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PYTHIAN ODES: 8. HUMAN LIFE by PINDAR

First Line: WHO, IN HIS TENDEREST YEARS
Last Line: PELEUS, AND NOBLE TELAMON, AND ACHILLES.

WHO, in his tenderest years,
Finds some new lovely thing,
His hope is high, and he flies
On the wings of his manhood:
Better than riches are his thoughts.
-- But man's pleasure is a short time growing
And it falls to the ground
As quickly, when an unlucky twist of thought
Loosens its roots.

Man's life is a day. What is he?
What is he not? A shadow in a dream
Is man: but when God sheds a brightness,
Shining light is on earth
And life is sweet as honey.
AEgina, dear mother,
Keep this city in her voyage of freedom:
You, with Zeus and lord Aiakos,
Peleus, and noble Telamon, and Achilles.



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