Theognis of Megara
Theognis of Megara (fl. 6th century BC) was an ancient Greek poet. More than half of the elegiac poetry of Greece before the Alexandrian period is included in the 1,400 lines ascribed to Theognis.
Quotes
[edit]Elegies
[edit]
You are so tolerant of their sins!
That man is forging fetters for himself.
- Greek text cited from M. L. West, Iambi et elegi Graeci ante Alexandrum cantati, vol. I (Oxford, 21989)
- δειλοὺς δ᾿ εὖ ἔρδοντι ματαιοτάτη χάρις ἐστίν·
ἶσον καὶ σπείρειν πόντον ἁλὸς πολιῆς.- Vain from the base is hope of gratitude;
Sow ye the sea, you'll reap as fair a crop. - Lines 105–106 (tr. H. B. Harbottle, 1897)
- Vain from the base is hope of gratitude;
- πολλοί τοι πόσιος καὶ βρώσιός εἰσιν ἑταῖροι,
ἐν δὲ σπουδαίῳ πρήγματι παυρότεροι.- One finds many companions for food and drink, but in a serious business a man's companions are few.
- Lines 115–116
- οὐδέ τις ἀνθρώπων ἐργάζεται ἐν φρεσὶν εἰδὼς
ἐς τέλος εἴτ᾿ ἀγαθὸν γίνεται εἴτε κακόν.
πολλάκι γὰρ δοκέων θήσειν κακὸν ἐσθλὸν ἔθηκεν,
καί τε δοκῶν θήσειν ἐσθλὸν ἔθηκε κακόν.- We struggle onward, ignorant and blind,
For a result unknown and undesign’d;
Avoiding seeming ills, misunderstood,
Embracing evil as a seeming good. - Lines 135–138 (tr. J. Banks, 1856)
- We struggle onward, ignorant and blind,
- ἄνθρωποι δὲ μάταια νομίζομεν, εἰδότες οὐδέν·
θεοὶ δὲ κατὰ σφέτερον πάντα τελοῦσι νόον.- Mankind vain things imagines, knowing nought;
The gods bring all to pass as they have planned. - Lines 141–142 (tr. H. B. Harbottle, 1897)
- Mankind vain things imagines, knowing nought;
- βούλεο δ᾿ εὐσεβέων ὀλίγοις σὺν χρήμασιν οἰκεῖν
ἢ πλουτεῖν ἀδίκως χρήματα πασάμενος.- Choose thou a saintly life with modest means,
Sooner than wealth dishonestly acquired. - Lines 145–146 (tr. H. B. Harbottle, 1897)
- Choose thou a saintly life with modest means,
- ἐν δὲ δικαιοσύνῃ συλλήβδην πᾶσ᾿ ἀρετή ᾿στιν,
πᾶς δέ τ᾿ ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς Κύρνε δίκαιος ἐών.- Of virtue justice is the sum and substance,
And every man is virtuous who is just. - Lines 147–148 (tr. H. B. Harbottle, 1897)
- Of virtue justice is the sum and substance,
- χρήματα μὲν δαίμων καὶ παγκάκῳ ἀνδρὶ δίδωσιν
Κύρν᾿· ἀρετῆς δ᾿ ὀλίγοις ἀνδράσι μοῖρ᾿ ἕπεται.- Even to a wicked man a divinity gives wealth, Cyrus, but to few men comes the gift of excellence.
- Lines 149–150
- τίκτει τοι κόρος ὕβριν, ὅταν κακῷ ὄλβος ἕπηται.
- Surfeit begets insolence, when prosperity comes to a bad man.
- Line 153
- ἄλλ᾿ ἄλλῳ κακόν ἐστι, τὸ δ᾿ ἀτρεκὲς ὄλβιος οὐδεὶς
ἀνθρώπων ὁπόσους ἠέλιος καθορᾷ.- To every man a different woe; on one
Who's truly happy ne'er the sun looks down. (tr. H. B. Harbottle, 1897) - Lines 167–168
- To every man a different woe; on one
- ὃν δὲ θεοὶ τιμῶσιν, ὁ καὶ μωμεύμενος αἰνεῖ·
ἀνδρὸς δὲ σπουδὴ γίνεται οὐδεμία.- The lucky man is honoured by the gods
And by his critics with their envious blame,
But earnest striving wins no praise at all. - Lines 169–170 (tr. D. Wender, 1973)
- The lucky man is honoured by the gods
- πουλύπου ὀργὴν ἴσχε πολυπλόκου, ὃς ποτὶ πέτρῃ,
τῇ προσομιλήσῃ, τοῖος ἰδεῖν ἐφάνη.- Adopt the character of the twisting octopus, which takes on the appearance of the nearby rock. Now follow in this direction, now turn a different hue.
