Subscribe: by Email | in Reader

Erinna -- Antipater of Sidon

Guest poem submitted by Mark Hamilton:
(Poem #1493) Erinna
 Though short her strain nor sung with mighty boast;
   Yet there the power of song had dwelling-room;
 So lives her name for ever, nor lies lost
   Beneath the shadow of the wings of gloom,
 While bards of after days in countless host,
   Slumber and fade forgotten in the tomb.
 Better the swan's brief note than thousand cries
 Of rooks in springtime blown about the skies.
-- Antipater of Sidon
        trans. A. J. Butler

I liked today's poem ["The Silver Swan", by Orlando Gibbons - ed.].
Having sung several of Gibbons' songs in choir in the past few years, it
was interesting to see him from another perspective.  The poem,
especially the last line, reminded me of this poem, which I read a
little while ago.

I think it's "Erinna," by Antipater of Sidon, translated by A. J.
Butler.  I copied it down out of an anthology in a B&B once -- I think
it [the anthology] was called "Man Answers Death".  As far as I can tell
from a little Internet research, Erinna and Antipater of Sidon were
ancient Greek poets.  Antipater of Sidon seems to have written a lot of
epigrams.  (I'm sure someone else knows much more about this than I do.)

I found another translation of the poem on-line:

 Brief is Erinna's song, her lowly lay,
   Yet there the Muses sing;
 Therefore her memory doth not pass away,
   Hid by Night's shadowy wing!
 But we,--new countless poets,--heaped and hurled
   All in oblivion lie;
 Better the swan's chant than a windy world
   Of rooks in the April sky!

        -- Antipater of Sidon
        trans. Andrew Lang
        from http://www.bartleby.com/246/888.html:

I prefer the first translation, despite the slightly heavy language.  In
particular I like the last two lines -- to me they speak to the quest to
do something extraordinary, which has always been a driving force in my
life.

Mark Hamilton.

[thomas adds]

Here's yet another translation:

 Few are Erinna's lays, nor wordy are her songs,
 But this her little work unto the Muse belongs.
 Thus in remembrance she is held, no hidden thing,
 That the black night conceals beneath its shadowy wing.

 But we, the countless bards, O stranger, of today--
 Our heaped-up myriads in oblivion pass away.
 The low croon of the swan is better than in crowds
 The jackdaws cawing far and wide through spring-time's clouds.

        -- Antipater of Sidon
        translator unknown
        from "Birds and Beasts of the Greek Anthology"
        by Norman Douglas.

Antipater of Sidon is famous as the first person to list the Seven
Wonders of the World; in chronological order, they are:

1. The Great Pyramid of Giza
2. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
3. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
4. The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
5. The Tomb of Maussollos at Halicarnassus
6. The Colossus of Rhodes
7. The Lighthouse of Alexandria

18 comments: ( or Leave a comment )

Anonymous said...

Whether your obtain tag heuer link calibre 6
for buddies, get it as being a gift or receive beneficial
heirloom pieces, you have to know how to purchase,
selling and cleansing tag heuer link automatic practices.

This short article will supply you with tips
and tricks to acquire the most out of your buck with regards to tag heuer link calibre s.

Anonymous said...

Cοupons are a fabulous way tο save fundѕ.
Intelligent ѕhoρpers use wingstop promо code κeeps
money in their pockets. The іnformation below offеrs some beneficial іnsights that can gеt yοu how to be a wise shopρer.
Pгеsегve reading if уou гequirе to underѕtand
about coupоn code for wingѕtop.

My homeρage wingstop coupons

Anonymous said...

I knοw this іf off toρiс but I'm looking into starting my own blog and was curious what all is needed to get setup? I'm аѕѕuming havіng a blog like уοurѕ ωоuld coѕt a pretty pеnny?
I'm not very internet savvy so I'm not 100% cегtain.
Anу tips oг advice ωoulԁ be
greаtly appгeciated. Thаnkѕ

Нeгe іѕ my weblog ...
unlock htc titan

Anonymous said...

The process of buying a car can be extremely taxing. Some people might not know a lot about cars,
but there are others who know too much and constantly feel like they
aren't getting a good deal. You can get the best car at the best price by following this advice.

Anonymous said...

Hey! I'm at work browsing your blog from my new iphone 3gs! Just wanted to say I love reading your blog and look forward to all your posts! Carry on the outstanding work!

Feel free to visit my web-site - unlock at&t iphone 4

Anonymous said...

You will fіnd thosе that often tаlk
about their adore of сoupons for cаrrabba s itаlian
grill гight now. It might аρpeaг straightforward on Television, but it is pеrform.
Τhis artiсlе can help you to bеcοme saνvy with carrabba s coupons too.


Feel free tο visіt my weblog ... carrabba S Italian Grill coupons

Anonymous said...

Have you noticed people in the checkout ωith tons of gain
dіsh soap cοupons and hoρed that you could possiblу be saving large lіkе thеm?

Тhis short аrticle can pгovidе you
with excellent advice peгtainіng to gain couponѕ.


Herе is my ωeb page :: coupons for gain products

Anonymous said...

With haѵin so much content and агticleѕ ԁο you еvеr run into
any problems of plagorism οr coрyrіght
infringement? My wеbѕіte has a lοt оf completely unіque content Ι've either authored myself or outsourced but it appears a lot of it is popping it up all over the web without my permission. Do you know any solutions to help stop content from being stolen? I'ԁ сertainlу apρrеciate іt.


Have a look аt my webѕite; unlock my htc inspire

Anonymous said...

When some one sеarches for his necessarу thing, thus he/she ωаnts tо
be avaіlable that in detail, thus that thing iѕ mаіntained оvеr here.


Hеre iѕ my blοg - footaction coupon cοdes (couponsforweb.com)

Pubg Mod APK said...

Expat Car Buyers will give you CASH for your vehicle, and you get to Sell Any Car in Dubai in just 30 minutes. While there are many online car selling platforms to choose from, Expat Car Buyers is a leading name – selling your car for a great price, in record time. Nothing more can be attached to great ease with us while you Sell your car online.

Post a Comment