Tiresias: The Ancient Mediterranean Religions Source Database

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⁸⁷ If thou lovest me and the heart within thee is loyal, be not my friend but in word, with heart and mind turned contrary; either love me with a whole heart, or disown me and hate me in open quarrel. Whosoever is in two minds with one tongue, he, Cyrnus, is a dangerous comrade, better as foe than friend.
¹⁹⁷ A possession that cometh from Zeus, and of right and in seemly wise, abideth evermore; but if one shall win it unrighteously and unduly with a covetous heart, or by unrighteous seizure upon an oath, at the first him seemeth to get him gain, but in the end it becometh bad likewise, and the mind of the Gods overcometh him. But these things deceive mans understanding, seeing that the Blessed Ones requite not wrongdoing at the moment; nay, albeit this man may pay his evil debt himself and not make ruin to overhang his dear children after him, that other man Retribution overtaketh not, because too soon did unconscionable Death settle upon his eyelids fraught with his Doom.", " ²³⁷ I have given thee wings to fly with ease aloft the boundless sea and all the land. No meal or feast but thoult be there, couched twixt the lips of many a guest, and lovely youths shall sing thee clear and well in orderly wise to the clear-voiced flute. And when thou comest to go down to the lamentable house of Hades in the depths of the gloomy earth, never, albeit thou be dead, shalt thou lose thy fame, but men will think of thee as one of immortal name, Cyrnus, who rangeth the land of Greece and the isles thereof — crossing the fishy unharvestable deep not upon horseback mounted but sped of the glorious gifts of the violet-crowned Muses unto all that care to receive thee; and living as they thou shalt be a song unto posterity so long as Earth and Sun abide. Yet as for me, thou hast no respect for me, great or small, but deceivest me with words as if I were a little child.",
³⁰⁵ The bad are not all bad from the womb, but have learnt base works and unholy words and wanton outrage from friendship with the bad because they thought all they said was true.
³⁶⁷ I cannot read the disposition of my fellow-townsmen, for I please them no more by any good I do them than by any harm. Many find fault with me, as well bad men as good, but none of the unlearned can imitate me. "
³⁷³ †Dear Zeus! I marvel at Thee. Thou art lord of all, alone having honour and great power; well knowest Thou the heart and mind of every man alive; and Thy might, O King, is above all things. How then is it, Son of Cronus, that Thy mind can bear to hold the wicked and the righteous in the same esteem, whether a mans mind be turned to temperateness, or, unrighteous works persuading, to wanton outrage? Nor is aught fixed for us men by Fortune, nor the way a man must go to please the Immortals. Yet the wicked enjoy untroubled prosperity, whereas such as keep their hearts from base deeds, nevertheless, for all they may love what is righteous, receive Penury the mother of perplexity, Penury that misleadeth a mans heart to evil-doing, corrupting his wits by strong necessity, till perforce he endureth much shame and yieldeth to Want who teacheth all evil, both lies and deceits and baleful contentions, even to him that will not and to whom no ill is fitting; for hard is the perplexity that cometh of her.", " ³⁹³ In Penury both the man of the baser sort and he that is much better are shown for what they are when Want restraineth. For the mind of him in whose breast ever springeth straight judgment thinketh righteous thoughts; the others mind accepteth neither good hap nor ill, whereas your good man should bear a diverse lot with hardihood.", ³⁹⁹ Give heed that thou honour and respect thy friends and shun oaths that destroy men, avoiding the wrath of the Immortals.
⁴⁴⁷ If thou wilt fain wash me, the water will ever flow unsullied from my head; thou wilt find me in all matters as it were refined gold, red to the view when I be rubbed with the touchstone; the surface of me is untainted of black mould or rust, its bloom ever pure and clean.
⁵³¹ My heart is ever warmed within me when I hear the delightful voice of the babbling flute. ⁵³³ I rejoice to drink deep and sing to the pipes, I rejoice to have in hand the tuneful lyre. "
