Epigrams, Greek; Greek poetry -- Translations into English
XLVI
NICON'S NOSE
NICARCHUS
I see Nicon's hooked nose, Menippus; it is evident he is not far off
now; oh, he will be here, let us just wait; for at the most his nose
is not, I fancy, five stadia off him. Nay, here it is, you see,
stepping forward; if we stand on a high mound we shall catch sight of
him in person.
XLVII
WHO SO PALE AND WAN, FOND LOVER
ASCLEPIADES
Drink, Asclepiades; why these tears? what ails thee? not of thee only
has the cruel Cyprian made her prey, nor for thee only bitter Love
whetted the arrows of his bow; why while yet alive liest thou in the
dust?
XLVIII
THE WORLD'S REVENGE
LUCIAN
In a company where all were drunk, Acindynus must needs be sober; and
so he seemed himself the one drunk man there.
XLIX
EPILOGUE
PHILODEMUS
I was in love once; who has not been? I have revelled; who is
uninitiated in revels? nay, I was mad; at whose prompting but a god's?
Let them go; for now the silver hair is fast replacing the black, a
messenger of wisdom that comes with age. We too played when the time
of playing was; and now that it is no longer, we will turn to worthier
thoughts.
CHAPTER XI
DEATH
I
THE SPAN OF LIFE
MACEDONIUS
Earth and Birth-Goddess, thou who didst bear me and thou who coverest,
farewell; I have accomplished the course between you, and I go, not
discerning whither I shall travel; for I know not either whose or who
I am, or whence I came to you.
II
DUSTY DEATH
AUTHOR UNKNOWN
Pay no offering of ointments or garlands on my stony tomb, nor make
the fire blaze up; the expense is in vain. While I live be kind to me
if thou wilt; but drenching my ashes with wine thou wilt make mire,
and the dead man will not drink.
III
A CITIZEN OF THE REPUBLIC
LEONIDAS OF TARENTUM
A little dust of earth suffices me; let another lie richly, weighed
down by his extravagant tombstone, that grim weight over the dead, who
will know me here in death as Alcander son of Calliteles.
IV
BENE MERENTI
AUTHOR UNKNOWN
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account