Living

Maxims of Theognis: Not even to all friends

by Theognis of Megara fl. 6th century BC

Translated by Rev. J. Banks (Bohn, 1856) · From Hesiod, Callimachus and Theognis (Bohn, 1856)

Living

Not even to all friends communicate wholly a matter: few, look you, of many have a trusty mind. Rely on but few men when you take in hand great deeds, lest ever, Cyrnus, you find incurable sorrow.

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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.

MLA

Megara, Theognis of. “Maxims of Theognis: Not even to all friends.” Translated by Rev. J. Banks. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/theognis/120/.

Chicago

Megara, Theognis of. “Maxims of Theognis: Not even to all friends.” Translated by Rev. J. Banks. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/theognis/120/.

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