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Theocritus · Epigrams §19.1-19.4

Epitaph for the Poet Hipponax

Passage 19 of 25 · Greek

Summary

An epitaph for the poet Hipponax, which warns wicked passersby to stay away from the tomb but invites virtuous ones of good descent to sit and rest.

§19.1Ὁ μουσοποιὸς ἐνθάδʼ Ἱππῶναξ κεῖται.
The poet Hipponax lies here.
§19.2εἰ μὲν πονηρός, μὴ ποτέρχευ τῷ τύμβῳ· §19.3εἰ δʼ ἐσσὶ κρήγυός τε καὶ παρὰ χρηστῶν, §19.4θαρσέων καθίζευ, κἢν θέλῃς ἀπόβριξον.
If you are wicked, do not approach the tomb; but if you are honest and born of good parents, sit down with confidence, and if you wish, fall asleep.

Notes

  1. §19.2πονηρός — The second-person singular verb ἐσσί (or εἶ) is omitted, meaning "if you are wicked".
  2. §19.3παρὰ χρηστῶν — The preposition παρά with the genitive indicates parentage or origin ("descended from..."). A noun such as γονέων (parents) is omitted after the adjective χρηστῶν (good, virtuous).
  3. §19.4θαρσέων — Present active participle, masculine singular nominative, of the verb θαρσέω. Used adverbially to modify the imperative καθίζευ, meaning "with confidence" or "fearlessly".

Cite this passage

Theocritus, Epigrams §19.1-19.4. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0005.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:19.1-19.4

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