⁷⁵⁷ May Zeus that dwelleth in the sky ever keep his right arm over this city for her safetys sake, and with him the other Blessed Immortals; may Apollo set straight both our tonque and our wits; and may harp and pipe sound holy music; and let us conciliate the Gods with a libation, and drink in pleasant converse one with another, fearing no whit the war of the Medes. Twere better thus, twere better to spend our days in jolly revelry, of one accord and cares apart, and to keep far away those evil Spirits, baleful Eld and the end that is Death.", "
⁷⁷³ †Lord Apollo, Thou Thyself didst fence this citys heights, to please Alcathous son of Pelops; Thou Thyself protect this city from the wanton outrage of the host of the Medes, so that in glad revelry at the coming-in of Spring the people should give Thee splendid hecatombs, rejoicing with lute and pleasant feast, with dance and cry of Paeans about Thy altar. For verily I fear me when I see the heedlessness and people-destroying discord of the Greeks. But do Thou, O Phoebus, be gracious and guard this our city.",
⁸⁹⁷ If Zeus were wroth alway with mortal men, knowing as he doth the mind of each man in his breast and the deeds alike of righteous and unrighteous, great would be the woe of man. "
⁹³⁹ I cannot sing sweet and clear like the nightingale, for last night I went to a revel; I do not make the piper my excuse, but tis that my voice, which is not without skill, hath left me.",
⁹⁸³ Let us give our hearts to merriment while yet pleasant acts bring some joy. For splendid youth passeth quickly as a thought, nor swifter is the speed of the horses which carry a king so furiously to the labour of the lance, delighting in the level wheatland.
⁹⁹³ If thou shouldst challenge me, Academus, to sing a pretty song, and a lad of fair beauty were to stand for our prize in a contest of our art, thou wouldst learn how much better mules be than asses. " ⁹⁹⁷ But when the high Suns team of whole-hooved steeds shall pass beyond the mid of day, then forthwith would I that we set ourselves to as great a dinner as a mans heart shall bid, satisfying our bellies with all manner of good things, and water for the hands be brought quickly out and garlands set in place by the slender fingers of a comely Spartan lass.",
¹⁰¹⁷ A sudden copious sweat floweth down my flesh and I tremble, when I behold the lovely and pleasant flowering-time of my generation, for I would it were longer-lasting; but precious Youth is shortlived as a dream, and ugly baleful Eld is hanging plumb over our heads.
¹⁰⁴⁹ †To thee will I myself give good counsel as a father to his child, and this is what I would have thee cast into thy heart and mind — Never be in haste to do an evil thing, but commune first in the depth of thy heart with a mind that keepeth the right; for the heart and mind of the fond are ever a-fluttering, but counsel is needed to lead even a fine wit to what is good. ¹⁰⁵⁵ But we will leave this tale, and do thou pipe unto me and we will both remember the Muses; for they it is, who have given these delightful gifts for us twain to have and our neighbours to hear. "
¹¹²⁹ Ill drink my fill with never a thought of soul-destroying Penury, nor yet of the enemies that slander me so; but I bewail the lovely Youth that is leaving me, and lament the approach of grievous Age.",
¹¹⁸⁵ Mind is a good thing and so is speech, but they are found in few men that be stewards over them both.
¹³⁶⁵ O fairest and most desirable of all lads, stand where thou art and give ear to a few words of mine. "

ἢ “Παλλάδα περσέπολιν δεινὰν” ἢ “τηλέπορόν τι βόαμα,”

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^95d ἀλλὰ καὶ Θέογνιν τὸν ποιητὴν οἶσθʼ ὅτι ταὐτὰ ταῦτα λέγει; ΜΕΝ. ἐν ποίοις ἔπεσιν; ΣΩ. ἐν τοῖς ἐλεγείοις, οὗ λέγει— καὶ παρὰ τοῖσιν πῖνε καὶ ἔσθιε, καὶ μετὰ τοῖσιν ἵζε, καὶ ἅνδανε τοῖς, ὧν μεγάλη δύναμις. ἐσθλῶν μὲν γὰρ ἄπʼ ἐσθλὰ διδάξεαι· ἢν δὲ κακοῖσιν

^95d are in two minds as to whether virtue is to be taught, but Theognis the poet also says, you remember, the very same thing? Men. In which part of his poems? Soc. In those elegiac lines where he says— Eat and drink with these men; sit with them, and he pleasing unto them, who wield great power; for from the good wilt thou win thee lessons in the good; but mingle with the bad,