Living
Book X, 66
Translated by W. R. Paton (1916–18) · From The Greek Anthology (Loeb, vol. IV, 1918)
When a man rises from poverty to wealth and office, he no longer recognizes what he once was. For he repudiates his former friendships, and in his folly learns not how playful slippery fortune is. You were once a miserable pauper, and now you who used to “beg for a pittance” refuse it to others. My friend, everything that is man’s passes away, and if you will not believe it, you will go begging again and testify to it yourself.
This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.
Cite this poem
MLA
Scholasticus, Agathias. “Book X, 66.” Translated by W. R. Paton. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/agathias/79/.
Chicago
Scholasticus, Agathias. “Book X, 66.” Translated by W. R. Paton. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/agathias/79/.
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