Declaring War on the Morning Birds

Anacreonta 10

“What do you want me to do with you,
What’s left, chatty bird?
Should I grab your light wings
And take my scissors to them?
Or should I take out your tongue
Like that Tereus?

Why do you steal Bathyllus
From my sweet dreams
With your good-morning songs?”

τί σοι θέλεις ποιήσω,
τί σοι, λάλη χελιδόν;
τὰ ταρσά σευ τὰ κοῦφα
θέλεις λαβὼν ψαλίξω;

ἢ μᾶλλον ἔνδοθέν σευ
τὴν γλῶσσαν, ὡς ὁ Τηρεὺς
ἐκεῖνος, ἐκθερίξω;
τί μευ καλῶν ὀνείρων

ὑπορθρίαισι φωναῖς
ἀφήρπασας Βάθυλλον;