§8.1ὥρα πότνια, κάρυξ Ἀφροδίτας ἀμβροσιᾶν φιλοτάτων, §8.2ἅτε παρθενηΐοις παίδων τʼ ἐφίζοισα γλεφάροις, §8.3τὸν μὲν ἁμέροις ἀνάγκας χερσὶ βαστάζεις, ἕτερον δʼ ἑτέραις.
O queenly Season, herald of Aphrodite's ambrosial loves, who, sitting upon the maidenly eyelids and those of youths, upliftest one with the gentle hands of necessity, but another with other hands.
And it is desirable, not straying from the right season, in each action, to be able to win the better loves.
§8.6οἷοι καὶ Διὸς Αἰγίνας τε λέκτρον ποιμένες ἀμφεπόλησαν §8.7Κυπρίας δώρων· ἔβλαστεν δʼ υἱὸς Οἰνώνας βασιλεὺς §8.8χειρὶ καὶ βουλαῖς ἄριστος.
Such loves as those which tended the bridal bed of Zeus and Aegina, as guardians of the Cyprian goddess's gifts; and from them sprang a son, the king of Oenone, best in hand and in counsels.
πολλά νιν πολλοὶ λιτάνευον ἰδεῖν. §8.9ἀβοατὶ γὰρ ἡρώων ἄωτοι περιναιεταόντων §8.10ἤθελον κείνου γε πείθεσθʼ ἀναξίαις ἑκόντες, §8.11οἵ τε κρανααῖς ἐν Ἀθάναισιν ἅρμοζον στρατόν, §8.12οἵ τʼ ἀνὰ Σπάρταν Πελοπηϊάδαι.
Many a time did many entreat to see him; for, without summons, the finest of the heroes dwelling around were willing of their own accord to obey his sovereignty— both those who marshaled hosts in rocky Athens, and those of the race of Pelops throughout Sparta.
§8.13ἱκέτας Αἰακοῦ σεμνῶν γονάτων πόλιός θʼ ὑπὲρ φίλας §8.14ἀστῶν θʼ ὑπὲρ τῶνδʼ ἅπτομαι φέρων §8.15Λυδίαν μίτραν καναχηδὰ πεποικιλμέναν, §8.16Δείνιος δισσῶν σταδίων καὶ πατρὸς Μέγα Νεμεαῖον ἄγαλμα.
As a suppliant at the sacred knees of Aeacus, both on behalf of his beloved city and on behalf of these citizens, I touch them, bringing a Lydian headband embroidered with sounding song, a Nemean ornament of victory for the double-stadion run of Deinis and for his father Megas.
§8.17σὺν θεῷ γάρ τοι φυτευθεὶς ὄλβος ἀνθρώποισι παρμονώτερος· §8.18ὅσπερ καὶ Κινύραν ἔβρισε πλούτῳ ποντίᾳ ἔν ποτε Κύπρῳ.
For wealth planted with a god's favor is indeed more abiding for men; which once also loaded Cinyras with wealth in sea-girt Cyprus.
§8.19ἵσταμαι δὴ ποσσὶ κούφοις, ἀμπνέων τε πρίν τι φάμεν.
Now I stand on light feet, drawing breath before I speak.
§8.20πολλὰ γὰρ πολλᾷ λέλεκται· ν εα ρὰ δʼ ἐξευρόντα δόμεν βασάνῳ §8.21ἐς ἔλεγχον, ἅπας κίνδυνος· ὄψον δὲ λόγοι φθονεροῖσιν·
For many things have been said in many ways; but to find new things and submit them to the touchstone for testing is an absolute danger; and words are a dainty dish to the envious.
§8.22ἅπτεται δʼ ἐσλῶν ἀεί, χειρόνεσσι δʼ οὐκ ἐρίζει.
Envy always fastens upon the noble, and does not contend with the baser.
§8.23κεῖνος καὶ Τελαμῶνος δάψεν υἱὸν φασγάνῳ ἀμφικυλίσαις.
That envy also devoured the son of Telamon, making him fall upon his own sword.
§8.24ἦ τινʼ ἄγλωσσον μέν, ἦτορ δʼ ἄλκιμον, λάθα κατέχει §8.25ἐν λυγρῷ νείκει· μέγιστον δʼ αἰόλῳ ψεύδει γέρας ἀντέταται.
Indeed, oblivion covers a man who is tongueless but stout of heart, in a grievous strife; and the greatest prize is held out to the shifty falsehood.
§8.26κρυφίαισι γὰρ ἐν ψάφοις Ὀδυσσῆ Δαναοὶ θεράπευσαν· §8.27χρυσέων δʼ Αἴας στερηθεὶς ὅπλων φόνῳ πάλαισεν.
