Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, IMMORTALIA NE SPERES, by ALCAEUS OF MYTILENE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

IMMORTALIA NE SPERES, by                    
First Line: Drink, melanippus, and be drunk with me
Last Line: To take what happiness the gods allow.
Alternate Author Name(s): Alkaios


DRINK, Melanippus, and be drunk with me.
How can you think that you will ever see,

Once over Acheron, the pure bright day
Again? Come, throw such proud desires away.

Sisyphus, wisest of men, thought he could find
An artifice that should leave death behind,

But fate decreed his wisdom should not save
Him from twice crossing Acheron's rough wave,

And Cronus' son gave him great sufferings
Below the dark earth. Hope not for such things,

While we are young. Now is the moment, now,
To take what happiness the gods allow.





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