Death & Dying

Book VII, 495

by Alcaeus of Messene 3rd century BC (Paton’s date)

Translated by W. R. Paton (1916–18) · From The Greek Anthology (Loeb, vol. II, 1917)

Death & Dying

Arcturus’ rising is an ill season for sailors to sail at, and I, Aspasius, whose tomb thou passest, traveller, met my bitter fate by the blast of Boreas. My body, washed by the waters of the Aegaean main, is lost at sea. Lamentable ever is the death of young men, but most mournful of all is the fate of travellers who perish in the sea.

This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.

MLA

Messene, Alcaeus of. “Book VII, 495.” Translated by W. R. Paton. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/alcaeus-messene/4/.

Chicago

Messene, Alcaeus of. “Book VII, 495.” Translated by W. R. Paton. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/alcaeus-messene/4/.

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