Πληιάδων Ἀτλαγενέων ἐπιτελλομενάων
ἄρχεσθ’ ἀμήτου, ἀρότοιο δὲ δυσομενάων.
αἳ δή τοι νύκτας τε καὶ ἤματα τεσσαράκοντα
κεκρύφαται, αὖτις δὲ περιπλομένου ἐνιαυτοῦ
φαίνονται τὰ πρῶτα χαρασσομένοιο σιδήρου.
οὗτός τοι πεδίων πέλεται νόμος, οἵ τε θαλάσσης
ἐγγύθι ναιετάουσ’, οἵ τ’ ἄγκεα βησσήεντα,
390 πόντου κυμαίνοντος ἀπόπροθι, πίονα χῶρον
ναίουσιν· γυμνὸν σπείρειν, γυμνὸν δὲ βοωτεῖν,
γυμνὸν δ’ ἀμάειν, εἴ χ’ ὥρια πάντ’ ἐθέλῃσθα
ἔργα κομίζεσθαι Δημήτερος· ὥς τοι ἕκαστα
ὥρι’ ἀέξηται, μή πως τὰ μέταζε χατίζων
πτώσσῃς ἀλλοτρίους οἴκους καὶ μηδὲν ἀνύσσῃς.
ὡς καὶ νῦν ἐπ’ ἔμ’ ἦλθες· ἐγὼ δέ τοι οὐκ ἐπιδώσω
οὐδ’ ἐπιμετρήσω· ἐργάζευ, νήπιε Πέρση,
ἔργα, τά τ’ ἀνθρώποισι θεοὶ διετεκμήραντο,
μή ποτε σὺν παίδεσσι γυναικί τε θυμὸν ἀχεύων
400 ζητεύῃς βίοτον κατὰ γείτονας, οἳ δ’ ἀμελῶσιν.
δὶς μὲν γὰρ καὶ τρὶς τάχα τεύξεαι· ἢν δ’ ἔτι λυπῇς,
χρῆμα μὲν οὐ πρήξεις, σὺ δ’ ἐτώσια πόλλ’ ἀγορεύσεις·
ἀχρεῖος δ’ ἔσται ἐπέων νομός. ἀλλά σ’ ἄνωγα
φράζεσθαι χρειῶν τε λύσιν λιμοῦ τ’ ἀλεωρήν.

When the Pleiades, daughters of Atlas,
are rising [in early May],
begin your harvest, and your ploughing
when they are going to set [in November].
Forty nights and days they are hidden
and appear again as the year moves round,
when first you sharpen your sickle.
This is the law of the plains, and of those who live
near the sea, and who inhabit rich country,
the glens and dingles far from the tossing sea,
strip to sow and strip to plough and strip to reap,
if you wish to get in all Demeter’s fruits in due season,
and that each kind may grow in its season. Else, afterwards,
you may chance to be in want, and go begging
to other men’s houses, but without avail;
as you have already come to me. But I will give you
no more nor give you further measure. Foolish Perses!
Work the work which the gods ordained for men,
lest in bitter anguish of spirit you with your wife
and children seek your livelihood
amongst your neighbours, and they do not heed you.
Two or three times, may be, you will succeed,
but if you trouble them further, it will not avail you,
and all your talk will be in vain, and your word-play
unprofitable. Nay, I bid you find a way
to pay your debts and avoid hunger.

Οἶκον μὲν πρώτιστα γυναῖκά τε βοῦν τ’ ἀροτῆρα,
[κτητήν, οὐ γαμετήν, ἥτις καὶ βουσὶν ἕποιτο,]
χρήματα δ’ ἐν οἴκῳ πάντ’ ἄρμενα ποιήσασθαι,
μὴ σὺ μὲν αἰτῇς ἄλλον, ὃ δ’ ἀρνῆται, σὺ δὲ τητᾷ,
ἡ δ’ ὥρη παραμείβηται, μινύθῃ δὲ τὸ ἔργον.
410 μηδ’ ἀναβάλλεσθαι ἔς τ’ αὔριον ἔς τε ἔνηφιν·
οὐ γὰρ ἐτωσιοεργὸς ἀνὴρ πίμπλησι καλιὴν
οὐδ’ ἀναβαλλόμενος· μελέτη δὲ τὸ ἔργον ὀφέλλει·
αἰεὶ δ’ ἀμβολιεργὸς ἀνὴρ ἄτῃσι παλαίει.
Ἦμος δὴ λήγει μένος ὀξέος ἠελίοιο
καύματος ἰδαλίμου, μετοπωρινὸν ὀμβρήσαντος
Ζηνὸς ἐρισθενέος, μετὰ δὲ τρέπεται βρότεος χρὼς
πολλὸν ἐλαφρότερος· δὴ γὰρ τότε Σείριος ἀστὴρ
βαιὸν ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς κηριτρεφέων ἀνθρώπων
ἔρχεται ἠμάτιος, πλεῖον δέ τε νυκτὸς ἐπαυρεῖ·
420 τῆμος ἀδηκτοτάτη πέλεται τμηθεῖσα σιδήρῳ
ὕλη, φύλλα δ’ ἔραζε χέει, πτόρθοιό τε λήγει·
τῆμος ἄρ’ ὑλοτομεῖν μεμνημένος ὥρια ἔργα.

First of all, get a house, and a woman and an ox
for the plough —a servant woman and not a wife,
to follow the oxen as well— and make everything
ready at home, so that you may not have to ask
of another, and he refuses you, and so,
because you are in lack, the season pass by
and your work come to nothing.
Do not put your work off till to-morrow and the day after;
for a sluggish worker does not fill his barn,
nor one who puts off his work; industry makes work go well,
but a man who puts off work is always at hand-grips with ruin.
When the piercing power and sultry heat of the sun abate,
and almighty Zeus sends the autumn rains [in October],
and men’s flesh comes to feel far easier, —for then
the star Sirius passes over the heads of men,
who are born to misery, only a little while by day
and takes greater share of night,— then, when it showers
its leaves to the ground and stops sprouting,
the wood you cut with your axe is least liable to worm.
Then remember to hew your timber: it is the season for that work.

ὄλμον μὲν τριπόδην τάμνειν, ὕπερον δὲ τρίπηχυν,
ἄξονα δ’ ἑπταπόδην· μάλα γάρ νύ τοι ἄρμενον οὕτω·
εἰ δέ κεν ὀκταπόδην, ἀπὸ καὶ σφῦράν κε τάμοιο.
τρισπίθαμον δ’ ἄψιν τάμνειν δεκαδώρῳ ἀμάξῃ.
πόλλ’ ἐπικαμπύλα κᾶλα· φέρειν δὲ γύην, ὅτ’ ἂν εὕρῃς,
ἐς οἶκον, κατ’ ὄρος διζήμενος ἢ κατ’ ἄρουραν,
πρίνινον· ὃς γὰρ βουσὶν ἀροῦν ὀχυρώτατός ἐστιν,
430 εὖτ’ ἂν Ἀθηναίης δμῷος ἐν ἐλύματι πήξας
γόμφοισιν πελάσας προσαρήρεται ἱστοβοῆι.
δοιὰ δὲ θέσθαι ἄροτρα, ποησάμενος κατὰ οἶκον,
αὐτόγυον καὶ πηκτόν, ἐπεὶ πολὺ λώιον οὕτω·
εἴ χ’ ἕτερον ἄξαις, ἕτερόν κ’ ἐπὶ βουσὶ βάλοιο.
δάφνης δ’ ἢ πτελέης ἀκιώτατοι ἱστοβοῆες,
δρυὸς ἔλυμα, γύης πρίνου· βόε δ’ ἐνναετήρω
ἄρσενε κεκτῆσθαι, τῶν γὰρ σθένος οὐκ ἀλαπαδνόν,
ἥβης μέτρον ἔχοντε· τὼ ἐργάζεσθαι ἀρίστω.
οὐκ ἂν τώ γ’ ἐρίσαντε ἐν αὔλακι κὰμ μὲν ἄροτρον
440 ἄξειαν, τὸ δὲ ἔργον ἐτώσιον αὖθι λίποιεν.
τοῖς δ’ ἅμα τεσσαρακονταετὴς αἰζηὸς ἕποιτο
ἄρτον δειπνήσας τετράτρυφον, ὀκτάβλωμον,
ὃς ἔργου μελετῶν ἰθεῖάν κ’ αὔλακ’ ἐλαύνοι,
μηκέτι παπταίνων μεθ’ ὁμήλικας, ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ ἔργῳ
θυμὸν ἔχων· τοῦ δ’ οὔτι νεώτερος ἄλλος ἀμείνων
σπέρματα δάσσασθαι καὶ ἐπισπορίην ἀλέασθαι.
κουρότερος γὰρ ἀνὴρ μεθ’ ὁμήλικας ἐπτοίηται.

