Since memories die with men, that's as near as one gets to immortality

[sovay]

δάκρυα μὲν Ἑκάβῃ τε καὶ Ἰλιάδεσσι γυναιξὶ
Μοῖραι ἐπέκλωσαν δὴ τότε γεινομέναις,
σοὶ δέ, Δίων, ῥέξαντι καλῶν ἐπινίκιον ἔργων
δαίμονες εὐροίας ἐλπίδας ἐξέχεαν.
κεῖσαι δ’ εὐρυχόρῳ ἐν πατρίδι τίμιος ἀστοῖς,
ὦ ἐμὸν ἐκμήνας θυμὸν ἔρωτι Δίων.

Tears for Hekabe and the women of Troy
the Fates spun out as soon as they were born,
but for you, Dion, composing success on success,
the gods poured out plentiful hopes.
Now you lie in the broad familiar earth, the honor of your countrymen—
but, oh, you maddened my heart with love, Dion.

—Plato for Dion, Palatine Anthology 7.99

Comments

[clarionj.livejournal.com]

δάκρυα μὲν Ἑκάβῃ τε καὶ Ἰλιάδεσσι γυναιξὶ

I want to be able to read this! There's so much to do in this world. It's funny, but my daughter said a few weeks back that she wants to learn every language. Now, she goes online and just looks up random things in random languages. I should show her this; there's something about the alphabet even that's so curious and apopealing.

As for the translation--I just love that line "but, oh, you maddened my heart with love, Dion."

[liveavatar.livejournal.com]

I love that line too; it's a wonderful reading. (hoists a glass of ...well, orange juice, but you get the idea... in Dion's name -- to Dion and all those remembered in poetry)

Excellent icon choice, though it's of a nasty evil culture-stealing Roman. :)

[mer-moon.livejournal.com]

Aw. I want to be able to read that, too. Those strangers, that other alphabet. But, very lovely translation.