“Do not ask, mariner, whose tomb I am, but chance your life upon a kinder sea.” Willis Barnstone Author:Anonymous
“The gold booty of Gyges means nothing to me. I don't envy that Lydian king, nor am I jealous of what gods can do, nor of the tyrants' great powers. All these are realms beyond my vision.” Willis BarnstoneArchilochos Author:Archilochos
“My lord Apollo, single out the guilty ones, and in your customary way, destroy them all.” ApolloWillis BarnstoneArchilochos Author:Archilochos
“One verse by the blind poet of Chios is indelible: 'The life of man is like a summer's leaf.' Yet few who hear these words take them into their heart, for hope is rooted in every youthful soul, the lovely flower of youth grows tall with color, life will have no end, or there is no place for growing old, for death; and while in health, no fear of foul disease. Poor fools! in islands of illusion, for men have but a day of youth and life. You few who understand, know when death is near the food you give your soul must be supreme.” Willis BarnstoneHomerSemonides Author:Semonides
“The calm sea falls dumbly on the shore among a tangle of seaweed.” Willis BarnstoneAlkman Author:Alkman
“Didyme plunders me with her beauty. When I look at her I am wax over fire. If she's black, what if it? So are coals. When kindled, they glow like blooming roses.” Willis BarnstoneAsklepiades Author:Asklepiades
“Didyme plunders me with her beauty. When I look at her I am wax over fire. If she's black, what of it? So are coals. When kindled, they glow like blooming roses.” Willis BarnstoneAsklepiades Author:Asklepiades
“They brought me word of your death, Heraklieitos, and I wept for you remembering how often we watched the sun setting as we talked. Dear Halikarnassian friend, you lie elsewhere now and are mere ashes; yet your songs—your nightingales—will live, and never will the underworld, destroying everything, touch them with its deadly hand.” Willis BarnstoneKallimachos Author:Kallimachos
“I gave you wings to fly looming high and easy over unboarded sea and the entire earth. At every meal and banquet you will be present on the lips of guests. Graceful young men will sing of you in limpid lovely notes to the clean piping of the flutes. When you go under the dark vaults of earth to the mournful chambers of sad Hell, even when you lie dead you will not lose your glory. Your name will be recalled among men always, Kyrnos. You will wheel high over the mainland and Greek islands and cross the unharvested sea pulsing with fish, not by horse but carried to those who love you in the gifts of Muses capped in violet flowers. You will be like a song to the living as long as there is sun, earth. Yet you ignore me and trick me as if I were a child.” Willis BarnstoneTheognis Author:Theognis
“Come with me now and leave the land of Pelops, mighty sons of Zeus and Leda, and in kindness spread your light on us, Kastor and Polydeukes. You who wander above the long earth and over all the seas on swift horses, easily delivering mariners from pitiful death, fly to the masthead of our swift ship, and gazing over foremast and forstays, light a clear path through the midnight gloom for our black vessel.” Willis BarnstoneAlkaios Author:Alkaios