---
title: "Epigrams · Ἐπιγράμματα"
author: "Homer"
translator: "Hugh G. Evelyn-White"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
section: 1 of 1
url: https://scriptura.si/works/homer-epigrams/1/
cite: "Homer, tr. Hugh G. Evelyn-White, Epigrams · Ἐπιγράμματα, section 1. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/homer-epigrams/1/"
---

# Epigrams · Ἐπιγράμματα

*Homer, tr. Hugh G. Evelyn-White*

Seventeen short poems the ancient Lives of Homer put in the mouth of the blind singer on his wanderings.

> Greek: ed. Hugh G. Evelyn-White, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0012.tlg003, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Hugh G. Evelyn-White, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0012.tlg003.perseus-eng1). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## 1. Epigrams 1–17

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/homer-epigrams/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/homer-epigrams/1/#p-N

[¶0] Have reverence for him who needs a home and stranger’s dole,
all ye who dwell in the high city of Cyme, the lovely maiden,
hard by the foothills of lofty Sardene,
ye who drink the heavenly water of the divine stream,
eddying Hermus, whom deathless Zeus begot.

> Greek: Αἰδεῖσθε ξενίων κεχρημένον ἠδὲ δόμοιο,
οἳ πόλιν αἰπεινήν, Κύμην ἐριώπιδα κούρην,
ναίετε, Σαρδήνης πόδα νείατον ὑψικόμοιο,
ἀμβρόσιον πίνοντες ὕδωρ θείου ποταμοῖο,
Ἕρμου δινήεντος, ὃν ἀθάνατος τέκετο Ζεύς.

[¶1] Speedily may my feet bear me to some town of righteous men;
for their hearts are generous and their wit is best.

> Greek: Αἶψα πόδες με φέροιεν ἐς αἰδοίων πόλιν ἀνδρῶν·
τῶν γὰρ καὶ θυμὸς πρόφρων καὶ μῆτις ἀρίστη.

[¶2] I am a maiden of bronze and am set upon the tomb of Midas.
While the waters flow and tall trees flourish,
and the sun rises and shines and the bright moon also;
while rivers run and the sea breaks on the shore,
ever remaining on this mournful tomb,
I tell the passer-by that Midas here lies buried.

> Greek: Χαλκέη παρθένος εἰμί, Μίδεω δ’ ἐπὶ σήματι κεῖμαι·
ἔστ’ ἂν ὕδωρ τε νάῃ καὶ δένδρεα μακρὰ τεθήλῃ,
ἠέλιος τ’ ἀνιὼν λάμπῃ λαμπρά τε σελήνη,
καὶ ποταμοί γε ῥέωσιν ἀνακλύζῃ δὲ θάλασσα,
αὐτοῦ τῇδε μένουσα πολυκλαύτου ἐπὶ τύμβου
ἀγγελέω παριοῦσι, Μίδης ὅτι τῇδε τέθαπται.

[¶3] To what a fate did Zeus the Father give me a prey
even while he made me to grow, a babe at my mother’s knees!
By the will of Zeus who holds the aegis
the people of Phricon, riders on wanton horses,
more active than raging fire in the test of war,
once built the towers of Aeolian Smyrna, wave-shaken neighbor to the sea,
through which glides the pleasant stream of sacred Meles;
thence arose the daughters of Zeus, glorious children,
and would fain have made famous that fair country and the city of its people.
But in their folly those men scorned the divine voice and renown of song,
and in trouble shall one of them remember this hereafter—
he who with scornful words to them contrived my fate.
Yet I will endure the lot which heaven gave me even at my birth,
bearing my disappointment with a patient heart.
My dear limbs yearn not to stay in the sacred streets
of Cyme, but rather my great heart urges me
to go unto another country, small though I am.

