1.
Ram, ass, and horse, my Kyrnos, we look over
With care, and seek good stock for good to cover;
And yet the best men make no argument,
But wed, for money, runts of poor descent.
So too a woman will demean her state
And spurn the better for the richer mate.
Money's the cry. Good stock to bad is wed
And bad to good, till all the world's cross-bred.
No wonder if the country's breed declines-
Mixed metal, Kyrnos, that but dimly shines.
Theognis of Megara
2.
Fairly examined, truly understood,
No man is wholly bad, nor wholly good.
Theognis of Megara
3.
Boy, you're like a horse.
Just now sated with seed,
You've come back to my stable,
Yearning for a good rider, fine meadow,
An icy spring, shady groves.
Theognis of Megara
4.
He who mistrusts most should be trusted least.
Theognis of Megara
5.
Not to be born at all would be the best thing for man.
Theognis of Megara
6.
Restrain thy mind, and let mildness ever attend thy tongue.
Theognis of Megara
7.
The greatest treasure you can leave your children is a sense of modesty and the advice to follow virtuous persons.
Theognis of Megara
8.
Even to a wicked man a divinity gives wealth, Cyrnus, but to few men comes the gift of excellence.
Theognis of Megara
9.
Surfeit begets insolence, when prosperity comes to a bad man.
Theognis of Megara
10.
Bright youth passes swiftly as a thought.
Theognis of Megara
11.
Ploutos , no wonder mortals worship you: You are so tolerant of their sins !
Theognis of Megara
12.
One finds many companions for food and drink, but in a serious business a man's companions are very few.
Theognis of Megara
13.
Rash, angry words, and spoken out of season, When passion has usurp'd the throne of reason, Have ruin'd many. Passion is unjust, And for an idle, transitory gust Of gratified revenge, dooms us to pay With long repentance at a later day.
Theognis of Megara
14.
Adopt the character of the twisting octopus, which takes on the appearance of the nearby rock . Now follow in this direction, now turn a different hue.
Theognis of Megara
15.
Too many tongues have gates which fly apart
Too easily, and care for many things
That don't concern them.
Theognis of Megara
16.
When we are dead; rugs are no richer than a quick-thorn bed.
Theognis of Megara
17.
Unless the gods deceive my mind , That man is forging fetters for himself.
Theognis of Megara
18.
To many men well-fitting doors are not set on their tongues.
Theognis of Megara