Cut a mortar [for pounding grain] three feet wide
and a pestle three cubits long, and an axle
of seven feet, for it will do very well so;
but if you make it eight feet long, you can cut a beetle
[a mallet for pounding clods after ploughing] from it as well.
Cut a felloe three spans across for a waggon of ten palms’ width.
Hew also many bent timbers, and bring home a plough-tree
when you have found it, and look out on the mountain or in the field
for one of holm-oak; for this is the strongest for oxen to plough with
when one of Athena’s handmen has fixed in the share-beam
and fastened it to the pole with dowels. Get two ploughs ready
work on them at home, one all of a piece, and the other jointed.
It is far better to do this, for if you should break
one of them, you can put the oxen to the other.
Poles of laurel or elm are most free from worms,
and a share-beam of oak and a plough-tree of holm-oak.
Get two oxen, bulls of nine years; for their strength is unspent
and they are in the prime of their age: they are best for work.
They will not fight in the furrow and break the plough
and then leave the work undone. Let a brisk fellow of forty years
follow them, with a loaf of four quarters [a flat bread]
and eight slices for his dinner, one who will attend to his work
and drive a straight furrow and is past the age for gaping
after his fellows, but will keep his mind on his work.
No younger man will be better than he at scattering
the seed and avoiding double-sowing; for a man less staid
gets disturbed, hankering after his fellows.

Φράζεσθαι δ’, εὖτ’ ἂν γεράνου φωνὴν ἐπακούσῃς
ὑψόθεν ἐκ νεφέων ἐνιαύσια κεκληγυίης·
450 ἥτ’ ἀρότοιό τε σῆμα φέρει καὶ χείματος ὥρην
δεικνύει ὀμβρηροῦ· κραδίην δ’ ἔδακ’ ἀνδρὸς ἀβούτεω·
δὴ τότε χορτάζειν ἕλικας βόας ἔνδον ἐόντας·
ῥηίδιον γὰρ ἔπος εἰπεῖν· βόε δὸς καὶ ἄμαξαν·
ῥηίδιον δ’ ἀπανήνασθαι· πάρα ἔργα βόεσσιν.
φησὶ δ’ ἀνὴρ φρένας ἀφνειὸς πήξασθαι ἄμαξαν,
νήπιος, οὐδὲ τὸ οἶδ’· ἑκατὸν δέ τε δούρατ’ ἀμάξης,
τῶν πρόσθεν μελέτην ἐχέμεν οἰκήια θέσθαι.
Εὖτ’ ἂν δὲ πρώτιστ’ ἄροτος θνητοῖσι φανείῆ,
δὴ τότ’ ἐφορμηθῆναι ὁμῶς δμῶές τε καὶ αὐτὸς
460 αὔην καὶ διερὴν ἀρόων ἀρότοιο καθ’ ὥρην,
πρωὶ μάλα σπεύδων, ἵνα τοι πλήθωσιν ἄρουραι.
ἦρι πολεῖν· θέρεος δὲ νεωμένη οὔ σ’ ἀπατήσει.
νειὸν δὲ σπείρειν ἔτι κουφίζουσαν ἄρουραν·
νειὸς ἀλεξιάρη παίδων εὐκηλήτειρα.

Mark, when you hear the voice of the crane [mid-November]
who cries year by year from the clouds above,
for she give the signal for ploughing
and shows the season of rainy winter;
but she vexes the heart of the man who has no oxen.
Then is the time to feed up your horned oxen in the byre;
for it is easy to say: “Give me a yoke of oxen and a waggon,”
and it is easy to refuse: “I have work for my oxen.”
The man who is rich in fancy thinks his waggon
as good as built already —the fool! He does not know
that there are a hundred timbers to a waggon.
Take care to lay these up beforehand at home.
So soon as the time for ploughing is proclaimed to men,
then make haste, you and your slaves alike, in wet and in dry,
to plough in the season for ploughing, and bestir yourself
early in the morning so that your fields may be full.
Plough in the spring; but fallow broken up in the summer
will not belie your hopes. Sow fallow land
when the soil is still getting light; fallow land
is a defender from harm and a soother of children.

Εὔχεσθαι δὲ Διὶ χθονίῳ Δημήτερί θ’ ἁγνῇ,
ἐκτελέα βρίθειν Δημήτερος ἱερὸν ἀκτήν,
ἀρχόμενος τὰ πρῶτ’ ἀρότου, ὅτ’ ἂν ἄκρον ἐχέτλης
χειρὶ λαβὼν ὅρπηκα βοῶν ἐπὶ νῶτον ἵκηαι
ἔνδρυον ἑλκόντων μεσάβων. ὁ δὲ τυτθὸς ὄπισθε
470 δμῷος ἔχων μακέλην πόνον ὀρνίθεσσι τιθείη
σπέρμα κατακρύπτων· ἐυθημοσύνη γὰρ ἀρίστη
θνητοῖς ἀνθρώποις, κακοθημοσύνη δὲ κακίστη.
ὧδέ κεν ἁδροσύνη στάχυες νεύοιεν ἔραζε,
εἰ τέλος αὐτὸς ὄπισθεν Ὀλύμπιος ἐσθλὸν ὀπάζοι,
ἐκ δ’ ἀγγέων ἐλάσειας ἀράχνια· καί σε ἔολπα
γηθήσειν βιότου αἰρεύμενον ἔνδον ἐόντος.
εὐοχθέων δ’ ἵξεαι πολιὸν ἔαρ, οὐδὲ πρὸς ἄλλους
αὐγάσεαι· σέο δ’ ἄλλος ἀνὴρ κεχρημένος ἔσται.

Pray to Zeus of the Earth and to pure Demeter
to make Demeter’s holy grain sound and heavy,
when first you begin ploughing, when you hold
in your hand the end of the plough-tail
and bring down your stick on the backs of the oxen
as they draw on the pole-bar by the yoke-straps.
Let a slave follow a little behind with a mattock
and make trouble for the birds by hiding the seed;
for good management is the best for mortal men
as bad management is the worst. In this way
your corn-ears will bow to the ground with fullness
if the Olympian himself gives a good result at the last,
and you will sweep the cobwebs from your bins
and you will be glad, I ween, as you take
of your garnered substance. And so you will
have plenty till you come to grey [early] springtime,
and will not look wistfully to others,
but another shall be in need of your help.

Εἰ δέ κεν ἠελίοιο τροπῇς ἀρόῳς χθόνα δῖαν,
480 ἥμενος ἀμήσεις ὀλίγον περὶ χειρὸς ἐέργων,
ἀντία δεσμεύων κεκονιμένος, οὐ μάλα χαίρων,
οἴσεις δ’ ἐν φορμῷ· παῦροι δέ σε θηήσονται.
ἄλλοτε δ’ ἀλλοῖος Ζηνὸς νόος αἰγιόχοιο,
ἀργαλέος δ’ ἄνδρεσσι καταθνητοῖσι νοῆσαι.
εἰ δέ κεν ὄψ’ ἀρόσῃς, τόδε κέν τοι φάρμακον εἴη·
ἦμος κόκκυξ κοκκύζει δρυὸς ἐν πετάλοισι
τὸ πρῶτον, τέρπει δὲ βροτοὺς ἐπ’ ἀπείρονα γαῖαν,
τῆμος Ζεὺς ὕοι τρίτῳ ἤματι μηδ’ ἀπολήγοι,
μήτ’ ἄρ’ ὑπερβάλλων βοὸς ὁπλὴν μήτ’ ἀπολείπων·
490 οὕτω κ’ ὀψαρότης πρῳηρότῃ ἰσοφαρίζοι.
ἐν θυμῷ δ’ εὖ πάντα φυλάσσεο· μηδέ σε λήθοι
μήτ’ ἔαρ γιγνόμενον πολιὸν μήθ’ ὥριος ὄμβρος.
Πὰρ δ’ ἴθι χάλκειον θῶκον καὶ ἐπαλέα λέσχην
ὥρῃ χειμερίῃ, ὁπότε κρύος ἀνέρα ἔργων
ἰσχάνει, ἔνθα κ’ ἄοκνος ἀνὴρ μέγα οἶκον ὀφέλλοι,
μή σε κακοῦ χειμῶνος ἀμηχανίη καταμάρψῃ
σὺν πενίη, λεπτῇ δὲ παχὺν πόδα χειρὶ πιέζῃς.
πολλὰ δ’ ἀεργὸς ἀνήρ, κενεὴν ἐπὶ ἐλπίδα μίμνων,
χρηίζων βιότοιο, κακὰ προσελέξατο θυμῷ.
500 ἐλπὶς δ’ οὐκ ἀγαθὴ κεχρημένον ἄνδρα κομίζει,
ἥμενον ἐν λέσχῃ, τῷ βίος ἄρκιος εἴη.
δείκνυε δὲ δμώεσσι θέρευς ἔτι μέσσου ἐόντος·

“οὐκ αἰεὶ θέρος ἐσσεῖται, ποιεῖσθε καλιάς.”