> Greek: Οἵῃ μ’ αἴσῃ δῶκε πατὴρ Ζεὺς κύρμα γενέσθαι,
νήπιον αἰδοίης ἐπὶ γούνασι μητρὸς ἀτάλλων.
ἥν ποτ’ ἐπύργωσαν βουλῇ Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο
λαοὶ Φρίκωνος, μάργων ἐπιβήτορες ἵππων,
ὁπλότεροι μαλεροῖο πυρὸς κρίνοντες Ἄρηα,
Αἰολίδα Σμύρνην ἁλιγείτονα, ποντοτίνακτον,
ἥντε δι’ ἀγλαὸν εἶσιν ὕδωρ ἱεροῖο Μέλητος·
ἔνθεν ἀπορνύμεναι κοῦραι Διός, ἀγλαὰ τέκνα.
ἠθελέτην κλῇσαι δῖαν χθόνα καὶ πόλιν ἀνδρῶν.
οἳ δ’ ἀπανηνάσθην ἱερὴν ὄπα, φῆμιν ἀοιδῆς,
ἀφραδίῃ· τῶν μέν τε παθών τις φράσσεται αὖτις,
ὅς σφιν ὀνείδεσσιν τὸν ἐμὸν διεμήσατο πότμον.
κῆρα δ’ ἐγώ, τήν μοι θεὸς ὤπασε γεινομένῳ περ,
τλήσομαι ἀκράαντα φέρων τετληότι θυμῷ·
οὐδέ τί μοι φίλα γυῖα μένειν ἱεραῖς ἐν ἀγυιαῖς
Κύμης ὁρμαίνουσι, μέγας δέ με θυμὸς ἐπείγει
δῆμον ἐς ἀλλοδαπῶν ἰέναι, ὀλίγον περ ἐόντα.

[¶4] Thestorides, full many things there are that mortals cannot sound;
but there is nothing more unfathomable than the heart of man.

> Greek: Θεστορίδη, θνητοῖσιν ἀνωίστων πολέων περ,
οὐδὲν ἀφραστότερον πέλεται νόου ἀνθρώποισιν.

[¶5] Hear me, Poseidon, strong shaker of the earth,
ruler of wide-spread, tawny Helicon!
Give a fair wind and sight of safe return
to the shipmen who speed and govern this ship.
And grant that when I come to the nether slopes of towering Mimas
I may find honorable, god-fearing men.
Also may I avenge me on the wretch who deceived me
and grieved Zeus the lord of guests and his own guest-table.

> Greek: Κλῦθι, Ποσείδαον, μεγαλοσθενές, ἐννοσίγαιε,
εὐρυχόρου μεδέων ἠδὲ ξανθοῦ Ἑλικῶνος,
δὸς δ’ οὖρον καλὸν καὶ ἀπήμονα νόστον ἰδέσθαι
ναύταις, οἳ νηὸς πομποὶ ἠδ’ ἀρχοὶ ἔασι·
δὸς δ’ ἐς ὑπωρείην ὑψικρήμνοιο Μίμαντος
αἰδοίων μ’ ἐλθόντα βροτῶν ὁσίων τε κυρῆσαι,
φῶτά τε τισαίμην, ὃς ἐμὸν νόον ἠπεροπεύσας
ὠδύσατο Ζῆνα ξένιον ξενίην τε τράπεζαν.

[¶6] Queen Earth, all bounteous giver of honey-hearted wealth,
how kindly, it seems, you are to some,
and how intractable and rough for those with whom you are angry.

> Greek: Πότνια Γῆ, πάνδωρε, δότειρα μελίφρονος ὄλβου,
ὡς ἄρα δὴ τοῖς μὲν φωτῶν εὔοχθος ἐτύχθης,
τοῖσι δὲ δύσβωλος καὶ τρηχεῖ᾽, οἷς ἐχολώθης.

[¶7] Sailors, who rove the seas and whom a hateful fate has made as
the shy sea-fowl, living an unenviable life,
observe the reverence due to Zeus who rules on high, the god of strangers;
for terrible is the vengeance of this god afterwards for whosoever has sinned.

> Greek: Ναῦται ποντοπόροι, στυγερῇ ἐναλίγκιοι ἄτῃ
πτωκάσιν αἰθυίῃσι, βίον δύσζηλον ἔχοντες,
αἰδεῖσθε ξενίοιο Διὸς σέβας ὑψιμέδοντος·
δεινὴ γὰρ μέτ’ ὄπις ξενίου Διός, ὅς κ’ ἀλίτηται.

[¶8] Strangers, a contrary wind has caught you:
but even now take me aboard and you shall make your voyage.

> Greek: Ὑμέας, ὦ ξεῖνοι, ἄνεμος λάβεν ἀντίος ἐλθών·
ἀλλ’ ἐμὲ νῦν δέξασθε, καὶ ὁ πλόος ἔσσεται ὑμῖν.

[¶9] Another sort of pine shall bear a better fruit
than you upon the heights of furrowed, windy Ida.
For there shall mortal men get the iron that Ares loves
so soon as the Cebrenians shall hold the land.

> Greek: Ἄλλη τίς σευ πεύκη ἀμείνονα καρπὸν ἵησιν
Ἴδης ἐν κορυφῇσι πολυπτύχου ἠνεμοέσσης,
ἔνθα σίδηρος Ἄρηος ἐπιχθονίοισι βροτοῖσιν
ἔσσεται, εὖτ’ ἄν μιν Κεβρήνιοι ἄνδρες ἔχωσι.

