ ϰϱέσσων νόος, αἰὲν ἐν ἄταις,
Κύϱν'. ἦ ϰαὶ μεγάλαις ϰεῖται ἐν ἀμπλαϰίαις.
 
Βουλεύου δὶς ϰαὶ τϱίς, ὅ τοί ϰ' ἐπὶ τὸν νόον ἔλϑῃ·
Ἀτηϱὸς γάϱ τοι λάβϱος ἀνὴϱ τελέϑει.
 
Ἀνδϱάσι τοῖσ' ἀγαϑοῖσ' ἕπεται γνώμη τε ϰαὶ αἰδώς· 635
Οἳ νῦν ἐν πολλοῖσ' ἀτϱεϰέως ὀλίγοι.
 
Ἐλπὶς ϰαὶ ϰίνδυνος ἐν ἀνϑϱώποισιν ὁμοῖοι·
Οὗτοι γὰϱ χαλεποὶ δαίμονες ἀμφότεϱοι.
 
Πολλάϰι πὰϱ δόξαν τε ϰαὶ ἐλπίδα γίνεται εὖ ῥεῖν
Ἔϱγ' ἀνδϱῶν, βουλαῖς δ' οὐϰ ἐπέγεντο τέλος. 640
 
Οὔ τοί ϰ' εἰδείης οὔτ' εὔνουν οὔτε τὸν ἐχϑϱόν,
Εἰ μὴ σπουδαίου πϱάγματος ἀντιτύχοις.
Πολλοὶ πὰϱ ϰϱητῆϱι φίλοι γίνονται ἑταῖϱοι,
Ἐν δὲ σπουδαίῳ πϱάγματι παυϱότεϱοι.
 
Παύϱους ϰηδεμόνας πιστοὺς εὕϱοις ϰεν ἑταίϱους 645
Κείμενος ἐν μεγάλῃ ϑυμὸν ἀμηχανίῃ.
 
Ἦ δὴ νῦν αἰδὼς μὲν ἐν ἀνϑϱώποισιν ὄλωλεν,
Αὐτὰϱ ἀναιδείη γαῖαν ἐπιστϱέφεται.
 
Ἆ δειλὴ πενίη, τί ἐμοῖσ' ἐπιϰειμένη ὤμοις
Σῶμα ϰαταισχύνεις ϰαὶ νόον ἡμέτεϱον; 650
Αἰσχϱὰ δέ μ' οὐϰ ἐϑέλοντα βίῃ ϰαὶ πολλὰ διδάσϰεις
Ἐσϑλὰ μετ' ἀνϑϱώπων ϰαὶ ϰάλ' ἐπιστάμενον.
 
Εὐδαίμων εἴην ϰαὶ ϑεοῖς φίλος ἀϑανάτοισιν,
Κύϱν'· ἀϱετῆς δ' ἄλλης οὐδεμιῆς ἔϱαμαι.
 
Σὺν τοί, Κύϱνε, παϑόντι ϰαϰῶς ἀνιώμεϑα πάντες· 655
Ἀλλὰ τοὶ ἀλλότϱιον ϰῆδος ἐφημέϱιον.
 
Μηδὲν ἄγαν χαλεποῖσιν ἀσῶ φϱένα μηδ' ἀγαϑοῖσιν
Χαῖϱ', ἐπεὶ ἔστ' ἀνδϱὸς πάντα φέϱειν ἀγαϑοῦ.
 
Οὐδ' ὀμόσαι χϱὴ τοῦτο. – τί „Μήποτε πϱᾶγμα τόδ' ἔσται“;
Θεοὶ γάϱ τοι νεμεσῶσ', οἷσιν ἔπεστι τέλος· 660
 
Και πϱῆξαι μέντοι τι· ϰαὶ ἐϰ ϰαϰοῦ ἐσϑλὸν ἔγεντο
Καὶ ϰαϰὸν ἐξ ἀγαϑοῦ. ϰαί τε πενιχϱὸς ἀνήϱ
Αἶψα μάλ' ἐπλούτησε ϰαὶ ὃς μάλα πολλὰ πέπαται
Ἐξαπίνης πάντ'οὖν ὤλεσε νυϰτὶ μιῇ.
Καὶ σώφϱων ἥμαϱτε, ϰαὶ ἄφϱονι πολλάϰι δόξα 665
Ἕσπετο, ϰαὶ τιμῆς ϰαὶ ϰαϰὸς ὢν ἔλαχεν.
 
Εἰ μὲν χϱήματ' ἔχοιμι, Σιμωνίδη, οἷά πεϱ ἤδη
Οὐϰ ἂν ἀνιώιμην τοῖσ' ἀγαϑοῖσι συνών.
Νῦν δέ με γινώσϰοντα παϱέϱχεται, εἰμὶ δ' ἄφωνος
Χϱημοσύνῃ, πολλῶν γνοῦσαν ἄμεινον ἔτι 670
Οὕνεϰα νῦν φεϱόμεσϑα ϰαϑ' ἱστία λευϰὰ βαλόντες
Μηλίου ἐϰ πόντου νύϰτα διὰ δνοφεϱήν·
Ἀντλεῖν δ' οὐϰ ἐϑέλουσιν· ὑπεϱβάλλει δὲ ϑάλασσα
Ἀμφοτέϱων τοίχων. ἦ μάλα τις χαλεπῶς
Σώζεται. οἱ δ' ἕϱδουσι· ϰυβεϱνήτην μὲν ἔπαυσαν 675
Ἐσϑλόν, ὅτις φυλαϰὴν εἶχεν ἐπισταμένως·
Χϱήματα δ' ἁϱπάζουσι βίῃ, ϰόσμος δ' ἀπόλωλεν,
Δασμὸς δ' οὐϰέτ' ἴσος γίνεται ἐς τὸ μέσον·
Φοϱτηγοὶ δ' ἄϱχουσι, ϰαϰοὶ δ' ἀγαϑῶν ϰαϑύπεϱϑεν.
Δειμαίνω, μή πως ναῦν ϰατὰ ϰῦμα πίῃ. 680
Ταῦτά μοι ἠινίχϑω ϰεϰϱυμμένα τοῖσ' ἀγαϑοῖσιν·
Γινώσϰοι δ' ἄν τις ϰαὶ ϰαϰόν, ἂν σοφὸς ᾖ.
 
Πολλοὶ πλοῦτον ἔχουσιν ἀίδϱιες· οἱ δὲ τὰ ϰαλά
Ζητοῦσιν χαλεπῇ τειϱόμενοι πενίῃ.
Ἕϱδειν δ' ἀμφοτέϱοισιν ἀμηχανίη παϱάϰειται· 685
Εἴϱγει γὰϱ τοὺς μὲν χϱήματα, τοὺς δὲ νόος.
 
Οὐϰ ἔστι ϑνητοῖσι πϱὸς ἀϑανάτους μαχέσασϑαι
Οὐδὲ δίϰην εἰπεῖν· οὐδενὶ τοῦτο ϑέμις.
 
Οὐ χϱὴ πημαίνειν ὅ τε μὴ πημαντέον εἴη,
Οὐδ' ἕϱδειν ὅ τι μὴ λώιον ᾖ τελέσαι. 690
 
Χαίϱων εὖ τελέσειας ὁδὸς μεγάλου διὰ πόντου,
Καί σε Ποσειδάων χάϱμα φίλοισ' ἀγάγοι.
 
Πολλούς τοι ϰόϱος ἄνδϱας ἀπώλεσεν ἀφϱαίνοντας·
Γνῶναι γὰϱ χαλεπὸν μέτϱον, ὅτ' ἐσϑλὰ παϱῇ.
 
Οὐ δύναμαί σοι, ϑυμέ, παϱασχεῖν ἄϱμενα πάντα· 695
Τέτλαϑι· τῶν δὲ ϰαλῶν οὔ τι σὺ μοῦνος ἐϱᾶις.
 
Εὖ μὲν ἔχοντος ἐμοῦ πολλοὶ φίλοι· ἢν δέ τι δεινόν
Συγϰύϱσῃ, παῦϱοι πιστὸν ἔχουσι νόον.
 
Πλήϑει δ' ἀνϑϱώπων ἀϱετὴ μία γίνεται ἥδε,
Πλουτεῖν· τῶν δ' ἄλλων οὐδὲν ἄϱ' ἦν ὄφελος, 700
Οὐδ' εἰ σωφϱοσύνην μὲν ἔχοις Ῥαδαμάνϑυος αὐτοῦ,
Πλείονα δ' εἰδείης Σισύφου Αἰολίδεω,
Ὅστε ϰαὶ ἐξ Ἀίδεω πολυϊδϱίῃσιν ἀνῆλϑεν
Πείσας Πεϱσεφόνην αἱμυλίοισι λόγοις,
Ἥτε βϱοτοῖς παϱέχει λήϑην βλάπτουσα νόοιο – 705
Ἄλλος δ' οὔπω τις τοῦτο γ' ἐπεφϱάσατο,
Ὅντινα δὴ ϑανάτοιο μέλαν νέφος ἀμφιϰαλύψῃ,
Ἔλϑῃ δ' ἐς σϰιεϱὸν χῶϱον ἀποφϑιμένων,
Κυανέας τε πύλας παϱαμείψεται, αἵτε ϑανόντων
Ψυχὰς εἴϱγουσιν ϰαίπεϱ ἀναινομένας· 710
Ἀλλ' ἄϱα ϰἀϰεῖϑεν πάλιν ἤλυϑε Σίσυφος ἥϱως
Ἐς φάος ἠελίου σφῇσι πολυφϱοσύναις –
Οὐδ' εἰ ψεύδεα μὲν ποιοῖς ἐτύμοισιν ὁμοῖα,
Γλῶσσαν ἔχων ἀγαϑὴν Νέστοϱος ἀντιϑέου,
Ὠϰύτεϱος δ' εἴησϑα πόδας ταχεῶν Ἁϱπυιῶν 715
Καὶ παίδων Βοϱέω, τῶν ἄφαϱ εἰσὶ πόδες.
Ἀλλὰ χϱὴ πάντας γνώμην ταύτην ϰαταϑέσϑαι,
Ὡς πλοῦτος πλείστην πᾶσιν ἔχει δύναμιν.
 
„Ἶσόν τοι πλουτοῦσιν, ὅτῳ πολὺς ἄϱγυϱός ἐστιν
Καὶ χϱυσὸς ϰαὶ γῆς πυϱοφόϱου πεδία 720
Ἵπποι ϑ' ἡμίονοί τε, ϰαὶ ᾧ“ – τὰ δέοντα πάϱεστι
„Γαστϱί τε ϰαὶ πλευϱαῖς ϰαὶ ποσὶν ἁβϱὰ παϑεῖν,
Παιδός τ' ἠδὲ γυναιϰός·“ ὅταν δέ ϰε τῶν ἀφίϰηται
Ὥϱη, σὺν δ' ἥβη γίνεται ἁϱμοδία,
Ταῦτ' ἄφενος ϑνητοῖσι· τὰ γὰϱ πεϱιώσια πάντα 725
Χϱήματ' ἔχων οὐδεὶς ἔϱχεται εἰς Ἀίδεω,
Οὐδ' ἂν ἄποινα διδοὺς ϑάνατον φύγοι οὐδὲ βαϱείας
Νούσους οὐδὲ ϰαϰὸν γῆϱας ἐπεϱχόμενον.
 
Φϱοντίδες ἀνϑϱώπων ἔλαχον πτεϱὰ ποιϰίλ' ἔχουσαι,
Μυϱόμεναι ψυχῆς εἵνεϰα ϰαὶ βιότου. 730
 
Ζεῦ πάτεϱ, εἴϑε γένοιτο ϑεοῖς φίλα τοῖς μὲν ἀλιτϱοῖς
Ὕβϱιν ἁδεῖν, ϰαί σφιν τοῦτο γένοιτο φίλον
Θυμῷ, σχέτλια ἔϱγα μετά φϱεσὶν ὅστις ἀπήνης
Ἐϱγάζοιτο ϑεῶν μηδὲν ὀπιζόμενος,
Αὐτὸν ἔπειτα πάλιν τεῖσαι ϰαϰά, μηδ' ἔτ' ὀπίσσω 735
Πατϱὸς ἀτασϑαλίαι παισὶ γένοιντο ϰαϰόν·
Παῖδες δ' οἵτ' ἀδίϰου πατϱὸς τὰ δίϰαια νοεῦντες
Ποιῶσιν, Κϱονίδη, σὸν χόλον ἁζόμενοι,
Ἐξ ἀϱχῆς τὰ δίϰαια μετ' ἀστοῖσιν φιλέοντες,
Μή τιν' ὑπεϱβασίην ἀντιτίνειν πατέϱων. 740
Ταῦτ' εἴη μαϰάϱεσσι ϑεοῖς φίλα· νῦν δ' ὁ μὲν ἕϱδων
Ἐϰφεύγει, τὸ ϰαϰὸν δ' ἄλλος ἔπειτα φέϱει.
Καὶ τοῦτ', ἀϑανάτων βασιλεῦ, πῶς ἐστι δίϰαιον,
Ἔϱγων ὅστις ἀνὴϱ ἐϰτὸς ἐὼν ἀδίϰων,
Μή τιν' ὑπεϱβασίην ϰατέχων μήϑ' ὅϱϰον ἀλιτϱόν, 745
Ἀλλὰ δίϰαιος ἐών, μὴ τὰ δίϰαια πάϑῃ;
Τίς δή ϰεν βϱοτὸς ἄλλος ὁϱῶν πϱὸς τοῦτον ἔπειτα
Ἅζοιτ' ἀϑανάτους, ϰαὶ τίνα ϑυμὸν ἔχων,
Ὁππότ' ἀνὴϱ ἄδιϰος ϰαὶ ἀτάσϑαλος, οὔτε τευ ἀνδϱός
Οὔτε τευ ἀϑανάτων μῆνιν ἀλευόμενος, 750
Ὑβϱίζῃ πλούτῳ ϰεϰοϱημένος, οἱ δὲ δίϰαιοι
Τϱύχονται χαλεπῇ τειϱόμενοι πενίῃ;
 
Ταῦτα μαϑών, φίλ' ἑταῖϱε, διϰαίως χϱήματα ποιοῦ,
Σώφϱονα ϑυμὸν ἔχων ἐϰτὸς ἀτασϑαλίης,
Ἀεὶ τῶνδ' ἐπέων μεμνημένος· εἰς δὲ τελευτήν 755
Αἰνήσεις μύϑῳ σώφϱονι πειϑόμενος.
 
Ζεὺς μὲν τῆσδε πόληος ὑπειϱέχοι αἰϑέϱι ναίων
Αἰεὶ δεξιτεϱὴν χεῖϱ' ἐπ' ἀπημοσύνῃ,
Ἄλλοι τ' ἀϑάνατοι μάϰαϱες ϑεοί· αὐτὰϱ Ἀπόλλων
Ὀϱϑώσαι γλῶσσαν ϰαὶ νόον ἡμέτεϱον. 760
Φόϱμιγξ δ' αὖ φϑέγγοιϑ' ἱεϱὸν μέλος ἠδὲ ϰαὶ αὐλός·
Ἡμεῖς δὲ σπονδὰς ϑεοῖσιν ἀϱεσσάμενοι
Πίνωμεν, χαϱίεντα μετ' ἀλλήλοισι λέγοντες,
Μηδὲν τὸν Μήδων δειδιότες πόλεμον.
Ὧδ' εἶναι. ϰαὶ ἄμεινον ἐύφϱονα ϑυμὸν ἔχοντας 765
Νόσφι μεϱιμνάων εὐφϱοσύνως διάγειν
Τεϱπομένους, τηλοῦ δὲ ϰαϰὰς ἀπὸ ϰῆϱας ἀμῦναι
Γῆϱάς τ' οὐλόμενον ϰαὶ ϑανάτοιο τέλος.
 
Χϱὴ Μουσῶν ϑεϱάποντα ϰαὶ ἄγγελον, εἴ τι πεϱισσόν
Εἰδείη, σοφίης μὴ φϑονεϱὸν τελέϑειν, 770
Ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν μῶσϑαι, τὰ δὲ δειϰνύεν, ἄλλα δὲ ποιεῖν·
Τί σφιν χϱήσηται μοῦνος ἐπιστάμενος;
 
Φοῖβε ἄναξ, αὐτὸς μὲν ἐπύϱγωσας πόλιν ἄϰϱην,
Ἀλϰαϑόῳ Πέλοπος παιδὶ χαϱιζόμενος·
Αὐτὸς δὲ στϱατὸν ὑβϱιστὴν Μήδων ἀπέϱυϰε 775
Τῆσδε πόλευς, ἵνα σοι λαοὶ ἐν εὐφϱοσύνῃ
Ἦϱος ἐπεϱχομένου ϰλειτὰς πέμπωσ' ἑϰατόμβας
Τεϱπόμενοι ϰιϑάϱῃ ϰαὶ ἐϱατῇ ϑαλίῃ
Παιάνων τε χοϱοῖσ' ἰαχῇσί τε σὸν πεϱὶ βωμόν·
Ἦ γὰϱ ἔγωγε δέδοιϰ' ἀφϱαδίην ἐσοϱῶν 780
Καὶ στάσιν Ἑλλήνων λαοφϑόϱον. ἀλλὰ σύ, Φοῖβε,
Ἵλαος ἡμετέϱην τήνδε φύλασσε πόλιν.
 
Ἦλϑον μὲν γὰϱ ἔγωγε ϰαὶ εἰς Σιϰελήν ποτε γαῖαν,
Ἦλϑον δ' Εὐβοίης ἀμπελόεν πεδίον
Σπάϱτην δ' Εὐϱώτα δοναϰοτϱόφου ἀγλαὸν ἄστυ· 785
Καί μ' ἐφίλευν πϱοφϱόνως πάντες ἐπεϱχόμενον·
Ἀλλ' οὔτις μοι τέϱψις ἐπὶ φϱένας ἦλϑεν ἐϰείνων.
Οὕτως οὐδὲν ἄϱ' ἦν φίλτεϱον ἄλλο πάτϱης.
 
Μήποτέ μοι μελέδημα νεώτεϱον ἄλλο φανείη
Ἀντ' ἀϱετῆς σοφίης τ', ἀλλὰ τόδ' αἰὲν ἔχων 790
Τεϱποίμην φόϱμιγγι ϰαὶ ὀϱχηϑμῷ ϰαὶ ἀοιδῇ,
Καὶ μετὰ τῶν ἀγαϑῶν ἐσϑλὸν ἔχοιμι νόον.
 
Μήτε τινὰ ξείνων δηλεύμενος ἔϱγμασι λυγϱοῖς
Μήτε τιν' ἐνδήμων, ἀλλὰ δίϰαιος ἐών,
„Τὴν σαυτοῦ φϱένα τέϱπε· δυσηλεγέων δὲ πολιτῶν
Ἄλλος τοί σε ϰαϰῶς, ἄλλος ἄμεινον ἐϱεῖ.“ 795
 
Τοὺς ἀγαϑοὺς ἄλλος μάλα μέμφεται, ἄλλος ἐπαινεῖ,
Τῶν δὲ ϰαϰῶν μνήμη γίνεται οὐδεμία.
 
Ἀνϑϱώπων δ' ἄψεϰτος ἐπὶ χϑονὶ γίνεται οὐδείς·
Ἀλλ’ὡς λώϊον μὴ πλεόνεσσι μέλοι. 800
 
Οὐδεὶς ἀνϑϱώπων οὔτ' ἔσσεται οὔτε πέφυϰεν
Ὅστις πᾶσιν ἁδὼν δύσεται εἰς Ἀίδεω·
Οὐδὲ γὰϱ ὃς ϑνητοῖσι ϰαὶ ἀϑανάτοισιν ἀνάσσει,
Ζεὺς Κϱονίδης, ϑνητοῖς πᾶσιν ἁδεῖν δύναται.
 
Τόϱνου ϰαὶ στάϑμης ϰαὶ γνώμονος ἄνδϱα ϑεωϱόν 805
Εὐϑύτεϱον χϱὴ ἔμεν, Κύϱνε, φυλασσόμενον,
ᾯτινί ϰεν Πυϑῶνι ϑεοῦ χϱήσασ' ἱέϱεια
Ὀμφὴν σημήνῃ πίονος ἐξ ἀδύτου·
Οὔτε τι γὰϱ πϱοσϑεὶς οὐδέν ϰ' ἔτι φάϱμαϰον εὕϱοις,
Οὐδ' ἀφελὼν πϱὸς ϑεῶν ἀμπλαϰίην πϱοφύγοις. 810
 
Χϱῆμ' ἔπαϑον ϑανάτου μὲν ἀειϰέος οὔτι ϰάϰιον,
Τῶν δ' ἄλλων πάντων, Κύϱν', ἀνιηϱότατον·
Οἵ με φίλοι πϱοὔδωϰαν· ἐγὼ δ' ἐχϑϱοῖσι πελασϑείς
Εἰδήσω ϰαὶ τῶν ὅντιν' ἔχουσι νόον.
 
