§241ἐγὼ δὲ τὸν σὸν κρᾶτ’ ἀναστέψαι θέλω.
But I wish to crown your head.
§242φέρει δὲ καὶ τοῦτ’ οὐχὶ μικρόν, εὐγενὴς
ἀνὴρ στρατηγῶν εὐκλεᾶ τ’ ἔχων φάτιν.
And this also brings no small advantage, that a noble man is general and has a glorious reputation.
§243ὀλίγον ἄλκιμον δόρυ
κρεῖσσον στρατηγοῦ μυρίου στρατεύματος.
A small, valiant spear is better than a general of a myriad army.
§244ὀλίγοι γὰρ ἐσθλοὶ κρείσσονες πολλῶν κακῶν.
For a few noble men are better than many bad ones.
§245ἓν δέ σοι μόνον προφωνῶ, μὴ ἐπὶ δουλείαν ποτὲ
ζῶν ἑκὼν ἔλθῃς παρὸν σοὶ κατθανεῖν ἐλευθέρῳ.
But I forewarn you of only one thing: never go voluntarily into slavery while living, when it is possible for you to die free.
§246νεανίας τε καὶ πένης σοφός θ’ ἅμα· ταῦτ’ εἰς ἓν ἐλθόντ’ ἄξι’ ἐνθυμήσεως.
A young man, and poor, and wise at the same time: these things coming together into one are worthy of consideration.
§247τί δ’ οὐκ ἂν εἴη χρηστὸς ὄλβιος γεγώς;
And how could he not be good, having become wealthy?
§248οὐκ ἔστι πενίας ἱερὸν αἰσχίστης θεοῦ. μισῶ γὰρ ὄντως οἵτινες φρονοῦσι μέν,
φρονοῦσι δ’ οὐδὲν ὥς γε χρημάτων ὕπερ.
There is no temple of poverty, that most shameful goddess; for I truly hate those who indeed have wisdom, but have no wisdom except concerning wealth.
§249μὴ πλούσιον θῇς· ἐνδεέστερος γὰρ ὢν
ταπεινὸς ἔσται·
Do not make him rich; for if he is more needy, he will be humble.
κεῖνο δ’ ἰσχύει μέγα,
πλοῦτος λαβών 〈τε〉 τοῦτον εὐγενὴς ἀνήρ.
But that has great power, if a noble man receives this wealth.
§250τυραννίδ’ ἥ θεῶν δευτέρα νομίζεται· τὸ μὴ θανεῖν γὰρ οὐκ ἔχει, τὰ δ’ ἄλλ’ ἔχει.
Tyranny is considered second to the gods; for it does not have the power not to die, but it has all other things.
§251κρείσσω γὰρ οὔτε δοῦλον οὔτ’ ἐλεύθερον
τρέφειν ἐν οἴκοις ἀσφαλὲς τοῖς σώφροσιν.
For it is not safe for the prudent to rear in their houses anyone stronger, whether slave or free.
§252ἐκ τῶν δικαίων γὰρ νόμοι τ’ αὐξήματα
μεγάλα φέρουσι πάντα δ’ ἀνθρώποις. . τάδ’ ἐστὶ χρήματ’, ἤν τις εὐσεβῇ θεόν.
For from just things, both laws and all great growth bring to men... these are riches, if one reveres the god.
§253ἀπλοῦς ὁ μῦθος, μὴ λέγ’ εὖ· τὸ γὰρ λέγειν
εὖ δεινόν ἐστιν, εἰ φέρει τινα βλάβην.
The story is simple: do not speak well; for speaking well is terrible, if it brings some harm.
§254πόλλ’, ὦ τέκνον, σφάλλουσιν ἀνθρώπους θεοί.
O child, gods trip up men in many things.
τὸ ῥᾷστον εἶπας, αἰτιάσασθαι θεούς.
You have said the easiest thing, to blame the gods.
§255δοκεῖς τὰ τῶν θεῶν ξυνετὰ νικήσειν ποτὲ
καὶ τὴν Δίκην που μάκρ’ ἀπῳκίσθαι βροτῶν·
Do you think that you will ever conquer the wise plans of the gods, and that Justice is settled somewhere far from mortals?
ἢ δ’ ἐγγύς ἐστιν, οὐχ ὁρωμένη δ’ ὁρᾷ
ὃν χρὴ κολάζειν τ’ οἶδεν· ἀλλ’ οὐκ οἶσθα σὺ
ὁπόταν ἄφνω μολοῦσα διολέσῃ κακούς.
But she is near, and unseen she sees, and knows whom she must punish; but you do not know when, coming suddenly, she will utterly destroy the wicked.
§256μακάριος ὅστις νοῦν ἔχων τιμᾷ θεὸν
καὶ κέρδος αὐτῷ τοῦτο ποιεῖται μέγα.
Blessed is he who, having understanding, honors god and makes this a great gain for himself.
§257πολλοὺς δ’ ὁ θυμὸς ὁ μέγας ὤλεσεν βροτῶν
ἥ τ’ ἀξυνεσία, δύο κακὼ τοῖς χρωμένοις.
And great anger and lack of understanding have destroyed many of mortals, two evils to those who use them.
§258τῷ γὰρ βιαίῳ κἀγρίῳ τὸ μαλθακὸν
εἰς ταὐτὸν ἐλθὸν τοῦ λίαν παρείλετο.
For when gentleness comes to the same point with the violent and wild, it takes away what is excessive.