But if you plough the good ground at the solstice [December],
you will reap sitting, grasping a thin crop in your hand,
binding the sheaves awry, dust-covered, not glad at all;
so you will bring all home in a basket and not many will admire you.
Yet the will of Zeus who holds the aegis is different
at different times; and it is hard for mortal men to tell it;
for if you should plough late, you may find this remedy
—when the cuckoo first calls [in March] in the leaves of the oak
and makes men glad all over the boundless earth,
if Zeus should send rain on the third day and not cease
until it rises neither above an ox’s hoof nor falls short of it,
then the late-plougher will vie with the early.
Keep all this well in mind, and fail not to mark
grey spring as it comes and the season of rain.
Pass by the smithy and its crowded lounge in winter time
when the cold keeps men from field work,
for then an industrious man can greatly prosper his house,
lest bitter winter catch you helpless and poor
and you chafe a swollen foot with a shrunk hand.
The idle man who waits on empty hope, lacking
a livelihood, lays to heart mischief-making;
it is not an wholesome hope that accompanies a need man
who lolls at ease while he has no sure livelihood.
While it is yet midsummer command your slaves:

“It will not always be summer, build barns.”

Μῆνα δὲ Ληναιῶνα, κάκ’ ἤματα, βουδόρα πάντα,
τοῦτον ἀλεύασθαι, καὶ πηγάδας, αἵτ’ ἐπὶ γαῖαν
πνεύσαντος Βορέαο δυσηλεγέες τελέθουσιν,
ὅστε διὰ Θρῄκης ἱπποτρόφου εὐρέι πόντῳ
ἐμπνεύσας ὤρινε· μέμυκε δὲ γαῖα καὶ ὕλη·
πολλὰς δὲ δρῦς ὑψικόμους ἐλάτας τε παχείας
510 οὔρεος ἐν βήσσῃς πιλνᾷ χθονὶ πουλυβοτείρῃ
ἐμπίπτων, καὶ πᾶσα βοᾷ τότε νήριτος ὕλη.
θῆρες δὲ φρίσσουσ’, οὐρὰς δ’ ὑπὸ μέζε’ ἔθεντο,
τῶν καὶ λάχνῃ δέρμα κατάσκιον· ἀλλά νυ καὶ τῶν
ψυχρὸς ἐὼν διάησι δασυστέρνων περ ἐόντων.
καί τε διὰ ῥινοῦ βοὸς ἔρχεται, οὐδέ μιν ἴσχει·
καί τε δι’ αἶγα ἄησι τανύτριχα· πώεα δ’ οὔ τι,
οὕνεκ’ ἐπηεταναὶ τρίχες αὐτῶν, οὐ διάησιν
ἲς ἀνέμου Βορέου· τροχαλὸν δὲ γέροντα τίθησιν.

Avoid the month Lenaeon [late January, early February],
wretched days, all of them fit to skin an ox,
and the frosts which are cruel
when Boreas blows over the earth.
He blows across horse-breeding Thrace
upon the wide sea and stirs it up,
while earth and the forest howl.
On many a high-leafed oak and thick pine he falls
and brings them to the bounteous earth
in mountain glens; then all the immense wood roars
and the beasts shudder and put their tails between
their legs, even those whose hide is covered with fur;
for with his bitter blast he blows even through them
although they are shaggy-breasted.
He goes even through an ox’s hide; it does not stop him.
Also he blows through the goat’s fine hair.
But through the fleeces of sheep,
because their wool is abundant,
the keen wind Boreas pierces not at all;
but it makes the old man curved as a wheel.

καὶ διὰ παρθενικῆς ἁπαλόχροος οὐ διάησιν,
520 ἥτε δόμων ἔντοσθε φίλῃ παρὰ μητέρι μίμνει
οὔ πω ἔργα ἰδυῖα πολυχρύσου Ἀφροδίτης·
εὖ τε λοεσσαμένη τέρενα χρόα καὶ λίπ’ ἐλαίῳ
χρισαμένη μυχίη καταλέξεται ἔνδοθι οἴκου
ἤματι χειμερίῳ, ὅτ’ ἀνόστεος ὃν πόδα τένδει
ἔν τ’ ἀπύρῳ οἴκῳ καὶ ἤθεσι λευγαλέοισιν.

οὐδέ οἱ ἠέλιος δείκνυ νομὸν ὁρμηθῆναι·
ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ κυανέων ἀνδρῶν δῆμόν τε πόλιν τε
στρωφᾶται, βράδιον δὲ Πανελλήνεσσι φαείνει.
καὶ τότε δὴ κεραοὶ καὶ νήκεροι ὑληκοῖται
530 λυγρὸν μυλιόωντες ἀνὰ δρία βησσήεντα
φεύγουσιν· καὶ πᾶσιν ἐνὶ φρεσὶ τοῦτο μέμηλεν,
ὡς σκέπα μαιόμενοι πυκινοὺς κευθμῶνας ἔχωσι
καὶ γλάφυ πετρῆεν· τότε δὴ τρίποδι βροτῷ ἶσοι,
οὗ τ’ ἐπὶ νῶτα ἔαγε, κάρη δ’ εἰς οὖδας ὁρᾶται,
τῷ ἴκελοι φοιτῶσιν, ἀλευόμενοι νίφα λευκήν.

And it does not blow through the tender maiden
who stays indoors with her dear mother,
unlearned as yet in the works of golden Aphrodite,
and who washes her soft body and anoints herself with oil
and lies down in an inner room within the house,
on a winter’s day when the Boneless One
[octopus or cuttle] gnaws his foot in his fireless house
and wretched home; for the sun shows him no pastures
to make for, but goes to and fro over the land
and city of dusky men [southern Aethiopians],
and shines more sluggishly
upon the whole race of the Hellenes.
Then the horned and unhorned denizens
of the wood, with teeth chattering pitifully,
flee through the copses and glades,
and all, as they seek shelter, have this one care,
to gain thick coverts or some hollow rock. Then,
like the Three-legged One [old man with walking-stick]
whose back is broken and whose head looks down
upon the ground, like him, I say,
they wander to escape the white snow.

Καὶ τότε ἕσσασθαι ἔρυμα χροός, ὥς σε κελεύω,
χλαῖνάν τε μαλακὴν καὶ τερμιόεντα χιτῶνα·
στήμονι δ’ ἐν παύρῳ πολλὴν κρόκα μηρύσασθαι·
τὴν περιέσσασθαι, ἵνα τοι τρίχες ἀτρεμέωσι,
540 μηδ’ ὀρθαὶ φρίσσωσιν ἀειρόμεναι κατὰ σῶμα.
ἀμφὶ δὲ ποσσὶ πέδιλα βοὸς ἶφι κταμένοιο
ἄρμενα δήσασθαι, πίλοις ἔντοσθε πυκάσσας.
πρωτογόνων δ’ ἐρίφων, ὁπότ’ ἂν κρύος ὥριον ἔλθῃ,
δέρματα συρράπτειν νεύρῳ βοός, ὄφρ’ ἐπὶ νώτῳ
ὑετοῦ ἀμφιβάλῃ ἀλέην· κεφαλῆφι δ’ ὕπερθεν
πῖλον ἔχειν ἀσκητόν, ἵν’ οὔατα μὴ καταδεύῃ·
ψυχρὴ γάρ τ’ ἠὼς πέλεται Βορέαο πεσόντος
ἠώιος δ’ ἐπὶ γαῖαν ἀπ’ οὐρανοῦ ἀστερόεντος
ἀὴρ πυροφόρος τέταται μακάρων ἐπὶ ἔργοις·
550 ὅστε ἀρυσάμενος ποταμῶν ἄπο αἰεναόντων,
ὑψοῦ ὑπὲρ γαίης ἀρθεὶς ἀνέμοιο θυέλλῃ
ἄλλοτε μέν θ’ ὕει ποτὶ ἕσπερον, ἄλλοτ’ ἄησι
πυκνὰ Θρηικίου Βορέου νέφεα κλονέοντος.
τὸν φθάμενος ἔργον τελέσας οἶκόνδε νέεσθαι,
μή ποτέ σ’ οὐρανόθεν σκοτόεν νέφος ἀμφικαλύψῃ,
χρῶτα δὲ μυδαλέον θήῃ κατά θ’ εἵματα δεύσῃ.
ἀλλ’ ὑπαλεύασθαι· μεὶς γὰρ χαλεπώτατος οὗτος,
χειμέριος, χαλεπὸς προβάτοις, χαλεπὸς δ’ ἀνθρώποις.
τῆμος τὤμισυ βουσίν, ἐπ’ ἀνέρι δὲ πλέον εἴη
560 ἁρμαλιῆς· μακραὶ γὰρ ἐπίρροθοι εὐφρόναι εἰσίν.
ταῦτα φυλασσόμενος τετελεσμένον εἰς ἐνιαυτὸν
ἰσοῦσθαι νύκτας τε καὶ ἤματα, εἰσόκεν αὖτις
γῆ πάντων μήτηρ καρπὸν σύμμικτον ἐνείκῃ.

