Ἀνακρέων
Anakreon, Anacreon
Translated by William Hutton25 Apr 2001Vetting: high11 revisions
Translation
Of Teos. Lyric poet. Skythinos' son, though some suggested Eumelos', others Parthenios',1 others Aristokritos'. He wrote elegies and iambics, all in Ionic dialect. He was born in the time of Polykrates the tyrant of Samos in the 52nd Olympiad,2 though some assign him to the time of Kyros and Kambyses in the 55th Olympiad.3 He was exiled from Teos on account of the rebellion of Histiaios and settled in Abdera in Thrace.4 His life was devoted to love affairs with boys and women and to his poems. He also composed wine-drinking songs, iambics, and the songs called Anacreontea.
Greek original · Adler’s text
Ἀνακρέων, Τήϊος, λυρικὸς, Σκυθίνου υἱός, οἱ δὲ Εὐμήλου, οἱ δὲ Παρθενίου, οἱ δὲ Ἀριστοκρίτου ἐδόξασαν. ἔγραψεν ἐλεγεῖα καὶ ἰάμβους, Ἰάδι πάντα διαλέκτῳ. γέγονε κατὰ Πολυκράτην τὸν Σάμου τύραννον Ὀλυμπιάδι νβʹ· οἱ δὲ ἐπὶ Κύρου καὶ Καμβύσου τάττουσιν αὐτὸν κατὰ τὴν νεʹ Ὀλυμπιάδα. ἐκπεσὼν δὲ Τέω διὰ τὴν Ἱστιαίου ἐπανάστασιν ᾤκησεν Ἄβδηρα ἐν Θρᾴκῃ. βίος δὲ ἦν αὐτῷ πρὸς ἔρωτας παίδων καὶ γυναικῶν καὶ ᾠδάς. καὶ συνέγραψε παροίνιά τε μέλη καὶ ἰάμβους καὶ τὰ καλούμενα Ἀνακρεόντεια.
Betacode
*)anakre/wn, *th/i+os, luriko\s, *skuqi/nou ui(o/s, oi( de\ *eu)mh/lou, oi( de\ *parqeni/ou, oi( de\ *)aristokri/tou e)do/casan. e)/grayen e)legei=a kai\ i)a/mbous, *)ia/di pa/nta diale/ktw|. ge/gone kata\ *polukra/thn to\n *sa/mou tu/rannon *)olumpia/di nb#: oi( de\ e)pi\ *ku/rou kai\ *kambu/sou ta/ttousin au)to\n kata\ th\n ne# *)olumpia/da. e)kpesw\n de\ *te/w dia\ th\n *(istiai/ou e)pana/stasin w)/|khsen *)/abdhra e)n *qra/|kh|. bi/os de\ h)=n au)tw=| pro\s e)/rwtas pai/dwn kai\ gunaikw=n kai\ w)|da/s. kai\ sune/graye paroi/nia/ te me/lh kai\ i)a/mbous kai\ ta\ kalou/mena *)anakreo/nteia.
Notes (4)
External resources
- Web address 1 perseus.tufts.edu
Linked from15 entries
- α1708Ἀμφίβροχοςdrenched, sodden[Meaning one who is] thoroughly steeped, that is drunk. "Spouting sweet wine, drenched [as to his] garments in Bacchus".
- α3777Ἀργινόεις ἀργινόεντοςbright-shining [and] of bright-shining[sc. The latter means] of white. "Let springs of bright-shining milk burst forth."
- αι227Αἰνοβίαςterribly strong[Meaning] warlike. "At his funeral pyre this whole city proclaimed the terribly strong Agathon who died on behalf of Abdera."
- β110Βάρβιτονbarbitos, long-armed lyre[Meaning a] psaltery, kithara. A kind of musical instrument. "O friend, you who loved the dear barbitos". This is said about Anakreon. [sc. The barbitos features in] a saying in reference to dissimilar things.…
- γ192Γεραιόςvenerable[Meaning] honoured. Also one who is full of wrinkles. In the Epigrams: "a fair-coated pomegranate and wrinkle-skinned figs." And elsewhere: "from which the old man sent forth sweet scent from his soft lips."
- δ705Διαπλώσαςhaving sailed through[The same as] diapleu/sas, [meaning] having gone through. "O [friend], you who sailed through all of life with song and with love."
- ε4049Ἐχύμισανthey softenedMeaning they made moist. Aristophanes in Thesmophoriazusae [writes]: Anacreon [and] Alcaeus were the ones "who softened music".
- η304Ἡμερίςcultivated vine[Meaning a grape]-vine: [so-called] from making us gentle [h(merou=n]. Also the nettle. But some [use the word for] the vine which climbs trees and the olive. Also the cultivated wood, the thin-leaved oak or the…
- ι492ἼωνεςIonians[sc. A term applicable to both] Asians and Attic Athenians. [Spelled] with omega. "May you, among the blessed ones, Anacreon, pride of the Ionians, be ..."
- ι687ἹστιαίαHistiaia, HistiaeaA city. Also [sc. attested is] Histiaios, a proper name.
- κ2777ΚῦροςKyros, Cyrus, Kurash[Cyrus] the king is said to be the son of Cambyses the king of the Persians. This Cambyses [was] of the family of the Perseids, and the Perseids are named from Perseus; his mother was Mandane. Mandane was the daughter…
- λ126Λαρόνpleasant[Meaning something] warm, gentle, sweet. "And may the moist dew, which the old man breathed rather pleasantly from his soft mouth, continually dampen him."
Show all 15
- μ437Μέθυwine[me/qu means the same as] oi)=nos. "May fragrant sweet wine pour forth from the earth, so that your ashes and bones may gain delight." And Homer [writes]: "Jason's son gave [them] to carry a thousand measures of wine."
- μ1205Μολπήchant[Meaning an] ode. But in Homer [it means] a game. "With song and dance; for these [are] the ornaments of a banquet". And elsewhere: "he did not desist from the honey-sweet chant".
- χ518Χρίμπτεταιcomes near; touches[Meaning he/she/it] rubs against, nears, draws nigh. "If some happiness touches those who have perished."
Neighbouring entries
Revision history11 revisions · last 1 Jul 2015
- tweaked link — Catharine Roth
- updated a ref — David Whitehead
- expanded n.2 — David Whitehead
- another note; tweaks and cosmetics — David Whitehead
- adjusted numerals/dates, at the prompting of Dr Jan Stronk; other tweaks to tr — David Whitehead
- another keyword — David Whitehead
- added cross-reference — Catharine Roth
- added keywords — David Whitehead
- modified translation slightly — Catharine Roth
- added link — Catharine Roth
- added notes and bibliography; cosmetics — David Whitehead
- Translated — William Hutton