Laudator Temporis Acti

Critias, fragment 17 (tr. M.J. Cropp):

Our desires in life are of every kind. One man yearns to get nobility, another cares nothing for that but wants to be called the father of abundant possessions for his house. Another chooses to say nothing wholesome based on sound thinking and to entice his fellows with vile audacity; while others again prefer base gains to honorable achievement. That's how diversely men's ways of life range. But I for my part want to get none of these things, and would rather have the credit of good repute.

ἔρωτες ἡµῖν εἰσὶ παντοῖοι βίου·
ὃ µὲν γὰρ εὐγένειαν ἱµείρει λαβεῖν,
τῷ δ' οὐχὶ τούτου φροντίς, ἀλλὰ χρηµάτων
πολλῶν κεκλῆσθαι βούλεται πατὴρ δόµοις·
ἄλλῳ δ' ἀρέσκει µηδὲν ὑγιὲς ἐκ φρενῶν        5
λέγοντι πείθειν τοὺς πέλας τόλµῃ κακῇ·
οἱ δ' αἰσχρὰ κέρδη πρόσθε τοῦ καλοῦ βροτῶν
ζητοῦσιν· οὕτω βίοτος ἀνθρώπων πλάνη.
ἐγὼ δὲ τούτων οὐδενὸς χρῄζω τυχεῖν,
δόξαν δὲ βουλοίµην ἂν εὐκλείας ἔχειν.        10

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