Βοῦς μοι ἐπὶ γλώσσῃ ϰϱατεϱῷ ποδὶ λὰξ ἐπιβαίνων 815
Ἴσχει ϰωτίλλειν ϰαίπεϱ ἐπιστάμενον.
 
Κύϱν', ἔμπης δ' ὅ τι μοῖϱα παϑεῖν, οὐϰ ἔσϑ' ὑπαλύξαι·
Ὅ ττι δὲ μοῖϱα παϑεῖν, οὔτι δέδοιϰα παϑεῖν.
 
Ἐς πολυάϱητον ϰαϰὸν ἥϰομεν, ἔνϑα μάλιστα,
Κύϱνε, συναμφοτέϱους μοῖϱα λάβοι ϑανάτου. 820
 
Οἵ ϰ' ἀπογηϱάσϰοντας ἀτιμάζωσι τοϰῆας,
Τούτων τοι χώϱη, Κύϱν', ὀλίγη τελέϑει.
 
Μήτε τιν' αὖξε τύϱαννον ἐπ' ἐλπίσι, ϰέϱδεσιν εἴϰων,
Μήτε ϰτεῖνε ϑεῶν ὅϱϰια συνϑέμενος.
 
Πῶς ὑμῖν τέτληϰεν ὑπ' αὐλητῆϱος ἀείδειν 825
Θυμός; γῆς δ' οὖϱος φαίνεται ἐξ ἀγοϱῆς,
Ἥτε τϱέφει ϰαϱποῖσιν ἐν εἰλαπίναις φοϱέοντας
Ξανϑῇσίν τε ϰόμαις ποϱφυϱέους στεφάνους.
Ἀλλ' ἄγε δή, Σϰύϑα, ϰεῖϱε ϰόμην, ἀπόπαυε δὲ ϰῶμον,
Πένϑει δ' εὐώδη χῶϱον ἀπολλύμενον. 830
 
Πίστει χϱήματ' ὄλεσσα, ἀπιστίῃ δ' ἐσάωσα·
Γνώμη δ' ἀϱγαλέη γίνεται ἀμφοτέϱων.
 
Πάντα τάδ' ἐν ϰοϱάϰεσσι ϰαὶ ἐν φϑόϱῳ· οὐδέ τις ἡμῖν
Αἴτιος ἀϑανάτων, Κύϱνε, ϑεῶν μαϰάϱων,
Ἀλλ' ἀνδϱῶν τε βίη ϰαὶ ϰέϱδεα δειλὰ ϰαὶ ὕβϱις 835
Πολλῶν ἐξ ἀγαϑῶν ἐς ϰαϰότητ' ἔβαλεν.
 
Δισσαί τοι πόσιος ϰῆϱες δειλοῖσι βϱοτοῖσιν,
Δίψα τε λυσιμελὴς ϰαὶ μέϑυσις χαλεπή·
Τούτων δ' ἂν τὸ μέσον στϱωφήσομαι, οὐδέ με πείσεις
Οὔτε τι μὴ πίνειν οὔτε λίην μεϑύειν. 840
 
Οἶνος ἐμοὶ τὰ μὲν ἄλλα χαϱίζεται, ἓν δ' ἀχάϱιστον,
Εὖτ' ἂν ϑωϱήξας μ' ἄνδϱα πϱὸς ἐχϑϱὸν ἄγῃ.
Ἀλλ' ὁπόταν ϰαϑύπεϱϑεν ἐὼν ὑπένεϱϑε γένηται,
Τουτάϰις οἴϰαδ' ἴμεν παυσάμενοι πόσιος.
 
Εὖ μὲν ϰείμενον ἄνδϱα ϰαϰῶς ϑέμεν εὐμαϱές ἐστιν, 845
Εὖ δὲ ϑέμεν τὸ ϰαϰῶς ϰείμενον ἀϱγαλέον.
 
Λὰξ ἐπίβα δήμῳ ϰενεόφϱονι, τύπτε δὲ ϰέντϱῳ
Ὀξέι ϰαὶ ζεύγλην δύσλοφον ἀμφιτίϑει·
Οὐ γὰϱ ἔϑ' εὑϱήσεις δῆμον φιλοδέσποτον ὧδε
Ἀνϑϱώπων, ὁπόσους ἠέλιος ϰαϑοϱᾶι. 850
 
Ζεὺς ἄνδϱ' ἐξολέσειεν Ὀλύμπιος, ὃς τὸν ἑταῖϱον
Μαλϑαϰὰ ϰωτίλλων ἐξαπατᾶν ἐϑέλει·
„Ἡδέα μὲν ϰαὶ πϱόσϑεν, ἀτὰϱ πολὺ λώια δὴ νῦν.“
Τοὔνεϰα τοῖς δειλοῖσ' οὐδεμί' ἐστὶ χάϱις.
 
Πολλάϰις ἡ πόλις ἥδε δι' ἡγεμόνων ϰαϰότητα 855
Ὥσπεϱ ϰεϰλιμένη ναῦς παϱὰ γῆν ἔδϱαμεν.
 
Τῶν δὲ φίλων εἰ μέν τις ὁϱᾶι μέ τι δειλὸν ἔχοντα,
Αὐχέν' ἀποστϱέψας οὐδ' ἐσοϱᾶν ἐϑέλει·
Ἢν δέ τί μοί ποϑεν ἐσϑλόν, ἃ παυϱάϰι γίνεται ἀνδϱί,
Πολλοὺς ἀσπασμοὺς ϰαὶ φιλότητας ἔχω. 860
 
Οἵ με φίλοι πϱοδιδοῦσι ϰαὶ οὐϰ ἐϑέλουσί τι δοῦναι
Ἀνδϱῶν φαινομένων· ἀλλ' ἐγὼ αὐτομάτη
Ἑσπεϱίη τ' ἔξειμι ϰαὶ ὀϱϑϱίη αὖϑις ἔσειμι,
Ἦμος ἀλεϰτϱυόνων φϑόγγος ἐγειϱομένων.
 
Πολλοῖσ' ἀχϱήστοισι ϑεὸς διδοῖ ἀνδϱάσιν ὄλβον 865
Ἐσϑλόν, ὃς οὔτ' αὐτῷ βέλτεϱος, οὐδὲν ἐών,
Οὔτε φίλοισ'. ἀϱετῆς δὲ μέγα ϰλέος οὔποτ' ὀλεῖται·
Αἰχμητὴς γὰϱ ἀνὴϱ γῆν τε ϰαὶ ἄστυ σαοῖ.
 
Ἔν μοι ἔπειτα πέσοι μέγας οὐϱανὸς εὐϱὺς ὕπεϱϑεν
Χάλϰεος, ἀνϑϱώπων δεῖμα χαμαιγενέων, 870
Εἰ μὴ ἐγὼ τοῖσιν μὲν ἐπαϱϰέσω οἵ με φιλεῦσιν,
Τοῖς δ' ἐχϑϱοῖσ' ἀνίη ϰαὶ μέγα πῆμ' ἔσομαι.
 
Οἶνε, τὰ μέν σ' αἰνῶ, τὰ δὲ μέμφομαι· οὐδέ σε πάμπαν
Οὔτε ποτ' ἐχϑαίϱειν οὔτε φιλεῖν δύναμαι.
Ἐσϑλὸν ϰαὶ ϰαϰόν ἐσσι. τίς ἄν σέ τε μωμήσαιτο, 875
Τίς δ' ἂν ἐπαινήσῃ μέτϱον ἔχων σοφίης;
 
Ἥβα μοι, φίλε ϑυμέ· τάχ' αὖ τινες ἄλλοι ἔσονται
Ἄνδϱες, ἐγὼ δὲ ϑανὼν γαῖα μέλαιν' ἔσομαι.
 
Πῖν' οἶνον, τὸν ἐμοὶ ϰοϱυφῆς ἄπο Τηϋγέτοιο
Ἄμπελοι ἤνεγϰαν, τὰς ἐφύτευσ' ὁ γέϱων 880
Οὔϱεος ἐν βήσσῃσι ϑεοῖσι φίλος Θεότιμος,
Ἐϰ Πλατανιστοῦντος ψυχϱὸν ὕδωϱ ἐπάγων.
Τοῦ πίνων ἀπὸ μὲν χαλεπὰς σϰεδάσεις μελεδῶνας,
Θωϱηχϑεὶς δ' ἔσεαι πολλὸν ἐλαφϱότεϱος.
 
Εἰϱήνη ϰαὶ πλοῦτος ἔχοι πόλιν, ὄφϱα μετ' ἄλλων 885
Κωμάζοιμι· ϰαϰοῦ δ' οὐϰ ἔϱαμαι πολέμου.
 
Μηδὲ λίην ϰήϱυϰος ἀν' οὖς ἔχε μαϰϱὰ βοῶντος·
Οὐ γὰϱ πατϱώιας γῆς πέϱι μαϱνάμεϑα.
Ἀλλ' αἰσχϱὸν παϱεόντα ϰαὶ ὠϰυπόδων ἐπιβάντα
Ἵππων μὴ πόλεμον δαϰϱυόεντ' ἐσιδεῖν. 890
 
Οἴ μοι ἀναλϰίης· ἀπὸ μὲν Κήϱινϑος ὄλωλεν,
Ληλάντου δ' ἀγαϑὸν ϰείϱεται οἰνόπεδον·
Οἱ δ' ἀγαϑοὶ φεύγουσι, πόλιν δὲ ϰαϰοὶ διέπουσιν.
Ὡς δὴ Κυψελιδῶν Ζεὺς ὀλέσειε γένος.
 
Γνώμης δ' οὐδὲν ἄμεινον ἀνὴϱ ἔχει αὐτὸς ἐν αὐτῷ 895
Οὐδ' ἀγνωμοσύνης, Κύϱν', ὀδυνηϱότεϱον.
 
Κύϱν', εἰ πάντ' ἄνδϱεσσι ϰαταϑνητοῖς χαλεπαίνειν
Γινώσϰειν, ὡς νοῦν οἷον ἕϰαστος ἔχει
Αὐτὸς ἐνὶ στήϑεσσι ϰαὶ ἔϱγματα, τῷ δὲ διϰαίῳ
Τῷ τ' ἀδίϰῳ μέγα ϰεμ πῆμα βϱοτοῖσιν ἐπῆν. 900
 
Ἔστιν ὁ μὲν χείϱων, ὁ δ' ἀμείνων ἔϱγον ἑϰάστου·
Οὐδεὶς δ' ἀνϑϱώπων αὐτὸς ἅπαντα σοφός.
 
Ὅστις ἀνάλωσιν τηϱεῖ ϰατὰ χϱήματα ϑηϱῶν,
Κυδίστην ἀϱετὴν τοῖς συνιεῖσιν ἔχει.
Εἰ μὲν γὰϱ ϰατιδεῖν βιότου τέλος ἦν, ὁπόσον τι 905
Ἤμελλ' ἐϰτελέσας εἰς Ἀίδαο πεϱᾶν,
Εἰϰὸς ἂν ἦν, ὃς μὲν πλείω χϱόνον αἶσαν ἔμιμνεν,
Φείδεσϑαι μᾶλλον τοῦτον ἵν' εἶχε βίον.
Νῦν δ' οὐϰ ἔστιν. ὃ δὴ ϰαὶ ἐμοὶ μέγα πένϑος ὄϱωϱεν
Καὶ δάϰνομαι ψυχὴν ϰαὶ δίχα ϑυμὸν ἔχω. 910
Ἐν τϱιόδῳ δ' ἕστηϰα. δύ' εἰσὶ τὸ πϱόσϑεν ὁδοί μοι·
Φϱοντίζω τούτων ἥντιν' ἴω πϱοτέϱην·
Ἢ μηδὲν δαπανῶν τϱύχω βίον ἐν ϰαϰότητι,
Ἢ ζώω τεϱπνῶς ἔϱγα τελῶν ὀλίγα.
Εἶδον μὲν γὰϱ ἔγωγ', ὃς ἐφείδετο ϰοὔποτε γαστϱί 915
Σῖτον ἐλευϑέϱιον πλούσιος ὢν ἐδίδου·
Ἀλλὰ πϱὶν ἐϰτελέσαι ϰατέβη δόμον Ἄιδος εἴσω,
Χϱήματα δ' ἀνϑϱώπων οὑπιτυχὼν ἔλαβεν,
Ὥστ' ἐς ἄϰαιϱα πονεῖν ϰαὶ μὴ δόμεν ᾧ ϰε ϑέλῃ τις.
Εἶδον δ' ἄλλον, ὃς ᾗ γαστϱὶ χαϱιζόμενος 920
Χϱήματα μὲν διέτϱιψεν, ἔφη δ'· „ὑπάγω φϱένα τέϱψας·“
Πτωχεύει δὲ φίλους πάντας, ὅπου τιν' ἴδῃ.
Οὕτω, Δημόϰλεις, ϰατὰ χϱήματ' ἄϱιστον ἁπάντων
Τὴν δαπάνην ϑέσϑαι ϰαὶ μελέτην ἐχέμεν.
Οὔτε γὰϱ ἂν πϱοϰαμὼν ἄλλῳ ϰάματον μεταδοίης, 925
Οὔτ' ἂν πτωχεύων δουλοσύνην τελέοις·
Οὐδ', εἰ γῆϱας ἵϰοιο, τὰ χϱήματα πάντ' ἀποδϱαίη.
Ἐν δὲ τοιῷδε γένει χϱήματ' ἄϱιστον ἔχειν.
Ἢν μὲν γὰϱ πλουτῇς, πολλοὶ φίλοι, ἢν δὲ πένηαι,
Παῦϱοι, ϰοὐϰέϑ' ὁμῶς αὐτὸς ἀνὴϱ ἀγαϑός. 930
Φείδεσϑαι μὲν ἄμεινον, ἐπεὶ οὐδὲ ϑανόντ' ἀποϰλαίει
Οὐδείς, ἢν μὴ ὁϱᾶι χϱήματα λειπόμενα.
 
Παύϱοισ' ἀνϑϱώπων ἀϱετὴ ϰαὶ ϰάλλος ὀπηδεῖ·
Ὄλβιος, ὃς τούτων ἀμφοτέϱων ἔλαχεν.
„Πάντες μιν τιμῶσιν· ὁμῶς νέοι οἵ τε ϰατ' αὐτόν 935
Χώϱης εἴϰουσιν τοί τε παλαιότεϱοι.
Γηϱάσϰων ἀστοῖσι μεταπϱέπει, οὐδέ τις αὐτόν
Βλάπτειν οὔτ' αἰδοῦς οὔτε δίϰης ἐϑέλει.“
 
Οὐ δύναμαι φωνῇ λίγ' ἀειδέμεν ὥσπεϱ ἀηδών·
Καὶ γὰϱ τὴν πϱοτέϱην νύϰτ' ἐπὶ ϰῶμον ἔβην. 940
Οὐδὲ τὸν αὐλητὴν πϱοφασίζομαι· ἀλλά μ' ἑταῖϱος
Ἐϰλείπει σοφίης οὐϰ ἐπιδευόμενος.
Ἐγγύϑεν αὐλητῆϱος ἀείσομαι ὧδε ϰαταστάς
Δεξιὸς ἀϑανάτοις ϑεοῖσιν ἐπευχόμενος.
 
Εἶμι παϱὰ στάϑμην ὀϱϑὴν ὁδόν, οὐδετέϱωσε 945
Κλινόμενος· χϱὴ γάϱ μ' ἄϱτια πάντα νοεῖν.
Πατϱίδα ϰοσμήσω, λιπαϱὴν πόλιν, οὔτ' ἐπὶ δήμῳ τϱέψας οὔτ' ἀδίϰοισ' ἀνδϱάσι πειϑόμενος.
 
Νεβϱὸν ὑπὲξ ἐλάφοιο λέων ὣς ἀλϰὶ πεποιϑώς
Ποσσὶ ϰαταμάϱψας αἵματος οὐϰ ἔπιον· 950
Τειχέων δ' ὑψηλῶν ἐπιβὰς πόλιν οὐϰ ἀλάπαξα·
Ζευξάμενος δ' ἵππους ἅϱματος οὐϰ ἐπέβην·
Πϱήξας δ' οὐϰ ἔπϱηξα, ϰαὶ οὐϰ ἐτέλεσσα τελέσσας·
Δϱήσας δ' οὐϰ ἔδϱησ', ἤνυσα δ' οὐϰ ἀνύσας.
 
Δειλοὺς εὖ ἕϱδοντι δύω ϰαϰά· τῶν τε γὰϱ αὐτοῦ 955
Χηϱώσει πολλῶν ϰαὶ χάϱις οὐδεμία.
 
Εἴ τι παϑὼν ἀπ' ἐμεῦ ἀγαϑὸν μέγα μὴ χάϱιν οἶδας,
Χϱήιζων ἡμετέϱους αὖϑις ἵϰοιο δόμους.
 
Ἔστε μὲν αὐτὸς ἔπινον ἀπὸ ϰϱήνης μελανύδϱου,
Ἡδύ τί μοι ἐδόϰει ϰαὶ ϰαλὸν ἦμεν ὕδωϱ. 960
Νῦν δ' ἤδη τεϑόλωται, ὕδωϱ δ' ἀναμίσγεται οὔδει·
Ἄλλης δὴ ϰϱήνης πίομαι ἢ ποταμοῦ.
 
Μήποτ' ἐπαινήσῃς, πϱὶν ἂν εἰδῇς ἄνδϱα σαφηνῶς,
Ὀϱγὴν ϰαὶ ῥυϑμὸν ϰαὶ τϱόπον ὅστις ἂν ᾖ.
Πολλοί τοι ϰίβδηλον ἐπίϰλοπον ἦϑος ἔχοντες 965
Κϱύπτουσ' ἐνϑέμενοι ϑυμὸν ἐφημέϱιον.
Τούτων δ' ἐϰφαίνει πάντων χϱόνος ἦϑος ἑϰάστου.
Καὶ γὰϱ ἐγὼ γνώμης πολλὸν ἄϱ' ἐϰτὸς ἔβην·
Ἔφϑην αἰνήσας πϱὶν σοῦ ϰατὰ πάντα δαῆναι
Ἤϑεα· νῦν δ' ἤδη νηῦς ἅϑ' ἑϰὰς διέχω. 970
 
Τίς δ' ἀϱετὴ πίνοντ' ἐπιοίνιον ἆϑλον ἑλέσϑαι;
Πολλάϰι τοι νιϰᾶι ϰαὶ ϰαϰὸς ἄνδϱ' ἀγαϑόν.
 
Οὐδεὶς ἀνϑϱώπων, ὃν πϱῶτ' ἐπὶ γαῖα ϰαλύψῃ
Εἴς τ' Ἔϱεβος ϰαταβῇ, δώματα Πεϱσεφόνης,
Τέϱπεται οὔτε λύϱης οὔτ' αὐλητῆϱος ἀϰούων 975
Οὔτε Διωνύσου δῶϱ' ἐσαειϱάμενος.
Ταῦτ' ἐσοϱῶν ϰϱαδίην εὖ πείσομαι, ὄφϱα τ' ἐλαφϱά
Γούνατα ϰαὶ ϰεφαλὴν ἀτϱεμέως πϱοφέϱω.
 
„Μή μοι ἀνὴϱ εἴη γλώσσῃ φίλος, ἀλλὰ ϰαὶ ἔϱγῳ.“
Χεϱσίν τε σπεύδου χϱήμασί τ', ἀμφότεϱα· 980
Μηδὲ παϱὰ ϰλητῆϱι λόγοισιν ἐμὴν φϱένα ϑέλγοις.
„Ἀλλ' ἕϱδων φαίνοιτ', εἴ τι δύναιτ', ἀγαϑόν.“
 
Ἡμεῖς δ' ἐν ϑαλίῃσι φίλον ϰαταϑώμεϑα ϑυμόν,
Ὄφϱ' ἔτι τεϱπωλῆς ἔϱγ' ἐϱατεινὰ φέϱῃ.
Αἶψα γὰϱ ὥστε νόημα παϱέϱχεται ἀγλαὸς ἥβη· 985
Οὐδ' ἵππων ὁϱμὴ γίνεται ὠϰυτέϱη,
Αἵτε ἄναϰτα φέϱουσι δοϱυσσόον ἐς πόνον ἀνδϱῶν
Λάβϱως, πυϱοφόϱῳ τεϱπόμεναι πεδίῳ.
 
Πῖν' ὁπόταν πίνωσιν· ὅταν δέ τι ϑυμὸν ἀσηϑῇς,
Μηδεὶς ἀνϑϱώπων γνῷ σε βαϱυνόμενον. 990
 
Ἄλλοτέ τοι πάσχων ἀνιήσεαι, ἄλλοτε δ' ἕϱδων
Χαιϱήσεις· δύναται δ' ἄλλοτε ἄλλος ἀνήϱ.
 
