| τὴν δὲ μάλιστα γαμεῖν, ἥ τις σέθεν ἐγγύθι ναίει | Distressful want and debits yet unpaid |
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| πάντα μάλʼ ἀμφιιδών, μὴ γείτοσι χάρματα γήμῃς. | The stretches of the loud-resounding sea |
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| οὐ μὲν γάρ τι γυναικὸς ἀνὴρ ληίζετʼ ἄμεινον | I’ll teach you, though of everything marine |
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| τῆς ἀγαθῆς, τῆς δʼ αὖτε κακῆς οὐ ῥίγιον ἄλλο | I am unlearned: yet on no odyssey |
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| δειπνολόχης· ἥτʼ ἄνδρα καὶ ἴφθιμόν περ ἐόντα | Upon the spacious ocean have I been – |
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| εὕει ἄτερ δαλοῖο καὶ ὠμῷ γήραϊ δῶκεν. | Just to Euboea from Aulis (the great host |
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| εὖ δʼ ὄπιν ἀθανάτων μακάρων πεφυλαγμένος εἶναι. | Of Greeks here waited out the stormy gale |
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| μηδὲ κασιγνήτῳ ἶσον ποιεῖσθαι ἑταῖρον· | Who went from holy Greece to Troy, whose boast |
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| εἰ δέ κε ποιήσῃς, μή μιν πρότερος κακὸν ἔρξῃς. | Is comely women). I myself took sail |
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| μηδὲ ψεύδεσθαι γλώσσης χάριν· εἰ δὲ σέ γʼ ἄρχῃ | To Chalchis for the games of the geniu |
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| ἤ τι ἔπος εἰπὼν ἀποθύμιον ἠὲ καὶ ἔρξας | Archidamas: for many games had been |
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| δὶς τόσα τίνυσθαι μεμνημένος· εἰ δὲ σέ γʼ αὖτις | Arranged by children of that glorious |
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| ἡγῆτʼ ἐς φιλότητα, δίκην δʼ ἐθέλῃσι παρασχεῖν | Great man and advertised. I scored a win |
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| δέξασθαι· δειλός τοι ἀνὴρ φίλον ἄλλοτε ἄλλον | For song and brought back home my accolade |
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| ποιεῖται, σὲ δὲ μή τι νόον κατελεγχέτω εἶδος. | A two-eared tripod which I dedicated |
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| μηδὲ πολύξεινον μηδʼ ἄξεινον καλέεσθαι | To the Muses there in Helicon (I made |
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| μηδὲ κακῶν ἕταρον μηδʼ ἐσθλῶν νεικεστῆρα. | My debut there when I participated |
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| μηδέ ποτʼ οὐλομένην πενίην θυμοφθόρον ἀνδρὶ | In lovely song). Familiarity |
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| τέτλαθʼ ὀνειδίζειν, μακάρων δόσιν αἰὲν ἐόντων. | With ships for me to this has been confined. |
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| γλώσσης τοι θησαυρὸς ἐν ἀνθρώποισιν ἄριστος | But since the Muses taught singing to me |
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| φειδωλῆς, πλείστη δὲ χάρις κατὰ μέτρον ἰούσης. | I’ll tell you aegis-bearing Zeus’s mind. |
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| εἰ δὲ κακὸν εἴποις, τάχα κʼ αὐτὸς μεῖζον ἀκούσαις. | When fifty days beyond the solstice go |
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| μηδὲ πολυξείνου δαιτὸς δυσπέμφελος εἶναι | And toilsome summer’s ending, mortals can |
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| ἐκ κοινοῦ· πλείστη δὲ χάρις, δαπάνη τʼ ὀλιγίστη. | Set sail upon the ocean, which will no |
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| μηδέ ποτʼ ἐξ ἠοῦς Διὶ λειβέμεν αἴθοπα οἶνον | Seafarers slaughter, nor will any man |
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| χερσὶν ἀνίπτοισιν μηδʼ ἄλλοις ἀθανάτοισιν· | Shatter his ship, unless such is the will |
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| οὐ γὰρ τοί γε κλύουσιν, ἀποπτύουσι δέ τʼ ἀράς. | Of earth-shaking Poseidon or our king |
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| μηδʼ ἄντʼ ἠελίου τετραμμένος ὀρθὸς ὀμιχεῖν· | Lord Zeus, who always judge both good and ill. |
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| αὐτὰρ ἐπεί κε δύῃ, μεμνημένος, ἔς τʼ ἀνιόντα· | The sea is tranquil then, unwavering |
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| μήτʼ ἐν ὁδῷ μήτʼ ἐκτὸς ὁδοῦ προβάδην οὐρήσῃς | The winds. Trust these and drag down to the sea |
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| μηδʼ ἀπογυμνωθείς· μακάρων τοι νύκτες ἔασιν· | Your ship with confidence and place all freight |
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| ἑζόμενος δʼ ὅ γε θεῖος ἀνήρ, πεπνυμένα εἰδώς | On board and then as swiftly as may be |
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| ἢ ὅ γε πρὸς τοῖχον πελάσας ἐυερκέος αὐλῆς. | Sail home and for the autumn rain don’t wait |
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| μηδʼ αἰδοῖα γονῇ πεπαλαγμένος ἔνδοθι οἴκου | Or fast-approaching blizzards, new-made wine |
