ANACREON
Ἀνακρέων
(563-478BC)
Odd Sandals
(Ed 15)
Today, Eros, of the golden locks used a
purple ball to make me play
with a child.
A girl, wearing odd sandals.
But she, born in beautiful Lesbos,
looks at me, finds
fault with my
hair – it’s grey, you see!-
and
turns from me to gawk at some other child,
Another girl.
—————
Prayer to Dionysius
(ED2)
Please, Dionysius!
Leader of all, whose friends are the omnipotent
Eros and the blue-eyed
Nymphs and the rosy
Aphrodite
and whose compass
is the high peaks of mountains.
Please, be kind enough to come to me and
hear my plea with a smile:
Go, God, go to Cleovoulos and counsel him well.
make him
accept my love!
—————-
Water and wine
(Ed75)
I
Boy! Bring water and bring wine
and bring garlands of flowers
that I may do a round or two with Eros
II
Boy! bring here a cup!
and
Boy! mix ten cups of water to five of wine
and
Boy! let me not shut my lips but let me drink
and drink and rage like
a frenzied Bacchus with
impunity.
III
Come, friends! let’s not shout and scream
like Scythian drunks
but
let us study our wine, friends
and
accompany its drinking with beautiful songs
——————