Then put on, as I bid you, a soft coat
and a tunic to the feet to shield your body,
and you should weave thick woof on thin warp.
In this clothe yourself so that your hair may keep still
and not bristle and stand upon end all over your body.
Lace on your feet close-fitting boots of the hide
of a slaughtered ox, thickly lined with felt inside.
And when the season of frost comes on,
stitch together skins of firstling kids with ox-sinew,
to put over your back and to keep off the rain.
On your head above wear a shaped cap of felt
to keep your ears from getting wet, for the dawn is chill
when Boreas has once made his onslaught,
and at dawn a fruitful mist is spread over the earth
from starry heaven upon the fields of blessed men;
it is drawn from the ever flowing rivers and is raised
high above the earth by windstorm, and sometimes
it turns to rain towards evening, and sometimes to wind
when Thracian Boreas huddles the thick clouds.
Finish your work and return home ahead of him,
and do not let the dark cloud from heaven wrap round you
and make your body clammy and soak your clothes.
Avoid it; for this is the hardest month, wintry,
hard for sheep and hard for men. In this season
let your oxen have half their usual food, but let
your man have more; for the helpful nights are long.
Observe all this until the year is ended
and you have nights and days of equal length, and Earth,
the mother of all, bears again her various fruit.

Εὖτ’ ἂν δ’ ἑξήκοντα μετὰ τροπὰς ἠελίοιο
χειμέρι’ ἐκτελέσῃ Ζεὺς ἤματα, δή ῥα τότ’ ἀστὴρ
Ἀρκτοῦρος προλιπὼν ἱερὸν ῥόον Ὠκεανοῖο
πρῶτον παμφαίνων ἐπιτέλλεται ἀκροκνέφαιος.
τὸν δὲ μέτ’ ὀρθογόη Πανδιονὶς ὦρτο χελιδὼν
ἐς φάος ἀνθρώποις, ἔαρος νέον ἱσταμένοιο.
570 τὴν φθάμενος οἴνας περταμνέμεν· ὣς γὰρ ἄμεινον.
Ἀλλ’ ὁπότ’ ἂν φερέοικος ἀπὸ χθονὸς ἂμ φυτὰ βαίνῃ
Πληιάδας φεύγων, τότε δὴ σκάφος οὐκέτι οἰνέων·
ἀλλ’ ἅρπας τε χαρασσέμεναι καὶ δμῶας ἐγείρειν·
φεύγειν δὲ σκιεροὺς θώκους καὶ ἐπ’ ἠόα κοῖτον
ὥρῃ ἐν ἀμήτου, ὅτε τ’ ἠέλιος χρόα κάρφει.
τημοῦτος σπεύδειν καὶ οἴκαδε καρπὸν ἀγινεῖν
ὄρθρου ἀνιστάμενος, ἵνα τοι βίος ἄρκιος εἴη.
ἠὼς γὰρ ἔργοιο τρίτην ἀπομείρεται αἶσαν,
ἠώς τοι προφέρει μὲν ὁδοῦ, προφέρει δὲ καὶ ἔργου,
580 ἠώς, ἥτε φανεῖσα πολέας ἐπέβησε κελεύθου
ἀνθρώπους πολλοῖσί τ’ ἐπὶ ζυγὰ βουσὶ τίθησιν.

When Zeus has finished sixty wintry days after the solstice,
then the star Arcturus [late February, early March]
leaves the holy stream of Ocean and first rises
brilliant at dusk. After him the shrilly wailing
daughter of Pandion, the swallow,
appears to men when spring is just beginning.
Before she comes, prune the vines, for it is best so.
But when the House-carrier [the snail, in early May]
climbs up the plants from the earth to escape the Pleiades,
then it is no longer the season for digging vineyards,
but to whet your sickles and rouse up your slaves.
Avoid shady seats and sleeping until dawn
in the harvest season, when the sun scorches the body.
Then be busy, and bring home your fruits,
getting up early to make your livelihood sure.
For dawn takes away a third part of your work,
dawn advances a man on his journey
and advances him in his work,
dawn which appears and sets many men
on their road, and puts yokes on many oxen.

Ἦμος δὲ σκόλυμός τ’ ἀνθεῖ καὶ ἠχέτα τέττιξ
δενδρέῳ ἐφεζόμενος λιγυρὴν καταχεύετ’ ἀοιδὴν
πυκνὸν ὑπὸ πτερύγων, θέρεος καματώδεος ὥρῃ,
τῆμος πιόταταί τ’ αἶγες καὶ οἶνος ἄριστος,
μαχλόταται δὲ γυναῖκες, ἀφαυρότατοι δέ τοι ἄνδρες
εἰσίν, ἐπεὶ κεφαλὴν καὶ γούνατα Σείριος ἄζει,
αὐαλέος δέ τε χρὼς ὑπὸ καύματος· ἀλλὰ τότ’ ἤδη
εἴη πετραίη τε σκιὴ καὶ βίβλινος οἶνος,
590 μάζα τ’ ἀμολγαίη γάλα τ’ αἰγῶν σβεννυμενάων,
καὶ βοὸς ὑλοφάγοιο κρέας μή πω τετοκυίης
πρωτογόνων τ’ ἐρίφων· ἐπὶ δ’ αἴθοπα πινέμεν οἶνον,
ἐν σκιῇ ἑζόμενον, κεκορημένον ἦτορ ἐδωδῆς,
ἀντίον ἀκραέος Ζεφύρου τρέψαντα πρόσωπα,
κρήνης τ’ αἰενάου καὶ ἀπορρύτου, ἥτ’ ἀθόλωτος,
τρὶς ὕδατος προχέειν, τὸ δὲ τέτρατον ἱέμεν οἴνου.

Δμωσὶ δ’ ἐποτρύνειν Δημήτερος ἱερὸν ἀκτὴν
δινέμεν, εὖτ’ ἂν πρῶτα φανῇ σθένος Ὠαρίωνος,
χώρῳ ἐν εὐαέι καὶ ἐυτροχάλῳ ἐν ἀλωῇ.
600 μέτρῳ δ’ εὖ κομίσασθαι ἐν ἄγγεσιν· αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν δὴ
πάντα βίον κατάθηαι ἐπάρμενον ἔνδοθι οἴκου,
θῆτά τ’ ἄοικον ποιεῖσθαι καὶ ἄτεκνον ἔριθον
δίζησθαι κέλομαι· χαλεπὴ δ’ ὑπόπορτις ἔριθος·
καὶ κύνα καρχαρόδοντα κομεῖν, μὴ φείδεο σίτου,
μή ποτέ σ’ ἡμερόκοιτος ἀνὴρ ἀπὸ χρήμαθ’ ἕληται.
χόρτον δ’ ἐσκομίσαι καὶ συρφετόν, ὄφρα τοι εἴη
βουσὶ καὶ ἡμιόνοισιν ἐπηετανόν. αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα
δμῶας ἀναψῦξαι φίλα γούνατα καὶ βόε λῦσαι.

But when the artichoke flowers [in June],
and the chirping grass-hopper sits in a tree
and pours down his shrill song continually
from under his wings in the season of wearisome heat,
then goats are plumpest and wine sweetest;
women are most wanton, but men are feeblest,
because Sirius parches head and knees
and the skin is dry through heat. But at that time
let me have a shady rock and wine of Biblis,
a clot of curds and milk of drained goats
with the flesh of an heifer fed in the woods,
that has never calved, and of firstling kids;
then also let me drink bright wine, sitting in the shade,
when my heart is satisfied with food, and so,
turning my head to face the fresh Zephyr,
from the everflowing spring which pours down
unfouled thrice pour an offering of water,
but make a fourth libation of wine.

