“Hades’ hall is horrifying
And the passage there is hard.
Worse: it is decided that
who ventures there does not return.”
Ἀίδεω γάρ ἐστι δεινὸς
μυχός, ἀργαλῆ δ᾿ ες αὐτὸν
κάτοδος. και γὰρ ἐτοῖμον
καταβάντι μὴ ἀναβῆναι
Anacreon fr. 395.9-12 (Stobaeus, Anthology)
Part of my most favourite piece of Anacreon, beginning with ‘I have gone grey at the temples….’