Laudator Temporis Acti

Aristophanes, Knights 581-594 (tr. Alan H. Sommerstein):

Pallas, Guardian of the city,
Lady of the most sacred
of all lands, which excels
in war, in poetry
and in power:
come hither, bringing her
who in expeditions and battles
is our helper,
Victory, the companion of our choral songs,
who strives with us against our foes.
Come hither now and show thy face;
for on us must thou
at all costs bestow
victory, now if ever.

Ὦ πολιοῦχε Παλλάς, ὦ
τῆς ἱερωτάτης ἁπα-
σῶν πολέμῳ τε καὶ ποιη-
ταῖς δυνάμει θʼ ὑπερφερού-
σης μεδέουσα χώρας,        585
δεῦρʼ ἀφικοῦ λαβοῦσα τὴν
ἐν στρατιαῖς τε καὶ μάχαις
ἡμετέραν ξυνεργὸν
Νίκην, ἣ χορικῶν ἐστιν ἑταίρα
τοῖς τʼ ἐχθροῖσι μεθʼ ἡμῶν στασιάζει.        590
νῦν οὖν δεῦρο φάνηθι· δεῖ
γὰρ τοῖς ἀνδράσι τοῖσδε πά-
σῃ τέχνῃ πορίσαι σε νί-
κην, εἴπερ ποτέ, καὶ νῦν.

583 ποιηταῖς codd.: πολίταις Bentley: πόροισιν van Herwerden
589 χορικῶν codd.: Χαρίτων Wilamowitz

In line 592 Sommerstein's "us" is more literally "these men".

Robert Alexander Neil ad loc.: