History & Politics
Book XVI, 6a: On Callimachus and Cynaegirus, the Athenian Captains at Marathon
Translated by W. R. Paton (1916–18) · From The Greek Anthology (Loeb, vol. V, 1918)
O empty toil and ineffective war! What shall we say when we meet our King? O King, why didst thou send me against immortal warriors? We shoot them and they fall not, we wound them and they fear not. A single man laid low a whole host, and covered with blood he stands in the midst, the image of tireless Ares; he stands like a tree with iron roots and will not fall, and soon he will be in the ships. Loose the cable, captain; let us escape from the dead man’s threats.
This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.
Cite this poem
MLA
Panteleus. “Book XVI, 6a: On Callimachus and Cynaegirus, the Athenian Captains at Marathon.” Translated by W. R. Paton. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/panteleus/0/.
Chicago
Panteleus. “Book XVI, 6a: On Callimachus and Cynaegirus, the Athenian Captains at Marathon.” Translated by W. R. Paton. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/panteleus/0/.