Set your servants to winnow Demeter’s holy grain,
when strong Orion [in July] first appears,
on a smooth threshing-floor in an airy place.
Then measure it and store it in jars.
And so soon as you have safely stored
all your stuff indoors, I bid you put your bondman
out of doors and look out for a servant-girl with no children;
for a servant with a child to nurse is troublesome.
And look after the dog with jagged teeth;
do not grudge him his food, or some time
the Day-sleeper [a robber] may take your stuff.
Bring in fodder and litter so as to have enough
for your oxen and mules. After that, let your men
rest their poor knees and unyoke your pair of oxen.

Εὖτ’ ἂν δ’ Ὠαρίων καὶ Σείριος ἐς μέσον ἔλθῃ
610 οὐρανόν, Ἀρκτοῦρον δ’ ἐσίδῃ ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ηώς,
ὦ Πέρση, τότε πάντας ἀποδρέπεν οἴκαδε βότρυς·
δεῖξαι δ’ ἠελίῳ δέκα τ’ ἤματα καὶ δέκα νύκτας,
πέντε δὲ συσκιάσαι, ἕκτῳ δ’ εἰς ἄγγε’ ἀφύσσαι
δῶρα Διωνύσου πολυγηθέος. αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν δὴ
Πληιάδες θ’ Ὑάδες τε τό τε σθένος Ὠαρίωνος
δύνωσιν, τότ’ ἔπειτ’ ἀρότου μεμνημένος εἶναι
ὡραίου· πλειὼν δὲ κατὰ χθονὸς ἄρμενος εἶσιν.
Εἰ δέ σε ναυτιλίης δυσπεμφέλου ἵμερος αἱρεῖ,
εὖτ’ ἂν Πληιάδες σθένος ὄβριμον Ὠαρίωνος
620 φεύγουσαι πίπτωσιν ἐς ἠεροειδέα πόντον,
δὴ τότε παντοίων ἀνέμων θυίουσιν ἀῆται·
καὶ τότε μηκέτι νῆας ἔχειν ἐνὶ οἴνοπι πόντῳ,
γῆν ἐργάζεσθαι μεμνημένος, ὥς σε κελεύω.

νῆα δ’ ἐπ’ ἠπείρου ἐρύσαι πυκάσαι τε λίθοισι
πάντοθεν, ὄφρ’ ἴσχωσ’ ἀνέμων μένος ὑγρὸν ἀέντων,
χείμαρον ἐξερύσας, ἵνα μὴ πύθῃ Διὸς ὄμβρος.
ὅπλα δ’ ἐπάρμενα πάντα τεῷ ἐγκάτθεο οἴκῳ
εὐκόσμως στολίσας νηὸς πτερὰ ποντοπόροιο·
πηδάλιον δ’ ἐυεργὲς ὑπὲρ καπνοῦ κρεμάσασθαι.
630 αὐτὸς δ’ ὡραῖον μίμνειν πλόον, εἰσόκεν ἔλθῃ·
καὶ τότε νῆα θοὴν ἅλαδ’ ἑλκέμεν, ἐν δέ τε φόρτον
ἄρμενον ἐντύνασθαι, ἵν’ οἴκαδε κέρδος ἄρηαι,
ὥς περ ἐμός τε πατὴρ καὶ σός, μέγα νήπιε Πέρσῃ,
πλωίζεσκ’ ἐν νηυσί, βίου κεχρημένος ἐσθλοῦ·
ὅς ποτε καὶ τῇδ’ ἦλθε, πολὺν διὰ πόντον ἀνύσσας,

Κύμην Αἰολίδα προλιπών, ἐν νηὶ μελαίνῃ·
οὐκ ἄφενος φεύγων οὐδὲ πλοῦτόν τε καὶ ὄλβον,
ἀλλὰ κακὴν πενίην, τὴν Ζεὺς ἄνδρεσσι δίδωσιν·
νάσσατο δ’ ἄγχ’ Ἑλικῶνος ὀιζυρῇ ἐνὶ κώμῃ,
640 Ἄσκρῃ, χεῖμα κακῇ, θέρει ἀργαλέῃ, οὐδέ ποτ’ ἐσθλῇ.

But when Orion and Sirius are come into mid-heaven,
and rosy-fingered Dawn sees Arcturus [in September],
then cut off all the grape-clusters,
Perses, and bring them home.
Show them to the sun ten days and ten nights;
then cover them over for five, and on the sixth day
draw off into vessels the gifts of joyful Dionysus.
But when the Pleiades and Hyades and strong Orion
begin to set [the end of October],
then remember to plough in season; and so
the completed year [constellation cycle]
will fitly pass beneath the earth.
But if desire for uncomfortable sea-faring seize you;
when the Pleiades plunge into the misty sea
[end October, beginning November] to escape
Orion’s rude strength, then truly gales of all kinds rage.
Then keep ships no longer on the sparkling sea,
but bethink you to till the land as I bid you.

Haul up your ship upon the land and pack it closely
with stones all round to keep off the power
of the winds which blow damply,
and draw out the bilge-plug so that
the rain of heaven may not rot it.
Put away all the tackle and fittings in your house,
and stow the wings of the sea-going ship neatly,
and hang up the well-shaped rudder over the smoke.
You yourself wait until the season for sailing is come,
and then haul your swift ship down to the sea
and stow a convenient cargo in it,
so that you may bring home profit,
even as your father and mine, foolish Perses,
used to sail on shipboard because he lacked
sufficient livelihood. And one day he came
to this very place crossing over a great stretch of sea;
he left Aeolian Cyme and fled, not from riches
and substance, but from wretched poverty
which Zeus lays upon men, and he settled near Helicon
in a miserable hamlet, Ascra, which is bad in winter,
sultry in summer, and good at no time.

Τύνη δ’, ὦ Πέρση, ἔργων μεμνημένος εἶναι
ὡραίων πάντων, περὶ ναυτιλίης δὲ μάλιστα.
νῆ’ ὀλίγην αἰνεῖν, μεγάλῃ δ’ ἐνὶ φορτία θέσθαι.
μείζων μὲν φόρτος, μεῖζον δ’ ἐπὶ κέρδεϊ κέρδος
ἔσσεται, εἴ κ’ ἄνεμοί γε κακὰς ἀπέχωσιν ἀήτας.
Εὖτ’ ἂν ἐπ’ ἐμπορίην τρέψας ἀεσίφρονα θυμὸν
βούληαι χρέα τε προφυγεῖν καὶ λιμὸν ἀτερπέα,
δείξω δή τοι μέτρα πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης,
οὔτε τι ναυτιλίης σεσοφισμένος οὔτε τι νηῶν.
650 οὐ γάρ πώ ποτε νηί γ’ ἐπέπλων εὐρέα πόντον,
εἰ μὴ ἐς Εὔβοιαν ἐξ Αὐλίδος, ᾗ ποτ’ Ἀχαιοὶ
μείναντες χειμῶνα πολὺν σὺν λαὸν ἄγειραν
Ἑλλάδος ἐξ ἱερῆς Τροίην ἐς καλλιγύναικα.
ἔνθα δ’ ἐγὼν ἐπ’ ἄεθλα δαΐφρονος Ἀμφιδάμαντος
Χαλκίδα τ’ εἲς ἐπέρησα· τὰ δὲ προπεφραδμένα πολλὰ
ἄεθλ’ ἔθεσαν παῖδες μεγαλήτορος· ἔνθα μέ φημι
ὕμνῳ νικήσαντα φέρειν τρίποδ’ ὠτώεντα.
τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ Μούσῃς Ἑλικωνιάδεσσ’ ἀνέθηκα,
ἔνθα με τὸ πρῶτον λιγυρῆς ἐπέβησαν ἀοιδῆς.
660 τόσσον τοι νηῶν γε πεπείρημαι πολυγόμφων·
ἀλλὰ καὶ ὣς ἐρέω Ζηνὸς νόον αἰγιόχοιο·
Μοῦσαι γάρ μ’ ἐδίδαξαν ἀθέσφατον ὕμνον ἀείδειν.

But you, Perses, remember all works
in their season but sailing especially.
Admire a small ship, but put your freight
in a large one; for the greater the lading,
the greater will be your piled gain, if only
the winds will keep back their harmful gales.
If ever you turn your misguided heart to trading
and with to escape from debt and joyless hunger,
I will show you the measures of the loud-roaring sea,
though I have no skill in sea-faring nor in ships;
for never yet have I sailed by ship over the wide sea,
but only to Euboea from Aulis where
the Achaeans once stayed through much storm
when they had gathered a great host
from divine Hellas for Troy, the land of fair women.
Then I crossed over to Chalcis,
to the games of wise Amphidamas
where the sons of the great-hearted hero
proclaimed and appointed prizes.
And there I boast that I gained the victory
with a song and carried off an handled tripod
which I dedicated to the Muses of Helicon,
in the place where they first set me
in the way of clear song. Such is
all my experience of many-pegged ships;
nevertheless I will tell you the will of Zeus
who holds the aegis; for the Muses
have taught me to sing in marvellous song.

