Simonides. “Encomium on Those Who Died at Thermopylae.”

 

Honor to those who in the life they lead

define and guard a Thermopylae.

Never betraying what is right,

consistent and just in all they do

but showing pity also, and compassion;

generous when they’re rich, and when they’re poor,

still generous in small ways,

still helping as much as they can;

always speaking the truth,

yet without hating those who lie.

And even more honor is due to them

when they foresee (as many do foresee)

that Ephialtis will turn up in the end,

that the Medes will break through after all.

Simonides

Simonides of Ceos (born c. 556 bc, Iulis, Ceos [now Kéa, Greece]—died c. 468 bc, Acragas [now Agrigento, Sicily, Italy]) was a Greek poet, noted for his lyric poetry, elegiacs, and epigrams; he was an uncle of the Greek lyric poet Bacchylides. Simonides began writing poetry on Ceos, but he was soon called to the court of the Peisistratids (the tyrants of Athens), which was a lively cultural and artistic centre in the 6th century BC.