Saturday, February 12, 2022

 

Cedon

Aristotle, Constitution of the Athenians 20.5 (tr. H. Rackham):
And even before the Alcmaeonids Cedon had attacked the tyrants, owing to which people also sang in his honor in their catches:
Now fill to Cedon, boy! let's drink him too,
If duty bids us toast good men and true.
ἔτι δὲ πρότερον τῶν Ἀλκμεωνιδῶν Κήδων ἐπέθετο τοῖς τυράννοις, διὸ καὶ ᾖδον καὶ εἰς τοῦτον ἐν τοῖς σκολιοῖς·
ἔγχει καὶ Κήδωνι, διάκονε, μηδ᾽ ἐπιλήθου,
    εἰ χρὴ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ἀνδράσιν οἰνοχοεῖν.
P.J. Rhodes ad loc.:
The couplet is Poetae Melici Graeci, fragment 906 (Carmina Convivialia, fragment 30).

Rackham's translation is too free, because of his insistence on rhyming. Rhodes' translation is preferable:
Pour to Cedon also, steward, and forget him not,
If wine is to be poured to valiant men.



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