Ἤματα πεντήκοντα μετὰ τροπὰς ἠελίοιο,
ἐς τέλος ἐλθόντος θέρεος καματώδεος ὥρης,
ὡραῖος πέλεται θνητοῖς πλόος· οὔτε κε νῆα
καυάξαις οὔτ’ ἄνδρας ἀποφθείσειε θάλασσα,
εἰ δὴ μὴ πρόφρων γε Ποσειδάων ἐνοσίχθων
ἢ Ζεὺς ἀθανάτων βασιλεὺς ἐθέλῃσιν ὀλέσσαι·
ἐν τοῖς γὰρ τέλος ἐστὶν ὁμῶς ἀγαθῶν τε κακῶν τε.
670 τῆμος δ’ εὐκρινέες τ’ αὖραι καὶ πόντος ἀπήμων·
εὔκηλος τότε νῆα θοὴν ἀνέμοισι πιθήσας
ἑλκέμεν ἐς πόντον φόρτον τ’ ἐς πάντα τίθεσθαι,
σπεύδειν δ’ ὅττι τάχιστα πάλιν οἶκόνδε νέεσθαι·
μηδὲ μένειν οἶνόν τε νέον καὶ ὀπωρινὸν ὄμβρον
καὶ χειμῶν’ ἐπιόντα Νότοιό τε δεινὰς ἀήτας,
ὅστ’ ὤρινε θάλασσαν ὁμαρτήσας Διὸς ὄμβρῳ
πολλῷ ὀπωρινῷ, χαλεπὸν δέ τε πόντον ἔθηκεν.

ἄλλος δ’ εἰαρινὸς πέλεται πλόος ἀνθρώποισιν·
ἦμος δὴ τὸ πρῶτον, ὅσον τ’ ἐπιβᾶσα κορώνη
680 ἴχνος ἐποίησεν, τόσσον πέταλ’ ἀνδρὶ φανείῃ
ἐν κράδῃ ἀκροτάτῃ, τότε δ’ ἄμβατός ἐστι θάλασσα·
εἰαρινὸς δ’ οὗτος πέλεται πλόος. οὔ μιν ἔγωγε
αἴνημ’· οὐ γὰρ ἐμῷ θυμῷ κεχαρισμένος ἐστίν·
ἁρπακτός· χαλεπῶς κε φύγοις κακόν· ἀλλά νυ καὶ τὰ
ἄνθρωποι ῥέζουσιν ἀιδρείῃσι νόοιο· 685
χρήματα γὰρ ψυχὴ πέλεται δειλοῖσι βροτοῖσιν.
δεινὸν δ’ ἐστὶ θανεῖν μετὰ κύμασιν. ἀλλά σ’ ἄνωγα
φράζεσθαι τάδε πάντα μετὰ φρεσίν, ὡς ἀγορεύω.
μηδ’ ἐν νηυσὶν ἅπαντα βίον κοΐλῃσι τίθεσθαι·
690 ἀλλὰ πλέω λείπειν, τὰ δὲ μείονα φορτίζεσθαι.
δεινὸν γὰρ πόντου μετὰ κύμασι πήματι κύρσαι.
δεινὸν δ’, εἴ κ’ ἐπ’ ἄμαξαν ὑπέρβιον ἄχθος ἀείρας
ἄξονα. καυάξαις καὶ φορτία μαυρωθείη.
μέτρα φυλάσσεσθαι· καιρὸς δ’ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ἄριστος.

Fifty days after the solstice [in July-August],
when the season of wearisome heat is come
to an end, is the right time for me to go sailing.
Then you will not wreck your ship,
nor will the sea destroy the sailors,
unless Poseidon the Earth-Shaker be set upon it,
or Zeus, the king of the deathless gods, wish to slay them;
for the issues of good and evil alike are with them.
At that time the winds are steady, and the sea is harmless.
Then trust in the winds without care,
and haul your swift ship down to the sea
and put all the freight no board; but make all haste
you can to return home again and do not wait
till the time of the new wine and autumn rain
and oncoming storms with the fierce gales of Notus
who accompanies the heavy autumn rain of Zeus
and stirs up the sea and makes the deep dangerous.

Another time for men to go sailing is in spring
when a man first sees leaves on the topmost shoot
of a fig-tree as large as the foot-print that a cow makes;
then the sea is passable, and this is the spring sailing time.
For my part I do not praise it, for my heart does not like it.
Such a sailing is snatched, and you will hardly avoid mischief.
Yet in their ignorance men do even this, for wealth means life
to poor mortals; but it is fearful to die among the waves.
But I bid you consider all these things in your heart as I say.
Do not put all your goods in hallow ships;
leave the greater part behind, and put the lesser part on board;
for it is a bad business to meet with disaster
among the waves of the sea, as it is bad
if you put too great a load on your waggon
and break the axle, and your goods are spoiled.
Observe due measure: and proportion is best in all things.

Ὡραῖος δὲ γυναῖκα τεὸν ποτὶ οἶκον ἄγεσθαι,
μήτε τριηκόντων ἐτέων μάλα πόλλ’ ἀπολείπων
μήτ’ ἐπιθεὶς μάλα πολλά· γάμος δέ τοι ὥριος οὗτος·
ἡ δὲ γυνὴ τέτορ’ ἡβώοι, πέμπτῳ δὲ γαμοῖτο.
παρθενικὴν δὲ γαμεῖν, ὥς κ’ ἤθεα κεδνὰ διδάξῃς.
700 τὴν δὲ μάλιστα γαμεῖν, ἥ τις σέθεν ἐγγύθι ναίει,
πάντα μάλ’ ἀμφιιδών, μὴ γείτοσι χάρματα γήμῃς.
οὐ μὲν γάρ τι γυναικὸς ἀνὴρ ληίζετ’ ἄμεινον
τῆς ἀγαθῆς, τῆς δ’ αὖτε κακῆς οὐ ῥίγιον ἄλλο,
δειπνολόχης· ἥτ’ ἄνδρα καὶ ἴφθιμόν περ ἐόντα
εὕει ἄτερ δαλοῖο καὶ ὠμῷ γήραϊ δῶκεν.

εὖ δ’ ὄπιν ἀθανάτων μακάρων πεφυλαγμένος εἶναι.
μηδὲ κασιγνήτῳ ἶσον ποιεῖσθαι ἑταῖρον·
εἰ δέ κε ποιήσῃς, μή μιν πρότερος κακὸν ἔρξῃς.
μηδὲ ψεύδεσθαι γλώσσης χάριν· εἰ δὲ σέ γ’ ἄρχῃ
710 ἤ τι ἔπος εἰπὼν ἀποθύμιον ἠὲ καὶ ἔρξας,
δὶς τόσα τίνυσθαι μεμνημένος· εἰ δὲ σέ γ’ αὖτις
ἡγῆτ’ ἐς φιλότητα, δίκην δ’ ἐθέλῃσι παρασχεῖν,
δέξασθαι· δειλός τοι ἀνὴρ φίλον ἄλλοτε ἄλλον
ποιεῖται, σὲ δὲ μή τι νόον κατελεγχέτω εἶδος.

Bring home a wife to your house when you are of
the right age, while you are not far short of thirty years
nor much above; this is the right age for marriage.
Let your wife have been grown up four years,
and marry her in the fifth. Marry a maiden,
so that you can teach her careful ways,
and especially marry one who lives near you,
but look well about you and see that your marriage
will not be a joke to your neighbours.
For a man wins nothing better than a good wife,
and, again, nothing worse than a bad one,
a greedy soul who roasts her man without fire,
strong though he may be, and brings him to a raw old age.

Be careful to avoid the anger of the deathless gods.
Do not make a friend equal to a brother;
but if you do, do not wrong him first,
and do not lie to please the tongue.
But if he wrongs you first, offending either in word
or in deed, remember to repay him double;
but if he ask you to be his friend again and be ready
to give you satisfaction, welcome him.
He is a worthless man who makes now one
and now another his friend; but as for you,
do not let your face put your heart to shame.

