Wednesday, December 24, 2014
The Same Fate
Homer, Iliad 9.318-320 (tr. Samuel Butler):
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He that fights fares no better than he that does not; coward and hero are held in equal honour, and death deals like measure to him who works and him who is idle.The same, tr. Richmond Lattimore:
Fate is the same for the man who holds back, the same if he fights hard.The same, tr. Alexander Pope:
We are all held in a single honour, the brave with the weaklings.
A man dies still if he has done nothing, as one who has done much.
Fight or not fight, a like reward we claim,The Greek:
The wretch and hero find their prize the same.
Alike regretted in the dust he lies,
Who yields ignobly, or who bravely dies.
ἴση μοῖρα μένοντι καὶ εἰ μάλα τις πολεμίζοι·
ἐν δὲ ἰῇ τιμῇ ἠμὲν κακὸς ἠδὲ καὶ ἐσθλός·
κάτθαν᾽ ὁμῶς ὅ τ᾽ ἀεργὸς ἀνὴρ ὅ τε πολλὰ ἐοργώς.
