Living
Maxims of Theognis: Cyrnus, this state is still
Translated by Rev. J. Banks (Bohn, 1856) · From Hesiod, Callimachus and Theognis (Bohn, 1856)
Cyrnus, this state is still a state indeed: but its people truly are other, who aforetime knew nor rights nor laws, but were wont to wear-out goat-skins about their sides, and to inhabit this city, like stags, without the walls. And now, son of Polypas, they are noble: but they who were bettermost of yore, now are of-low-degree: who can endure to look on these things? They deceive also one another, laughing one at the other, conscious of the sentiments neither of bad nor good. Son of Polypas, get none of these citizens as a friend, with thine whole heart, for the sake of any advantage: but seem indeed to be friend to all in tongue, yet associate with none of them in any serious matter at all. For you will learn the minds of wretched men, that in their deeds there is no reliance. But they have loved tricks, and deceits, and crafts in suchwise, as men no longer in-a-sound-condition.
This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.
Codex Note
Literal prose translation by the Rev. J. Banks (Bohn, 1856), printed as prose: the plain-sense companion to Frere’s verse version. Banks’s hyphenated compounds are his own.
Cite this poem
MLA
Megara, Theognis of. “Maxims of Theognis: Cyrnus, this state is still.” Translated by Rev. J. Banks. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/theognis/118/.
Chicago
Megara, Theognis of. “Maxims of Theognis: Cyrnus, this state is still.” Translated by Rev. J. Banks. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/theognis/118/.
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