ἢν τὸν δάκτυλον κόψῃς ἐκείνῃ τῇ ὀξείᾳ μαχαίρᾳ, οὐ παρ’ ἐμοὶ ἡ αἰτία,
if you cut your finger with that sharp knife, the blame is not with me.
ἐκτέλεσον τὸ ἔργον τὸ προκείμενον, ἵνα μή σε ταράσσῃ
αὔριον τὰ τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας ὑστερήματα,
finish the work that lies before you, that the leavings
of to-day may not disturb you to-morrow.
λαβὼν τὸ σκάλευθρον κΐνει τὸ πῦρ, ἵνα μὴ πνίγῃ
τὴν φλόγα τὸ βάρος τῶν ἀνθράκων,
take the poker and stir the fire, that the weight
of the coals may not choke the flame.
ἐὰν μὴ φυλάττῃ τὴν φλόγα, καύσεις τὰς χειρίδας τοῦ ἱματίου,
if you do not take care of the flame,
you will burn the sleeves of your coat.
φέρε δὴ τὸν Ὅμηρον ἐκ τοῦ θηκίου, ἵνα ἀκούω τί λέγει
περὶ τοῦ κάλλους τῶν γυναικῶν,
bring me Homer from the shelf, that I may hear
what he says about the beauty of women.
ἰδοῦ, here it is.
ἀνάγνωθι, read it.
καλὴ καὶ μεγάλη καὶ ἀγλαὰ ἔργ’ εἰδυῖα,
beautiful and tall, and skilful in tasteful works.
φεῦ· ὡς εὖ λέγεις. οὐκ ἀργαὶ αἱ γυναῖκες αἱ παρὰ τῷ ἀοιδῷ,
excellent. The singer’s ladies were no idlers.
μιμήτριαί γε τῆς ἐν τοῖς περὶ τὸν βίον σοφῆς προστατίδος Παλλάδος,
they were imitators of their patron goddess Pallas,
wise in all that relates to life.