Λέγουσιν αἱ γυναῖκες· «Ἀνάκρεον, γέρων εἶ, λαβὼν ἔσοπτρον ἄθρει κόμας μὲν οὐκ ἔτ᾽ οὔσας, ψιλὸν δέ σευ μέτωπον.» ἐγὼ δὲ τὰς κόμας μέν, εἴτ᾽ εἰσὶν εἴτ᾽ ἀπῆλθον, οὐκ οἶδα· τοῦτο δ᾽ οἶδα, ὡς τῷ γέροντι μᾶλλον πρέπει τὸ τερπνὰ παίζειν, ὅσῳ πέλας τὰ Μοίρης.
About the headline (FAQ)
Show a transliteration: DIN | ISO 843
Note on TransliterationsText Authorship:
- by Anacreon (c582BCE - c485BCE), "Εις εαυτον", appears in Odes, no. 11 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Henry Lawes (c1595 - 1662), "Anacreons Ode concerning himselfe", published 1655 [ voice and continuo ], from The Second Book of Ayres, and Dialogues, no. 39, Confirmed with The Second Book of Ayres and Dialogues, for One, Two, and Three, by Henry Lawes, John Playford, London 1655, Page 39. [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Carl Loewe (1796 - 1869), "Εις εαυτον", 1815?, also set in German (Deutsch) [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Carl Loewe.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Stefan Stocker.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Lawrence Sisk) , "On himself", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English [singable] (John Berkenhead, Sir)
- FRE French (Français) (Ernest Falconnet) , "Sur lui-même", first published 1847
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 11
Word count: 44
Away, away, Anacreon, (Now women say) thou'rt old and done; Read thine owne glasse, and there thoul't see, Not one haire left to credit thee: That head of thine (stript of its Robe) Look's like a bald unwritten Globe. Whether my hayre doe come or goe, I cannot tell; but this I know, An old man more should cheere his heart, As hee drawes neerer to depart; That his last breath be crown'd and blest, Not in a sigh, but with a jest.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- Singable translation by John Berkenhead, Sir (c1617 - 1679) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2022-01-01
Line count: 12
Word count: 83