Living
Maxims of Theognis: Cyrnus, direct a various temper-of-mind
Translated by Rev. J. Banks (Bohn, 1856) · From Hesiod, Callimachus and Theognis (Bohn, 1856)
Cyrnus, direct a various temper-of-mind towards all your friends, mingling such a character as each is of. One while follow this character; at another be diverse in your nature: a better thing, look you, is wisdom than great excellence. Of a thing unaccomplished ’tis most hard to know the end, how the god will accomplish this. For gloom is spread over, and previous to that which is about to be, the bounds of human helplessness are not to-be-understood.
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, direct a various temper-of-mind.” Translated by Rev. J. Banks. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/theognis/325/.
Chicago
Megara, Theognis of. “Maxims of Theognis: Cyrnus, direct a various temper-of-mind.” Translated by Rev. J. Banks. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/theognis/325/.
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