Μηδὲ πολύξεινον μηδ’ ἄξεινον καλέεσθαι,
μηδὲ κακῶν ἕταρον μηδ’ ἐσθλῶν νεικεστῆρα.
μηδέ ποτ’ οὐλομένην πενίην θυμοφθόρον ἀνδρὶ
τέτλαθ’ ὀνειδίζειν, μακάρων δόσιν αἰὲν ἐόντων.
γλώσσης τοι θησαυρὸς ἐν ἀνθρώποισιν ἄριστος
720 φειδωλῆς, πλείστη δὲ χάρις κατὰ μέτρον ἰούσης.
εἰ δὲ κακὸν εἴποις, τάχα κ’ αὐτὸς μεῖζον ἀκούσαις.
μηδὲ πολυξείνου δαιτὸς δυσπέμφελος εἶναι
ἐκ κοινοῦ· πλείστη δὲ χάρις, δαπάνη τ’ ὀλιγίστη.
μηδέ ποτ’ ἐξ ἠοῦς Διὶ λειβέμεν αἴθοπα οἶνον
χερσὶν ἀνίπτοισιν μηδ’ ἄλλοις ἀθανάτοισιν·
οὐ γὰρ τοί γε κλύουσιν, ἀποπτύουσι δέ τ’ ἀράς.
μηδ’ ἄντ’ ἠελίου τετραμμένος ὀρθὸς ὀμιχεῖν·
αὐτὰρ ἐπεί κε δύῃ, μεμνημένος, ἔς τ’ ἀνιόντα·
μήτ’ ἐν ὁδῷ μήτ’ ἐκτὸς ὁδοῦ προβάδην οὐρήσῃς
730 μηδ’ ἀπογυμνωθείς· μακάρων τοι νύκτες ἔασιν·
ἑζόμενος δ’ ὅ γε θεῖος ἀνήρ, πεπνυμένα εἰδώς,
ἢ ὅ γε πρὸς τοῖχον πελάσας ἐυερκέος αὐλῆς.
μηδ’ αἰδοῖα γονῇ πεπαλαγμένος ἔνδοθι οἴκου
ἱστίῃ ἐμπελαδὸν παραφαινέμεν, ἀλλ’ ἀλέασθαι.

μηδ’ ἀπὸ δυσφήμοιο τάφου ἀπονοστήσαντα
σπερμαίνειν γενεήν, ἀλλ’ ἀθανάτων ἀπὸ δαιτός.
μηδέ ποτ’ αἰενάων ποταμῶν καλλίρροον ὕδωρ
ποσσὶ περᾶν, πρίν γ’ εὔξῃ ἰδὼν ἐς καλὰ ῥέεθρα,
χεῖρας νιψάμενος πολυηράτῳ ὕδατι λευκῷ.
740 ὃς ποταμὸν διαβῇ κακότητ’ ἰδὲ χεῖρας ἄνιπτος,
τῷ δὲ θεοὶ νεμεσῶσι καὶ ἄλγεα δῶκαν ὀπίσσω.
μηδ’ ἀπὸ πεντόζοιο θεῶν ἐν δαιτὶ θαλείῃ
αὖον ἀπὸ χλωροῦ τάμνειν αἴθωνι σιδήρῳ.
μηδέ ποτ’ οἰνοχόην τιθέμεν κρητῆρος ὕπερθε
πινόντων· ὀλοὴ γὰρ ἐπ’ αὐτῷ μοῖρα τέτυκται.
μηδὲ δόμον ποιῶν ἀνεπίξεστον καταλείπειν,
μή τοι ἐφεζομένη κρώξῃ λακέρυζα κορώνη.
μηδ’ ἀπὸ χυτροπόδων ἀνεπιρρέκτων ἀνελόντα
ἔσθειν μηδὲ λόεσθαι· ἐπεὶ καὶ τοῖς ἔνι ποινή.

750 μηδ’ ἐπ’ ἀκινήτοισι καθιζέμεν, οὐ γὰρ ἄμεινον,
παῖδα δυωδεκαταῖον, ὅτ’ ἀνέρ’ ἀνήνορα ποιεῖ,
μηδὲ δυωδεκάμηνον· ἴσον καὶ τοῦτο τέτυκται.
μηδὲ γυναικείῳ λουτρῷ χρόα φαιδρύνεσθαι
ἀνέρα· λευγαλέη γὰρ ἐπὶ χρόνον ἔστ’ ἐπὶ καὶ τῷ
ποινή. μηδ’ ἱεροῖσιν ἐπ’ αἰθομένοισι κυρήσας
μωμεύειν ἀίδηλα· θεός νύ τι καὶ τὰ νεμεσσᾷ.
μηδέ ποτ’ ἐν προχοῇς ποταμῶν ἅλαδε προρεόντων
μηδ’ ἐπὶ κρηνάων οὐρεῖν, μάλα δ’ ἐξαλέασθαι·
μηδ’ ἐναποψύχειν· τὸ γὰρ οὔ τοι λώιόν ἐστιν.
760 ὧδ’ ἔρδειν· δεινὴν δὲ βροτῶν ὑπαλεύεο φήμην.
φήμη γάρ τε κακὴ πέλεται, κούφη μὲν ἀεῖραι
ῥεῖα μάλ’, ἀργαλέη δὲ φέρειν, χαλεπὴ δ’ ἀποθέσθαι.
φήμη δ’ οὔτις πάμπαν ἀπόλλυται, ἥν τινα πολλοὶ
λαοὶ φημίξωσι· θεός νύ τίς ἐστι καὶ αὐτή.

Do not get a name either as lavish or as churlish;
as a friend of rogues or as a slanderer of good men.
Never dare to taunt a man with deadly poverty
which eats out the heart; it is sent by the deathless gods.
The best treasure a man can have is a sparing tongue,
and the greatest pleasure, one that moves orderly;
for if you speak evil, you yourself will soon be
worse spoken of. Do not be boorish at a common
[public] feast where there are many guests;
the pleasure is greatest and the expense is least.
Never pour a libation of sparkling wine to Zeus
after dawn with unwashen hands,
nor to others of the deathless gods;
else they do not hear your prayers but spit them back.
Do not stand upright facing the sun when you make water,
but remember to do this when he has set towards his rising.
And do not make water as you go, whether on the road
or off the road, and do not uncover yourself; 
the nights belong to the blessed gods.
A scrupulous man who has a wise heart
sits down or goes to the wall of an enclosed court.
Do not expose yourself befouled
by the fireside in your house, but avoid this.

Do not beget children when you are come back
from ill-omened burial, but after a festival of the gods.
Never cross the sweet-flowing water of ever-rolling rivers afoot
until you have prayed, gazing into the soft flood,
and washed your hands in the clear, lovely water.
Whoever crosses a river with hands unwashed
of wickedness, the gods are angry with him
and bring trouble upon him afterwards.
At a cheerful festival of the gods do not cut
the withered from the quick upon that which has
five branches with bright steel [i.e. do not cut your fingernails].
Never put the ladle upon the mixing-bowl at a wine party,
for malignant ill-luck is attached to that.
When you are building a house, do not leave it rough-hewn,
or a cawing crow may settle on it and croak.
Take nothing to eat or to wash with
from uncharmed pots, for in them there is mischief.

Do not let a boy of twelve years sit on things
which may not be moved
[i.e. things which are sacriligeous to disturb, such as tombs],
for that is bad, and makes a man unmanly;
nor yet a child of twelve months, for that has the same effect.
A man should not clean his body with water
in which a woman has washed, for there is
bitter mischief in that also for a time.
When you come upon a burning sacrifice,
do not make a mock of mysteries,
for Heaven is angry at this also.
Never make water in the mouths of rivers
which flow to the sea, nor yet in springs;
but be careful to avoid this. And do not
ease yourself in them: it is not well to do this.
So do; and avoid the talk of men.
For Talk is mischievous, light, and easily raised,
but hard to bear and difficult to be rid of.
Talk never wholly dies away when many people voice her;
even Talk is in some ways divine.

Ἤματα δ’ ἐκ Διόθεν πεφυλαγμένος εὖ κατὰ μοῖραν
πεφραδέμεν δμώεσσι· τριηκάδα μηνὸς ἀρίστην
ἔργα τ’ ἐποπτεύειν ἠδ’ ἁρμαλιὴν δατέασθαι.
Αἵδε γὰρ ἡμέραι εἰσὶ Διὸς πάρα μητιόεντος, [769]
εὖτ’ ἂν ἀληθείην λαοὶ κρίνοντες ἄγωσιν. [768]
770 Πρῶτον ἔνη τετράς τε καὶ ἑβδόμη ἱερὸν ἦμαρ·
τῇ γὰρ Ἀπόλλωνα χρυσάορα γείνατο Λητώ·
ὀγδοάτη δ’ ἐνάτη τε, δύω γε μὲν ἤματα μηνὸς
ἔξοχ’ ἀεξομένοιο βροτήσια ἔργα πένεσθαι·
ἑνδεκάτη δὲ δυωδεκάτη τ’, ἄμφω γε μὲν ἐσθλαί,
ἠμὲν ὄις πείκειν ἠδ’ εὔφρονα καρπὸν ἀμᾶσθαι·
ἡ δὲ δυωδεκάτη τῆς ἑνδεκάτης μέγ’ ἀμείνων·
τῇ γάρ τοι νῇ νήματ’ ἀερσιπότητος ἀράχνης
ἤματος ἐκ πλείου, ὅτε ἴδρις σωρὸν ἀμᾶται·
τῇ δ’ ἱστὸν στήσαιτο γυνὴ προβάλοιτό τε ἔργον.