§259ὀργῇ δὲ φαύλῃ πόλλ’ ἔνεστ’ ἀσχήμονα.
And in a mean temper there are many unseemly things.
§260ἔπαυσ’ ὁδουροὺς λυμεῶνας
I stopped the road-infesting destroyers.
§261ἔσῳσα δούλην οὖσαν· οἱ γὰρ ἥσσονες
τοῖς κρείσσοσιν φιλοῦσι δουλεύειν βροτῶν.
I saved her who was a slave; for the weaker of mortals are accustomed to serve the stronger.
§262πάλαι σκοποῦμαι τὰς τύχας τῶν βροτῶν
ὡς εὖ μεταλλάσσουσιν· ὃς γὰρ ἂν σφαλῇ
εἰς ὀρθὸν ἔστη χώ πρὶν εὐτυχῶν πίτνει.
Long have I observed the fortunes of mortals, how easily they change; for whoever stumbles is set upright, and he who was formerly fortunate falls.
§263ἔστι καὶ παρὰ δάκρυσι
κείμενον ἡδὺ βροτοῖς, ὅταν
ἄνδρα φίλον στενάχῃ τις ἐν οἴκῳ.
Even among tears there lies something sweet for mortals, when one laments a dear man in the house.
§264τὰ γὰρ οὐκ ὀρθῶς πρασσόμεν’ ὀρθῶς
τοῖς πράσσουσιν κακὸν ἦλθεν.
For things done unjustly, justly brought evil to those who did them.
§265νοῦ δ’ οἶνος ἐξέστησέ μ’· ὁμολογῶ δέ σε
ἀδικεῖν, τὸ δ’ ἀδίκημ’ ἐγένετ’ οὐχ ἑκούσιον.
Wine drove me out of my mind; and I confess that I did you wrong, but the wrong was not voluntary.
§266σκῦλα μὲν βροτοφθόρα
χαίρεις ὁρῶσα καὶ νεκρῶν ἐρείπια,
κοὐ μυσαρά σοι ταῦτ’ ἐστίν· εἰ δ’ ἐγὼ ἔτεκον,
δεινὸν τόδ’ ἡγῇ;
You rejoice to see man-destroying spoils and ruins of corpses, and these are not abominable to you; but if I gave birth, do you consider this terrible?
§267δεινὴ πόλις νοσοῦσ’ ἀνευρίσκειν κακά.
A sick city is clever at discovering evils.
§268καὶ βουθυτεῖν γὰρ ἠξίους ἐμὴν χάριν.
For you also deemed it right to sacrifice bulls for my sake.
§269Ἔρωτα δ’ ὅστις μὴ θεὸν κρίνει μέγαν
καὶ τῶν ἀπάντων δαιμόνων ὑπέρτατον,
ἢ σκαιός ἐστιν ἢ καλῶν ἄπειρος ὢν
οὐκ οἶδε τὸν μέγιστον ἀνθρώποις θεόν.
And whoever does not judge Eros to be a great god and the highest of all divinities, is either foolish or, being inexperienced in beautiful things, does not know the greatest god for men.
§270οὐ τῶν κακούργων οἶκτος ἀλλὰ τῆς δίκης.
Pity is not for evildoers, but for justice.
§271πτηνὰς διώκεις, ὦ τέκνον, τὰς ἐλπίδας.
You are pursuing winged hopes, my child.
οὐχ ἡ τύχη γε· τῆς τύχης δ’ οὐχ εἷς τρόπος.
Not fortune, indeed; and there is not just one way of fortune.
§272τίς δ’ οὐχὶ χαίρει νηπίοις ἀθύρμασιν;
And who does not rejoice in childish toys?
§273πᾶσιν γὰρ ἀνθρώποισιν, οὐχ ἡμῖν μόνον,
ἢ καὶ παραυτίκ’ ἢ χρόνῳ δαίμων βίον
ἔσφηλε, κοὐδεὶς διὰ τέλους εὐδαιμονεῖ.
For to all men, not to us alone, either immediately or in time the divinity trips up life, and no one is happy to the end.
§274τὸ γὰρ ἐπιεικὲς ὠφελεῖ τὰς ξυμφοράς.
For reasonableness benefits misfortunes.
§275κακῶς δ’ ὄλοιντο πάντες οἳ τυραννίδι
χαίρουσιν ὀλίγῃ τ’ ἐν πόλει μοναρχίᾳ· τοὐλεύθερον γὰρ ὄνομα παντὸς ἄξιον,
κἂν σμίκρ’ ἔχῃ τις, μεγάλ’ ἔχειν νομιζέτω.
And may all those perish wretchedly who rejoice in tyranny and monarchy in a small city; for the name of freedom is worth everything, and even if one has little, let him consider that he has much.
§276γυναῖκές ἐσμεν· τὰ μὲν ὄκνῳ νικώμεθα,
τὰ δ’ οὐκ ἂν ἡμῶν θράσος ὑπερβάλοιτό τις.
We are women; in some things we are conquered by hesitation, but in others no one could surpass our boldness.
§277ποῖ;
Whither?
πῶς δὲ λήσει;
And how will he escape notice?
τίς δὲ νῶν πιστὸς φίλος;
And who is a faithful friend to us?
ζητῶμεν· ἡ δόκησις ἀνθρώποις κακόν,
καὶ τοὐπιχειρεῖν γ’ ἐξαμαρτάνειν φιλεῖ.
Let us seek; for suspicion is an evil for men, and attempting is wont to err.