Relationships
Book IX, 519: Addressed to King Philip, son of Demetrius
Translated by W. R. Paton (1916–18) · From The Greek Anthology (Loeb, vol. III, 1917)
I drink, Bacchus, I drink; yes, deeper than the Cyclops drunk when he had filled his belly with the flesh of men; would I could dash out the brains of my foe and drain Philip’s skull to the dregs, Philip who tastes of the blood of his friends as he carouses, pouring poison into the wine.
This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.
Cite this poem
MLA
Messene, Alcaeus of. “Book IX, 519: Addressed to King Philip, son of Demetrius.” Translated by W. R. Paton. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/alcaeus-messene/7/.
Chicago
Messene, Alcaeus of. “Book IX, 519: Addressed to King Philip, son of Demetrius.” Translated by W. R. Paton. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/alcaeus-messene/7/.
Read this poem with the Codex →