Living
Maxims of Theognis: Equally, in truth, to mortal
Translated by Rev. J. Banks (Bohn, 1856) · From Hesiod, Callimachus and Theognis (Bohn, 1856)
Equally, in truth, to mortal men the gods have given the other things, to wit, wretched old age and youth. But ’tis the worst of all the evils among men, and more unlucky than death and all diseases, after that you have reared children, and afforded them all things suitable, and laid up money for them, having experienced much trouble, if they hate their father, and pray that he may perish, and abhor him as if he were a beggar coming to them.
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: Equally, in truth, to mortal.” Translated by Rev. J. Banks. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/theognis/152/.
Chicago
Megara, Theognis of. “Maxims of Theognis: Equally, in truth, to mortal.” Translated by Rev. J. Banks. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/theognis/152/.
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