For in secret ballots the Danaans favored Odysseus, and Ajax, deprived of the golden armor, wrestled with death.
§8.28ἦ μὰν ἀνόμοιά γε δᾴοισιν ἐν θερμῷ χροῒ §8.29ἕλκεα ῥῆξαν πελεμιζόμενοι §8.30ὑπʼ ἀλεξιμβρότῳ λόγχᾳ, τὰ μὲν ἀμφʼ Ἀχιλεῖ νεοκτόνῳ, §8.31ἄλλων τε μόχθων ἐν πολυφθόροις §8.32ἁμέραις.
Yet surely, very different were the wounds they tore in the warm flesh of the foes as they were shaken under the man-protecting spear—some around the newly-slain Achilles, and in other labors during those destructive days.
ἐχθρὰ δʼ ἄρα πάρφασις ἦν καὶ πάλαι, §8.33αἱμύλων μύθων ὁμόφοιτος, δολοφραδής, κακοποιὸν ὄνειδος· §8.34ἃ τὸ μὲν λαμπρὸν βιᾶται, τῶν δʼ ἀφάντων κῦδος ἀντείνει σαθρόν.
Hate-filled deception, then, existed even of old, the companion of flattering myths, plotting guile, a mischief-making disgrace; which forces down that which is bright, and holds up the rotten glory of the obscure.
§8.35εἴη μή ποτέ μοι τοιοῦτον ἦθος, Ζεῦ πάτερ, ἀλλὰ κελεύθοις §8.36ἁπλόαις ζωᾶς ἐφαπτοίμαν, θανὼν ὡς παισὶ κλέος §8.37μὴ τὸ δύσφαμον προσάψω.
May I never have such a character, Father Zeus, but may I hold to the simple paths of life, so that, when I die, I may not attach an ill-famed reputation to my children.
χρυσὸν εὔχονται, πεδίον δʼ ἕτεροι §8.38ἀπέραντον· ἐγὼ δʼ ἀστοῖς ἁδὼν καὶ χθονὶ γυῖα καλύψαιμʼ, §8.39αἰνέων αἰνητά, μομφὰν δʼ ἐπισπείρων ἀλιτροῖς.
Some pray for gold, others for boundless land; but for me, may I cover my limbs in the earth, having pleased my fellow citizens, praising what is praiseworthy, and sowing blame upon sinners.
§8.40αὔξεται δʼ ἀρετά, χλωραῖς ἐέρσαις ὡς ὅτε δένδρεον ᾁσσει, §8.41ἐν σοφοῖς ἀνδρῶν ἀερθεῖσʼ ἐν δικαίοις τε πρὸς ὑγρὸν §8.42αἰθέρα.
Virtue grows, just as when a tree shoots up with fresh dews, raised up among the wise and just of men towards the moist ether.
χρεῖαι δὲ παντοῖαι φίλων ἀνδρῶν· τὰ μὲν ἀμφὶ πόνοις §8.43ὑπερώτατα· μαστεύει δὲ καὶ τέρψις ἐν ὄμμασι θέσθαι §8.44πιστόν.
Diverse are the needs for friendly men; those in labors indeed are the highest; but delight also seeks to place a faithful pledge before the eyes.
ὦ Μέγα, τὸ δʼ αὖτις τεὰν ψυχὰν κομίξαι §8.45οὔ μοι δυνατόν· κενεᾶν δʼ ἐλπίδων χαῦνον τέλος· §8.46σεῦ δὲ πάτρᾳ Χαριάδαις τʼ Ἐλαφρὸν §8.47ὑπερεῖσαι λίθον Μοισαῖον ἕκατι ποδῶν εὐωνύμων §8.48δὶς δὴ δυοῖν.
O Megas, to bring back your soul again is not possible for me; and the end of empty hopes is hollow; but for your fatherland and the Chariadae, it is easy to set up a monument of the Muses because of the famous feet of twice indeed two.
χαίρω δὲ πρόσφορον §8.49ἐν μὲν ἔργῳ κόμπον ἱείς, ἐπαοιδαῖς δʼ ἀνὴρ §8.50νώδυνον καί τις κάματον θῆκεν.
I rejoice to utter a fitting boast for the deed, and with incantations a man makes even labor painless.
ἦν γε μὰν ἐπικώμιος ὕμνος §8.51δὴ πάλαι καὶ πρὶν γενέσθαι τὰν Ἀδράστου τάν τε Καδμείων ἔριν.
Indeed, the triumphal hymn existed long ago, even before the strife of Adrastus and the Cadmeans arose.