Living
Maxims of Theognis: Thou luckless poverty, why, seated
Translated by Rev. J. Banks (Bohn, 1856) · From Hesiod, Callimachus and Theognis (Bohn, 1856)
Thou luckless poverty, why, seated on my shoulders, dost thou disgrace my body and mind? Nay, thou teachest me against my will perforce many disgraceful arts, though I know from men good and noble lessons.
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: Thou luckless poverty, why, seated.” Translated by Rev. J. Banks. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/theognis/244/.
Chicago
Megara, Theognis of. “Maxims of Theognis: Thou luckless poverty, why, seated.” Translated by Rev. J. Banks. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/theognis/244/.
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