Tag: Archaic Greek Poetry

Silent Out of Necessity

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Theognis, Elegies 225-256

“Most beautiful is what is most just; the best thing is to be healthy
Most pleasurable of all: to gain whatever you love.”

κάλλιστον τὸ δικαιότατον· λῷστον δ᾿ ὑγιαίνειν·
πρᾶγμα δὲ τερπνότατον, τοῦ τις ἐρᾷ, τὸ τυχεῖν.

313-314

“I am the craziest among the crazy, but among just men
I am the justest person of all.”

ἐν μὲν μαινομένοις μάλα μαίνομαι, ἐν δὲ δικαίοις
πάντων ἀνθρώπων εἰμὶ δικαιότατος.

363-364

“Charm your enemy well. But whenever the advantage is yours,
Pay him back without any explanation.”

εὖ κώτιλλε τὸν ἐχθρόν· ὅταν δ᾿ ὑποχείριος ἔλθῃ,
τεῖσαί μιν πρόφασιν μηδεμίαν θέμενος.

365-366

“Keep your thoughts close, but let your tongue be ever sweet:
A temper which grows sharply is a mark of worthless men.”

ἴσχε νόῳ, γλώσσῃ δὲ τὸ μείλιχον αἰὲν ἐπέστω·
δειλῶν τοι τελέθει καρδίη ὀξυτέρη.

419-420

“Many things which occur I understand—but I am silent
Because of necessity, since I know my own power.”

πολλά με καὶ συνιέντα παρέρχεται· ἀλλ᾿ ὑπ᾿ἀνάγκης
σιγῶ, γινώσκων ἡμετέρην δύναμιν.

465-466

“Exhaust yourself for excellence; let just pursuits be dear do you;
Never may any profit which is shameful overpower you.”

ἀμφ᾿ ἀρετῇ τρίβου, καί τοι τὰ δίκαια φίλ᾿ ἔστω,
μηδέ σε νικάτω κέρδος ὅ τ᾿ αἰσχρὸν ἔῃ.

Publius Terencius Afer, Comoediae [comédies de Térence] ca. 1411; Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal, Ms-664 réserve, 157r
Bibliothèque de l’Arsenal, Ms-664 réserve, 157r

We Don’t Have Justice, But We Still have Hope

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Theognis, Elegies 1135-1150

“Hope is the only noble god left among mortals:
The rest of have abandoned us to go to Olympos.
Trust, a great god, left; Prudence has left men.
The Graces, my friend, have surrendered the earth.

Oaths in a court of law can no longer be trusted;
And no one fears shame before the immortal gods
As the race of righteous men has disappeared.
People no longer recognize precedents or sacred duties.

But as long as someone lives and sees the light of the sun,
Let him foster Hope and act righteously before the gods.
Let him pray to the gods and, while burning shining thigh bones,
Sacrifice to Hope first and last.

And let each person always look out for the crooked word of unjust men:
Those men who do not fear the rage of the gods at all,
Who forever conspire in their thoughts against others’ property,
Men who make shameful agreements for future evil deeds.”

᾿Ελπὶς ἐν ἀνθρώποισι μόνη θεὸς ἐσθλὴ ἔνεστιν,
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.
εὐσεβέων δ’ ἀνδρῶν γένος ἔφθιτο, οὐδὲ θέμιστας
οὐκέτι γινώσκουσ’ οὐδὲ μὲν εὐσεβίας.
ἀλλ’ ὄφρα τις ζώει καὶ ὁρᾶι φῶς ἠελίοιο,
εὐσεβέων περὶ θεοὺς ᾿Ελπίδα προσμενέτω·
εὐχέσθω δὲ θεοῖσι, καὶ ἀγλαὰ μηρία καίων
᾿Ελπίδι 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.

Recueil de prose et de vers concernant Alexandre, Annibal et Scipion, Hector et Achille, Dagobert, Clovis II et Charles VIII, Philippe le Beau, roi d'Espagne, les comtes de Dammartin.
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Not Exactly the Serenity Prayer…

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Solon, Fr. 13. 1–8

“Glorious children of Olympian Zeus and Memory
Pierian Muses, hear me as I pray.
Grant me happiness from the blessed gods and possession
Of a good reputation among all people forever.
In this may I be sweet to my friends and bitter to my enemies,
Revered by the former and terrible for the latter to see.
I long to have money, but I do not want to obtain it
Unjustly—punishment inevitably comes later.

