Theognis, Elegies 19-26
“Kurnos, let a seal be placed on these words of mine
As I speak wisdom—they will not be stolen in secret,
And no one will take something worse in exchange
When something good is near, but every person will say this:
“Here are the words of Theognis of Megara, famous throughout all peoples.
But I am not yet able to please our fellow citizens.
This is nothing surprising, Polypaides—for not even Zeus
Pleases everyone when he rains or restrains himself.
Κύρνε, σοφιζομένῳ μὲν ἐμοὶ σφρηγὶς ἐπικείσθω
οῖσδ᾿ ἔπεσιν· λήσει δ᾿ οὔποτε κλεπτόμενα,
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
οὔθ’ ὕων πάντεσσ’ ἁνδάνει οὔτ’ ἀνέχων.
