For Friday, Some Fragments from Phocylides

Some fragments from Phocylides, mostly preserved in Stobaeus

3 Stob. 4.29.28

“What good is it to be noble
For those who are charmless in words and counsel?”

τί πλέον, γένος εὐγενὲς εἶναι,
οἷς οὔτ᾿ ἐν μύθοις ἕπεται χάρις οὔτ᾿ ἐνὶ βουλῇ;

Φωκυλίδου (fr. 9 B. p. 4473).

“Many men certainly seem to be sound of mind
Because they walk around in good order, even though they’re airheads”

Πολλοί τοι δοκέουσι σαόφρονες ἔμμεναι ἄνδρες,
σὺν κόσμῳ στείχοντες, ἐλαφρόνοοί περ ἐόντες.

Ps. Phoc. 113

“Everyone is equal as a corpse and god is king of the dead.
The land is common to all, both paupers and their kings.”

Πάντες ἴσον νέκυες, ψυχῶν δὲ θεὸς βασιλεύει.
κοινὸς χῶρος ἅπασι, πένησί τε καὶ βασιλεῦσιν.

Fr. 4

“A city lived in order on high ground
Though small is better than brainless Ninevah”

πόλις ἐν σκοπέλῳ κατὰ κόσμον
οἰκέουσα σμικρὴ κρέσσων Νίνου ἀφραινούσης.