Antipaters Muses

#greekpoetry #greekanthology #womenpoets #muses
#Antipater of #Thessalonica wrote a poem that listed the nine women poets he considered to be inspired by the Muses

These are the Nine

and here is the text of Antipater's poem from the Greek Anthology

Antipater of Thessalonika

Greek Anthology 9:26

Τάσδε θεογλώσσους Ἑλικὼν ἔθρεψε γυναῖκας

ὕμνοις, καὶ Μακεδὼν Πιερίας σκόπελος,

Πρήξιλλαν, Μοιρώ, Ἀνύτης, στόμα θῆλυν Ὅμηρον,

Λεσβιάδων Σαπφὼ κόσμον εϋπλοκάμων,

Ἤριννα, Τελέσιλλαν, ἀγακλέα, καὶ σέ, Κόριννα,

θοῦριν Ἀθηναίης ἀσπίδα μελψαμέναν,

Νοσσίδα θηλύγλωσσον, ἰδὲ γλυκυαχέα Μύρτιν,

πάσας ἀενάων ἐργάτιδας σελίδων,

ἐννέα μὲν Μούσας μέγας Οὐρανός, ἐννέα δ᾿αὐτὰς

Γαῖα τέκεν, θνατοῖς ἄφθιτον εὐφροσύναν.

If you would like to see a study sheet with a rough translation and notes in pdf format please go to 

MY METOUSIA PATREON

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Antiphanes on the Muses and Skill

Antiphanes on the Muses and Reason and Criticism

Antiphanes is one of several dramatists we know only by name and quotes in other works.

This quote comes from Athenaeus 1.3.b

ἀεὶ δὲ πρὸς Μουσαισι καὶ λόγοις πάρει,

ὅπου τι σοφίας ἔργον ἐξετάζεται.

Always the Muses and Reason(ings) are together / present

whenever any skilled work is tested

ANYTE'S PET GOAT

You see this poem a lot in anthologies
so I thought it would be a good idea to upload the original

Anyte Greek Anthology 6. 312 The PET BILLY GOAT

Ἡνία δή τοι παῖδες ἐνί, τράγε, φοινικόεντα

θέντες καὶ λασίῳ φιμὰ περὶ στόματι,

ἵππια παιδεύουσι θεοῦ περὶ ναὸν ἄεθλα,

ὄφρ̕ αὐτοὺς ἐφορᾐ νήπια τερπομένους.

There was a huge outcry last year about inhumane goat races.

The ancient Greeks also raced goats but if this goat had purple reins it was a beloved indulged pet not some poor half feral animal? The mention of a temple and a god watching suggests this race may have been part of a festival? 

Lucian on Time and Fortune an epigram

For men who are fortunate all life is short

 but for those who fall into misfortune one night is infinite time.

Τοῖσι μὲν εὖ πράττουσιν πᾶς ὁ βίος βραχύς ἐστιν,

Τοῖς δὲ κακῶς μία νὺξ ἄπλετός ἐστι χρόνος.

A good example of men and de and expression of irony.

Lucian An Epigram

LUCIAN An Epigram
From Book 10/ 27
The Greek Anthology

Ἀνθρώπους μὲν ἴσως λήσεις ἄτοπόν τι ποιήσας,

οὐ λήσεις δὲ θεοὺς οὐδὲ λογιζόμενος.

If you do a foul thing it may perchance be hidden from men, but from the gods it shall not be hidden, even if you but think of it.

Things to consider during translation

What verb is  λήσεις  a form of ?

the men de pattern for contrast 

 ἴσως seems to mean equal even chances not equally 

CRATES on Simplicity

Crates the Philosopher on Simplicity

Greek Anthology book 10 104

Χαῖρε θεὰ δέσποιν̕, ἀνδρῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀγάπημα,

Εὐτελίη, κλεινῆς ἔγγονε Σωφροσύνης.

Σὴν ἀρετὴν τιμῶσιν ὅσοι τὰ δίκαἰ ἀσκοῦσιν.

Rough Translation.

Hail goddess or divine mistress of good men beloved / admired 

Simplicity of glorious begotten / born Sophrosune 

(the word order has been changed to match the metre )

Sophrosune is Moderation or Temperance.

Your virtue /excellence they honor justice /righteousness practising

Simplicity is honored /valued by those who practise righteous actions.

ANACREON I care not for ...

A Poem By ANACREON
From the Greek Anthology book 11 47

Οὔ μοι μέλει τὰ Γύγεω,

τοῦ Σαρδίων ἄνακτος,

οὔθ̓ αἱρέει με χρυσός,

οὐκ αἰνέω τυράννους.

Ἐμοὶ μέλει μύροισι

καταβρέχειν ὑπήνην.

Ἐμοὶ μέλει ῥόδοισι

καταστέφειν κάρηνα.

Τὸ σήμερον μέλει μοι.

τὸ δ̓ αὔριον τίς οἶδεν; 

A Literal translation you can tidy up.  

Notice  the use of dative with melei 

Not to me  is a concern or care (so I care not reads better in English)  for the  ta = things = wealth of Gyges

 of Sardis (wealthy city in Asia Minor)  the anax or ruler 

nor does take (captive) me GOLD

  not  I praise tyrants.

 I care to drench my beard with scent

 I care to garland / crown my head with roses.  

Garland is often translated as crown because a "Crown" for many ancient rulers was a band of flowers or metal on the head.

  I care for today 

and tomorrow who knows?

Future Middle Participles and a Poem

Future Middle Participles

Two Lovely Examples
From the Greek Anthology

Book 10. 26 

Lucian on Thrift and Moderation

Ὡς τεθνηξόμενος τῶν σῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀπόλαυε,

ὡς δὲ βιωσόμενος φείδεο σῶν κτεάνων.

Ἔστι δ̓ ἀνὴρ σοφὸς οὗτος, ὃς ἄμφω ταῦτα νοήσας,

φείδοῖ καὶ δαπάνῃ μέτρον ἐφηρμόσατο.