Saturday, July 18, 2020
Think
Aristophanes, Clouds 700-705 (tr. Jeffery Henderson):
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Now think and contemplate,The same, tr. Cyril Bailey:
twirl yourself every way
and concentrate; and whenever you hit a dead end,
quickly jump to another
line of thought; and let sweet-spirited sleep
be remote from your eyes.
φρόντιζε δὴ καὶ διάθρει
πάντα τρόπον τε σαυτὸν
στρόβει πυκνώ-
σας. ταχὺς δ', ὅταν εἰς ἄπορον
πέσῃς, ἐπ' ἄλλο πήδα
νόημα φρενός· ὕπνος δ᾿ ἀπέ-
στω γλυκύθυμος ὀμμάτων.
Ponder and think with a resolute brain.M.W. Humphreys ad loc.:
Twisting and turning and twisting again!
If in a puzzle you happen to stick,
Hop like a flea to a different trick.
Sleep the consoler be far from thy brow.