Εἰ ϑείης, Ἀϰάδημε, ἐφήμεϱον ὕμνον ἀείδειν,
Ἆϑλον δ' ἐν μέσσῳ παῖς ϰαλὸν ἄνϑος ἔχων
Σοί τ' εἴη ϰαὶ ἐμοὶ σοφίης πέϱι δηϱισάντοιν, 995
Γνοίης χ' ὅσσον ὄνων ϰϱέσσονες ἡμίονοι.
Τῆμος δ' ἠέλιος μὲν ἐν αἰϑέϱι μώνυχας ἵππους
Ἄϱτι παϱαγγέλλοι μέσσατον ἦμαϱ ἔχων,
Δείπνου δὲ λήγοιμεν, ὅπου τινὰ ϑυμὸς ἀνώγοι,
Παντοίων ἀγαϑῶν γαστϱὶ χαϱιζόμενοι, 1000
Χέϱνιβα δ' αἶψα ϑύϱαζε φέϱοι, στεφανώματα δ' εἴσω
Εὐειδὴς ῥαδιναῖς χεϱσὶ Λάϰαινα ϰόϱη.
 
„Ἥδ' ἀϱετή, τόδ' ἄεϑλον ἐν ἀνϑϱώποισιν ἄϱιστον
Κάλλιστόν τε φέϱειν γίνεται ἀνδϱὶ“ – σοφῷ.
„Ξυνὸν δ' ἐσϑλὸν τοῦτο πόληί τε παντί τε δήμῳ, 1005
Ὅστις ἀνὴϱ διαβὰς ἐν πϱομάχοισι μένει.“
Ξυνὸν δ' ἀνϑϱώποισ' ὑποϑήσομαι, ὄφϱα τις ἥβης
Ἀγλαὸν ἄνϑος ἔχων ϰαὶ φϱεσὶν ἐσϑλὰ νοῇ,
Τῶν αὐτοῦ ϰτεάνων εὖ πασχέμεν· οὐ γὰϱ ἀνηβᾶν
Δὶς πέλεται πϱὸς ϑεῶν οὐδὲ λύσις ϑανάτου 1010
Θνητοῖσ' ἀνϑϱώποισι. ϰαϰὸν δ' ἐπὶ γῆϱας ἐλέγχει
Οὐλόμενον, ϰεφαλῆς δ' ἅπτεται ἀϰϱοτάτης.
 
Ἆ μάϰαϱ εὐδαίμων τε ϰαὶ ὄλβιος, ὅστις ἄπειϱος
Ἄϑλων εἰς Ἀίδου δῶμα μέλαν ϰατέβη,
Πϱίν τ' ἐχϑϱοὺς πτῆξαι ϰαὶ ὑπεϱβῆναί πεϱ ἀνάγϰῃ, 1015
Ἐξετάσαι τε φίλους, ὅντιν' ἔχουσι νόον.
 
Αὐτίϰα μοι ϰατὰ μὲν χϱοιὴν ῥέει ἄσπετος ἱδϱώς,
Πτοιῶμαι δ' ἐσοϱῶν ἄνϑος ὁμηλιϰίης
Τεϱπνὸν ὁμῶς ϰαὶ ϰαλόν, ἐπεὶ πλέον ὤφελεν εἶναι·
„Ἀλλ' ὀλιγοχϱόνιον γίνεται ὥσπεϱ ὄναϱ 1020
Ἥβη τιμήεσσα· τὸ δ' οὐλόμενον ϰαὶ ἄμοϱφον
Αὐτίχ' ὑπὲϱ ϰεφαλῆς γῆϱας ὑπεϱϰϱέμαται.“
 
Οὔποτε τοῖσ' ἐχϑϱοῖσιν ὑπὸ ζυγὸν αὐχένα ϑήσω
Δύσλοφον, οὐδ' εἴ μοι Τμῶλος ἔπεστι ϰάϱῃ.
 
Δειλοί τοι ϰαϰότητι ματαιότεϱοι νόον εἰσίν, 1025
Τῶν δ' ἀγαϑῶν αἰεὶ πϱήξιες ἰϑύτεϱαι.
 
Ῥηϊδίη τοι πϱῆξις ἐν ἀνϑϱώποις ϰαϰότητος,
Τοῦ δ' ἀγαϑοῦ χαλεπή, Κύϱνε, πέλει παλάμη.
 
Τόλμα, ϑυμέ, ϰαϰοῖσιν ὅμως ἄτλητα πεπονϑώς·
Δειλῶν τοι ϰϱαδίη γίνεται ὀξυτέϱη. 1030
Μὴ δὲ σύ τ' ἀπϱήϰτοισιν ἐπ' ἔϱγμασιν ἄλγος ἀέξων
Εχϑει μηδ' εχϑει , μηδὲ φίλους ἀνία,
Μηδ' ἐχϑϱοὺς εὔφϱαινε. ϑεῶν δ' εἱμαϱμένα δῶϱα
Οὐϰ ἂν ῥηϊδίως ϑνητὸς ἀνὴϱ πϱοφύγοι,
Οὔτ' ἂν ποϱφυϱέης ϰαταδὺς ἐς πυϑμένα λίμνης, 1035
Οὔϑ' ὅταν αὐτὸν ἔχῃ Τάϱταϱος ἠεϱόεις.
 
Ἄνδϱα τοί ἐστ' ἀγαϑὸν χαλεπώτατον ἐξαπατῆσαι,
Ὡς ἐν ἐμοὶ γνώμη, Κύϱνε, πάλαι ϰέϰϱιται.
Ἤιδεα μὲν ϰαὶ πϱόσϑεν, ἀτὰϱ πολὺ λώιον ἤδη,1038α
Οὕνεϰα τοῖς δειλοῖσ' οὐδεμί' ἐστὶ χάϱις.1038β
 
Ἄφϱονες ἄνϑϱωποι ϰαὶ νήπιοι, οἵτινες οἶνον
Μὴ πίνουσ' ἄστϱου ϰαὶ ϰυνὸς ἀϱχομένου. 1040
 
Δεῦϱο σὺν αὐλητῆϱι· παϱὰ ϰλαίοντι γελῶντες
Πίνωμεν, ϰείνου ϰήδεσι τεϱπόμενοι.
 
Εὕδωμεν· φυλαϰὴ δὲ πόλεως φυλάϰεσσι μελήσει
Ἀστυφέλης ἐϱατῆς πατϱίδος ἡμετέϱης.
 
Ναὶ μὰ Δί', εἴ τις τῶνδε ϰαὶ ἐγϰεϰαλυμμένος εὕδει, 1045
Ἡμέτεϱον ϰῶμον δέξεται ἁϱπαλέως.
 
Νῦν μὲν πίνοντες τεϱπώμεϑα, ϰαλὰ λέγοντες·
Ἅσσα δ' ἔπειτ' ἔσται, ταῦτα ϑεοῖσι μέλει.
 
Σοὶ δ' ἐγὼ οἷά τε παιδὶ πατὴϱ ὑποϑήσομαι αὐτός
Ἐσϑλά· σὺ δ' ἐν ϑυμῷ ϰαὶ φϱεσὶ ταῦτα βάλευ· 1050
Μήποτ' ἐπειγόμενος πϱάξῃς ϰαϰόν, ἀλλὰ βαϑείῃ
Σῇ φϱενὶ βούλευσαι σῷ τ' ἀγαϑῷ τε νόῳ.
Τῶν γὰϱ μαινομένων πέτεται ϑυμός τε νόος τε,
Βουλὴ δ' εἰς ἀγαϑὸν ϰαὶ νόον ἐσϑλὸν ἄγει.
 
Ἀλλὰ λόγον μὲν τοῦτον ἐάσομεν, αὐτὰϱ ἐμοὶ σύ 1055
Αὔλει, ϰαὶ Μουσῶν μνησόμεϑ' ἀμφότεϱοι.
Αὗται γὰϱ τάδ' ἔδωϰαν ἔχειν ϰεχαϱισμένα δῶϱα
Σοὶ ϰαὶ ἐμοί, μελέμεν δ' ἀμφιπεϱιϰτίοσιν.
 
Τιμαγόϱα, πολλῶν ὀϱγὴν ἀπάτεϱϑεν ὁϱῶντι
Γινώσϰειν χαλεπόν, ϰαίπεϱ ἐόντι σοφῷ. 1060
Οἱ μὲν γὰϱ ϰαϰότητα ϰαταϰϱύψαντες ἔχουσιν
Πλούτῳ, τοὶ δ' ἀϱετὴν οὐλομένῃ πενίῃ.
 
Ἐν δ' ἥβῃ πάϱα μὲν ξὺν ὁμήλιϰι πάννυχον εὕδειν,
Ἱμεϱτῶν ἔϱγων ἐξ ἔϱον ἱέμενον·
Ἔστι δὲ ϰωμάζοντα μετ' αὐλητῆϱος ἀείδειν· 1065
Τούτων οὐδὲν ἔην ἄλλ' ἐπιτεϱπνότεϱον
Ἀνδϱάσιν ἠδὲ γυναιξί. τί μοι πλοῦτός τε ϰαὶ αἰδώς;
Τεϱπωλὴ νιϰᾶι πάντα σὺν εὐφϱοσύνῃ.
 
Ἄφϱονες ἄνϑϱωποι ϰαὶ νήπιοι, οἵτε ϑανόντας
Κλαίουσ', οὐ δ' ἥβης ἄνϑος ἀπολλύμενον. 1070
Τέϱπεό μοι, φίλε ϑυμέ· τάχ' αὖ τινες ἄλλοι ἔσονται 1070α
Ἄνδϱες, ἐγὼ δὲ ϑανὼν γαῖα μέλαιν' ἔσομαι. 1070β
 
Κύϱνε, φίλους πϱὸς πάντας ἐπίστϱεφε ποιϰίλον ἦϑος,
Συμμίσγων ὀϱγὴν οἷος ἕϰαστος ἔφυ.
Νῦν μὲν τῷδ' ἐφέπου, τοτὲ δ' ἀλλοῖος πέλευ ὀϱγήν.
Κϱεῖσσόν τοι σοφίη ϰαὶ μεγάλης ἀϱετῆς.
 
Πϱήγματος ἀπϱήϰτου χαλεπώτατόν ἐστι τελευτήν 1075
Γνῶναι, ὅπως μέλλει τοῦτο ϑεὸς τελέσαι·
Ὄϱφνη γὰϱ τέταται· πϱὸ δὲ τοῦ μέλλοντος ἔσεσϑαι
Οὐ ξυνετὰ ϑνητοῖς πείϱατ' ἀμηχανίης.
 
Οὐδένα τῶν ἐχϑϱῶν μωμήσομαι ἐσϑλὸν ἐόντα,
Οὐδὲ μὲν αἰνήσω δειλὸν ἐόντα φίλον. 1080
 
„Κύϱνε, ϰύει πόλις ἥδε, δέδοιϰα δὲ μὴ τέϰῃ ἄνδϱα
ὑβϱιστήν, χαλεπῆς ἡγεμόνα στάσιος·
Ἀστοὶ μὲν γὰϱ ἔϑ' οἵδε σαόφϱονες, ἡγεμόνες δέ 1082α
Τετϱάφαται πολλὴν εἰς ϰαϰότητα πεσεῖν.“ 1082β
„Μή μ' ἔπεσιν μὲν στέϱγε, νόον δ' ἔχε ϰαὶ φϱένας ἄλλας, 1082ξ
Εἴ με φιλεῖς ϰαί σοι πιστὸς ἔνεστι νόος, 1082δ
Ἀλλὰ φίλει ϰαϑαϱὸν ϑέμενος νόον, ἤ μ' ἀποειπών 1082ε
Ἔχϑαιϱ' ἐμφανέως νεῖϰος ἀειϱάμενος.“ 1082φ
Οὕτω χϱὴ τόν γ' ἐσϑλὸν ἐπιστϱέψαντα νόημα
ἔμπεδον αἰὲν ἔχειν ἐς τέλος ἀνδϱὶ φίλῳ.
 
Δημῶναξ, σοὶ πολλὰ φέϱειν βαϱύ· οὐ γὰϱ ἐπίστῃ 1085
Τοῦϑ' ἕϱδειν, ὅ τι σοὶ μὴ ϰαταϑύμιον ᾖ.
 
Κάστοϱ ϰαὶ Πολύδευϰες, οἳ ἐν Λαϰεδαίμονι δίῃ
Ναίετ' ἐπ' Εὐϱώτα ϰαλλιϱόῳ ποταμῷ,
Εἴ ποτε βουλεύσαιμι φίλῳ ϰαϰόν, αὐτὸς ἔχοιμι·
Εἰ δέ τι ϰεῖνος ἐμοί, δὶς τόσον αὐτὸς ἔχοι. 1090
 
Ἀϱγαλέως μοι ϑυμὸς ἔχει πεϱὶ σῆς φιλότητος·
Οὔτε γὰϱ ἐχϑαίϱειν οὔτε φιλεῖν δύναμαι,
Γινώσϰων χαλεπὸν μέν, ὅταν φίλος ἀνδϱὶ γένηται,
Ἐχϑαίϱειν, χαλεπὸν δ' οὐϰ ἐϑέλοντα φιλεῖν.
 
Σϰέπτεο δὴ νῦν ἄλλον· ἐμοί γε μὲν οὔ τις ἀνάγϰη 1095
Τοῦϑ' ἕϱδειν· τῶν μοι πϱόσϑε χάϱιν τίϑεσο.
 
Ἤδη ϰαὶ πτεϱύγεσσιν ἐπαίϱομαι, ὥστε πετεινόν
Ἐϰ λίμνης μεγάλης, ἄνδϱα ϰαϰὸν πϱοφυγών,
Βϱόχον ἀποϱϱήξας· σὺ δ' ἐμῆς φιλότητος ἁμαϱτών
Ὕστεϱον ἡμετέϱην γνώσῃ ἐπιφϱοσύνην. 1100
 
Ὅστις σοι βούλευσεν ἐμεῦ πέϱι, ϰαί σ' ἐϰέλευσεν
Οἴχεσϑαι πϱολιπόνϑ' ἡμετέϱην φιλίην –
Ὕβϱις ϰαὶ Μάγνητας ἀπώλεσε ϰαὶ Κολοφῶνα
Καὶ Σμύϱνην. πάντως, Κύϱνε, ϰαὶ ὔμμ' ἀπολεῖ.
 
Δόξα μὲν ἀνϑϱώποισι ϰαϰὸν μέγα, πεῖϱα δ' ἄϱιστον. 1104α
Πολλοὶ ἀπείϱητοι δόξαν ἔχουσ' ἀγαϑοί. 1104β
Εἰς βάσανον δ' ἐλϑὼν παϱατϱιβόμενός τε μολύβδῳ 1105
Χϱυσὸς ἄπεφϑος ἐὼν ϰαλὸς ἅπασιν ἔσῃ.
 
Οἴ μοι ἐγὼ δειλός· ϰαὶ δὴ ϰατάχαϱμα μὲν ἐχϑϱοῖς,
Τοῖς δὲ φίλοισι πόνος δειλὰ παϑὼν γενόμην.
 
Κύϱν', οἱ πϱόσϑ' ἀγαϑοὶ νῦν αὖ ϰαϰοί, οἱ δὲ ϰαϰοὶ πϱίν
Νῦν ἀγαϑοί. τίς ϰεν ταῦτ' ἀνέχοιτ' ἐσοϱῶν, 1110
Τοὺς ἀγαϑοὺς μὲν ἀτιμοτέϱους, ϰαϰίους δὲ λαχόντας
Τιμῆς; μνηστεύει δ' ἐϰ ϰαϰοῦ ἐσϑλὸς ἀνήϱ.
Ἀλλήλους δ' ἀπατῶντες ἐπ' ἀλλήλοισι γελῶσιν,
Οὔτ' ἀγαϑῶν μνήμην εἰδότες οὔτε ϰαϰῶν.
 
Πολλὰ δ' ἀμηχανίῃσι ϰυλίνδομαι ἀχνύμενος ϰῆϱ· 1114α
Ἀϱχὴν γὰϱ πενίης οὐχ ὑπεϱεδϱάμομεν. 1114β
 
Χϱήματ' ἔχων πενίην μ' ὠνείδισας· ἀλλὰ τὰ μέν μοι 1115
Ἔστι, τὰ δ' ἐϱγάσομαι ϑεοῖσιν ἐπευξάμενος: –
„Πλοῦτε, ϑεῶν ϰάλλιστε ϰαὶ ἱμεϱοέστατε πάντων,
Σὺν σοὶ ϰαὶ ϰαϰὸς ὢν γίνεται ἐσϑλὸς ἀνήϱ.
Ἥβης μέτϱον ἔχοιμι, φιλοῖ δέ με Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων
 
Λητοΐδης ϰαὶ Ζεύς, ἀϑανάτων βασιλεύς, 1120
Ὄφϱα δίϰῃ ζώοιμι ϰαϰῶν ἔϰτοσϑεν ἁπάντων
Ἥβῃ ϰαὶ πλούτῳ ϑυμὸν ἰαινόμενος.“
 
Μή με ϰαϰῶν μίμνησϰε· πέπονϑά τοι οἷά τ' Ὀδυσσεύς,
Ὅστ' Ἀίδεω μέγα δῶμ' ἤλυϑεν ἐξαναδύς,
Ὃς δὴ ϰαὶ μνηστῆϱας ἀνείλατο νηλέι ϑυμῷ, 1125
Πηνελόπης εὔφϱων ϰουϱιδίης ἀλόχου,
Ἥ μιν δήϑ' ὑπέμεινε φίλῳ παϱὰ παιδὶ μένουσα,
Ὄφϱα τε γῆς ἐπέβη δείλ' ἁλίους τε μυχούς.
 
Ἐμπίομαι, πενίης ϑυμοφϑόϱου οὐ μελεδαίνων
Οὐδ' ἀνδϱῶν ἐχϑϱῶν, οἵ με λέγουσι ϰαϰῶς. 1130
Ἀλλ' ἥβην ἐϱατὴν ὀλοφύϱομαι, ἥ μ' ἐπιλείπει,
Κλαίω δ' ἀϱγαλέον γῆϱας ἐπεϱχόμενον.
 
Κύϱνε, παϱοῦσι φίλοισι ϰαϰοῦ ϰαταπαύσομεν ἀϱχήν,
Ζητῶμεν δ' ἕλϰει φάϱμαϰα φυομένῳ.
 
Ἐλπὶς ἐν ἀνϑϱώποισι μόνη ϑεὸς ἐσϑλὴ ἔνεστιν, 1135
Ἄλλοι δ' Οὔλυμπόν δ' ἐϰπϱολιπόντες ἔβαν·
Ὤιχετο μὲν Πίστις, μεγάλη ϑεός, ὤιχετο δ' ἀνδϱῶν
Σωφϱοσύνη, Χάϱιτές τ', ὦ φίλε, γῆν ἔλιπον·
Ὅϱϰοι δ' οὐϰέτι πιστοὶ ἐν ἀνϑϱώποισι δίϰαιοι,
Οὐδὲ ϑεοὺς οὐδεὶς ἅζεται ἀϑανάτους. 1140
Εὐσεβέων δ' ἀνδϱῶν γένος ἔφϑιτο, οὐδὲ ϑέμιστας
Οὐϰέτι γινώσϰουσ' οὐδὲ μὲν εὐσεβίας.
Ἀλλ' ὄφϱα τις ζώει ϰαὶ ὁϱᾶι φῶς ἠελίοιο,
Εὐσεβέων πεϱὶ ϑεοὺς Ἐλπίδα πϱοσμενέτω·
Εὐχέσϑω δὲ ϑεοῖσι, ϰαὶ ἀγλαὰ μηϱία ϰαίων 1145
Ἐλπίδι τε πϱώτῃ ϰαὶ πυμάτῃ ϑυέτω.
Φϱαζέσϑω δ' ἀδίϰων ἀνδϱῶν σϰολιὸν λόγον αἰεί,
Οἳ ϑεῶν ἀϑανάτων οὐδὲν ὀπιζόμενοι
Αἰὲν ἐπ' ἀλλοτϱίοις ϰτεάνοισ' ἐπέχουσι νόημα,
Αἰσχϱὰ ϰαϰοῖσ' ἔϱγοις σύμβολα ϑηϰάμενοι. 1150
 
Μήποτε τὸν παϱεόντα μεϑεὶς φίλον ἄλλον ἐϱεύνα
Δειλῶν ἀνϑϱώπων ῥήμασι πειϑόμενος.
 
Εἴη μοι πλουτοῦντι ϰαϰῶν ἀπάτεϱϑε μεϱιμνέων
Ζώειν ἀβλαβέως μηδὲν ἔχοντι ϰαϰόν.
 
Οὐϰ ἔϱαμαι πλουτεῖν οὐδ' εὔχομαι, ἀλλά μοι εἴη 1155
Ζῆν ἀπὸ τῶν ὀλίγων μηδὲν ἔχοντι ϰαϰόν.
 