780 Μηνὸς δ’ ἱσταμένου τρισκαιδεκάτην ἀλέασθαι
σπέρματος ἄρξασθαι· φυτὰ δ’ ἐνθρέψασθαι ἀρίστη.
ἕκτη δ’ ἡ μέσση μάλ’ ἀσύμφορός ἐστι φυτοῖσιν,
ἀνδρογόνος δ’ ἀγαθή· κούρῃ δ’ οὐ σύμφορός ἐστιν,
οὔτε γενέσθαι πρῶτ’ οὔτ’ ἂρ γάμου ἀντιβολῆσαι.
οὐδὲ μὲν ἡ πρώτη ἕκτη κούρῃ γε γενέσθαι
ἄρμενος, ἀλλ’ ἐρίφους τάμνειν καὶ πώεα μήλων
σηκόν τ’ ἀμφιβαλεῖν ποιμνήιον ἤπιον ἦμαρ·
ἐσθλὴ δ’ ἀνδρογόνος· φιλέοι δ’ ὅ γε κέρτομα βάζειν
ψεύδεά θ’ αἱμυλίους τε λόγους κρυφίους τ’ ὀαρισμούς.
790 Μηνὸς δ’ ὀγδοάτῃ κάπρον καὶ βοῦν ἐρίμυκον
ταμνέμεν, οὐρῆας δὲ δυωδεκάτῃ ταλαεργούς.
Εἰκάδι δ’ ἐν μεγάλῃ, πλέῳ ἤματι, ἵστορα φῶτα
γείνασθαι· μάλα γάρ τε νόον πεπυκασμένος ἐστίν.
Ἐσθλὴ δ’ ἀνδρογόνος δεκάτη, κούρῃ δέ τε τετρὰς
μέσση· τῇ δέ τε μῆλα καὶ εἰλίποδας ἕλικας βοῦς
καὶ κύνα καρχαρόδοντα καὶ οὐρῆας ταλαεργοὺς
πρηΰνειν ἐπὶ χεῖρα τιθείς. πεφύλαξο δὲ θυμῷ
τετράδ’ ἀλεύασθαι φθίνοντός θ’ ἱσταμένου τε
ἄλγε’ ἃ θυμβορεῖ μάλα γὰρ τετελεσμένον ἦμαρ.

Mark the days which come from Zeus,
duly telling your servants of them,
and that the thirtieth day of the month is best for one
to look over the work and to deal out supplies.
For these are days which come from Zeus the all-wise,
when men discern aright. To begin with,
the first, the fourth, and the seventh
—on which Leto bare Apollo with the blade of gold—
each is a holy day. The eighth and the ninth,
two days at least of the waxing month,
are specially good for the works of man.
Also the eleventh and twelfth are both excellent,
alike for shearing sheep and for reaping the kindly fruits;
but the twelfth is much better than the eleventh,
for on it the airy-swinging spider spins its web in full day,
and then the Wise One [the ant], gathers her pile.
On that day woman should set up her loom
and get forward with her work.

Avoid the thirteenth of the waxing month for beginning
to sow; yet it is the best day for setting plants.
The sixth of the mid-month is very unfavourable for plants,
but is good for the birth of males, though unfavourable
for a girl either to be born at all or to be married.
Nor is the first sixth a fit day for a girl to be born,
but a kindly for gelding kids and sheep
and for fencing in a sheep-cote. It is favourable
for the birth of a boy, but such will be fond of sharp speech,
lies, and cunning words, and stealthy converse.
On the eighth of the month geld the boar and
loud-bellowing bull, but hard-working mules on the twelfth.
On the great twentieth, in full day, a wise man should be born.
Such an one is very sound-witted.
The tenth is favourable for a male to be born;
but, for a girl, the fourth day of the mid-month.
On that day tame sheep and shambling,
horned oxen, and the sharp-fanged dog
and hardy mules to the touch of the hand.
But take care to avoid troubles which eat out the heart
on the fourth of the beginning and ending of the month;
it is a day very fraught with fate.
On the fourth of the month bring home your bride,
but choose the omens which are best for this business.
Avoid fifth days: they are unkindly and terrible.
On a fifth day, they say, the Erinyes assisted at the birth
of Horcus (Oath) whom Eris (Strife) bare to trouble the forsworn.

Μέσσῃ δ’ ἑβδομάτῃ Δημήτερος ἱερὸν ἀκτὴν
εὖ μάλ’ ὀπιπεύοντα ἐυτροχάλῳ ἐν ἀλωῇ
βαλλέμεν, ὑλοτόμον τε ταμεῖν θαλαμήια δοῦρα
νήιά τε ξύλα πολλά, τά τ’ ἄρμενα νηυσὶ πέλονται.
τετράδι δ’ ἄρχεσθαι νῆας πήγνυσθαι ἀραιάς.
810 Εἰνὰς δ’ ἡ μέσση ἐπὶ δείελα λώιον ἦμαρ,
πρωτίστη δ’ εἰνὰς παναπήμων ἀνθρώποισιν·
ἐσθλὴ μὲν γάρ θ’ ἥ γε φυτευέμεν ἠδὲ γενέσθαι
ἀνέρι τ’ ἠδὲ γυναικί· καὶ οὔποτε πάγκακον ἦμαρ.
Παῦροι δ’ αὖτε ἴσασι τρισεινάδα μηνὸς ἀρίστην
ἄρξασθαί τε πίθου καὶ ἐπὶ ζυγὸν αὐχένι θεῖναι
βουσὶ καὶ ἡμιόνοισι καὶ ἵπποις ὠκυπόδεσσι,
νῆα πολυκλήιδα θοὴν εἰς οἴνοπα πόντον
εἰρύμεναι· παῦροι δέ τ’ ἀληθέα κικλῄσκουσιν.
Τετράδι δ’ οἶγε πίθον· περὶ πάντων ἱερὸν ἦμαρ
820 μέσση· παῦροι δ’ αὖτε μετ’ εἰκάδα μηνὸς ἀρίστην
ἠοῦς γιγνομένης· ἐπὶ δείελα δ’ ἐστὶ χερείων.
Αἵδε μὲν ἡμέραι εἰσιν ἐπιχθονίοις μέγ’ ὄνειαρ,
αἱ δ’ ἄλλαι μετάδουποι, ἀκήριοι, οὔ τι φέρουσαι.
ἄλλος δ’ ἀλλοίην αἰνεῖ, παῦροι δὲ ἴσασιν.
ἄλλοτε μητρυιὴ πέλει ἡμέρη, ἄλλοτε μήτηρ.
τάων εὐδαίμων τε καὶ ὄλβιος, ὃς τάδε πάντα
εἰδὼς ἐργάζηται ἀναίτιος ἀθανάτοισιν,
ὄρνιθας κρίνων καὶ ὑπερβασίας ἀλεείνων.

Look about you very carefully and throw out
Demeter’s holy grain upon the well-rolled
threshing floor on the seventh of the mid-month.
Let the woodman cut beams for house building and
plenty of ships’ timbers, such as are suitable for ships.
On the fourth day begin to build narrow ships.
The ninth of the mid-month improves towards evening;
but the first ninth of all is quite harmless for men.
It is a good day on which to beget or to be born
both for a male and a female;
it is never an wholly evil day. Again, few know that
the twenty-seventh of the month is best for opening a wine-jar,
and putting yokes on the necks of oxen
and mules and swift-footed horses,
and for hauling a swift ship of many thwarts down
to the sparkling sea; few call it by its right name.
On the fourth day open a jar. The fourth of the mid-month
is a day holy above all. And again, few men know
that the fourth day after the twentieth is best
while it is morning: towards evening it is less good.
These days are a great blessing to men on earth;
but the rest are changeable, luckless, and bring nothing.
Everyone praises a different day but few know their nature.
Sometimes a day is a stepmother, sometimes a mother.
That man is happy and lucky in them who knows
all these things and does his work without offending
the deathless gods, who discerns the omens
of birds and avoids transgressions.