Rejection of Mercenary Poetry and Criticism of Simonides

Notes

1. §7.1ἐργάτιν — Accusative singular of the feminine noun ἐργάτις (a female laborer, hireling). It functions as a predicate accusative to the direct object τὴν Μοῦσαν ('keep the Muse as a hireling'), conveying a critique of Simonides, who was said to have commercialized poetry.
2. §7.1νέπους — A rare poetic noun in the nominative singular meaning 'descendant, offspring.' It is likely cognate with or borrowed from the Latin *nepos*, standing in apposition to the nominative subject phrase ὁ Κεῖος.