Πλοῦτος ϰαὶ σοφίη ϑνητοῖσ' ἀμαχώτατον αἰεί·
Οὔτε γὰϱ ἂν πλούτου ϑυμὸν ὑπεϱϰοϱέσαις·
Ὣς δ' αὔτως σοφίην ὁ σοφώτατος οὐϰ ἀποφεύγει,
Ἀλλ' ἔϱαται, ϑυμὸν δ' οὐ δύναται τελέσαι. 1160
 
Οὐδένα ϑησαυϱὸν παισὶν ϰαταϑήσει ἄμεινον·
Αἰτοῦσιν δ' ἀγαϑοῖσ' ἀνδϱάσι, Κύϱνε, δίδου.
 
Ὀφϑαλμοὶ ϰαὶ γλῶσσα ϰαὶ οὔατα ϰαὶ νόος ἀνδϱῶν
Ἐν μέσσῳ στηϑέων ἐν συνετοῖς φύεται.
 
Τοιοῦτός τοι ἀνὴϱ ἔστω φίλος, ὃς τὸν ἑταῖϱον
Γινώσϰων ὀϱγὴν ϰαὶ βαϱὺν ὄντα φέϱει
 
Τοῖσ' ἀγαϑοῖς σύμμισγε, ϰαϰοῖσι δὲ μήποϑ' ὁμάϱτει, 1165
Εὖτ' ἂν ὁδοῦ τελέῃς τέϱματ' ἐπ' ἐμποϱίην.
 
Τῶν ἀγαϑῶν ἐσϑλὴ μὲν ἀπόϰϱισις, ἐσϑλὰ δὲ ἔϱγα·
Τῶν δὲ ϰαϰῶν ἄνεμοι δειλὰ φέϱουσιν ἔπη.
 
Ἐϰ ϰαχεταιϱίης ϰαϰὰ γίνεται· εὖ δὲ ϰαὶ αὐτός
Γνώσῃ, ἐπεὶ μεγάλους ἤλιτες ἀϑανάτους. 1170
 
Γνώμην, Κύϱνε, ϑεοὶ ϑνητοῖσι διδοῦσιν ἀϱίστην·
Ἄνϑϱωπος γνώμῃ πείϱατα παντὸς ἔχει.
Ὢ μάϰαϱ, ὅστις δή μιν ἔχει φϱεσίν· ἦ πολὺ ϰϱείσσων
Ὕβϱιος οὐλομένης λευγαλέου τε ϰόϱου·
Ἔστι ϰαϰὸν δὲ βϱοτοῖσι ϰόϱος, τῶν οὔ τι ϰάϰιον· 1175
Πᾶσα γὰϱ ἐϰ τούτων, Κύϱνε, πέλει ϰαϰότης.
 
Εἴ ϰ' εἴης ἔϱγων αἰσχϱῶν ἀπαϑὴς ϰαὶ ἀεϱγός,
Κύϱνε, μεγίστην ϰεν πεῖϱαν ἔχοις ἀϱετῆς.
„Τολμᾶν χϱὴ χαλεποῖσιν ἐν ἄλγεσιν ἦτοϱ ἔχοντα,
Πϱὸς δὲ ϑεῶν αἰτεῖν ἔϰλυσιν ἀϑανάτων.“
 
Κύϱνε, ϑεοὺς αἰδοῦ ϰαὶ δείδιϑι· τοῦτο γὰϱ ἄνδϱα
Εἴϱγει μήϑ' ἕϱδειν μήτε λέγειν ἀσεβῆ. 1180
Δημοφάγον δὲ τύϱαννον ὅπως ἐϑέλεις ϰαταϰλῖναι
Οὐ νέμεσις πϱὸς ϑεῶν γίνεται οὐδεμία.
 
Οὐδένα, Κύϱν', αὐγαὶ φαεσιμβϱότου ἠελίοιο
ἄνδϱ' ἐφοϱῶσ', ᾧ μὴ μῶμος ἐπιϰϱέμαται.
„ἀστῶν δ' οὐ δύναμαι γνῶναι νόον ὅντιν' ἔχουσιν·
Οὔτε γὰϱ εὖ ἕϱδων ἁνδάνω οὔτε ϰαϰῶς.“
 
Νοῦς ἀγαϑὸν ϰαὶ γλῶσσα· τὰ δ' ἐν παύϱοισι πέφυϰεν 1185
Ἀνδϱάσιν, οἳ τούτων ἀμφοτέϱων ταμίαι.
 
Οὔτις ἄποινα διδοὺς ϑάνατον φύγοι οὐδὲ βαϱεῖαν
Δυστυχίην, εἰ μὴ μοῖϱ' ἐπὶ τέϱμα βάλοι.
Οὐδ' ἂν δυσφϱοσύνας, ὅτε δὴ ϑεὸς ἄλγεα πέμπῃ,
Θνητὸς ἀνὴϱ δώϱοις βουλόμενος πϱοφύγῃ. 1190
 
Οὐϰ ἔϱαμαι ϰλισμῷ βασιληίῳ ἐγϰαταϰεῖσϑαι
Τεϑνεώς, ἀλλά τί μοι ζῶντι γένοιτ' ἀγαϑόν.
Ἀσπάλαϑοι δὲ τάπησιν ὁμοῖον στϱῶμα ϑανόντι·
Τοξύλον· ἠ σϰληϱον γινεται. η μαλαϰόν
 
Μήτι ϑεοὺς ἐπίοϱϰος ἐπόμνυϑι· οὐ γὰϱ ἀνεϰτόν 1195
Ἀϑανάτους ϰϱύψαι χϱεῖος ὀφειλόμενον.
 
Ὄϱνιϑος φωνήν, Πολυπαΐδη, ὀξὺ βοώσης
Ἤϰουσ', ἥτε βϱοτοῖσ' ἄγγελος ἦλϑ' ἀϱότου
Ὡϱαίου· ϰαί μοι ϰϱαδίην ἐπάταξε μέλαιναν,
Ὅττι μοι εὐανϑεῖς ἄλλοι ἔχουσιν ἀγϱούς, 1200
Οὐδέ μοι ἡμίονοι ϰυφὸν ἕλϰουσιν ἄϱοτϱον
Τῆς ἄλλης μνηστῆς εἵνεϰα ναυτιλίης.
 
Οὐϰ εἶμ', οὐδ' ὑπ' ἐμοῦ ϰεϰλήσεται οὐδ' ἐπὶ τύμβῳ
Οἰμωχϑεὶς ὑπὸ γῆν εἶσι τύϱαννος ἀνήϱ.
Οὐδ' ἂν ἐϰεῖνος ἐμοῦ τεϑνηότος οὔτ' ἀνιῷτο 1205
Οὔτε ϰατὰ βλεφάϱων ϑεϱμὰ βάλοι δάϰϱυα.
 
Οὔτε σε ϰωμάζειν ἀπεϱύϰομεν οὔτε ϰαλοῦμεν·
Ἀϱγαλέος γὰϱ ἐὼν ϰαὶ φίλος εὖτ' ἂν ἀπῇς.
 
Αἴϑων μὲν γένος εἰμί, πόλιν δ' εὐτείχεα Θήβην 1210
Οἰϰῶ πατϱώιας γῆς ἀπεϱυϰόμενος.
Μή μ' ἀφελῶς παίζουσα φίλους δένναζε τοϰῆας,
Ἄϱγυϱι· σοὶ μὲν γὰϱ δούλιον ἦμαϱ ἔπι,
Ἡμῖν δ' ἄλλα μέν ἐστι, γύναι, ϰαϰὰ πόλλ', ἐπεὶ ἐϰ γῆς
Φεύγομεν, ἀϱγαλέη δ' οὐϰ ἔπι δουλοσύνη, 1215
Οὔϑ' ἡμᾶς πεϱνᾶσι· πόλις γε μέν ἐστι ϰαὶ ἡμῖν
Καλή, Ληϑαίῳ ϰεϰλιμένη πεδίῳ.
 
Μήποτε πὰϱ ϰλαίοντα ϰαϑεζόμενοι γελάσωμεν
Τοῖσ' αὐτῶν ἀγαϑοῖς, Κύϱν', ἐπιτεϱπόμενοι.
 
Ἐχϑϱὸν μὲν χαλεπὸν ϰαὶ δυσμενεῖ ἐξαπατῆσαι,
Κύϱνε· φίλον δὲ φίλῳ ῥάιδιον ἐξαπατᾶν. 1220
 
Πολλὰ φέϱειν εἴωϑε δέος ϑνητοῖσι βϱοτοῖσι
Πταίσματα τῆς γνώμης, Κύϱνε, ταϱασσομένης.
 
Οὐδέν, Κύϱν᾽, ὀϱγῆς ἀδιϰώτεϱον, ἣ τὸν ἔχοντα
Πημαίνει ϑυμῷ δειλὰ χαϱιζομένη.
 
Οὐδέν, Κύϱν᾽ ἀγαϑῆς γλυϰεϱώτεϱόν ἐστι γυναιϰός: 1225
Μάϱτυς ἐγώ, σὺ δ᾽ ἐμοὶ γίγνου ἀληϑοσύνης.
 
Ἤδη γάϱ με ϰέϰληϰε ϑαλάσσιος οἴϰαδε νεϰϱὸς
Τεϑνηϰὼς ζῳῷ φϑεγγόμενος στόματι. 1230

Lord Thou Son of Leto, Offspring of Zeus, neither beginning will I forget Thee ever nor ending, but sing Thee alway both first and last and in between; and Thou give ear unto me and grant me good.
 
5-10Great Phoebus, when Our Lady Leto with her slender arms about the palm-tree brought Thee forth beside the Round Water to be fairest of the Immortals, round Delos was all filled with odour ambrosial, the huge Earth laughed, and the deep waters of the hoary brine rejoiced.
 
11-14Artemis, Slayer of Wild Beasts, Daughter of Zeus, whose image was set up3 of Agamemnon when he sailed on swift shipboard for Troy, give Thou ear unto my prayer, and ward off the Spirits of Ill, a thing small, O Goddess, for Thee, but great for me.
 
15-18Muses and Graces, Daughters of Zeus, who came of yore to the wedding of Cadmus and sang so fair a song, ‘What is fair is dear, and not dear what is not fair,’ — such was the song that passed your immortal lips.
 
19-26Let the seal of the wise man, Cyrnus, be set upon these lines, and they shall never be filched from him, nor shall evil ever be changed with their good, but every man shall say ‘These are the lines of Theognis of Megara, famous throughout the world,’ albeit I have not yet been able to please all my fellow-towns-men — nor is that to be marvelled at, thou son of Polypaus, seeing that Zeus himself pleaseth not every man neither in the sending of the rain nor in the withholding of it.
 
27-38But ’tis with good intent to thee, Cyrnus, that I shall give thee the counsels which I learnt from good men in my own childhood. Be thou wise and draw to thyself neither honours nor virtues nor substance on account of dishonourable or unrighteous deeds. This then I would have thee to know, nor to consort with the bad but ever to cleave unto the good, and at their tables to eat and to drink, and with them to sit, and them to please, for their power is great. Of good men shalt thou learn good, but if thou mingle with the bad, thou shalt e’en lose the wit thou hast already. Consort therefore with the good, and someday thou’lt say that I counsel my friends aright.
 
39-42Cyrnus, this city is in travail, and I fear she may give birth to a corrector of our evil pride15; for though these her citizens are still discreet, their guides are heading for much mischief.
 
43-52Never yet, Cyrnus, have good men ruined a city; but when it pleases the bad to do the works of pride and corrupt the common folk and give judgment for the unrighteous for the sake of private gain and power, then expect not that city to be long quiet, for all she be now in great tranquillity, ay, then when these things become dear to the bad — to wit, gains that bring with them public ill. For of such come discords and internecine slaughter, and of such come tyrants; which things I pray may never please this city.
 
53-60Cyrnus, this city is a city still, but lo! her people are other men, who of old knew neither judgments nor laws, but wore goatskins to pieces about their sides, and had their pasture like deer without this city; and now they be good men, O son of Polypaus, and they that were high be now of low estate. Who can bear to behold such things? Yet they deceive one another even while they smile at one another, knowing the marks neither of the bad nor of the good.
 
61-68Make not friends, son of Polypaus, with any of these thy townsmen from the heart and not for need19; but let thy tongue give all men to think thou art their friend, while in act thou mingle with no man any sober business whatsoever: for thou shalt know the minds of the miserable sort, and that there’s no trusting them in what they do, but they have come to love wiles and deceits and cozenings like men no longer sure of life.
 
69-72Never take confident counsel, Cyrnus, with a bad man when thou wouldst accomplish a grave matter, but seek the counsel of the good, Cyrnus, even if it mean much labour and a long journey.
 
73-74Share not thy device wholly with all thy friends; few among many, for sure, have a mind that may be trusted.
 
75-76Make but few privy to it when thou takest in hand great matters, or else, Cyrnus, thou mayest well find trouble without cure.
 
77-78In a sore dissension, Cyrnus, a trusty man is to be reckoned against gold and silver.
 
79-82Few comrades, son of Polypaus, wilt thou find worthy thy trust in difficulties, such, to wit, as would be of one mind with thee and suffer to share evenpoise in thy good fortune and thy bad.
 
83-86Thou shalt not find, nay, not in all the world, more than one ship’s company of such as be modest of tongue and eye, and are not led by lucre to do what is vile.
 
87-92If thou lovest me and the heart within thee is loyal, be not my friend but in word, with heart and mind turned contrary; either love me with a whole heart, or disown me and hate me in open quarrel. Whosoever is in two minds with one tongue, he, Cyrnus, is a dangerous comrade, better as foe than friend.
 
93-100If one praise thee so long as he see thee, and speak ill of thee behind thy back, such a comrade, for sure, is no very good friend — the man, to wit, whose tongue speaks fair and his mind thinks ill. But I would be friends with him that seeketh to know his comrade’s temper and beareth with him like a brother. And thou, friend, consider this well, and someday hereafter thou’lt remember me.
 
101-104May no mortal man persuade thee, Cyrnus, to love a bad man; what advantage is a friend from among the baser sort? He would neither save thee from sore trouble and ruin, nor wish to share with thee any good thing he had.
 
105-112He that doeth good to the baser sort getteth him little thanks; as well might he sow the waters of the hoary brine. Thou wouldst no more receive good again if thou didst good unto the bad, than reap long straw if thou sowedst the waters. For the mind of the bad is insatiable; make thou but one mistake,27 and the friendship is poured out and lost from all the past. But the good are fain to blot out28 the worst of wrongs when they suffer it, whereas they keep remembrance29 afterward of good that is done them and abide grateful for it.
 
113-114Never make thou the bad thy friend, but flee him ever like an evil anchorage.
 
115-116Many, for sure, are cup-and-trencher friends, but few a man’s comrades in a grave matter.
 
117-118Nothing is harder to know, Cyrnus, than a counterfeit man, nor is aught worth more heed.
 
119-128The loss of counterfeit gold or silver, Cyrnus, is easily endured, nor hard is it for a man of skill to find them out; but if the mind of a friend be false within him32 unbeknown, and the heart in his breast deceitful, this hath God made most counterfeit for mankind, this is most grievous hard of all things to discover; for mind of man nor yet of woman shalt thou know till thou hast made trial of it like a beast of burden, nor shalt thou ever guess it as when thou comest to buy,33 because outward shapes do so often cheat the understanding.
 
129-130Pray not for exceeding virtue35 nor wealth, son of Polypaus; all a man can get him is fortune.
 
131-132There’s nothing better in the world, Cyrnus, than a father and mother who care for holy Right.
 
133-142No man is himself the cause of loss and gain, Cyrnus; the Gods are the givers of them both: nor doth any that laboureth know in his heart whether he moveth to a good end or a bad. For often when he thinketh he will make bad he maketh good, and maketh bad when he thinketh he will make good. Nor doth any man get what he wisheth; for his desires hold the ends of sore perplexity. We men practise vain things, knowing nought, while the Gods accomplish all to their mind.
 
143-144No mortal man, son of Polypaus, ever deceived a stranger or suppliant unbeknown to the Gods.
 
145-148Choose rather to dwell with little wealth a pious man, than to be rich with possessions ill-gotten. Righteousness containeth the sum of all virtue; and every righteous man, Cyrnus, is good.
 
149-150Possessions doth Heaven give even to the wicked, Cyrnus, but the gift of virtue cometh to but few.
 
151-152To an evil man whose place he is about to remove, Cyrnus, God first giveth Pride.
 
153-154Surfeit, for sure, begets pride41 when prosperity cometh to a bad man whose mind is not perfect.
 
155-158When thou art wroth with a man, never, I pray thee, reproach him with heartbreaking Penury nor deadly Need; for surely ’tis Zeus poiseth the scale at one time on this side and another on that, now to be rich and now again to have nothing.
 
159-160Never boast thou, Cyrnus, in assembly; for no man living knoweth what a night and a day have to accomplish for us.
 
161-164Many, for sure, have vile wits and a good fortune, and to these that which seemeth evil turneth to good; and some there be that labour under good counsel and vile fortune, and the end cometh not to what they do.
 
165-166No man living is rich or poor, bad or good, without fortune.
 
167-168One man hath this ill, another that, and not one of all that the Sun beholdeth is happy in the strict truth of the word.
 
169-170He whom the Gods honour hath the praise even of him that blameth him; but the zeal of a man counteth for nought.
 
171-172Pray to the Gods; with the Gods is power; ’tis certain that without the Gods man getteth neither good nor ill.
 
173-178Penury subdueth a good man more than all else, more than hoary Age, Cyrnus, or ague; to avoid Penury he should cast himself into the abysmal sea, or over a sheer precipice. For your victim of Penury can neither say nor do aught of any account, and his tongue, it is tied.
 
179-180Upon land and eke upon the broad back of the sea, Cyrnus, shouldest thou seek deliverance from grievous Penury.
 
181-182To the needy, dear Cyrnus, death is better than a life oppressed with grievous Penury.
 
183-192In rams and asses and horses, Cyrnus, we seek the thoroughbred, and a man is concerned therein to get him offspring of good stock; yet in marriage a good man thinketh not twice of wedding the bad daughter of a bad sire if the father give him many possessions, nor doth a woman disdain the bed of a bad man if he be wealthy, but is fain rather to be rich than to be good. For ’tis possessions they prize; and a good man weddeth of bad stock and a bad man of good; race is confounded of riches. In like manner, son of Polypaus, marvel thou not that the race of thy townsmen is made obscure; ’tis because bad things are mingled with good.
 
193-196Even he that knoweth her to be such, weddeth a low-born woman for pelf, albeit he be of good repute and she of ill; for he is urged by strong Necessity, who giveth a man hardihood.
 
197-208A possession that cometh from Zeus, and of right and in seemly wise, abideth evermore; but if one shall win it unrighteously and unduly with a covetous heart, or by unrighteous seizure upon an oath, at the first him seemeth to get him gain, but in the end it becometh bad likewise, and the mind of the Gods overcometh him. But these things deceive man’s understanding, seeing that the Blessed Ones requite not wrongdoing at the moment; nay, albeit this man may pay his evil debt himself and not make ruin to overhang his dear children after him, that other man Retribution overtaketh not, because too soon did unconscionable Death settle upon his eyelids fraught with his Doom.
 
209-210Surely no man is friend and faithful comrade unto one that is in exile; and this is more grievous than the exile itself.
 
211-212Surely to drink much wine is an ill; yet if one drink it with knowledge, wine is not bad but good.
 
213-218Turn, my heart, towards all friends a changeful habit, mingling thy disposition to be like unto each.56 Be thy disposition that of the convolvad polyp, which taketh the semblance of the rock he hath converse with; now be guided this way,57 and now be of different hue. Surely skill is better than unchangeableness.
 
219-220When thy fellow-townsmen are confounded, Cyrnus, be not thou too much vexed at aught they do, but walk the road, like me, in the middle.
 
221-226Surely he that thinketh his neighbour knoweth nought and he alone hath subtle arts, he is a fool and his good wits attainted; truth to tell, we all alike have our wiles, but one is loath to follow base gain, while another taketh pleasure rather in false cozenings.
 
227-232As for wealth, there’s no end set clear for man; for such as have to-day the greatest riches among us, these have twice the eagerness that others have61; and who can satisfy all? ’Tis sure our possessions turn to folly, and a ruin is revealed thereout, which one man hath now and another then, whenever it be that Zeus send it him in his misery.
 
233-234A good man that is tower and citadel, Cyrnus, unto an empty-minded people, Fate giveth him little honour.
 
235-236Nothing beseems us any more as men sure of life, Cyrnus, but as a city that will assuredly be taken.
 
237-254I have given thee wings to fly with ease aloft the boundless sea and all the land. No meal or feast but thou’lt be there, couched ’twixt the lips of many a guest,63 and lovely youths shall sing thee clear and well in orderly wise to the clear-voiced flute. And when thou comest to go down to the lamentable house of Hades in the depths of the gloomy earth, never, albeit thou be dead, shalt thou lose thy fame, but men will think of thee as one of immortal name, Cyrnus, who rangeth the land of Greece and the isles thereof — crossing the fishy unharvestable deep not upon horseback mounted64 but sped of the glorious gifts of the violet-crownad Muses unto all that care to receive thee; and living as they thou shalt be a song unto posterity so long as Earth and Sun abide. Yet as for me, thou hast no respect for me, great or small, but deceivest me with words as if I were a little child.
 
