Wednesday, February 01, 2017
Apologia for Compulsive Tweeting
Greek Anthology 10.49 (by Palladas; tr. W.R. Paton):
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They say that even ants and gnats have bile.The same, tr. Tony Harrison:
So, while the most insignificant beasts have bile,
do you bid me have no bile and lie exposed to the attacks of all the world,
not even wronging by mere words
those who wrong me by deeds? I have for the rest of my life to stop up
my mouth with a rush and not even breathe.
καὶ μύρμηκι χολὴν καὶ σέρφῳ φασὶν ἐνεῖναι·
εἶτα χολὴν μὲν ἔχει ζῷα τὰ φαυλότατα,
ἐκκεῖσθαι δ᾿ ἐμὲ πᾶσι χολὴν μὴ ἔχοντα κελεύεις,
ὡς μηδὲ ψιλοῖς ῥήμασιν ἀνταδικεῖν
τοὺς ἔργοις ἀδικοῦντας; ἀποφράξαντα δεήσει
λοιπὸν ὁλοσχοίνῳ τὸ στόμα, μηδὲ πνέειν.
Mere ants and gnats and trivia with stings
vent their aggression like all living things,
but you, you think that I ought to be meek,
lay myself open, 'turn the other cheek',
not even verbal comebacks, but stay dumb
and choking on my gag till Kingdom Come!