- Lines 215–216
- οὐ χρὴ κιγκλίζειν ἀγαθὸν βίον, ἀλλ᾿ ἀτρεμίζειν,
τὸν δὲ κακὸν κινεῖν ἔστ᾿ ἂν ἐς ὀρθὰ βάλῃς.- Don't wag the tail of life if it goes well,
But leave in undisturbed. If it should go
Badly, rock it until it straightens up. - Lines 303–304 (tr. D. Wender, 1973)
- Don't wag the tail of life if it goes well,
- πολλοί τοι πλουτοῦσι κακοί, ἀγαθοὶ δὲ πένονται·
ἀλλ᾿ ἡμεῖς τούτοις οὐ διαμειψόμεθα
τῆς ἀρετῆς τὸν πλοῦτον, ἐπεὶ τὸ μὲν ἔμπεδον αἰεί,
χρήματα δ᾿ ἀνθρώπων ἄλλοτε ἄλλος ἔχει.- Many bad men are rich, many good men are poor. But we will not exchange wealth for virtue along with them. One man has money now, another has money at another time. Money goes around, whereas virtue endures.
- Lines 315–318; also attributed to Solon
- πολλοῖς ἀνθρώπων γλώσσῃ θύρᾳ οὐκ ἐπίκεινται
ἁρμόδιαι, καί σφιν πόλλ᾿ ἀμέλητα πέλει.- Too many tongues have gates which fly apart
Too easily, and care for many things
That don’t concern them. - Lines 421–422 (tr. D. Wender, 1973)
- Too many tongues have gates which fly apart
- πάντων μὲν μὴ φῦναι ἐπιχθονίοισιν ἄριστον,
μηδ᾿ ἐσιδεῖν αὐγὰς ὀξέος ἠελίου,
φύντα δ᾿ ὅπως ὤκιστα πύλας Ἀΐδαο περῆσαι
καὶ κεῖσθαι πολλὴν γῆν ἐπαμησάμενον.- The best of all things for earthly men is not to be born and not to see the beams of the bright sun; but if born, then as quickly as possible to pass the gates of Hades, and to lie deep buried.
- Lines 425–428
- φῦσαι καὶ θρέψαι ῥᾷον βροτὸν ἢ φρένας ἐσθλὰς
ἐνθέμεν· οὐδεί πω τοῦτό γ᾿ ἐπεφράσατο,
ᾧ τις σώφρον᾿ ἔθηκε τὸν ἄφρονα κἀκ κακοῦ ἐσθλόν.
εἰ δ᾿ Ἀσκληπιάδαις τοῦτό γ᾿ ἔδωκε θεός,
ἰᾶσθαι κακότητα καὶ ἀτηρὰς φρένας ἀνδρῶν,
πολλοὺς ἂν μισθοὺς καὶ μεγάλους ἔφερον.
εἰ δ᾿ ἦν ποιητόν τε καὶ ἔνθετον ἀνδρὶ νόημα,
οὔποτ᾿ ἂν ἐξ ἀγαθοῦ πατρὸς ἔγεντο κακός,
πειθόμενος μύθοισι σαόφροσιν· ἀλλὰ διδάσκων
οὔποτε ποιήσει τὸν κακὸν ἄνδρ᾿ ἀγαθόν.- To beget and breed a man is easier than to put into him good wits; none hath ever devised means whereby he hath made a fool wise and a bad man good. If God had given the Children of Asclepius the art of healing a man's evil nature and infatuate wit, they would receive wages much and great; and if thought could be made and put into us, the son of a good father would never become bad, because he would be persuaded by good counsel. But by teaching never shalt thou make the bad man good.
- Lines 429–438
- ἀμφ᾿ ἀρετῇ τρίβου, καί τοι τὰ δίκαια φίλ᾿ ἔστω,
μηδέ σε νικάτω κέρδος ὅ τ᾿ αἰσχρὸν ἔῃ.- Spend time on excellence, and love the right,
And don’t let shameful profit master you. - Lines 465–466 (tr. D. Wender, 1973)
- Spend time on excellence, and love the right,
- ἐν πυρὶ μὲν χρυσόν τε καὶ ἄργυρον ἴδριες ἄνδρες
γινώσκουσ᾿, ἀνδρὸς δ᾿ οἶνος ἔδειξε νόον.- As in the fire the skilled artificer
Tries gold and silver, so doth wine lay bare
The heart of man. - Lines 499–500 (tr. H. B. Harbottle, 1897)
- Alternate translation (ἀνδρὸς—νόον):
- Wine is wont to show the mind of man.
