Arts & Sciences
Thespis (Mackail)
Translated by J. W. Mackail (1890) · From Select Epigrams from the Greek Anthology (1890)
I am Thespis who first shaped the strain of tragedy, making new partition of fresh graces among the masquers when Bacchus would lead home the wine-stained chorus, for whom a goat and a basket of Attic figs was as yet the prize in contests. A younger race reshape all this; and infinite time will make many more inventions yet; but mine are mine.
This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.
Cite this poem
MLA
Dioscorides. “Thespis (Mackail).” Translated by J. W. Mackail. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/dioscorides/41/.
Chicago
Dioscorides. “Thespis (Mackail).” Translated by J. W. Mackail. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/dioscorides/41/.
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