255-256The fairest thing is the most righteous, the best thing health, and the sweetest to have our heart’s desire.
 
257-260I am a fair and champion steed, but my rider’s a knave, and this grieveth me much; often have I almost taken the bit between my teeth, cast my evil rider, and run away.
 
261-266’Tis not wine that’s drunk to me, now that a man not near so good as I prevaileth with a tender lass; her parents drink to me in cold water before her, so that the pitcher wearies her, and she weeps for me as she carries it thither where I did put my arm about her waist and kiss her neck, and her lips murmured so soft and sweet.
 
267-278’Tis sure that Penury is easily known even though she be not of ours, coming into neither marketplace nor lawcourt; for hers is everywhere the lesser part, scoffed at is she everywhere, and everywhere hated, wheresoever she be.
 
271-278’Tis sure that the Gods have given mortal man fair share of all else, given them both Youth and baleful Age; but the worst of all their gifts, worse than death and any disease, is when thou hast brought up children and supplied all their need, and with much labour and trouble laid up possessions for them, and they hate their father and curse him, loathe him as they might a beggarman that came among them.
 
279-282’Tis but likely that the bad man should think ill of what is right, and have no respect for any retribution to come; for easy is it for any miserable mortal to take up many wicked things from before his feet and think that he maketh all things fair.
 
283-292If thou be’st honest, go not a step to meet any of these thy fellow-townsmen, in reliance neither on oath nor friendliness, not though, willing to grant thee security, he give thee the Great King of the Immortals for his surety. A fault-finding city liketh nothing so well as that which shall make many men live more unhappily, and now the ills of the good become the joys of the bad, who rule with strange laws; for Honour is perished, and Shamelessness and Pride have conquered Right and prevail in the land.
 
293-294Not even a lion hath always flesh to his supper; for all his might he is sometimes at a loss to get him meat.
 
295-298To a talkative man silence is a sore burden, and his speech a weariness to his company; all hate him, and the mingling of such a man in a carousal cometh only of necessity.
 
299-300Nobody’s lief to be a man’s friend when evil befals him, nay, Cyrnus, not though he be born of the same womb.
 
301-302Be thou bitter and sweet, kind and harsh, to hireling and to slave and to the neighbour at thy gate.
 
303-304The good life should not be kept ever on the wag, but quiet rather; the evil life shouldest thou stir till thou drive it into safety.
 
305-308The bad are not all bad from the womb, but have learnt base works and unholy words and wanton outrage from friendship with the bad because they thought all they said was true.
 
309-312Your wise man seemeth to be one of his company and yet all they say or do seemeth to escape him as if he were not there; he contributes his jests and is outwardly patient, seeking to know the temper of each guest.
 
313-314Among the frenzied I am right frenzied, and among the righteous the most righteous man alive.
 
315-318Many bad men, for sure, are rich, and many good men poor; yet will we not change our virtue for these men’s wealth, seeing that virtue endureth but possessions belong now to this man and now to that.
 
319-322A good man, Cyrnus, hath an understanding that abideth, and he beareth his hap well, be it good or ill; but if God bestow a living and wealth upon one that is bad, he is not wise enough to restrain his badness.
 
323-324Be not persuaded by evil slander, Cyrnus, to bring a friend to ruin upon a slight pretext.
 
325-328If a man grow always angry with a friend’s offence, they will never be friends and at peace: for offences against men are natural80 to mortals, Cyrnus; ’tis the Gods that will not bear offences.
 
329-330Even the slow, if he be well advised, overtaketh the swift, Cyrnus, with aid of the straight judgment of the Immortal Gods.
 
331-332Walk gently, as I, in the midst of the way, Cyrnus, and never give one man’s goods to another.
 
332a-332bThere’s no friend and faithful comrade to one in exile, and this is exile’s most grievous part.
 
333-334Never make friends with a man in exile, Cyrnus, with an eye to the future, for when he is come home he becometh quite another man.
 
335-336Be not over-eager in any matter — midst is best in everything — and thus shalt thou have virtue, Cyrnus, which is a thing hard to come by.
 
337-340Zeus grant me to repay the friends that love me, and mine enemies that have proved stronger than I; then shall I seem a God among men, if the destiny of death overtake me with all paid.
 
341-350Fulfill my prayer, O Olympian Zeus, and grant me good hap instead of ill. May I die if I find no surcease of evil cares in the giving of pain for pain. For this wise is my due; yet no vengeance appeareth unto me upon the men that took my possessions by force and have them still, while I am the dog that crossed the water but lost all in the torrent stream. Whose red blood be it mine to drink, and may a good Spirit arise86 to accomplish this as I would have it done.
 
351-354O thou miserable Penury, why delayest thou to leave me for some other man? I prithee love me not against my will, but away and begone to another house, and share not evermore this wretched life with me.
 
355-360Bear up, Cyrnus, in ill fortune, because once thou rejoicedst in good when Fate enjoined that thou shouldest share in that; and even as thou didst receive evil of good men, so again strive thou rather to be quit thereof by prayer unto the Gods, than bring it too much into the light; the displaying of misfortune, Cyrnus, meaneth few comforters in misery.
 
361-362’Tis certain the heart of a man shrinketh small in great trouble, Cyrnus, and thereafter increaseth when he taketh requital of it.
 
363-364Speak thy enemy fair; but when thou hast him in thy power be avenged without pretext.
 
365-366Be firm in thy mind, but let gentleness be ever upon thy tongue; ’tis sure the heart of the baser sort is quicker to wrath.
 
367-370I cannot read the disposition of my fellow-townsmen, for I please them no more by any good I do them than by any harm. Many find fault with me, as well bad men as good, but none of the unlearned can imitate me.
 
371-372Drive me not, with overmuch goading, under the yoke against my will, Cyrnus, by drawing me into friendship perforce.
 
373-392Dear Zeus! I marvel at Thee. Thou art lord of all, alone having honour and great power; well knowest Thou the heart and mind of every man alive; and Thy might, O King, is above all things. How then is it, Son of Cronus, that Thy mind can bear to hold the wicked and the righteous in the same esteem, whether a man’s mind be turned to temperateness, or, unrighteous works persuading, to wanton outrage? Nor is aught fixed for us men by Fortune, nor the way a man must go to please the Immortals. Yet the wicked enjoy untroubled prosperity, whereas such as keep their hearts from base deeds, nevertheless, for all they may love what is righteous, receive Penury the mother of perplexity, Penury that misleadeth a man’s heart to evil-doing, corrupting his wits by strong necessity, till perforce he endureth much shame and yieldeth to Want who teacheth all evil, both lies and deceits and baleful contentions, even to him that will not and to whom no ill is fitting; for hard is the perplexity that cometh of her.
 
393-398In Penury both the man of the baser sort and he that is much better are shown for what they are when Want restraineth. For the mind of him in whose breast ever springeth straight judgment thinketh righteous thoughts; the other’s mind accepteth neither good hap nor ill, whereas your good man should bear a diverse lot with hardihood.
 
399-400Give heed that thou honour and respect thy friends and shun oaths that destroy men, avoiding the wrath of the Immortals.
 
401-406Be not over-eager in any matter; due measure’s best in all human works; and often a man is eager of virtue in his pursuit of gain, only to be misled into great wrong-doing by a favouring Spirit, which so easily maketh what is evil seem to him good, and what is good seem evil.
 
407-408Thou’rt wrong to be so dear to me; yet ’tis not my fault, ’tis rather that thou thyself hast misjudged.
 
409-410No better treasure shalt thou lay by for thy children, Cyrnus, than the respect which followeth good men.
 
411-412Better comrade than all besides, Cyrnus, seemeth he that is endowed with judgment or with power.
 
413-414Yet not so far shall I go in my cups, nor shall wine so far carry me away, as that I shall complain of thee.
 
415-418Seek as I will, I can find no man like myself that is a true comrade free of guile; and when I am put to the test and tried even as gold is tried beside lead the mark of pre-eminence is upon me.
 
419-420Many things pass by me that I nevertheless perceive; I am silent of necessity, knowing my own power.
 
421-424The doors of many a man’s lips do not meet, and many men are concerned with much that should not be spoken; for often that which is evil is better within, and that which is good was better before it came out.
 
425-428The best lot of all for man is never to have been born nor seen the beams of the burning Sun; this failing, to pass the gates of Hades as soon as one may, and lie under a goodly heap of earth.
 
429-438To beget and breed a man is easier than to put into him good wits; none hath ever devised means whereby he hath made a fool wise and a bad man good. If God had given the Children of Asclepius the art of healing a man’s evil nature and infatuate wit, they would receive wages much and great; and if thought could be made and put into us, the son of a good father would never become bad, because he would be persuaded by good counsel. But by teaching never shalt thou make the bad man good.
 
439-440Foolish the man that hath my mind in keeping yet payeth no regard to his own things.
 
441-446Nobody is all-happy in all things; rather doth the good endure to have evil albeit men know it not, whereas the bad man knoweth not how to abide and restrain his heart either in good hap or in bad; of all sorts are the gifts that come of the Gods to man, yet must we endure to keep the gifts they send, of whatsoever sort they be.
 
447-452If thou wilt fain wash me, the water will ever flow unsullied from my head; thou wilt find me in all matters as it were refined gold, red to the view when I be rubbed with the touchstone; the surface of me is untainted of black mould or rust, its bloom ever pure and clean.
 
453-456If thou hadst thy portion of judgment, man, as of folly, and wert as wise as thou art witless, thou wouldst seem to many of these thy fellow-townsmen as much to be envied as now thou art to be despised.
 
457-460A young wife is not proper to an old husband; she is a boat that answereth not the helm, nor do her anchors hold, but she slippeth her moorings often overnight to make another haven.
 
461-462Never give thou thy mind to the impracticable, nor desire things whereof there cometh no accomplishment.
 
463-464’Tis certain the Gods bestow neither a good thing nor a bad thing easily; fame belongeth to a deed that is hard.
 
465-466Busy thyself with virtue and set thy affection upon what is right, nor let thyself be overcome by gain that is dishonourable.
 
467-496Stay none of our company, Simonides, that is unwilling to abide with us, nor bid to the door any that would not go, nay, nor wake thou any that gentle Sleep hath o’ertaken in his cups, nor yet bid the waking slumber if he would not; for all that is forced is painful. Him that would drink, let the lad stand by and pour him a cupful. Good cheer cometh not every night. But as for me, I keep to my measure of honey-sweet Wine, and so I shall go home ere I bethink me of care-easing Sleep; I shall have reached the top of wine’s pleasure, seeing that I shall go neither sober nor over-drunken; whereas he that overpasseth the due measure of drinking is no longer master either of his tongue or his mind, but telleth reckless things disgraceful to sober ears, and hath no shame in what he doeth in his cups, a wise man once, but now a fool. Knowing this, drink not thou to excess, but either arise thou and go out privily before thou be drunken — let not thy belly constrain thee as if thou wert a bad day-labourer — or else abide and drink not. But nay, this vain Pour me a cup is thy continual chatter; therefore thou art drunken. For there’s one cup cometh for friendship, another for a wager, another for libation, and another’s kept in hand; and thou knowest not how to say no. He surely is invincible114 who shall say no vain thing when he hath drunken deep. But speak ye wisely albeit ye abide beside the bowl, withholding yourselves far115 from mutual strife, and speaking, whether ye address one or all, that any may hear; in this wise is a carousal a right pleasant thing.
 
497-498Wine maketh light the mind of wise and foolish alike, when they drink beyond their measure.
 
499-502Cunning men know gold and silver in the fire; and the mind of a man, e’en though he be very knowing, is shown by wine which he taketh, at a carousal, beyond his measure, so that it putteth to shame even one that was wise before.
 
503-508My head is heavy with drink, Onomacritus, and wine constraineth me; I am no longer the dispenser of my own judgment, and the room runneth round. Come, let me rise and try if haply wine possess my feet as well as my wits. I fear I may do some vain thing in my cups and have great reproach to bear.
 
509-510The drinking of much wine is an ill; but if one drink it with knowledge, it is not an ill but a good.
 
511-522Thou hast accomplished, Clearistus, thy journey o’er the deep, and come, my poor friend, penniless hither unto one that is without a penny. We will put ’neath the sides of thy beached ship, Clearistus, such props as we have and the Gods do give; I will neither withhold aught that is in the house, nor fetch from without any finer fare for the sake of thy friendship; we will furnish thee with the best of what we have. And if any friend of thine come, tell him plain what great friends we are; and if it be asked thee of my living, say that for a good living ’tis bad and for a bad good, so that, whereas I need not fail one friend of my father’s, I cannot entertain more.
 
523-524With good reason, O Wealth, doth man honour thee above all, for how easily dost thou tolerate badness!
 
525-526’Tis sure that it becometh the good to have riches, and ’tis proper to a bad man to suffer penury.
 
527-528Alas for Youth and alas for baleful Age! the one that it goeth and the other that it cometh.
 
529-530Never have I betrayed a dear and loyal comrade, nor is there aught of the slavish in my soul.
 
531-532My heart is ever warmed within me when I hear the delightful voice of the babbling flute.
 
533-534I rejoice to drink deep and sing to the pipes, I rejoice to have in hand the tuneful lyre.
 
535-538Never is slavery straight of head, but ever crooked and keepeth her neck askew; for the child of a bondwoman is never free in spirit, any more than a rose or hyacinth groweth upon a squill.
 
539-540This man, dear Cyrnus, forgeth himself fetters, if the Gods beguile not my judgment.
 
541-542I fear me, son of Polypaus, lest this city be destroyed by pride like the Centaurs that devoured raw flesh.
 
543-546I must decide this suit by ruddle and square, Cyrnus, and be fair to both parties, [on the one side ...] and on the other prophets and omens and burnt-offerings, or else I shall bear the foul reproach of wrong-doing.
 
547-548Force no man ever by badness; to the righteous there’s nothing better than the doing of good.
 
549-554The voiceless messenger shineth from the farseen watching-place and rouseth lamentable War, Cyrnus. Bridle the swift-foot horses; methinks they will meet a foe; not far will they go ere they reach him, if the Gods beguile not my judgment.
 
555-556He that lieth in sore trouble must be patient and ask deliverance of the Immortal Gods.
 
557-560Beware; the chances, for sure, are balanced very fine; one day thou shalt have much and another little; it behoveth thee, then, neither to become too rich nor to ride into great want.
 
561-562Be it mine to possess some of my enemies’ goods myself and to give thereof much also to my friends to possess.
 
563-566’Tis well to be guest at a feast and sit beside a good man that knoweth all learning; him thou shouldst mark when he saith any wit, so that thou mayst learn and go home with so much gained.
 
567-570I play rejoicing in Youth; for long’s the time I shall lie underground without life like a dumb stone and leave the pleasant light of the Sun; and for all I be a good man, shall see nothing any more.
 
571-572Repute is a great ill, trial is best; many have repute for good, that have never been tried.
 
573-574Be well done by because thou doest good; why send another to tell thy tale? tidings of well-doing spread easily.
 
575-576My friends it is that betray me; for mine enemy can I shun as the steersman the rock upstanding from the sea.
 
577-578’Tis easier to make bad of good than good of bad; teach me not, for in sooth I am too old to learn.
 
579-584She. I hate a bad man and veil my face as I pass him, keeping my heart light as a little bird’s. He. And I hate both a gadabout woman and a lustful man that chooseth to plough another’s land. Both. But what’s done cannot be undone: ’tis the future that needs watch and ward.
 
585-590Surely there’s risk in every sort of business, nor know we at the beginning of a matter where we shall come to shore; nay, sometimes he that striveth to be of good repute falleth unawares into ruin great and sore, whereas for the doer of good God maketh good hap in all things, to be his deliverance from folly.
 
591-592We ought to put up with that which the Gods give to man, and bear in patience either lot.
 
593-594Neither make thy heart too sick with evil things nor too quickly glad of good, ere thou see the final end.
 
595-602Let us be comrades apart, man; of all save riches there’s apt to be too much: we have long been friends, I know, but seek thou now the company of others, who know thy mind better than I. I know well enough thou wast a-coming and a-going by the road it seems thou hadst trod before, cheating my friendship. Go with a curse, hated of God and untrustworthy for man, thou chill and wily snake that I cherished in my bosom.
 
603-604Such deeds, such pride, destroyed the Magnesians, as now prevail in this sacred city.
 
605-606’Tis sure that of all that ever wished to overreach their destiny, surfeit hath slain many more than hunger.
 
607-610At the beginning of a lie there’s but little pleasure, and at the end the gain becometh both dishonourable and bad; nor is there ought honourable for him that is attended of a lie, when once it hath passed his lips.
 
611-614’Tis not hard to blame thy neighbour nor yet to praise thyself; such things are the care of the baser sort; the bad will not hold their tongues concerning bad things where men resort for talk, but the good know how to keep due measure in every matter.
 
615-616Of the men of our time the Sun beholdeth140 none that is altogether good and reasonable.
 
617-618By no means all is accomplished to man’s liking; Immortals are much stronger than mortals.
 
619-620Troubled in heart I roll in the trough amid perplexities; for we have not surmounted the crest of the wave of Penury.
 
621-622Every man honoureth a rich man and despiseth a poor; the mind that is in all men is the same.
 
623-624In man there are badnesses of every sort, and virtues and means-to-living of every kind.
 
625-626’Tis painful for a wise man to say much among fools, or yet to hold his peace, for silent he cannot be.
 
627-628Assuredly ’tis a disgrace to be drunken among the sober, but disgraceful is it also to abide sober among the drunken.
 
629-630Youth and vigour make light a man’s head, and urge the heart of many a man to wrong-doing.
 
631-632He whose head is not stronger than his heart, Cyrnus, lieth ever in miseries and in great perplexities.
 
633-634Take counsel twice and thrice concerning aught that cometh into thy mind to do; for ’tis sure a headstrong man becometh infatuate.
 
635-636Judgment and respect for right are the portion of the good, and of such there are now but few, truth to tell, among many.
 
637-638Hope and Risk in the world are alike; they are both Spirits difficult to do with.
 
639-640Often it cometh about that men’s works flow fair and full, contrary to belief and expectation, whereas their devices come not to accomplishment.
 
641-642’Tis sure thou shalt not know either friend or foe unless thou encounter him in a grave matter.
 
643-644Many become comrades dear beside the bowl, but few in a grave matter.
 
645-646When thy heart lieth in great perplexity, thou’lt find few of thy kin true comrades.
 
647-648Now is Respect for Right perished among men, whereas Shamelessness walketh to and fro upon the earth.
 
649-652Fie, miserable Penury, why liest thou upon my shoulders and puttest both my body and mind to shame, and teachest me perforce things dishonourable and mean, albeit I know what is good and honourable among men?
 
653-654May I be happy and beloved of the Immortal Gods, Cyrnus; that is the only achievement I desire.
 
655-656We all feel sorry, Cyrnus, for thy trouble, yet remember thou that pain for another is pain for a day.
 
657-658Never be thou too sick at heart in ill fortune nor rejoice overmuch in good, for it becometh a good man to bear all things.
 
659-666Neither shouldst thou swear that a thing can never be — for the Gods resent it and the end is theirs — albeit thou shouldst do something . Good may come of bad, and bad of good; a poor man may very quickly become rich, and he that hath very great possessions lose them all suddenly in one night; the wise may err, and fame often cometh to the fool and honour to the bad.
 
667-682Had I wealth, Simonides, equal to my character, I should not be so sad as I am in the company of the good. But alas! Wealth passeth by one that he knoweth, and I am speechless for want, albeit I should have seen better than many of my fellow-townsmen that now, with our white sails lowered, we are carried through the murky night from out the Melian Sea, and bale they will not, though the sea washeth over both gunwales; O but great is our jeopardy that they do what they do! — they have stayed the hand of a good steersman who had them in the keeping of his skill, and they seize the cargo perforce; order there is none, and fair division for all is no more; the menial porters are in command, and the bad above the good; I fear me lest the ship be swallowed of the waves. Such be my riddling oracle for the good, but a bad man will understand it also, if he have wit.
 
683-686Many that have riches are ignorant, and others that seek things beautiful are worn with sore penury; and for doing aught, Perplexity sitteth beside either sort, seeing that the one kind is constrained in the matter of wits, the other of possessions.
 
687-688’Tis not for mortals to fight Immortals, nor yet to give them judgment; this is not right for any man.
 
689-690We should not make ruin where ruin should not be made,168 nor yet do what it is not better to do.
 
691-692Mayst thou safely accomplish thy journey across the great sea, and Poseidon take thee to be a delight unto thy friends.
 
