§2.1μεγαλοπόλιες ὦ Συράκοσαι, βαθυπολέμου §2.2τέμενος Ἄρεος, ἀνδρῶν ἵππων τε σιδαροχαρμᾶν δαιμόνιαι τροφοί, §2.3ὔμμιν τόδε τᾶν λιπαρᾶν ἀπὸ Θηβᾶν φέρων §2.4μέλος ἔρχομαι ἀγγελίαν τετραορίας ἐλελίχθονος, §2.5εὐάρματος Ἱέρων ἐν ᾇ κρατέων §2.6τηλαυγέσιν ἀνέδησεν Ὀρτυγίαν στεφάνοις, §2.7ποταμίας ἕδος Ἀρτέμιδος, ἇς οὐκ ἄτερ §2.8κείνας ἀγαναῖσιν ἐν χερσὶ ποικιλανίους ἐδάμασσε πώλους.
Great city of Syracuse, sacred precinct of Ares deep-warring, divine nurturer of men and horses rejoicing in iron, for you, bringing from bright Thebes this song, I come with the message of the earth-shaking four-horse chariot, in which Hieron, victorious with his fine chariot, bound Ortygia with far-shining crowns, the seat of river-dwelling Artemis, not without whose help did he tame with gentle hands those colts with varied reins.
§2.9ἐπὶ γὰρ ἰοχέαιρα παρθένος χερὶ διδύμᾳ §2.10ὅ τʼ ἐναγώνιος Ἑρμᾶς αἰγλᾶντα τίθησι κόσμον, ξεστὸν ὅταν δίφρον §2.11ἔν θʼ ἅρματα πεισιχάλινα καταζευγνύῃ §2.12σθένος ἵππιον, ὀρσοτρίαιναν εὐρυβίαν καλέων θεόν.
For the archer maiden with her double hand and Hermes, lord of contests, place the glittering ornament, whenever he yokes to the polished car and to the reins-obedient chariot the horse-strength, calling upon the wide-ruling god of the trident.
For other men indeed, another has performed a sweet-sounding hymn to kings, as a reward for their valor.
§2.15κελαδέοντι μὲν ἀμφὶ Κινύραν πολλάκις §2.16φᾶμαι Κυπρίων, τὸν ὁ χρυσοχαῖτα προφρόνως ἐφίλησʼ Ἀπόλλων, §2.17ἱερέα κτίλον Ἀφροδίτας· ἄγει δὲ χάρις φίλων ποίνιμος ἀντὶ ἔργων ὀπιζομένα·
Often they sing of Cinyras the rumors of the Cyprians, whom golden-haired Apollo kindly loved as the sacred priest of Aphrodite; and gratitude leads them, paying respect in return for friendly deeds.
§2.18σὲ δʼ, ὦ Δεινομένειε παῖ, Ζεφυρία πρὸ δόμων §2.19Λοκρὶς παρθένος ἀπύει, πολεμίων καμάτων ἐξ ἀμαχάνων §2.20διὰ τεὰν δύναμιν δρακεῖσʼ ἀσφαλές.
But for you, O son of Deinomenes, the Locrian maiden before her house in the west sings aloud, from hopeless, intolerable troubles of war having looked upon safety through your power.
§2.21θεῶν δʼ ἐφετμαῖς Ἰξίονα φαντὶ ταῦτα βροτοῖς §2.22λέγειν ἐν πτερόεντι τροχῷ §2.23παντᾷ κυλινδόμενον· §2.24τὸν εὐεργέταν ἀγαναῖς ἀμοιβαῖς ἐποιχομένους τίνεσθαι. §2.25ἔμαθε δὲ σαφές.
And they say that Ixion, by the commands of the gods, says these things to mortals, on his winged wheel, rolling everywhere: "To recompense the benefactor with gentle returns." And he learned this clearly.
εὐμενέσσι γὰρ παρὰ Κρονίδαις §2.26γλυκὺν ἑλὼν βίοτον, μακρὸν οὐχ ὑπέμεινεν ὄλβον, μαινομέναις φρασὶν §2.27Ἥρας ὅτʼ ἐράσσατο, τὰν Διὸς εὐναὶ λάχον §2.28πολυγαθέες·
For having won a sweet life among the kindly sons of Cronus, he did not endure long prosperity, when with mad mind he fell in love with Hera, who held the joyful bed of Zeus.
ἀλλά νιν ὕβρις εἰς ἀυάταν ὑπεράφανον §2.29ὦρσεν· τάχα δὲ παθὼν ἐοικότʼ ἀνὴρ §2.30ἐξαίρετον ἕλε μόχθον.
But his insolence drove him into extreme delusion; and quickly suffering what was fitting, this man received an extraordinary torment.
αἱ δύο δʼ ἀμπλακίαι §2.31φερέπονοι τελέθοντι· τὸ μὲν ἥρως ὅτι §2.32ἐμφύλιον αἷμα πρώτιστος οὐκ ἄτερ τέχνας ἐπέμιξε θνατοῖς, §2.33ὅτι τε μεγαλοκευθέεσσιν ἔν ποτε θαλάμοις §2.34Διὸς ἄκοιτιν ἐπειρᾶτο.
