Pleasure

Ο]ἰ μὲν ἰππήων στρότον οἰ δὲ πέσδων οἰ δὲ νάων φαῖσ᾽ ἐπὶ γᾶν μέλαιναν ἔ]μμεναι κάλλιστον ἔγω δὲ κῆν᾽ὄττω τις ἔραται		Some find the cavalry most beautiful Others the infantry and others the ships But I think the most beautiful thing on this dark earth Is whatever you love most dear.
πά]γχυ δ᾽ εὔμαρες σύνετον πόησαι πά]ντι τ[οῦ]τ᾽. ἀ γὰρ πόλυ περσκόπεισακά]λλος ἀνθρώπων Ἐλένα [τὸ]ν ἄνδρα[κρίννεν ἄρ]ιστον		The point is plain to see. Helena, whose beauty surpassed that Of all other women Quit her perfect husband
ὂς τὸ πὰν] σέβας Τροΐα[ς ὄ]λεσσ[ε, οὐδὲ πα]ῖδος οὔδε [φίλ]ων το[κ]ήων οὖδεν] ἐμνάσθη, ἀ[λλὰ] παράγαγ᾽ αὔταν Κύπρις ἔραι]σαν,		Who crashed down Troy in all its majesty. Not a thought for her children or dear parents did she have. Aphrodite led her down the winding path of love.
ἦ μάλ᾽ εὔκ]αμπτον γαρ [ἔφυ βρότων κῆρ] καὶ μάτει] κούφως τ[όδ᾽, ὄ κε ν]οήσῃ. ἀλ]λά νῦν, Ἀνακτορί[ας γε] μάμναι- μ᾽ οὐ] παρεοίσας		The human heart is soft; Nature makes it so. And the heart will have on the instant whatever has rooted in the head.This puts me in mind of Anaktoria who has left for the moment.
τᾶ]ς tε βολλοίμαν ἔρατόν τε βᾶμα κ]ἀμάρυγμα λάμπρον ἴδην προσώπω ἤ τὰ Λύδων ἄρματα κἄν ὄπλοισι πεσδομ]άχεντας		And how I would rather see her darling step And the joy of her smile Than all of Lydia’s armies decked out for battle.
εὖ μεν ἴδ]μεν οὔ δύνατον γένεσθαι λῷστ᾽] ὀν᾽ ἀνθρώποις, πεδέχην δ᾽ ἄρασθα		I know too well that the best and most beautiful Is always out of human reach And that we must learn to be content With a more modest share.
		Translation by Paul Morland, ©2008 by DreaMMage, All rights reserved