693-694Surfeit, ’tis sure, destroyeth many a fool, because it is hard to know the due measure when good things are to thy hand.
 
695-696I cannot furnish thee, my soul, with all things meet for thee: be patient; thou art not the only lover of things beautiful.
 
697-698When I am in good plight my friends are many; if aught ill befall, there’s but few whose hearts are true.
 
699-718To the more part of men this is the one virtue, to be rich; all else, it would seem, is nothing worth, not though thou hadst the wisdom of great Rhadamanthus, and wert more knowing than Aeolus’ son Sisyphus, whose wheedling words persuaded Persephone who giveth men forgetfulness by doing despite to their wits, so that through his wilinesses he returned even from Hades, a thing which hath been contrived of none other, whosoever hath once been veiled in the black cloud of Death and gone to the shadowy place of the departed, passing the black portal which for all their denial of guilt prisoneth the souls of the dead; yet e’en thence, ’t would seem, to the light of the Sun came hero Sisyphus back by his own great cunning; — nor yet though thou madest lies like true words with the good tongue of godlike Nestor, and wert nimbler of foot than the swift Harpies and the Children of Boreas whose feet are so forthright. Nay, every man should lay to heart this saying: What hath most power for all is wealth.
 
719-728Equal, for sure, is the wealth of him that hath much silver and gold and fields of wheatland and horses and mules, to that of him that hath what him needeth for comfort of belly and sides and feet. This is abundance unto men; for no man taketh all his exceeding riches with him when he goeth below, nor shall he for a price escape death, nor yet sore disease nor the evil approach of Age.
 
729-730Cares of motley plumage have their portion in mankind, wailing for life and substance.
 
731-752Father Zeus, I would it were the Gods’ pleasure that wanton outrage should delight the wicked if so they choose, but that whosoever did acts abominable and of intent, disdainfully, with no regard for the Gods, should thereafter pay penalty himself, and the ill-doing of the father become no misfortune unto the children after him; and that such children of an unrighteous sire as act with righteous intent, standing in awe of thy wrath, O Son of Cronus, and from the beginning have loved the right among their fellow-townsmen, these should not pay requital for the transgression of a parent. I say, would that this were the Gods’ pleasure; but alas, the doer escapeth and another beareth the misfortune afterward. Yet how can it be rightful, O King of the Immortals, that a man that hath no part in unrighteous deeds, committing no transgression nor any perjury, but is a righteous man, should not fare aright? What other man living, or in what spirit, seeing this man, would thereafter stand in awe of the Immortals, when one unrighteous and wicked that avoideth not the wrath of God or man, indulgeth wanton outrage in the fulness of his wealth, whereas the righteous be worn and wasted with grievous Penury?
 
753-756Knowing this, dear comrade, gather thyself riches by rightful ways, keeping a sober heart outside of wickedness, ever mindful of these words; and at the last thou wilt approve them, persuaded by their sober tale.
 
757-768May Zeus that dwelleth in the sky ever keep his right arm over this city for her safety’s sake, and with him the other Blessed Immortals; may Apollo set straight both our tonque and our wits; and may harp and pipe sound holy music; and let us conciliate the Gods with a libation, and drink in pleasant converse one with another, fearing no whit the war of the Medes. ’Twere better thus, ’twere better to spend our days in jolly revelry, of one accord and cares apart, and to keep far away those evil Spirits, baleful Eld and the end that is Death.
 
769-772A servant and messenger of the Muses, even if he know exceeding much, should not be grudging of his lore, but seek out this, illumine that, invent the other; what use can he make of this if none know it but he?
 
773-782Lord Apollo, Thou Thyself didst fence this city’s heights, to please Alcathous181 son of Pelops; Thou Thyself protect this city from the wanton outrage of the host of the Medes, so that in glad revelry at the coming-in of Spring the people should give Thee splendid hecatombs, rejoicing with lute and pleasant feast, with dance and cry of Paeans about Thy altar. For verily I fear me when I see the heedlessness and people-destroying discord of the Greeks. But do Thou, O Phoebus, be gracious and guard this our city.
 
783-788For I have been ere now to the land of Sicily, ere now to the vine-clad lowlands of Euboea, and to Sparta the glorious town of reedy Eurotas, and all made me welcome in right friendly wise; but not one of them came as a joy to my heart, so true is it after all that there’s no place like home.
 
789-792I would not have any new pursuit arise for me in the stead of delightful art; rather may I have this for mine, evermore rejoicing in lyre and dance and song, and keeping my wit high in the company of the good.
 
793-796Harming neither sojourner nor citizen with deeds of mischief, but living a righteous man, rejoice your own heart; of your pitiless fellow-townsmen assuredly some will speak ill of you and some good.
 
797-798Of the good, one man is loud in blame, another in praise; of the bad there’s no mention whatsoever.
 
799-800No man on earth is without blame; yet even so ’tis better not to be too much spoken of.
 
801-804No man ever was or ever will be, who leaveth all men content when he goeth below, seeing that not even Cronus’ Son, the Ruler of both Gods and men, can please all mankind.
 
805-810Nearer to the line than compasses, ruddle, or square, Cyrnus, must that enquirer be diligent to be, to whom the priestess of the God declareth her answer from the rich shrine of Pytho, because neither by adding aught canst thou find any remedy, nor in taking-away escape offence in the eyes of Heaven.
 
811-814I have suffered a thing not worse, it may be, Cyrnus, than direful Death, but more painful than all else: I am betrayed by my friends. And now, brought nigh to mine enemies, of them also I shall know what wits they have.
 
815-816An ox that setteth his strong hoof upon my tongue restraineth me from blabbing albeit I know.
 
817-818’Tis past all possibility, Cyrnus, to avoid what it is our lot to suffer; and what is my lot to suffer, that to suffer I fear not.
 
819-820We have come into a much-desired mischief,185 Cyrnus, where best the fate of Death would take us both together.
 
821-822’Tis sure there’s little place, Cyrnus, for them that dishonour their aged parents.
 
823-824Neither exalt a man to be despot on expectation, yielding to gain, nor slay him when thou hast taken an oath to him by the Gods.
 
825-830How do your hearts endure to sing to the pipes, when the bounds of the land which feedeth with her fruits you that guttle at feasts and make your hair to blossom with gay chaplets, can be seen from the marketplace? Come, thou Scythian, shear thy locks and give over merrymaking, and mourn for sweet-scented lands that are lost to you.
 
831-832I lost my possessions through honour, and through dishonour have I recovered them; of both these things the knowledge is bitter.
 
833-836All things here are among the crows and perdition, and none of the Blest Immortals, Cyrnus, is to blame; nay, the violence of men and their base gains and their pride have cast us from much good into evil.
 
837-840’Tis sure there are two evil Spirits of drinking among miserable men, Thirst that looseth our limbs and grievous Drunkennes; I shall go to and fro between these twain, nor wilt thou persuade me either not to drink or to drink too much.
 
841-844Wine giveth me pleasure in all things save this, when it armeth me and leadeth me against mine enemy. But when that which is above cometh to be below, then will we give over drinking and go home.
 
845-846’Tis easy to make a city’s good plight ill, but hard to make a city’s ill plight good.
 
847-850Kick thou the empty-headed commons, prick them with a sharp goad, and put a galling yoke upon their neck; thou shalt not find among all the men that the Sun beholdeth,193 commons that so love their master.
 
851-852Olympian Zeus destroy the man that is willing to deceive his comrade with the babbling of soft words.
 
853-854I knew before, but I know better now, that there’s no gratitude in the baser sort.
 
855-856Often and often through the worthlessness of her leaders this city, like a ship out of her course, hath run too nigh the shore.
 
857-860If any friend of mine see me in evil plight, he turneth away his head and will not so much as look at me; but if perchance he see me in good hap, the which is a rare thing, then have I many salutations and signs of friendship.
 
861-864My friends betray me and will give me nothing when men appear; verily of my own accord I will go out at eventide and return at dawn with the crowing of the new-awakened cocks.
 
865-868God giveth prosperity to many useless men such as being of no worth are of no service to themselves nor to their friends. But the great fame of valour will never perish, for a man-at-arms saveth both soil and city.
 
869-872May the great wide brazen sky fall upon me — that dread of earthborn men — if I aid not such as love me, and become not a pain and great grief unto such as hate.
 
873-876O Wine, in part I praise thee, and in part blame; never can I either hate thee or love thee altogether. Thou art both a good thing and a bad. Who would blame thee and who praise, that had due measure of wisdom?
 
877-878Play and be young, my heart; there’ll be other men soon, but I shall be dead and become dark earth.
 
879-884Drink the wine which came to me of the vines that were planted in the mountain dells ’neath topmost Taygetus by that friend of the Gods old Theotimus, who led cool water for them from Platanistus’ spring. If thou drink of this thou’lt scatter troublous cares, and when thou hast well drunken be greatly lightened.
 
885-886May Peace and Wealth possess the city, so that I may make merry with other men; I love not evil War.
 
887-888And lend thou not too ready an ear to the loud cry of the herald; we are not fighting for our own country.
 
889-890But it would be dishonourable for me not to mount behind swift steeds and look lamentable War in the face.
 
891-894Alas for weakness! Cerinthus is destroyed, and the good vinelands of Lelantus are laid waste; the good men are banished and evil persons order the city. O that Zeus would destroy the race of the Cypselids!
 
895-896There’s nothing a man possesseth of himself better than understanding, Cyrnus, nor bitterer than lack of understanding.
 
897-900If Zeus were wroth alway with mortal men, knowing as he doth the mind of each man in his breast and the deeds alike of righteous and unrighteous, great would be the woe of man.
 
901-902At each and every thing one man is better and another worse; no man alive is skilled in all things.
 
903-930If a man keep a watch on the spending of his coffers according to his possessions, that is the finest virtue to them that understand. For were it possible for us to see the end of our life, and know with how much accomplished we were to pass over into Hades, ’twould be in reason that he who expected the lot of longer life should be more sparing, so that he should have wherewithal to live. But it is not so, and that it is not I am very sad and sore at heart, and am in two minds. I stand at the crossways; there are two paths before me; I consider with myself whether of the twain to take, whether to spend nothing and wear out my life in evil plight, or to live happily accomplishing but little. For I have seen one that was sparing and, for all his wealth, never gave his belly the sustenance of a freeman, yet went below ere he filled the measure of life, and whosoever it might be received his possessions, so that his labour was vain and he gave not to whom he would. And I have seen another who, to please his belly, first wasted his substance and then said I have had my fling, and beggeth of all his friends wheresoever he may set eyes upon them. So true is it, Democles, that ’tis best of all to spend and practise according to our possessions. Thus wilt thou neither toil only to give another of the fruits of thy labour, nor win to servitude by beggary, nor yet if thou come to old age will all thy possessions be run away. Nay, ’tis best in such a generation as ours to have possessions; for if thou be rich, thy friends are many, and if poor, they are few, and a good man is no longer what he was.
 
931-932’Tis better to be sparing; for no man bewails the dead except he see possessions left behind.
 
933-938Virtue and beauty fall to but few; happy he that hath share of both. He is honoured of all; alike younger and elder yield him place, and the men of his age; when he groweth old he is conspicuous among his townsmen, and no man will do him harm either in honour or in right.
 
939-942I cannot sing sweet and clear like the nightingale, for last night I went to a revel; I do not make the piper my excuse, but ’tis that my voice, which is not without skill, hath left me.
 
943-944Here will I stand nigh to the piper’s right hand216 and sing, when I have made my prayer to the Immortal Gods.
 
945-946I’ll walk a path straight as a line, bending to neither side; for all my thoughts should be right and true.
 
947-948I’ll govern my glorious country neither turning towards the commons nor yet persuaded of unrighteous persons.
 
949-954Like a lion sure of his strength, I have drunk not the blood of the fawn my claws seized away from his dam; I have climbed the high walls and yet not sacked the city; I have yoked the horses and not mounted the chariot; I have done and yet not done, and achieved and yet not achieved, accomplished yet not accomplished, finished yet not finished.
 
955-956He that doeth good to the baser sort suffereth two ills — deprivation of goods and no thanks.
 
957-958If thou be not thankful for a great good I have done thee, may it be in need that thou comest next to my house.
 
959-962So long as I alone drank of the black-watered spring, the water thereof methought was sweet and good; but now ’tis all fouled and the water mixed with mud. I’ll drink from another and a purer spring.
 
963-970Never praise a man ere thou know him for certain, what he is in disposition, in feeling, and in character. Many, for sure, that are of a tricksy counterfeit turn of mind, hide it, putting into themselves a temper that is ordinary; yet Time exposeth the nature of each and all of them. I too, it seems, have gone far beyond good sense; I praised thee ere I knew all thy ways; and now I give thee a wide berth.
 
971-972What virtue is there in the winning of a tippler’s prize? surely a good man often loseth it even to a bad.
 
973-978No mortal man so soon as he is covered with the earth and goeth down to the house of Persephone in Erebus is rejoiced any more with the sound either of lyre or piper or with receiving the gifts of Dionysus. Beholding this, I will make my heart merry while yet my limbs be light and I carry an unshaking head.
 
979-982I would have no man my friend with lips only, but also in deed; he must serve me willingly both with hands and with possessions; nor must he soothe my heart with words beside the mixing-bowl, but show himself a good man by act, if so he may.
 
983-988Let us give our hearts to merriment while yet pleasant acts bring some joy. For splendid youth passeth quickly as a thought, nor swifter is the speed of the horses which carry a king so furiously to the labour of the lance, delighting in the level wheatland.
 
989-990Drink thou when drinking ’s toward; and when thy heart be grown sad, drink that no man know of thy sorrow.
 
991-992’Tis sure thou’lt be rejoiced sometimes by what thou shalt do, sometimes vexed by what thou shalt be done by; but to be able to do is now for one man and now for another.
 
993-996If thou shouldst challenge me, Academus, to sing a pretty song, and a lad of fair beauty were to stand for our prize in a contest of our art, thou wouldst learn how much better mules be than asses.
 
997-1002But when the high Sun’s team of whole-hoovad steeds shall pass beyond the mid of day, then forthwith would I that we set ourselves to as great a dinner as a man’s heart shall bid, satisfying our bellies with all manner of good things, and water for the hands be brought quickly out and garlands set in place by the slender fingers of a comely Spartan lass.
 
1003-1006This is virtue, this the noblest prize and the fairest for a wise man to win among men, a common good this for his city and all her people, when a man abideth firmly in the forefront.
 
1007-1012And a common counsel will I give to all men to enjoy their own goods while yet each hath the splendid bloom of youth236 and thinketh noble thoughts; for to be young twice cometh not of Heaven unto mortal man, nor yet deliverance from death; baleful Eld disgraceth him that is beautiful, and layeth hands upon the crown of his head.
 
1013-1016Ah, blessed and happy and fortunate is he that goeth down unto the black house of Death without knowing trouble, and ere he have bent before his foes, sinned of necessity, or tested the loyalty of his friends.
 
1017-1022A sudden copious sweat floweth down my flesh and I tremble, when I behold the lovely and pleasant flowering-time of my generation, for I would it were longer-lasting; but precious Youth is shortlived as a dream, and ugly baleful Eld is hanging plumb over our heads.
 
1023-1024Never will I set my neck ’neath the galling yoke of mine enemies, nay, not though Tmolus be upon my head.
 
1025-1026’Tis sure that the mind of the baser sort is the vainer for their badness, whereas the actions of the good are ever the more forthright.
 
1027-1028The doing of evil is easy, Cyrnus, among men, but the devising of a good deed hard.
 
1029-1036Be patient in misfortune, my soul, for all thou art suffering the intolerable; ’tis sure the heart of the baser sort is quicker to wrath. Be not heavy, thou, with pain and anger over deeds which cannot be done, nor be thou vexed thereat, nor grieve thy friends nor glad thy foes. Not easily shall mortal man escape the destined gifts of the Gods, neither if he sink to the bottom of the purple sea, nor when he be held in murky Tartarus.
 
1037-1038’Tis sore difficult, verily, to deceive a good man, the which is a judgment long given, Cyrnus, in my mind.
 
1038a-1038bI knew before, but I know far better now, that there’s no gratitude in the baser sort.
 
1039-1040Fools are they and childish, that drink not wine when the Dog-Star beginneth.
 
1041-1042Come thou hither with a piper; let us laugh and drink at a mourner’s, rejoicing in his loss.
 
1043-1044Let us sleep; the guarding of our lovely city Astyphela her guardians shall see to.
 
1045-1046By Zeus, even though one of these be abed and asleep, he will receive our serenade right gladly.
 
1047-1048Now let us rejoice over our cups, saying good things; what shall come after is for the Gods to look to.
 
1049-1054To thee will I myself give good counsel as a father to his child, and this is what I would have thee cast into thy heart and mind:— Never be in haste to do an evil thing, but commune first in the depth of thy heart with a mind that keepeth the right; for the heart and mind of the fond are ever a-fluttering, but counsel is needed to lead even a fine wit to what is good.
 
1055-1058But we will leave this tale, and do thou pipe unto me and we will both remember the Muses; for they it is, who have given these delightful gifts for us twain to have and our neighbours to hear.
 
1059-1062’Tis hard even for a wise man, Timagoras, to find out the disposition of many if he see them from afar; for some keep badness hidden by wealth and others virtue hidden by baleful Penury.
 
1063-1068In youth a man may sleep all night with one243 of his age and have his fill of delights, and may sing in revels to the pipe. ’Tis certain nothing is sweeter either to man or woman. What worth to me is wealth or honour?244 Gaiety and good cheer together surpass all things.
 
1069-1070Fools are they and childish who lament the dead rather than the loss of the flower of youth.
 
1070a-1070bBe gay, my soul; there will be other men soon, but I shall be dead and become black earth.
 
1071-1074Turn to all men a changeful habit, Cyrnus, mingling thy disposition to the like of each; now imitate this man, and now make thy disposition of another sort; surely skill is a better thing even than great virtue.
 
1075-1078’Tis hard indeed to see how God will accomplish the end of a matter yet undone; for ’tis all dark, and the ending of perplexity is not for man to understand ere what is to be.
 
1079-1080I will blame no enemy that is a good man, nor yet praise a friend that is bad.
 
1081-1082bCyrnus, this city is in travail, and I fear me she may give birth to a proud and violent man, to be leader of sore discord; for albeit her citizens be discreet, their guides are heading for much mischief.
 
1082c-1082fIf thou love me and the heart within the be true, be not my friend but in word, with heart and mind contrary; either love me with a whole heart or disown me and hate me in open quarrel.
 
1083-1084So true is it that the good man, though he change his disposition, must for evermore keep it stedfast to his friend.
 
1085-1086’Tis hard for thee, Demonax, to bear much trouble,251 because thou knowest not how to do what is not to thy mind.
 
1087-1090O Castor and Polydeuces that dwell beside the fair-flowing river of Eurotas in holy Lacedaemon, if ever I give a friend ill counsel, grant I may have ill myself, and if he give the like to me, grant he may have it twice over.
 
1091-1094My heart is troubled for thy friendship; I can neither hate nor love, knowing that ’tis as hard to hate one that is become our friend as to be friends with one that wills it not.
 
1095-1096Look thou now for another; for I am under no necessity to do this thing: be thou grateful for what I have done already.
 
1097-1100Now wing I my way like a bird from the flaxen net, escaping an evil man by breaking the trammels; and as for thee, thou ’st lost my friendship and wilt learn my shrewdness too late.
 
1101-1104Whosoever hath given thee counsel concerning me and bidden thee abandon our friendship and begone — pride destroyed the Magnesians and Colophon and Smyrna, and assuredly, Cyrnus, will destroy thee and thine.
 
1104A-1106Repute is a great ill unto man, trial is best; many are reputed good that have never been tried. When thou shalt come to the test and be rubbed beside lead, it will be manifest to all men that thou art pure gold.
 
1107-1108O miserable me! become I am a joy to mine enemies and a vexation to my friends because of my sufferings.
 
1109-1114Cyrnus, they that were good are now become bad, and they that were bad good. Who can bear to behold such a thing— the good the unhonoured and the bad accorded honour? and the good seeketh marriage with the bad; deceiving one another they smile one at another, knowing no remembrance either of good things or of bad.
 
1114a-1114bI roll on the ground, sore troubled at heart with perplexities; for we have not outrun the beginning of Penury.
 
1115-1116With possessions of thy own thou upbraidest my penury; yet some things I have, and others with prayer to Heaven, I shall win.
 
1117-1118Wealth, fairest and most desirable of all the Gods, with thee a man becometh good even if he be bad.
 
1119-1122May I have due measure of youth, and Phoebus Apollo son of Leto love me, and Zeus the king of the Immortals, so that I may live aright beyond all misfortunes, warming my heart with youth and riches.
 
1123-1128Remind me not of misfortunes; for sure, I have suffered even as Odysseus, who escaped up out of the great house of Hades, he that so gladly and pitilessly slew the suitors of his wedded wife Penelope, who had so long awaited him in patience beside his dear son till he set foot on the land....
 