His two offenses brought labor upon him: first, because he, a hero, mingled kindred blood for mortals, not without guile, and because once in the deep-hollowed chambers he tempted the wife of Zeus.
χρὴ δὲ κατʼ αὐτὸν αἰεὶ παντὸς ὁρᾶν μέτρον.
One must always look to the measure of everything according to oneself.
§2.35εὐναὶ δὲ παράτροποι ἐς κακότατʼ ἀθρόαν §2.36ἔβαλον· ποτὶ καὶ τὸν ἵκοντʼ· ἐπεὶ νεφέλᾳ παρελέξατο, §2.37ψεῦδος γλυκὺ μεθέπων, ἄϊδρις ἀνήρ·
Unlawful beds cast him into sudden calamity, even upon him who approached; since he lay with a cloud, pursuing a sweet falsehood, an ignorant man.
§2.38εἶδος γὰρ ὑπεροχωτάτᾳ πρέπεν οὐρανιᾶν §2.39θυγατέρι Κρόνου· ἅντε δόλον αὐτῷ θέσαν §2.40Ζηνὸς παλάμαι, καλὸν πῆμα.
For its form was like the most supreme of the heavenly daughters of Cronus, which the hands of Zeus placed as a snare for him, a beautiful bane.
τὸν δὲ τετράκναμον ἔπραξε δεσμόν, §2.41ἑὸν ὄλεθρον ὅγʼ· ἐν δʼ ἀφύκτοισι γυιοπέδαις πεσὼν τὰν πολύκοινον ἀνδέξατʼ ἀγγελίαν.
And he brought about his own four-spoked bond, his own destruction; falling into inescapable fetters, he received the message common to all.
§2.42ἄνευ οἱ Χαρίτων τέκεν γόνον ὑπερφίαλον, §2.43μόνα καὶ μόνον, οὔτʼ ἐν ἀνδράσι γερασφόρον οὔτʼ ἐν θεῶν νόμοις· §2.44τὸν ὀνύμαξε τράφοισα Κένταυρον, ὃς §2.45ἵπποισι Μαγνητίδεσσι ἐμίγνυτʼ ἐν Παλίου §2.46σφυροῖς, ἐκ δʼ ἐγένοντο στρατὸς §2.47θαυμαστός, ἀμφοτέροις §2.48ὁμοῖοι τοκεῦσι, τὰ ματρόθεν μὲν κάτω, τὰ δʼ ὕπερθε πατρός.
Without the Graces she bore him an arrogant offspring, she alone, a single child, honored neither among men nor in the laws of the gods; she reared him and named him Centaur, who mingled with Magnesian mares in the foothills of Pelion, and from them was born a wondrous host, like to both parents: the lower parts from the mother, the upper from the father.
§2.49θεὸς ἅπαν ἐπὶ ἐλπίδεσσι τέκμαρ ἀνύεται, §2.50θεός, ὃ καὶ πτερόεντʼ αἰετὸν κίχε, καὶ θαλασσαῖον παραμείβεται §2.51δελφῖνα, καὶ ὑψιφρόνων τινʼ ἔκαμψε βροτῶν, §2.52ἑτέροισι δὲ κῦδος ἀγήραον παρέδωκʼ.
God accomplishes every end according to his hopes, God, who overtakes even the winged eagle, and outstrips the dolphin of the sea, and bends many a high-minded mortal, while to others he grants unaging glory.
ἐμὲ δὲ χρεὼν §2.53φεύγειν δάκος ἀδινὸν κακαγοριᾶν.
But for me, it is necessary to flee the vehement bite of evil-speaking.
§2.54εἶδον γὰρ ἑκὰς ἐὼν τὰ πόλλʼ ἐν ἀμαχανίᾳ §2.55ψογερὸν Ἀρχίλοχον βαρυλόγοις ἔχθεσιν §2.56πιαινόμενον·
For being far off, I have often seen, in helplessness, slanderous Archilochus growing fat on heavy-worded hatreds.
τὸ πλουτεῖν δὲ σὺν τύχᾳ πότμου σοφίας ἄριστον.
But to be wealthy with the fortune of destiny is the best of wisdom.
§2.57τὺ δὲ σάφα νιν ἔχεις, ἐλευθέρᾳ φρενὶ πεπαρεῖν, §2.58πρύτανι κύριε πολλᾶν μὲν εὐστεφάνων ἀγυιᾶν καὶ στρατοῦ.
You clearly have this, to display with a free mind, ruler and lord of many well-crowned streets and host.
εἰ δέ τις §2.59ἤδη κτεάτεσσί τε καὶ περὶ τιμᾷ λέγει §2.60ἕτερόν τινʼ ἀνʼ Ἑλλάδα τῶν πάροιθε γενέσθαι ὑπέρτερον, §2.61χαύνα πραπίδι παλαιμονεῖ κενεά.
If anyone now says that another throughout Hellas of those of old became superior in wealth and honor, his empty mind contends in vain.
I will embark on a blooming fleet, singing of your valor.