Μνημοσύνης καὶ Ζηνὸς ᾿Ολυμπίου ἀγλαὰ τέκνα,
Μοῦσαι Πιερίδες, κλῦτέ μοι εὐχομένωι·
ὄλβον μοι πρὸς θεῶν μακάρων δότε, καὶ πρὸς ἁπάντων
ἀνθρώπων αἰεὶ δόξαν ἔχειν ἀγαθήν·
εἶναι δὲ γλυκὺν ὧδε φίλοις, ἐχθροῖσι δὲ πικρόν,
τοῖσι μὲν αἰδοῖον, τοῖσι δὲ δεινὸν ἰδεῖν.
χρήματα δ’ ἱμείρω μὲν ἔχειν, ἀδίκως δὲ πεπᾶσθαι
οὐκ ἐθέλω· πάντως ὕστερον ἦλθε δίκη.

Image result for medieval manuscript justice
Image from here

Forging His Own Chains

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Theognis, 429-38

“It is easier to conceive and feed a mortal than put
Decent thoughts in his head. No one has figured out a way
To make a fool wise or a bad man good.”

φῦσαι καὶ θρέψαι ῥᾷον βροτὸν ἢ φρένας ἐσθλὰς
ἐνθέμεν· οὐδείς πω τοῦτό γ᾿ ἐπεφράσατο,
ᾧ τις σώφρον᾿ ἔθηκε τὸν ἄφρονα κἀκ κακοῦ ἐσθλόν.

539-540

“That man, dear Kurnos, is making his own chains,
Unless the gods are ruining my judgment.”

οὗτος ἀνήρ, φίλε Κύρνε, πέδας χαλκεύεται αὑτῷ,
εἰ μὴ ἐμὴν γνώμην ἐξαπατῶσι θεοί.

541-542

“I fear that arrogance will destroy this state, Polypaides,
Just as it destroyed the raw-meat-eating Kentaurs.”

δειμαίνω μὴ τήνδε πόλιν, Πολυπαΐδη, ὕβρις
ἥ περ Κενταύρους ὠμοφάγους ὀλέσῃ.

561-562

“I wish I could have some of my enemies’ money for me
But give most of it to all my friends to keep”

εἴη μοι τὰ μὲν αὐτὸν ἔχειν, τὰ δὲ πόλλ᾿ ἐπιδοῦναι
χρήματα τῶν ἐχθρῶν τοῖσι φίλοισιν ἔχειν.

Double-bag bellows

Fragmentary Friday Finale: Theognis on the Evil Man’s Justice

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Theognis, 279-282

“It is fitting that an evil man have an evil understanding of justice
And no concern for any criticism to come.
For a wicked man many crimes are ready,
And he thinks that everything he does is good.”

εἰκὸς τὸν κακὸν ἄνδρα κακῶς τὰ δίκαια νομίζειν,
μηδεμίαν κατόπισθ᾿ ἁζόμενον νέμεσιν·
δειλῷ γάρ τ᾿ ἀπάλαμνα βροτῷ πάρα πόλλ᾿ἀνελέσθαι
πὰρ ποδός, ἡγεῖσθαί θ᾿ ὡς καλὰ πάντα τιθεῖ.

Theognis, 319-322

“Kurnos, a good man’s judgment is always firm
And he is constant in both bad times and good ones.
But if a god grants life and wealth to a wicked man,
He cannot refrain from evil because of his stupidity.”

Κύρν᾿, ἀγαθὸς μὲν ἀνὴρ γνώμην ἔχει ἔμπεδον αἰεί,
τολμᾷ δ᾿ ἔν τε κακοῖς κείμενος ἔν τ᾿ ἀγαθοῖς·
εἰ δὲ θεὸς κακῷ ἀνδρὶ βίον καὶ πλοῦτον ὀπάσσῃ,
ἀφραίνων κακίην οὐ δύναται κατέχειν.

Image result for medieval manuscript bad friend
This is an allegory.

Everyone Is Devious; Some People are Just Bad (More Theognis)

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Theognis, 221-226

“Whoever believes that his neighbor knows nothing
And he alone forms clever plans,
That guy is a fool with an impaired mind.
For we all equally think of clever things,
But where one man is not willing to seek evil profit,
Another is pleased by deceptive plots.”

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,
τῷ δὲ δολοπλοκίαι μᾶλλον ἄπιστοι ἅδον.