1129-1132I’ll drink my fill with never a thought of soul-destroying Penury, nor yet of the enemies that slander me so; but I bewail the lovely Youth that is leaving me, and lament the approach of grievous Age.
 
1133-1134Cyrnus, let us make cease the beginning of evil for such friends as are yet with us, and seek medicine for a sore ere it come to a head.
 
1135-1150Hope is the one good God yet left among mankind; the rest have forsaken us and gone to Olympus. Gone ere this was the great Goddess Honesty, gone from the world was Self-Control; and the Graces, my friend, have left the earth. No more are righteous oaths kept among men, nor hath any man awe of the Immortal Gods; the generation of the pious is perished, and no longer are laws recognised, nor orderlinesses. Nay, so long as ever a man live and see the light of the Sun, let him with reverence to the Gods worship Hope also; let him pray to the Gods with splendid meat-offerings, and also make sacrifice first and last unto Hope. Let him beware alway of the crooked speech of the unrighteous, who having no respect for the Immortal Gods do ever set their heart upon other men’s goods, making dishonourable covenants for evil deeds.
 
1151-1152Never be thou persuaded by the words of men of the baser sort to leave the friend thou hast and seek another.
 
1153-1154Be it mine to live rich without evil cares, unharmed, and with no misfortune.
 
1155-1156I desire not riches, nor pray for them, but mine be it to live on a little substance with no misfortune.
 
1157-1160Riches and skill are ever the most irresistible of things to man; for thou canst not surfeit thy heart with riches, and in like manner he that is most skilled shunneth not skill, but desireth it and cannot have his fill.
 
1160a(i)O young men, this generation....
 
1160a(ii)-1160b... I am under no necessity to do these things; be thou grateful for what I have done already.
 
1161-1162’Tis better to lay-by no treasure for thy children; rather give to good men, Cyrnus, when they ask it.
 
1162a-1162fNobody is all-happy in all things; rather doth the good endure to have evil albeit men know it not, whereas the bad man knoweth not how to mingle his heart either with good hap or with bad; of all sorts are the gifts that come of the Gods to man, yet must we endure to keep the gifts They send, of whatsoever sort they be.
 
1163-1164The eyes, tongue, ears, and mind of a discreet man grow in the midst of his breast.
 
1164a-1164dLet such be thy friend as seeketh to know his comrade’s temper and beareth with him like a brother. And thou, friend, consider this well, and some day hereafter thou ’lt remember me.
 
1164e-1164hSeek as I will, I can find no man like myself that is a true comrade free of guide; yet when I am put to the test and tried even as gold is tried beside lead, the mark of pre-eminence is upon me.
 
1165-1166Mingle with the good and never accompany the bad, when thou comest to the end of a journey on business.
 
1167-1168The answer of a good man is good and his works good also, but the words of a bad man bad, and the wind carrieth them away.
 
1169-1170Ill-fellowship maketh misfortunes; and well shalt thou learn it thyself, for thou hast offended the great Immortals.
 
1171-1176The best thing the Gods give mortal man is judgment, Cyrnus; judgment hath the ends of everything. O happy he that hath it indeed! he is far stronger than baleful Pride and dolorous Surfeit; and these are of those mortal ills than which there ’s none worse, for all evil, Cyrnus, comes from them.
 
1177-1178If thou shouldst never do nor suffer dishonourable acts, Cyrnus, thou wouldst have the greatest sum of virtue.
 
1178a-1178bHe whose heart is in sore trouble must be patient and ask deliverance of the Immortal Gods.
 
1179-1182Honour and fear the Gods, Cyrnus; for this it is that stayeth a man from the doing or the saying of impious things; but a despot that devoureth the people, to lay him low by what means soever it please thee, is no cause for wrath from Heaven.
 
1183-1184The beams of the world-illumining Sun look upon no man over whom there hangeth no reproach.
 
1184a-1184bBut I cannot read the disposition of my fellow-townsmen; for I please them neither by any good I do them nor by any harm.
 
1185-1186Mind is a good thing and so is speech, but they are found in few men that be stewards over them both.
 
1187-1190For a price no man can escape Death, nor yet grievous Misfortune, unless Fate put an end to it; nor yet when God sendeth the pains of Care can mortal man escape by appeasing them with gifts.
 
1191-1194I desire not to be laid upon a royal couch when I be dead, but to enjoy some good thing while I live; thorns make as good lying for a corpse as carpets; the dead are comfortable, lie they hard or soft.
 
1195-1196Swear no false oath by the Gods; for ’tis not possible to hide a debt from the Immortals.
 
1197-1202I have heard the shrill voice of the bird, son of Polypaus, which is come to tell mankind to plough in season; and it hath smitten my heart black to think that others possess my flowery fields, nor for me do the mules draw the yoke of the plough, by reason of this most hateful voyage.
 
1203-1206I will not go,288nor shall a despot be mourned by me, nor go below ground bewailed by me at his grave, any more than if I were dead he would feel sorry or his eyelids shed hot tears.
 
1207-1208We neither stay thee from our revel nor bid thee to it, O thou that art troublesome to us present and dear to us absent.
 
1209-1210Aethon am I by race, but live in well-walled Thebes, forbidden my native town.
 
1211-1216Taunt me not in such teasing wise with my parentage, Argyris; for thee there hath been a day of servitude, whereas we, madam, have suffered indeed from many other ills since we became exiles, but not from grievous slavery, nor do they put up for sale such folk as we; nay, we too have a city, and a fair city, one that bordereth on the plain of Letha.
 
1217-1218Never let us laugh in the joy of our good fortune, Cyrnus, when we sit beside a mourner.
 
1219-1220’Tis hard in sooth for an enemy to deceive his foe, Cyrnus, but easy for a friend to deceive his friend.
 
1221-1222Fear is wont to bring many a fall to mortal man, when his judgment, Cyrnus, is confounded.
 
1223-1224Nothing, Cyrnus, is more unrighteous than a disposition which giveth misery to him that hath it by indulging his heart in what is mean and low.
 
1225-1226Nothing, Cyrnus, is more delightful than a good wife; to the truth of this I am witness to thee and do thou become witness to me.
 
1229-1230For I am e’en summoned home by a corpse from the sea which, dead though it be, speaketh with living lips.
 

Σχέτλι' Ἔϱως, μανίαι σε τιϑηνήσαντο λαβοῦσαι· 1231
Ἐϰ σέϑεν ὤλετο μὲν Ἰλίου ἀϰϱόπολις,
Ὤλετο δ' Αἰγείδης Θησεὺς μέγας, ὤλετο δ' Αἴας
Ἐσϑλὸς Ὀιλιάδης σῇσιν ἀτασϑαλίαις.
 
Ὦ παῖ, ἄϰουσον ἐμεῦ δαμάσας φϱένας· οὔ τοι ἀπειϑῆ
Μῦϑον ἐϱῶ τῇ σῇ ϰαϱδίῃ οὐδ' ἄχαϱιν. 1235
Ἀλλὰ τλῆϑι νόῳ συνιδεῖν ἔπος· „οὔ τοι ἀνάγϰη
Τοῦϑ' ἕϱδειν, ὅ τι σοὶ μὴ ϰαταϑύμιον ᾖ.“
 
Μήποτε τὸν παϱεόντα μεϑεὶς φίλον ἄλλον ἐϱεύνα,
Δειλῶν ἀνϑϱώπων ῥήμασι πειϑόμενος·
Πολλάϰι τοι παϱ' ἐμοὶ ϰατὰ σοῦ λέξουσι μάταια
Καὶ παϱὰ σοὶ ϰατ' ἐμοῦ· τῶν δὲ σὺ μὴ ξύνιε. 1240
 
Χαιϱήσεις τῇ πϱόσϑε παϱοιχομένῃ φιλότητι,
Τῆς δὲ παϱεϱχομένης οὐϰέτ' ἔσῃ ταμίης.
 
„Δὴν δὴ ϰαὶ φίλοι ὦμεν.“ ἔπειτ' ἄλλοισιν ὁμίλει,
Ἦϑος ἔχων δόλιον, πίστεος ἀντίτυπον.
 
Οὔποϑ' ὕδωϱ ϰαὶ πῦϱ συμμείξεται· οὐδέ ποϑ' ἡμεῖς 1245
Πιστοὶ ἐπ' ἀλλήλοις ϰαὶ φίλοι ἐσσόμεϑα.
 
Φϱόντισον ἔχϑος ἐμὸν ϰαὶ ὑπέϱβασιν, ἴσϑι δὲ ϑυμῷ,
Ὥς σ' ἐφ' ἁμαϱτωλῇ τείσομαι ὡς δύναμαι.
 
Παῖ, σὺ μὲν αὔτως ἵππος, ἐπεὶ ϰϱιϑῶν ἐϰοϱέσϑης,
Αὖϑις ἐπὶ σταϑμοὺς ἤλυϑες ἡμετέϱους 1250
Ἡνίοχόν τε ποϑῶν ἀγαϑὸν λειμῶνά τε ϰαλόν
Κϱήνην τε ψυχϱὴν ἄλσεά τε σϰιεϱά.
 
„Ὄλβιος, ᾧ παῖδές τε φίλοι ϰαὶ μώνυχες ἵπποι
Θηϱευταί τε ϰύνες ϰαὶ“ ξένοι ἀλλοδαποί.
 
Ὅστις μὴ παῖδάς τε φιλεῖ ϰαὶ μώνυχας ἵππους 1255
Καὶ ϰύνας, οὔποτέ οἱ ϑυμὸς ἐν εὐφϱοσύνῃ.
 
Ὦ παῖ, ϰινδύνοισι πολυπλάγϰτοισιν ὁμοῖος
Ὀϱγὴν, ἄλλοτε τοῖσ', ἄλλοτε τοῖσι φιλεῖν.
 
Ὦ παῖ, τὴν μοϱφὴν μὲν ἔφυς ϰαλός, ἀλλ' ἐπίϰειται
Καϱτεϱὸς ἀγνώμων σῇ ϰεφαλῇ στέφανος· 1260
Ἰϰτίνου γὰϱ ἔχεις ἀγχιστϱόφου ἐν φϱεσὶν ἦϑος
Ἄλλων ἀνϑϱώπων ῥήμασι πειϑόμενος.
 
Ὦ παῖ, ὃς εὖ ἕϱδοντι ϰαϰὴν ἀπέδωϰας ἀμοιβήν,
Οὐδέ τις ἀντ' ἀγαϑῶν ἐστὶ χάϱις παϱὰ σοί·
Οὐδέν πώ μ' ὤνησας· ἐγὼ δέ σε πολλάϰις ἤδη 1265
Εὖ ἕϱδων αἰδοῦς οὐδεμιῆς ἔτυχον.
 
Παῖς τε ϰαὶ ἵππος ὁμοῖον ἔχει νόον· οὔτε γὰϱ ἵππος
Ἡνίοχον ϰλαίει ϰείμενον ἐν ϰονίῃ,
Ἀλλὰ τὸν ὕστεϱον ἄνδϱα φέϱει ϰϱιϑαῖσι ϰοϱεσϑείς·
Ὣς δ' αὔτως ϰαὶ παῖς τὸν παϱεόντα φιλεῖ. 1270
 
Ὦ παῖ, μαϱγοσύνης ἄπο μευ νόον ὤλεσας ἐσϑλόν,
Αἰσχύνη δὲ φίλοισ' ἡμετέϱοισ' ἐγένου·
Ἄμμε δ' ἀνέψυξας μιϰϱὸν χϱόνον· ἐϰ δὲ ϑυελλῶν
Ἦϰά γ' ἐνωϱμίσϑην νυϰτὸς ἐπειγόμενος.
 
Ὡϱαῖος ϰαὶ Ἔϱως ἐπιτέλλεται, ἡνίϰα πεϱ γῆ 1275
Ἄνϑεσιν εἰαϱινοῖς ϑάλλει ἀεξομένη.
Τῆμος Ἔϱως πϱολιπὼν Κύπϱον, πεϱιϰαλλέα νῆσον,
Εἶσιν ἐπ' ἀνϑϱώπους σπέϱμα φέϱων ϰατὰ γῆς.
 
Οὐϰ ἐϑέλω σε ϰαϰῶς ἕϱδειν, οὐδ' εἴ μοι ἄμεινον
Πϱὸς ϑεῶν ἀϑανάτων ἔσσεται, ὦ ϰαλὲ παῖ. 1280
Οὐ γὰϱ ἁμαϱτωλαῖσιν ἐπὶ σμιϰϱαῖσι ϰάϑημαι·
Τῶν δὲ ϰαλῶν παίδων ουτοσετουτ' αδιϰων
 
Ὦ παῖ, μή μ' ἀδίϰει – ἔτι σοι ϰαταϑύμιος εἶναι
Βούλομαι – εὐφϱοσύνῃ τοῦτο συνεὶς ἀγαϑῇ·
Οὐ γάϱ τοί με δόλῳ παϱελεύσεαι οὐδ' ἀπατήσεις· 1285
Νιϰήσας γὰϱ ἔχεις τὸ πλέον ἐξοπίσω.
Ἀλλά σ' ἐγὼ τϱώσω φεύγοντά με, ὥς ποτέ φασιν
Ἰασίου ϰούϱην, παϱϑένον Ἰασίην,
Ὡϱαίην πεϱ ἐοῦσαν ἀναινομένην γάμον ἀνδϱῶν
Φεύγειν ζωσαμένην. ἔϱγ' ἀτέλεστα τέλει 1290
Πατϱὸς νοσφισϑεῖσα δόμων ξανϑὴ Ἀταλάντη·
Ὤιχετο δ' ὑψηλὰς εἰς ϰοϱυφὰς ὀϱέων
Φεύγουσ' ἱμεϱόεντα γάμον, χϱυσῆς Ἀφϱοδίτης
Δῶϱα· τέλος δ' ἔγνω ϰαὶ μάλ' ἀναινομένη.
 
Ὦ παῖ, μή με ϰαϰοῖσιν ἐν ἄλγεσι ϑυμὸν ὀϱίναις, 1295
Μηδέ με σὴ φιλότης δώματα Πεϱσεφόνης
Οἴχηται πϱοφέϱουσα· ϑεῶν δ' ἐποπίζεο μῆνιν
Βάξιν τ' ἀνϑϱώπων, ἤπια νωσάμενος.
 
Ὦ παῖ, μέχϱι τίνος με πϱοφεύξεαι; ὥς σε διώϰων
Δίζημ'· ἀλλά τί μοι τέϱμα γένοιτο ϰιχεῖν. 1300
Σὴ σοὶ γῆ. σὺ δὲ μάϱγον ἔχων ϰαὶ ἀγήνοϱα ϑυμόν
Φεύγεις, ἰϰτίνου σχέτλιον ἦϑος ἔχων.
Ἀλλ' ἐπίμεινον, ἐμοὶ δὲ δίδου χάϱιν· οὐϰέτι δηϱόν
Ἕξεις Κυπϱογενοῦς δῶϱον ἰοστεφάνου.
 
Θυμῷ γνούς, ὅτι παιδείας πολυηϱάτου ἄνϑος 1305
Ὠϰύτεϱον σταδίου, τοῦτο συνεὶς χάλασον
Δεσμοῦ, μή ποτε ϰαὶ σὺ βιήσεαι, ὄβϱιμε παίδων,
Κυπϱογενοῦς δ' ἔϱγων ἀντιάσεις χαλεπῶν,
Ὥσπεϱ ἐγὼ νῦν οἶδ' ἐπὶ σοί. σὺ δὲ ταῦτα φύλαξαι,
Μηδέ σε νιϰήσῃ παιδαϊδη ϰαϰότης. 1310
 
Οὐϰ ἔλαϑες ϰλέψας, ὦ παῖ· ϰαὶ γάϱ σε διῶμμαι·
Τούτοισ', οἷσπεϱ νῦν ἄϱϑμιος ἠδὲ φίλος
Ἔπλευ – ἐμὴν δὲ μεϑῆϰας ἀτίμητον φιλότητα –
Οὐ μὲν δὴ τούτοις γ' ἦσϑα φίλος πϱότεϱον.
Ἀλλ' ἐγὼ ἐϰ πάντων σ' ἐδόϰουν σήσεσϑαι ἑταῖϱον . 1315
Πιστόν· ϰαὶ δὴ νῦν ἄλλον ἔχοισϑα φίλον.
Ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν εὖ ἕϱδων ϰεῖμαι· σὲ δὲ μήτις ἁπάντων
Ἀνϑϱώπων ἐσοϱῶν παιδοφιλεῖν ἐϑέλοι.
 
Ὦ παῖ, ἐπεί τοι δῶϰε ϑεὰ χάϱιν ἱμεϱόεσσαν
Κύπϱις, σὸν δ' εἶδος πᾶσι νέοισι μέλει, 1320
Τῶνδ' ἐπάϰουσον ἐπῶν ϰαὶ ἐμὴν χάϱιν ἔνϑεο ϑυμῷ,
Γνοὺς ἔϱος ὡς χαλεπὸν γίνεται ἀνδϱὶ φέϱειν.
 
Κυπϱογένη, παῦσόν με πόνων, σϰέδασον δὲ μεϱίμνας
Θυμοβόϱους, στϱέψον δ' αὖϑις ἐς εὐφϱοσύνας·
Μεϱμήϱας δ' ἀπόπαυε ϰαϰάς, δὸς δ' εὔφϱονι ϑυμῷ 1325
Μέτϱ' ἥβης τελέσαντ' ἔϱγματα σωφϱοσύνης.
 
Ὦ παῖ, ἕως ἂν ἔχῃς λείαν γένυν, οὔποτε σαίνων
Παύσομαι, οὐδ' εἴ μοι μόϱσιμόν ἐστι ϑανεῖν.
 
Σοί τε διδόντ' ἔτι ϰαλόν, ἐμοί τ' οὐϰ αἰσχϱὸν ἐϱῶντι
Αἰτεῖν· ἀλλὰ γονέων λίσσομαι ἡμετέϱων· 1330
Αἰδέο μ', ὦ παῖ δῖε, διδοὺς χάϱιν, εἴ ποτε ϰαὶ σύ
Ἕξεις Κυπϱογενοῦς δῶϱον ἰοστεφάνου,
Χϱηΐζων ϰαὶ ἐπ' ἄλλον ἐλεύσεαι· ἀλλὰ σὲ δαίμων
Δοίη τῶν αὐτῶν ἀντιτυχεῖν ἐπέων.
 
Ὄλβιος ὅστις ἐϱῶν γυμνάζεται οἴϰαδε ἐλϑών 1335
Εὕδειν σὺν ϰαλῷ παιδὶ πανημέϱιος.
 
Οὐϰέτ' ἐϱῶ παιδός, χαλεπὰς δ' ἀπελάϰτισ' ἀνίας
Μόχϑους τ' ἀϱγαλέους ἄσμενος ἐξέφυγον,
Ἐϰλέλυμαι δὲ πόϑου πϱὸς ἐυστεφάνου Κυϑεϱείης·
Σοὶ δ', ὦ παῖ, χάϱις ἔστ' οὐδεμία πϱὸς ἐμοῦ. 1340
 
Αἰαῖ, παιδὸς ἐϱῶ ἁπαλόχϱοος, ὅς με φίλοισιν
Πᾶσι μάλ' ἐϰφαίνει ϰοὐϰ ἐϑέλοντος ἐμοῦ.
Τλήσομαι οὐ ϰϱύψας ἀεϰούσι πολλὰ βίαια·
Οὐ γὰϱ ἐπ' αἰϰελίῳ παιδὶ δαμεὶς ἐφάνην.
 
Παιδοφιλεῖν δέ τι τεϱπνόν, ἐπεί ποτε ϰαὶ Γανυμήδους 1345
Ἤϱατο ϰαὶ Κϱονίδης, ἀϑανάτων βασιλεύς,
Ἁϱπάξας δ' ἐς Ὄλυμπον ἀνήγαγε ϰαί μιν ἔϑηϰεν
Δαίμονα, παιδείης ἄνϑος ἔχοντ' ἐϱατόν.
Οὕτω μὴ ϑαύμαζε, Σιμωνίδη, οὕνεϰα ϰἀγώ
Ἐξεδάμην ϰαλοῦ παιδὸς ἔϱωτι δαμείς. 1350
 
Ὦ παῖ, μὴ ϰώμαζε, γέϱοντι δὲ πείϑεο ἀνδϱί·
Οὔ τοι ϰωμάζειν σύμφοϱον ἀνδϱὶ νέῳ.
 
Πιϰϱὸς ϰαὶ γλυϰύς ἐστι ϰαὶ ἁϱπαλέος ϰαὶ ἀπηνής,
Ὄφϱα τέλειος ἔῃ, Κύϱνε, νέοισιν ἔϱως.
Ἢν μὲν γὰϱ τελέσῃ, γλυϰὺ γίνεται· ἢν δὲ διώϰων 1355
Μὴ τελέσῃ, πάντων τοῦτ' ἀνιηϱότατον.
 
