THE SAME
ANOTHER TRANSLATION.
Attic maiden, breathing still
Of the fragrant flowers that blow
On Hymettus’ purple hill,
Whence the streams of honey flow.
Wherefore thus a captive bear
To your nest the grasshopper?
Noisy prattler, cease to do
To your fellow-prattler wrong;
Kind should not its kind pursue—
Least of all the heirs of song.
Prattler, seek some other food
For your noisy, prattling brood.
Both are ever on the wing,
Wanderers both in foreign bowers;
Both succeed the parting spring,
Both depart with summer hours.
Those who love the minstrel lay
Should not on each other prey.
Translation of G. Merivale.