Image result for medieval manuscript bad friend
Friends, working together

Fragmentary Friday: Theognis on Friendship

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Theognis, 93-100

“If someone praises you for as long as you see him
But lashes you with an evil tongue when you are apart,
That kind of man is not a very good friend at all.
He’s the kind who speaks smoothly with his tongue, but harbors different thoughts.

Let me have that kind of friend who knows his companion
And puts up with him when he’s mean or in a rage,
Like a brother. But you, friend, keep these things your heart
And you will remember me in future days.”

ἄν τις ἐπαινήσῃ σε τόσον χρόνον ὅσσον ὁρῴης,
νοσφισθεὶς δ᾿ ἄλλῃ γλῶσσαν ἱῇσι κακήν,
τοιοῦτός τοι ἑταῖρος ἀνὴρ φίλος οὔ τι μάλ᾿ἐσθλός.
ὅς κ᾿ εἴπῃ γλώσσῃ λεῖα, 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.

119-128

“One can survive the ruin from counterfeit silver and gold
Kurnos—and a wise person can easily discover it.
But if a dear friend’s mind is hidden in his chest
When he is false and he has a deceptive heart,
Well this the most counterfeit thing god has made for mortals
And it is the most painful thing of all to recognize.
For you cannot know the mind of a man or a woman
Before you investigate them, like an animal under a yoke—
And you cannot imagine what they are like at the right time
Since the outer image often misleads your judgment.”

Χρυσοῦ κιβδήλοιο καὶ ἀργύρου ἀνσχετὸς ἄτη,
Κύρνε, καὶ ἐξευρεῖν ῥάιδιον ἀνδρὶ σοφῶι.
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,
πρὶν πειρηθείης ὥσπερ ὑποζυγίου,
οὐδέ κεν εἰκάσσαις ὥσπερ ποτ’ ἐς ὥριον ἐλθών·
πολλάκι γὰρ γνώμην ἐξαπατῶσ’ ἰδέαι.

 

Friendship
Royal 19 C II  f. 59v

How to Break Up With a Friend

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Theognis, Elegies 595-598

“Dude, let’s be friends with each other at a distance.
With the exception of wealth, there’s too much of any good thing.
But we can be friends for a long time, just spend time with different men
Who have a better grasp of your mind.”

ἄνθρωπ᾿, ἀλλήλοισιν ἀπόπροθεν ὦμεν ἑταῖροι·
πλὴν πλούτου παντὸς χρήματός ἐστι κόρος.
δὴν δὴ καὶ φίλοι ὦμεν· ἀτάρ τ᾿ ἄλλοισιν ὁμίλει
ἀνδράσιν, οἳ τὸν σὸν μᾶλλον ἴσασι νόον.

C02249-01
Roman de la Rose, France (Paris), Add MS 42133, f. 15

Theognis Starts With Some Swagger

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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.

 

Related image

Some Timely Advice on Judging People from Theognis

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Theognis, 117-118

“Nothing is harder than recognizing a counterfeit.
But, Kurnos, there is nothing more urgent than guarding against one.”

κιβδήλου δ᾿ ἀνδρὸς γνῶναι χαλεπώτερον οὐδέν,
Κύρν᾿, οὐδ᾿ εὐλαβίης ἐστὶ περὶ πλέονος.

119-128

“One can survive the ruin from counterfeit silver and gold
Kurnos—and a wise person can easily uncover it.
But if a dear friend’s mind is hidden in his chest
When he is false and he has a deceptive heart,
Well, this the most counterfeit thing god has made for mortals
And it is the most painful thing of all to recognize.

For you cannot know the mind of a man or a woman
Before you investigate them, like an animal under a yoke—
And you cannot imagine what they are like at the right time
Since appearances often mislead your judgement.”

Χρυσοῦ κιβδήλοιο καὶ ἀργύρου ἀνσχετὸς ἄτη,
Κύρνε, καὶ ἐξευρεῖν ῥάιδιον ἀνδρὶ σοφῶι.
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,
πρὶν πειρηθείης ὥσπερ ὑποζυγίου,
οὐδέ κεν εἰκάσσαις ὥσπερ ποτ’ ἐς ὥριον ἐλθών·
πολλάκι γὰρ γνώμην ἐξαπατῶσ’ ἰδέαι.

unoferswīðed
British Library, Royal 20 B XX, fol. 51v