Αἰεὶ παιδοφίλῃσιν ἐπὶ ζυγὸν αὐχένι ϰεῖται
Δύσμοϱον, ἀϱγαλέον μνῆμα φιλοξενίης.
Χϱὴ γάϱ τοι πεϱὶ παῖδα πονούμενον εἰς φιλότητα
Ὥσπεϱ ϰληματίνῳ χεῖϱα πυϱὶ πϱοσάγειν. 1360
 
Ναῦς πέτϱῃ πϱοσέϰυϱσας ἐμῆς φιλότητος ἁμαϱτών,
Ὦ παῖ, ϰαὶ σαπϱοῦ πείσματος ἀντελάβου.
 
Οὐδαμά σ' οὐδ' ἀπεὼν δηλήσομαι· οὐδέ με πείσει
Οὐδεὶς ἀνϑϱώπων ὥστε με μή σε φιλεῖν.
 
Ὦ παίδων ϰάλλιστε ϰαὶ ἱμεϱοέστατε πάντων, 1365
Στῆϑ' αὐτοῦ ϰαί μου παῦϱ' ἐπάϰουσον ἔπη: –
„Παιδός τοι χάϱις ἐστί· γυναιϰὶ δὲ πιστὸς ἑταῖϱος
Οὐδείς, ἀλλ' αἰεὶ τὸν παϱεόντα φιλεῖ.
Παιδὸς ἔϱως ϰαλὸς μὲν ἔχειν, ϰαλὸς δ' ἀποϑέσϑαι·
Πολλὸν δ' εὑϱέσϑαι ῥήιτεϱον ἢ τελέσαι. 1370
Μυϱία δ' ἐξ αὐτοῦ ϰϱέμαται ϰαϰά, μυϱία δ' ἐσϑλά·
Ἀλλ' ἔν τοι ταύτῃ ϰαί τις ἔνεστι χάϱις.
Οὐδαμά πω ϰατέμεινας ἐμὴν χάϱιν, ἀλλ' ὑπὸ πᾶσαν
Αἰεὶ σπουδαίην ἔϱχεαι ἀγγελίην.“
 
Ὄλβιος ὅστις παιδὸς ἐϱῶν οὐϰ οἶδε ϑάλασσαν, 1375
Οὐδέ οἱ ἐν πόντῳ νὺξ ἐπιοῦσα μέλει.
 
Καλὸς ἐὼν ϰαϰότητι φίλων δειλοῖσιν ὁμιλεῖς
Ἀνδϱάσι, ϰαὶ διὰ τοῦτ' αἰσχϱὸν ὄνειδος ἔχεις,
Ὦ παῖ· ἐγὼ δ' ἀέϰων τῆς σῆς φιλότητος ἁμαϱτών
Ὠνήμην ἕϱδων οἷά τ' ἐλεύϑεϱος ὤν. 1380
 
Ἄνϑϱωποί σ' ἐδόϰουν χϱυσῆς παϱὰ δῶϱον ἔχοντα
Ἐλϑεῖν Κυπϱογενοῦς.
 
Κυπϱογενοῦς δῶϱον ἰοστεφάνου
Γίνεται ἀνϑϱώποισιν ἔχειν χαλεπώτατον ἄχϑος,
Ἂν μὴ Κυπϱογενὴς δῷ λύσιν ἐϰ χαλεπῶν. 1385
 
Κυπϱογενὲς Κυϑέϱεια δολοπλόϰε, σοὶ τί πεϱισσόν
Ζεὺς τόδε τιμήσας δῶϱον ἔδωϰεν ἔχειν;
Δαμνᾶις δ' ἀνϑϱώπων πυϰινὰς φϱένας, οὐδέ τίς ἐστιν
Οὕτως ἴφϑιμος ϰαὶ σοφὸς ὥστε φυγεῖν.
 

ruel Love, Frenzies were they that took thee up and nursed thee; through thee came ruin to Ilium’s stronghold, came ruin to great Theseus son of Aegeus, and ruin to noble Ajax son of Oileus, by reason of thy presumptuousness.
 
1235-1238Curb thy wits, lad, and listen to me; I’ll tell thee a tale not unpersuasive, nor yet unpleasing, to thy heart; try then to understand my words; thou’rt under no necessity to do what is not to thy mind.
 
1238a-1240Never be thou persuaded by the words of men of the baser sort to leave the friend thou hast and seek another; for ’tis certain they will often say vain things, against thee before me, and against me before thee; so turn them a deaf ear.
 
1241-1242Thou wilt rejoice in the friendship which is past, and no longer be the dispenser of that which is passing.
 
1243-1244We have been friends long enough; consort thou now with others, keeping thy crafty ways that are so contrary to loyalty.
 
1245-1246We shall never be true friends one to the other any more than fire and water will mingle together.
 
1247-1248Consider my hatred and violence, and be thy heart assured I will punish thy offence to the best of my power.
 
1249-1252Lad, thou’rt like unto a horse, because now that thou hast had thy fill of frolicking thou art come again to my stall desiring a good rider, a fair meadow, a cool spring, and a shady grove.
 
1253-1254Happy he that hath dear children, whole-hoovad steeds, hunting hounds, and friends in foreign parts.
 
1255-1256He that loveth not children and whole-hoovad steeds and hounds, never is his heart merry.
 
1257-1258Thou hast a disposition like a gadding young wagtail’s, lad; for thou’rt loved now by these and now by those.
 
1259-1262Thou’rt fair in form, lad, but a mighty great wreath of ignorances is upon thy head; for the ways of thy wits are those of a darting kite, seeing that thou art persuaded by the words of other men.
 
1263-1266O lad who hast given ill return for good conferred, and hast no gratitude for kindness done thee, never yet hast thou advantaged me, and I that have so often served thee well have no respect at thy hands.
 
1267-1270Like are the minds of a lad and of a horse; the horse weepeth not because his rider is in the dust, but hath his fill of barley and carrieth another in his turn; and in like manner a lad loveth him that is present to him.
 
1271-1274Thou hast lost me my good wits, lad, by reason of thy gluttonies, and art become a shame to our friends; but to me thou hast given a little time to refresh me, and with night at hand I lie quiet in haven after the storm.
 
1275-1278Love himself riseth in due season, when the earth swelleth and bloweth with the flowers of Spring; ay, then cometh Love from Cyprus’ beauteous isle with joy for man throughout the world.
 
1278a-1278bWhoso hath given thee counsel concerning me and bidden thee abandon our friendship and begone...
 
1278c-1278dLike a lion sure of his strength I have drunk not the blood of the fawn my claws seized away from his dam.
 
1279-1282I have no wish to do thee harm, fair lad, not though I should fare better at the hands of Heaven; for I sit still under no light provocation, but there’s no requital made the fair, howsoever they may deserve it.
 
1283-1294Wrong me not, lad （still would I fain be to thy liking）, but understand this with good shrewdness; [thy wiles] shall not circumvent me nor deceive me; thou hast won, and thine is the advantage hereafter, but yet will I wound thee as thou fliest me, even as they tell that the daughter of Iasius once fled [the young Hippomenes], refusing wedlock for all she was ripe to wed; ay, girded herself up and accomplished the unaccomplishable, forsaking her father’s house, the fair-haired Atalanta, and was away to the high tops of the hills, flying from delightful wedlock, gift of golden Aphrodite; yet for all her refusing, she came to know the end.
 
1295-1298I would not have thee stir my heart in evil pains, lad, nor that my friendship for thee should carry me away unto the house of Persephone; nay, have thou respect unto the wrath of God and the report of man, for thou hast thought to do foolishly.
 
1299-1304How long wilt thou fly me, lad? O how hotfoot do I pursue thee! Heaven grant some end may come to thy anger. Yet thou fliest me in the greed and haughtiness of thy heart, and thy ways are the cruel ways of a kite. O stay and grant me thy favour; not for long now wilt thou possess the gift of the violet-crownad Cyprus-born.
 
1305-1310Knowing in thy heart that the flowering-time of sweet delightful childhood is fleeter than a footrace, free me from my bonds, lest ever thou be thyself put under restraint, thou mighty among lads, and be confronted with the harsh works of the Cyprus-born even as I am, here and now, for thee. Beware then thou, lest badness overwhelm thy childish ignorance.
 
1311-1318I know well enough thou didst cheat me, lad; for I can e’en see through thee. Those with whom thou art now so close and friendly, abandoning for worthless thy friendship for me, with them thou wast not friends before; whereas I, I thought to make thee of all my comrades the truest, and now thou hast another to thy friend. I that did well by thee lie neglected; I would that no man living who shall see thee may be willing to set his love on thee.
 
1318a-1318bO miserable me! become I am a joy unto mine enemies and a vexation to my friends because of my sufferings.
 
1319-1322Seeing that great Cypris hath given thee so delightful grace, lad, and all the young are concerned for thy beauty, give ear to these words and cherish favour of me in thy heart, knowing how hard a thing love is for a man to bear.
 
1323-1326O Cyprus-born, end Thou my woes, scatter my carking cares, turn me again unto good cheer, make cease my evil imaginings, and grant me to accomplish the works of wisdom when I have fulfilled merrily the measure of Youth.
 
1327-1328My lad, so long as thy cheek be smooth I will never cease to pay my court, no, not if I have to die.
 
1329-1334To thee that grantest it my suit bringeth honour, and to me that desire it no disgrace; I beseech thee, by my parents, fair lad, have respect unto me and grant me favour; or if ever thou in thy turn shalt come to another to crave the gift of the violet-crownad Cyprus-born, God grant thou meet with the same words that I meet with now.
 
1335-1336Happy he that loveth as he taketh his practice and when he goeth home sleepeth the day out with a fair lad.
 
1337-1340I no longer love a lad; I have shaken off sore troubles and gladly ’scaped grievous distress; I am delivered of my longing by the wreathad Cytherea, and thou, lad, hast no favour in my eyes.
 
1341-1344Woe ’s me! I love a smooth-skinned lad who exposeth me to all my friends, nor am I loath; I will bear with many things that are sore against my liking, and make it no secret; for ’tis no unhandsome lad I am seen to be taken with.
 
1345-1350A pleasant thing hath lad’s-love ever been since Ganymede was loved of the great Son of Cronus, the king of the Immortals, who seized and brought him to Olympus and made him a God, what time his boyhood was in its lovely flower. In like manner, Simonides, be not thou astonished that ’tis come out that I too am taken with the love of a fair lad.
 
1351-1352Lad, revel not, but give thou heed to the ancient saw: — Revelling is not proper to a young man.
 
1353-1356Bitter and sweet, kindly also and harsh, Cyrnus, is love unto the young till it be fulfilled; for if a man achieve, it becometh sweet, and if he pursue and achieve not, that is of all things the most painful.
 
1357-1358On the neck of the lad-lover there ever sitteth a galling yoke that is a grievous memorial of love-of-strangers.
 
1359-1360For he that is concerned with a lad for friendship’s sake must surely put his hands as it were to a fire of vine-loppings.
 
1361-1362Thou hast failed to make harbour in my friendship, lad, and laying hold of a rotten hawser hast struck upon a rock.
 
1363-1364Never will I do thee harm even in absence, nor shall any man living persuade me, as thou art fain to persuade me, not to love thee.
 
1365-1366O fairest and most desirable of all lads, stand where thou art and give ear to a few words of mine.
 
1367-1368Gratitude belongeth, ’tis sure, to a lad; but a woman-comrade is never true; she loveth him that is present unto her.
 
1369-1372Lad’s love is a fine thing to have and a fine thing to put away; ’tis easier to find than to satisfy; ten thousand are the evil things and ten thousand the good that hang upon it; but there’s e’en a charm in the wavering of the balance.
 
1373-1374Never hast thou delayed me thy favours, but comest always at every message with all speed.
 
1375-1376Happy is he that loving a lad knoweth not the sea nor hath concern with the night’s coming upon the deep.
 
1377-1380Though fair thou be, thou consortest, through the badness of thy mind, with men of the baser sort, and for this, lad, thou bearest foul reproach. And I that have failed, through no fault of my own, to win thy friendship, have the satisfaction of doing what is expected of a freeman like me.
 
1381-1382Those that expected thee, man, to come to bestow the gift of the golden Cyprus-born ...
 
1383-1385... the gift of the violet-crownad ... becometh a most grievous burden unto man, unless the Cyprus-born grant deliverance from trouble.
 
1386-1388Cyprus-born Cytherea, weaver of wiles, Zeus hath given Thee this gift because He honoureth Thee exceeding much — Thou overwhelmest the shrewd wits of men, nor lives the man so strong and wise that he may escape Thee.
— Translated by John Maxwell Edmonds: Elegy And Iambus, Vol. I. London: Heinemann, 1931. p. 228 sqq.
 

ϑηναῖος· ἡμεῖς δέ γε ἀγαϑῶν ὄντων τούτων ἔτι φαμὲν ἀμείνους εἶναι ϰαὶ πολὺ τοὺς ἐν τῷ μεγίστῳ πολέμῳ γιγνομένους ἀϱίστους διαφανῶς: ποιητὴν δὲ ϰαὶ ἡμεῖς μάϱτυϱ᾽ ἔχομεν, Θέογνιν, πολίτην τῶν ἐν Σιϰελίᾳ Μεγαϱέων, ὅς φησιν—“πιστὸς ἀνὴϱ χϱυσοῦ τε ϰαὶ ἀϱγύϱου ἀντεϱύσασϑαι ἄξιος ἐν χαλεπῇ, Κύϱνε, διχοστασίῃ.” τοῦτον δή φαμεν ἐν πολέμῳ χαλεπωτέϱῳ ἀμείνονα ἐϰείνου πάμπολυ γίγνεσϑαι, σχεδὸν ὅσον ἀμείνων διϰαιοσύνη ϰαὶ σωφϱοσύνη ϰαὶ φϱόνησις εἰς ταὐτὸν ἐλϑοῦσαι μετ᾽ ἀνδϱείας, αὐτῆς μόνης ἀνδϱείας. πιστὸς μὲν γὰϱ ϰαὶ ὑγιὴς ἐν στάσεσιν οὐϰ ἄν ποτε γένοιτο ἄνευ συμπάσης ἀϱετῆς: διαβάντες δ᾽ εὖ ϰαὶ μαχόμενοι ἐϑέλοντες ἀποϑνῄσϰειν ἐν ᾧ πολέμῳ φϱάζει Τύϱταιος τῶν μισϑοφόϱων εἰσὶν πάμπολλοι, ὧν οἱ πλεῖστοι γίγνονται ϑϱασεῖς ϰαὶ ἄδιϰοι ϰαὶ ὑβϱισταὶ ϰαὶ ἀφϱονέστατοι σχεδὸν ἁπάντων, ἐϰτὸς δή τινων εὖ μάλα ὀλίγων. ποῖ δὴ τελευτᾷ νῦν ἡμῖν οὗτος ὁ λόγος, ϰαὶ τί φανεϱόν ποτε ποιῆσαι βουληϑεὶς λέγει ταῦτα; δῆλον ὅτι τόδε, ὡς παντὸς μᾶλλον ϰαὶ ὁ τῇδε παϱὰ Διὸς νομοϑέτης, πᾶς τε οὗ ϰαὶ σμιϰϱὸν ὄφελος, οὐϰ ἄλλο ἢ πϱὸς τὴν μεγίστην ἀϱετὴν μάλιστα βλέπων ἀεὶ ϑήσει τοὺς νόμους: ἔστι δέ, ὥς φησιν Θέογνις, αὕτη πιστότης ἐν τοῖς δεινοῖς, ἥν τις διϰαιοσύνην ἂν τελέαν ὀνομάσειεν. ἣν δ᾽ αὖ Τύϱταιος ἐπῄνεσεν μάλιστα, ϰαλὴ μὲν ϰαὶ ϰατὰ ϰαιϱὸν ϰεϰοσμημένη τῷ ποιητῇ, τετάϱτη μέντοι ὅμως ἀϱιϑμῷ τε ϰαὶ δυνάμει τοῦ τιμία εἶναι λέγοιτ᾽ ἂν ὀϱϑότατα.
— 630α-630δ

thenian: Yet, brave though these men are, we still maintain that they are far surpassed in bravery by those who are conspicuously brave in the greatest of wars; and we also have a poet for witness, — Theognis (a citizen of Sicilian Megara), who says: “In the day of grievous feud, O Cyrnus, the loyal warrior is worth his weight in silver and gold.” Such a man, in a war much more grievous, is, we say, ever so much better than the other—nearly as much better, in fact, as the union of justice, prudence and wisdom with courage is better than courage by itself alone. For a man would never prove himself a loyal and sound in civil war if devoid of goodness in its entirety; whereas in the war of which Tyrtaeus speaks there are vast numbers of mercenaries ready to die fighting “with well-planted feet apart,” of whom the majority, with but few exceptions, prove themselves reckless, unjust, violent, and pre-eminently foolish. What, then, is the conclusion to which our present discourse is tending, and what point is it trying to make clear by these statements? Plainly it is this: both the Heaven-taught legislator of Crete and every legislator who is worth his salt will most assuredly legislate always with a single eye to the highest goodness and to that alone; and this (to quote Theognis) consists in “loyalty in danger,” and one might term it “complete righteousness.” But that goodness which Tyrtaeus specially praised, fair though it be and fitly glorified by the poet, deserves nevertheless to be placed no higher than fourth in order and estimation.
— Translated by Robert Gregg Bury.

heognis of Megara was one of the early Greek elegiac poets; he probably flourished about the middle of the 6th century B.C. We derive our knowledge of his life from the poems that bear his name. After the fall of Theagenes, who had made himself tyrant of Megara about 625, the usual struggles between oligarchy and democracy ensued. Theognis was a violent partisan of the oligarch ical faction in his native town, and wrote elegies in which he gave expression to the emotions roused in him by the varying phases of the struggle. He appears on one occasion to have lost his property (verse 345) and been driven into exile: perhaps it was then that he visited Sicily, Euboea, and Sparta (783 sq.). In the end if we may trust 1123 sq. he returned to Megara, and lived, at least for a time, in something like prosperity. The date of his death is unknown. The verses handed down to us under the name of Theognis amount in all to 1389. Not a few of them are ascribed on the evidence of the ancients to Tyrtaeus, Mimnernus, and Solon; modern criticism has made it probable that two of the longer elegies are from the hand of Evenus (467-496 and 667-686); other fragments are demonstrably later than Theognis. It is now generally admitted that the Theognidea were put together long after Theognis possibly even as late as the 4th century B.C. by some compiler who wished to provide a good collection of moral maxims for educational purposes. To separate the genuine fragments of Theognis from those which were ascribed to him by the reverence of a later age is a hopeless task.

The collection is divided into two books. The first, which is addressed to a youth called Cyrnus, or Polypsedes, opens with a spirited invocation of Apollo and Artemis, along with the Muses and the Graces (vv. 1-18); then follows a passage which has been much discussed in connexion with the early history of writing, recommending Cyrnus to set a seal upon the author’s verses, to prevent forgers from passing off spurious lines under his name (see Jevons, Hist. of Greek Lit., p. 46). With verse 27 begins a series of counsels to Cyrnus. On the whole they are remarkable neither for loftiness of tone nor for poetic elevation. Cyrnus is counselled to avoid “the bad” and frequent the society of “the good” men the terms “good” and “bad” being used to denote aristocrats and democrats, just as ϰαλὸς ϰἀγαϑός meant an oligarch in the later days of the Peloponnesian War. Sometimes the violence of party feeling leads Theognis beyond all bounds, as when he prays that he may “drink the black blood” of his opponents (349; cf. 337-339 and 361). One striking feature in these elegies is the continual refrain about the evils of poverty. “To avoid poverty one should even throw oneself into the vasty deep, or from the beetling rocks” (175-176; cf. 266 sq., 351 sq., and 649 sq.). Elsewhere the poet reproaches Zeus with allowing evil men to prosper, and afflicting the good (373 sq.); he also complains that the punishment due to wicked men often falls upon their sons (731 sq.). A pleasing feature is the high value which is placed upon friendship: one is not to part with a friend lightly, or upon some slight occasion of displeasure (323 sq.). At the same time no one knows better than Theognis how quickly friends fail one in adversity (299-300). Life has on the whole few charms for our poet: “the best thing for man is not to be born or look upon the rays of the swift sun; once born it is best for him to pass as soon as possible the gates of death, and lie with a great barrow of earth above him” (425-429). The prevailingly sad tone of the elegies is occasionally broken by a convivial note. “It is shameful,” says the poet, “to be drunk when others are sober, or sober when others are drunk” (626-627); “among the uproarious I am very uproarious, but among the proper I am the properest of men” (313-314). The only elegy which possesses any considerable poetic merit in the first book is that in which Theognis predicts immortality for his young friend through the fame awaiting his own poems. The second book (1231-1389) consists of a number of amatory elegies addressed to some young friend of the author’s. In vigour and harmony of versification they are on the whole superior to the first book; but most if not all of them are probably spurious.
— Volume XXIII. Edinburgh: Black, 1888, p. 260.