- As in the fire the skilled artificer
- οὐ σὲ μάτην ὦ Πλοῦτε βροτοὶ τιμῶσι μάλιστα·
ἦ γὰρ ῥηϊδίως τὴν κακότητα φέρεις.- Ploutos, no wonder mortals worship you:
You are so tolerant of their sins! - Lines 523–524 (tr. D. Wender, 1973)
- Ploutos, no wonder mortals worship you:
- οὗτος ἀνὴρ φίλε Κύρνε πέδας χαλκεύεται αὑτῷ,
εἰ μὴ ἐμὴν γνώμην ἐξαπατῶσι θεοί.- Kurnos, unless the gods deceive my mind,
That man is forging fetters for himself. - Lines 539–540 (tr. D. Wender, 1973)
- Kurnos, unless the gods deceive my mind,
- ἐχθαίρω δὲ γυναῖκα περίδρομον, ἄνδρά τε μάργον,
ὃς τὴν ἀλλοτρίην βούλετ᾿ ἄρουραν ἀροῦν.- I hate a woman who's a gadabout, I hate
The greedy man who'll plough another's field. - Lines 581–582 (tr. H. B. Harbottle, 1897)
- I hate a woman who's a gadabout, I hate
- ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν προβέβηκεν, ἀμήχανόν ἐστι γενέσθαι
ἀργά· τὰ δ᾿ ἐξοπίσω, τῶν φυλακὴ μελέτω.- Those things are past, undone they cannot be,
But what's to come watch thou with anxious care. (tr. H. B. Harbottle, 1897) - Lines 583–584
- Those things are past, undone they cannot be,
- φορτηγοὶ δ᾿ ἄρχουσι, κακοὶ δ᾿ ἀγαθῶν καθύπερθεν.
- The deckhands are in control, and the base have the upper hand over the noble.
- Line 679
- τὰ γὰρ περιώσια πάντα
χρήματ᾿ ἔχων οὐδεὶς ἔρχεται εἰς Ἀΐδεω.- No man takes with him to Hades all his exceeding wealth.
- Lines 725–726
- Compare Psalms, 49:17: For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away, his glory shall not descend after him.
- βοῦς μοι ἐπὶ γλώσσῃ κρατερῷ ποδὶ λὰξ ἐπιβαίνων
ἴσχει κωτίλλειν καίπερ ἐπιστάμενον.- An ox with heavy foot upon my tongue
Forbids my chattering, although I know. - Lines 815–816 (tr. H. B. Harbottle, 1897)
- An ox with heavy foot upon my tongue
- αἶψα γὰρ ὥστε νόημα παρέρχεται ἀγλαὸς ἥβη.
- Bright youth passes swiftly as a thought.
- Line 985
- ἥδ᾿ ἀρετή, τόδ᾿ ἄεθλον ἐν ἀνθρώποισιν ἄριστον
κάλλιστόν τε φέρειν γίνεται ἀνδρὶ σοφῷ.- No higher prize is given to men than virtue;
None fairer can the wise man bear away. - Lines 1003–1004 (tr. H. B. Harbottle, 1897)
- No higher prize is given to men than virtue;
- ἄφρονες ἄνθρωποι καὶ νήπιοι, οἵ τε θανόντας
κλαίουσ᾿, οὐδ᾿ ἥβης ἄνθος ἀπολλύμενον.- Senseless and childish they who mourn the dead,
Yet weep not for the flower of youth destroyed. - Lines 1069–1070 (tr. H. B. Harbottle, 1897)
- Senseless and childish they who mourn the dead,
- Ἐλπὶς ἐν ἀνθρώποισι μόνη θεὸς ἐσθλὴ ἔνεστιν,
ἄλλοι δ᾿ Οὔλυμπόν⟨δ᾿⟩ ἐκπρολιπόντες ἔβαν.- Alone 'mongst mortals dwelleth kindly Hope;
The other gods are to Olympus fled. - Lines 1135–1136 (tr. H. B. Harbottle, 1897)
- Alone 'mongst mortals dwelleth kindly Hope;
- οὐδὲν Κύρν᾿ ἀγαθῆς γλυκερώτατόν ἐστι γυναικός.
- Than a good woman nought, my friend, is sweeter.
- Line 1225 (tr. H. B. Harbottle, 1897)
Quotes about Theognis
[edit]- Theognis appears as a finely formed nobleman who has fallen on bad times, with the passions of a nobleman such as his time loved, full of fatal hatred toward the upward striving masses, tossed about by a sad fate that wore him down and made him milder in many respects. He is a characteristic image of that old, ingenious somewhat spoiled and no longer firmly rooted blood nobility, placed at the boundary of an old and a new era, a distorted Janus-head, since what is past seems so beautiful and enviable, that which is coming — something that basically has an equal entitlement — seems disgusting and repulsive; a typical head for all those noble figures who represent the aristocracy prior to a popular revolution and who struggle for the existence of the class of nobles as for their individual existence.
- Friedrich Nietzsche, as quoted in Friedrich Nietzsche (1978) by Curt Paul Janz, quoted and translated in On the Genealogy of Morality : A Polemic (1998) by Maudemarie Clark and Alan Swensen, p. 133.
