Laudator Temporis Acti

Alcaeus, fragment 140 Voigt, tr. Basil L. Gildersleeve, "My Sixty Days in Greece, II: A Spartan School," Atlantic Monthly 79 (March, 1897) 301-312 (at 303):

All a-glitter with brass my hall;
All my house is adorned for Ares.
        Helmets bright

Glint and glister, and from their crests
Nod defiance the waving horsetails
        White as snow,

Fit adornment for warriors brave.
All the pins are concealed by shining
        Greaves of brass;

Guards are they from the crushing bolt,
Linen corselets and hollow bucklers
        All prepared.

By them lying Chalcidian blades,
By them doublets in store, and doughty
        Coats of mail.

These are never to be forgot
Now we've taken this deed of daring
        Well in hand.

μαρμαίρει δὲ μέγας δόμος
   χάλκωι, παῖσα δ᾿ Ἄρηι κεκόσμηται στέγα
λάμπραισιν κυνίαισι, κὰτ
   τᾶν λεῦκοι κατέπερθεν ἴππιοι λόφοι        5
νεύοισιν, κεφάλαισιν ἄν-
   δρων ἀγάλματα· χάλκιαι δὲ πασσάλοις
κρύπτοισιν περικείμεναι
   λάμπραι κνάμιδες, ἔρκος ἰσχύρω βέλεος,
θόρρακές τε νέω λίνω        10
   κόϊλαί τε κὰτ ἄσπιδες βεβλήμεναι·
πὰρ δὲ Χαλκίδικαι σπάθαι,
   πὰρ δὲ ζώματα πόλλα καὶ κυπάσσιδες.
τῶν οὐκ ἔστι λάθεσθ᾿ ἐπεὶ
   δὴ πρώτιστ᾿ ὐπὰ τὦργον ἔσταμεν τόδε.        15

3 Ἄρηι codd.: ἄρ' εὖ Page
15 πρώτιστ᾿ ὐπὰ τὦργον Lobel: πρώτισθ᾿ ὑπὸ ἔργον codd.

Related post: Preparedness.