νεότατι μὲν ἀρήγει θράσος §2.64δεινῶν πολέμων· ὅθεν φαμὶ καὶ σὲ τὰν ἀπείρονα δόξαν εὑρεῖν, §2.65τὰ μὲν ἐν ἱπποσόαισιν ἄνδρεσσι μαρνάμενον, τὰ δʼ ἐν πεζομάχαισι·
In youth, courage aids in terrible wars; whence I say that you also found infinite glory, fighting now among horse-driving men, now among foot-soldiers.
And your riper counsels afford me a risk-free word to praise you in every account.
χαῖρε.
Farewell.
τόδε μὲν κατὰ Φοίνισσαν ἐμπολὰν §2.68μέλος ὑπὲρ πολιᾶς ἁλὸς πέμπεται·
This song, like Phoenician merchandise, is sent over the grey sea.
§2.69τὸ Καστόρειον δʼ ἐν Αἰολίδεσσι χορδαῖς ἑκὼν §2.70ἄθρησον χάριν ἑπτακτύπου §2.71φόρμιγγος ἀντόμενος.
But look upon the Castor-song on Aeolian strings, willingly meeting the favor of the seven-toned lyre.
§2.72γένοιʼ οἷος ἐσσὶ μαθών·
Become what you have learned to be.
καλός τοι πίθων παρὰ παισίν, αἰεὶ §2.73καλός.
An ape is beautiful to children, always beautiful.
ὁ δὲ Ῥαδάμανθυς εὖ πέπραγεν, ὅτι φρενῶν §2.74ἔλαχε καρπὸν ἀμώμητον, οὐδʼ ἀπάταισι θυμὸν τέρπεται ἔνδοθεν· §2.75οἷα ψιθύρων παλάμαις ἕπετʼ αἰεὶ βροτῷ.
But Rhadamanthys fared well, because he obtained the blameless fruit of wisdom, and does not delight his soul within with deceptions, such as always accompany a mortal by the arts of whisperers.
An invincible evil to both are the whisperers of slander, utterly like foxes in their dispositions.
§2.78κερδοῖ δὲ τί μάλα τοῦτο κερδαλέον τελέθει;
But for the fox, what is so very profitable in this?
§2.79ἅτε γὰρ εἰνάλιον πόνον ἐχοίσας βαθὺν §2.80σκευᾶς ἑτέρας, ἀβάπτιστός εἰμι, φελλὸς ὣς ὑπὲρ ἕρκος ἅλμας.
For like the cork above the net of the sea, while the rest of the tackle labors deep in the brine, I am unimmersed.
§2.81ἀδύνατα δʼ ἔπος ἐκβαλεῖν κραταιὸν ἐν ἀγαθοῖς §2.82δόλιον ἀστόν· ὅμως μὰν σαίνων ποτὶ πάντας, ἄταν πάγχυ διαπλέκει.
It is impossible for a deceitful citizen to speak a powerful word among the good; nevertheless, fawning upon all, he completely weaves ruin.
§2.83οὔ οἱ μετέχω θράσεος· φίλον εἴη φιλεῖν· §2.84ποτὶ δʼ ἐχθρὸν ἅτʼ ἐχθρὸς ἐὼν λύκοιο δίκαν ὑποθεύσομαι, §2.85ἄλλʼ ἄλλοτε πατέων ὁδοῖς σκολιαῖς.
I do not share his boldness; let it be mine to love my friend, but against my enemy, being an enemy, I will run him down like a wolf, treading now here, now there on crooked paths.
§2.86ἐν πάντα δὲ νόμον εὐθύγλωσσος ἀνὴρ προφέρει, §2.87παρὰ τυραννίδι, χὠπόταν ὁ λάβρος στρατός, §2.88χὤταν πόλιν οἱ σοφοὶ τηρέωντι.
Under every law, the straight-tongued man excels, under a tyranny, and when the boisterous crowd rules, and when the wise guard the city.
χρὴ δὲ πρὸς θεὸν οὐκ ἐρίζειν, §2.89ὃς ἀνέχει τοτὲ μὲν τὰ κείνων, τότʼ αὖθʼ ἑτέροις ἔδωκεν μέγα κῦδος.
But one must not contend against god, who raises up now their fortunes, and now again gives great glory to others.
ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ ταῦτα νόον §2.90ἰαίνει φθονερῶν· στάθμας δέ τινος ἑλκόμενοι §2.91περισσᾶς ἐνέπαξαν ἕλκος ὀδυναρὸν ἑᾷ πρόσθε καρδίᾳ, §2.92πρὶν ὅσα φροντίδι μητίονται τυχεῖν.
But not even this soothes the mind of the envious; drawing a line too far, they fix a painful wound in their own heart before they attain all that they plan in their thoughts.
§2.93φέρειν δʼ ἐλαφρῶς ἐπαυχένιον λαβόντα ζυγὸν §2.94ἀρήγει· ποτὶ κέντρον δέ τοι §2.95λακτιζέμεν τελέθει §2.96ὀλισθηρὸς οἶμος·
But to bear lightly the yoke upon the neck helps; to kick against the goad is indeed a slippery path.
ἁδόντα δʼ εἴη με τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ὁμιλεῖν.
May it be mine to please the good and to associate with them.