Living

Ode XLV

by Anacreon c. 582 – c. 485 BC

Translated by Thomas Moore (1800) · From Odes of Anacreon (1800)

Living

Within this goblet, rich and deep,
I cradle all my woes to sleep.
Why should we breathe the sigh of fear,
Or pour the unavailing tear?
For death will never heed the sigh,
Nor soften at the tearful eye;
And eyes that sparkle, eyes that weep,
Must all alike be sealed in sleep.
Then let us never vainly stray,
In search of thorns, from pleasure's way;
But wisely quaff the rosy wave,
Which Bacchus loves, which Bacchus gave;
And in the goblet, rich and deep,
Cradle our crying woes to sleep.

MLA

Anacreon. “Ode XLV.” Translated by Thomas Moore. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anacreon/44/.

Chicago

Anacreon. “Ode XLV.” Translated by Thomas Moore. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anacreon/44/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Anacreon