ΕΥΔΟΞΑ ΑΓΝΩΣΤΑ ΚΑΤΑΓΕΛΑΣΤΑ
“Don’t render judgment before you hear both sides.”
μηδὲ δίκην δικάσηις, πρὶν ἄμφω μῦθον ἀκούσηις
There is some clause-ending rhyme here, perhaps for mnemonic and rhetorical effect (mayde dikayn dikasays, prin ampho moothon akousays). Sort of like the “if the glove doesn’t fit you must acquit” of the ancient world…
If someone chances to hit first, he gets a trophy;
but for a man is a good and dutiful citizen,
even if he conquers everyone in honesty,
there is no trophy
κἄν τις τύχῃ πρῶτος, εἴληφε χειρόνιπτρον,
ἀνὴρ δ᾿ ὅταν τις ἀγαθὸς ᾖ καὶ χρήσιμος πολίτης,
νικᾷ τε πάντας χρηστὸς ὤν, οὔκ ἔστι
χειρόνιπτρον
I cheated a bit on χειρόνιπτρον, but I thought that “trophy” would make more sense in English…
“Do Atreus’ sons alone of mortal men love their wives?”
ἦ μοῦνοι φιλέουσ’ ἀλόχους μερόπων ἀνθρώπων
᾿Ατρεΐδαι;
Achilles says this when the embassy comes to see him to appease his anger over Agamemnon’s taking of Briseis.