[¶10] Glaucus, watchman of flocks, a word will I put in your heart.
First give the dogs their dinner at the courtyard gate,
for this is well. The dog first hears
a man approaching and the wild-beast coming to the fence.

> Greek: Γλαῦκε, βοτῶν ἐπίοπτα, ἔπος τί τοι ἐν φρεσὶ θήσω·
πρῶτον μὲν κυσὶ δεῖπνον ἐπ’ αὐλείῃσι θύρησι
δοῦναι· τὼς γὰρ ἄμεινον· ὃ γὰρ καὶ πρῶτον ἀκούει
ἀνδρὸς ἐπερχομένου καὶ ἐς ἕρκεα θηρὸς ἰόντος.

[¶11] Goddess-nurse of the young, give ear to my prayer, and grant that this woman
may reject the love-embrace of youth
and dote on grey-haired old men
whose powers are dulled, but whose hearts still desire.

> Greek: Κλῦθί μευ εὐχομένου, Κουροτρόφε, δὸς δὲ γυναῖκα
τήνδε νέων μὲν ἀναίνεσθαι φιλότητα καὶ εὐνήν·
ἣ δ’ ἐπιτερπέσθω πολιοκροτάφοισι γέρουσιν,
ὧν ὥρη μὲν ἀπήμβλυνται, θυμὸς δὲ μενοινᾷ.

[¶12] Children are a man’s crown, towers of a city;
horses are the glory of a plain, and so are ships of the sea;
wealth will make a house great, and reverend princes
seated in assembly are a goodly sight for the folk to see.
But a blazing fire makes a house look more comely upon a winter’s day,
when the Son of Cronos sends down snow.

> Greek: Ἀνδρὸς μὲν στέφανος παῖδες, πύργοι δὲ πόληος,
ἵπποι δ’ αὖ πεδίου κόσμος, νῆες δὲ θαλάσσης,
χρήματα δ’ αὔξει οἶκον, ἀτὰρ γεραροὶ βασιλῆες
ἥμενοι εἰν ἀγορῇ κόσμος λαοῖσιν ὁρᾶσθαι·
αἰθομένου δὲ πυρὸς γεραρώτερος οἶκος ἰδέσθαι
ἤματι χειμερίῳ, ὁπότ’ ἂν νίφῃσι Κρονίων.

[¶13] Potters, if you will give me a reward, I will sing for you.
Come, then, Athena, with hand upraised over the kiln.
Let the pots and all the dishes turn out well
and be well fired: let them fetch good prices
and be sold in plenty in the market, and plenty in the streets.
Grant that the potters may get great gain and grant me so to sing to them.
But if you turn shameless and make false promises,
then I call together the destroyers of kilns,
Shatter and Smash and Charr and Crash
and Crudebake who can work this craft much mischief.
Come all of you and sack the kiln-yard and the buildings: let the
whole kiln be shaken up to the potter’s loud lament.
As a horse’s jaw grinds, so let the kiln grind
to powder all the pots inside.
And you, too, daughter of the Sun, Circe the witch,
come and cast cruel spells; hurt both these men and their handiwork.
Let Chiron also come and bring many Centaurs—
all that escaped the hands of Heracles and all that were destroyed:
let them make sad havoc of the pots and overthrow the kiln,
and let the potters see the mischief and be grieved;
but I will gloat as I behold their luckless craft.
And if anyone of them stoops to peer in, let all his face
be burned up, that all men may learn to deal honestly.

