Laudator Temporis Acti

Philemon, fragment 93 Kassel and Austin (tr. Craufurd Tait Ramage):

Why, pray, did Prometheus, who, they say, formed us and all other animals, give to each of the beasts his own peculiar nature? All lions are brave, whereas all hares are timid. Then, as to the foxes, one is not cunning and another simple in its nature; but if thou wert to collect three myriads of foxes, they would all have the same nature and the same habits. With man it is different; whatever number of persons there are, the same will be found the number of minds and of characters.

τί ποτε Προμηθεύς, ὃν λέγουσ' ἡμᾶς πλάσαι
καὶ τἄλλα πάντα ζῷα, τοῖς μὲν θηρίοις
ἔδωχ' ἑκάστῳ κατὰ γένη μίαν φύσιν;
ἅπαντες οἱ λέοντες εἰσιν ἄλκιμοι,
δειλοὶ πάλιν ἑξῆς πάντες εἰσὶν οἱ λαγοί·        5
οὐκ ἔστ' ἀλώπηξ ἡ μὲν εἴρων τῇ φύσει
ἡ δ' αὐθέκαστος, ἀλλ ̓ ἐὰν τρισμυρίας
ἀλώπεκας τις συναγάγη, μίαν φύσιν
ἁπαξαπασῶν ὄψεται τρόπον θ' ἕνα.
ἡμῶν δ' ὅσα καὶ τὰ σώματ' ἐστὶ τὸν ἀριθμὸν        10
καθ' ἑνός, τοσούτους ἔστι καὶ τρόπους ἰδεῖν.

11 καθ' ἑνός codd.: καθ' ἕνα Meineke