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| ἱστίῃ ἐμπελαδὸν παραφαινέμεν, ἀλλʼ ἀλέασθαι. | The South Wind’s dreadful blasts – he stirs the sea |
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| μηδʼ ἀπὸ δυσφήμοιο τάφου ἀπονοστήσαντα | And brings downpours in spring and makes the brine |
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| σπερμαίνειν γενεήν, ἀλλʼ ἀθανάτων ἀπὸ δαιτός. | Inclement. Spring, too, grants humanity |
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| μηδέ ποτʼ αἰενάων ποταμῶν καλλίρροον ὕδωρ | The chance to sail. When first some leaves are seen |
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| ποσσὶ περᾶν, πρίν γʼ εὔξῃ ἰδὼν ἐς καλὰ ῥέεθρα | On fig-tree-tops, as tiny as the mark |
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| χεῖρας νιψάμενος πολυηράτῳ ὕδατι λευκῷ. | A raven leaves, the sea becomes serene |
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| ὃς ποταμὸν διαβῇ κακότητʼ ἰδὲ χεῖρας ἄνιπτος | For sailing. Though spring bids you to embark |
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| τῷ δὲ θεοὶ νεμεσῶσι καὶ ἄλγεα δῶκαν ὀπίσσω. | I’ll not praise it – it does not gladden me. |
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| μηδʼ ἀπὸ πεντόζοιο θεῶν ἐν δαιτὶ θαλείῃ | It’s hazardous, for you’ll avoid distre |
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| αὖον ἀπὸ χλωροῦ τάμνειν αἴθωνι σιδήρῳ. | With difficulty thus. Imprudently |
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| μηδέ ποτʼ οἰνοχόην τιθέμεν κρητῆρος ὕπερθε | Do men sail at that time – covetousne |
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| πινόντων· ὀλοὴ γὰρ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ μοῖρα τέτυκται. | Is their whole life, the wretches. For the sea |
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| μηδὲ δόμον ποιῶν ἀνεπίξεστον καταλείπειν | To take your life is dire. Listen to me: |
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| μή τοι ἐφεζομένη κρώξῃ λακέρυζα κορώνη. | Don’t place aboard all your commodities – |
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| μηδʼ ἀπὸ χυτροπόδων ἀνεπιρρέκτων ἀνελόντα | Leave most behind, place a small quantity |
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| ἔσθειν μηδὲ λόεσθαι· ἐπεὶ καὶ τοῖς ἔνι ποινή. | Aboard. To tax your cart too much and break |
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| μηδʼ ἐπʼ ἀκινήτοισι καθιζέμεν, οὐ γὰρ ἄμεινον | An axle, losing all, will bring distress. |
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| παῖδα δυωδεκαταῖον, ὅτʼ ἀνέρʼ ἀνήνορα ποιεῖ | Be moderate, for everyone should take |
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| μηδὲ δυωδεκάμηνον· ἴσον καὶ τοῦτο τέτυκται. | An apt approach. When you’re in readiness |
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| μηδὲ γυναικείῳ λουτρῷ χρόα φαιδρύνεσθαι | Get married. Thirty years, or very near |
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| ἀνέρα· λευγαλέη γὰρ ἐπὶ χρόνον ἔστʼ ἐπὶ καὶ τῷ | Is apt for marriage. Now, past puberty |
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| ποινή. μηδʼ ἱεροῖσιν ἐπʼ αἰθομένοισι κυρήσας | Your bride should go four years: in the fifth year |
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| μωμεύειν ἀίδηλα· θεός νύ τι καὶ τὰ νεμεσσᾷ. | Wed her. That you may teach her modesty |
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| μηδέ ποτʼ ἐν προχοῇς ποταμῶν ἅλαδε προρεόντων | Marry a maid. The best would be one who |
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| μηδʼ ἐπὶ κρηνάων οὐρεῖν, μάλα δʼ ἐξαλέασθαι· | Lives near you, but you must with care look round |
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| μηδʼ ἐναποψύχειν· τὸ γὰρ οὔ τοι λώιόν ἐστιν. | Lest neighbours make a laughingstock of you. |
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| ὧδʼ ἔρδειν· δεινὴν δὲ βροτῶν ὑπαλεύεο φήμην. | A better choice for men cannot be found |
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| φήμη γάρ τε κακὴ πέλεται, κούφη μὲν ἀεῖραι | Than a good woman, nor a worse one than |
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| ῥεῖα μάλʼ, ἀργαλέη δὲ φέρειν, χαλεπὴ δʼ ἀποθέσθαι. | One who’s unworthy, say a sponging mare |
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| φήμη δʼ οὔτις πάμπαν ἀπόλλυται, ἥν τινα πολλοὶ | Who will, without a torch, burn up a man |
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| λαοὶ φημίξωσι· θεός νύ τίς ἐστι καὶ αὐτή. | And bring him to a raw old age. Beware |
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| Ἤματα δʼ ἐκ Διόθεν πεφυλαγμένος εὖ κατὰ μοῖραν | Of angering the blessed ones – your friend |
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