> Greek: Εἰ μὲν δώσετε μισθὸν ἀείσω, ὦ κεραμῆες.
δεῦρ᾽, ἄγ᾽, Ἀθηναίη καὶ ὑπέρσχεθε χεῖρα καμίνου.
εὖ δὲ περανθεῖεν κότυλοι καὶ πάντα κάναστρα
φρυχθῆναί τε καλῶς καὶ τιμῆς ὦνον ἀρέσθαι,
πολλὰ μὲν εἰν ἀγορῇ πωλεύμενα, πολλὰ δ’ ἀγυιαῖς,
πολλὰ δὲ κερδῆναι, ἡμῖν δὲ δή, ὥς σφιν ἀεῖσαι.
ἢν δ’ ἐπ’ ἀναιδείην τρεφθέντες ψεύδε’ ἄρησθε,
συγκαλέω δὴ ἔπειτα καμίνων δηλητῆρας,
Σύντριβ’ ὁμῶς Σμάραγόν τε καὶ Ἄσβετον ἠδὲ Σαβάκτην
Ὠμόδαμόν τ᾽, ὃς τῇδε τέχνῃ κακὰ πολλὰ πορίζοι·
πέρθε πυραίθουσαν καὶ δώματα, σὺν δὲ κάμινος
πᾶσα κυκηθείη κεραμέων μέγα κωκυσάντων.
ὡς γνάθος ἱππείη βρύκει, βρύκοι δὲ κάμινος,
πάντ’ ἔντοσθ’ αὐτῆς κεραμήια λεπτὰ ποιοῦσα.
δεῦρο καὶ Ἠελίου θύγατερ, πολυφάρμακε Κίρκη,
ἄγρια φάρμακα βάλλε, κάκου δ’ αὐτούς τε καὶ ἔργα.
δεῦρο δὲ καὶ Χείρων ἀγέτω πολέας Κενταύρους,
οἵθ’ Ἡρακλῆος χεῖρας φύγον οἵτ’ ἀπόλοντο,
τύπτοιεν τάδε ἔργα κακῶς, πίπτοι δὲ κάμινος·
αὐτοὶ δ’ οἰμώζοντες ὁρῴατο ἔργα πονηρά.
γηθήσω δ’ ὁρόων αὐτῶν κακοδαίμονα τέχνην·
ὃς δέ χ’ ὑπερκύψῃ, πυρὶ τούτου πᾶν τὸ πρόσωπον
φλεχθείη, ὡς πάντες ἐπίστωντ’ αἴσιμα ῥέζειν.

[¶14] Let us betake us to the house of some man of great power,—
one who bears great power and is greatly prosperous always.
Open of yourselves, you doors, for mighty Wealth will enter in,
and with Wealth comes jolly Mirth
and gentle Peace. May all the corn-bins be full
and the mass of dough always overflow the kneading-trough.
Now (set before us) cheerful barley-pottage, full of sesame
…
Your son’s wife, driving to this house with strong-hoofed mules,
shall dismount from her carriage to greet you;
may she be shod with golden shoes as she stands weaving at the loom.
I come, and I come yearly, like the swallow
that perches light-footed in the fore-part of your house. But quickly bring
…

> Greek: Δῶμα προσετραπόμεσθ’ ἀνδρὸς μέγα δυναμένοιο,
ὃς μέγα μὲν δύναται, μέγα δὲ πρέπει ὄλβιος αἰεί.
αὐταὶ ἀνακλίνεσθε θύραι· Πλοῦτος γὰρ ἔσεισι
πολλός, σὺν Πλούτῳ δὲ καὶ Εὐφροσύνη τεθαλυῖα
Εἰρήνη τ’ ἀγαθή· ὅσα δ’ ἄγγεα, μεστὰ μὲν εἴη,
κυρβαίν δ’ αἰεὶ κατὰ καρδόπου ἕρποι μᾶζα.
νῦν μὲν κριθαίην, εὐώπιδα, σησαμόεσσα
…
Τοῦ παιδὸς δὲ γυνὴ κατὰ δίφραδα βήσεται ὕμμιν·
ἡμίονοι δ’ ἄξουσι κραταίποδες ἐς τόδε δῶμα·
αὐτὴ δ’ ἱστὸν ὑφαίνοι ἐπ’ ἠλέκτρῳ βεβαυῖα.
Νεῦμαί τοι, νεῦμαι ἐνιαύσιος, ὥστε χελιδὼν
ἕστηκ’ ἐν προθύροις ψιλὴ πόδας· ἀλλὰ φέρ’ αἶψα
πέρσαι τῶ Ἀπόλλωνος γυιάτιδος.

[¶15] If you will give us anything (well). But if not, we will not wait,
for we are not come here to dwell with you.

> Greek: Εἰ μέν τι δώσεις· εἰ δὲ μή, οὐχ ἑστήξομεν·
οὐ γὰρ συνοικήσοντες ἐνθάδ’ ἤλθομεν.

[¶16] HOMER:
Hunters of deep sea prey, have we caught anything?
FISHERMEN:
All that we caught we left behind, and all that we did not catch we carry home.
HOMER:
Ay, for of such fathers you are sprung
as neither hold rich lands nor tend countless sheep.

> Greek: ΟΜΗΡΟΣ:
Ἄνδρες ἄγρης ἁλίης θηρήτορες, ἦ ῥ’ ἔχομέν τι;
ΑΛΙΕΙΣ:
Ὅσσ’ ἕλομεν, λιπόμεσθ᾽· ὅσα δ’ οὐχ ἕλομεν φερόμεσθα.
ΟΜΗΡΟΣ:
Τοίων γὰρ πατέρων ἐξ αἵματος ἐκγεγάασθε,
οὔτε βαθυκλήρων οὔτ’ ἄσπετα μῆλα νεμόντων.