Ancient Greek Epigrams I

Ancient Greek and Roman Epigrams I Wall, we're astonished that you haven't collapsed, since you're holding up verses so prolapsed! Ancient Roman graffiti, translation by Michael R. Burch You begrudge men your virginity? Why? To what purpose? You will find no one to embrace you in the grave. The joys of love are for the living. But in Acheron, dear virgin, we shall all lie dust and ashes. —Asclepiades of Samos, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch Let me live with joy today, since tomorrow is unforeseeable. ?Michael R Burch, after Palladas of Alexandria Now his voice is prisoned in the silent pathways of the night: his owner’s faithful Maltese... but will he still bark again, on sight? ?Michael R Burch, after Tymnes Poor partridge, poor partridge, lately migrated from the rocks; our cat bit off your unlucky head; my offended heart still balks! I put you back together again and buried you, so unsightly! May the dark earth cover you heavily: heavily, not lightly... so she shan’t get at you again! ?Michael R Burch, after Agathias Hunter partridge, we no longer hear your echoing cry along the forest's dappled feeding ground where, in times gone by, you would decoy speckled kinsfolk to their doom, luring them on, for now you too have gone down the dark path to Acheron. ?Michael R Burch, after Simmias Wert thou, O Artemis, overbusy with thy beast-slaying hounds when the Beast embraced me? ?Michael R Burch, after Diodorus of Sardis Dead as you are, though you lie as still as cold stone, huntress Lycas, my great Thessalonian hound, the wild beasts still fear your white bones; craggy Pelion remembers your valor, splendid Ossa, the way you would bound and bay at the moon for its whiteness as below we heard valleys resound. And how brightly with joy you would leap and run the strange lonely peaks of high Cithaeron! ?Michael R Burch, after Simonides Keywords/Tags: ancient, Greek, epigram, epigrams, epitaph, epitaphs, translations, elegy, elegies, eulogy, eulogies, death, grave, funeral, lament, mourning, loss, pain, bereavement