Poems

Question 1

A1 Time (25)

Time

In the vast countryside
the strong resolute farmer
toils: dwells, digs,
cultivates the farm.
Difficult exercise exhausts him
He walks, carries food,
kisses the calf.
The sun sets. Therefore, he sits.
Time arouses him.

Answer 1

ὁ χρόνος

ἀπέραντος ὁ ἀγρός
ἰσχυρός ἄοκνος ὁ αὐτουργός πονέω: οἰκέω, σκάπτω,
γεωργέω ὁ κλῆρος.
χαλεπός ὁ πόνος κατατρίβω αὐτόν
βαδίζω, φέρω ὁ σῖτος,
φιλέω ὁ μόσχος.
ὁ ἥλιος καταδύνω. οὖν καθίζω.
ὁ χρόνος φλέγω αὐτόν.

Question 2

A2 The Master (26)

The Master

Early in the morning, I step out.
I see the white, abominable master. He calls:
“Come! Be present. Hurry!”
So I, a slave,
enter into the field.
“Walk. Take the seed and
increase it.”
I lead the lazy ox,
fasten to the plow,
and drive slowly.

Answer 2

ὁ δεσπότης

ἕωθεν, ἐγώ ἐκβαίνω.
ἐγώ βλέπω ἀργός, κατάρατος
ὁ δεσπότης. καλῶ:
“ἐλθέ! πάρειμι. σπεύδω!”
οὕτω(ς) ἐγώ, ὁ δοῦλος,
εἰσβαίνω εἰς ὁ ἀγρός.
“βαίνω. λαμβάνω τὸ σπέρμα
πληθύνω.”
ἐγώ ἄγω ἀργός ὁ βοῦς,
ἅπτω τὸ ἄροτρον,
ἐλαύνω βραδέως.

Question 3

A2 Why (16)

Why?

Already a spike from my staff stabs. “Why?”
On the one hand,
the sun is not merciful.
On the other hand,
the tree grants shade.
I plow. I help.
Then, I sleep.

Answer 3

τί;

ἤδη τὸ κέντρον ἡ ῥάβδος
κεντέω. “τί;”
μέν,
ὁ ἥλιος μή ἵλεως.
δέ,
τὸ δένδρον προσάπτω ἡ σκιά.
ἐγώ ἀροτρεύω. ἐγώ συλλαμβάνω.
ἔπειτα, ἐγώ καθεύδω.

Question 4

A3 Clumsy (33)

Clumsy

Both father and child
approach the crop.
There are many olive trees.
Still, there are so many to sow.
The clumsy, idle child
slips on a large stone.
“You are responsible for
falling. Stay here” he says.
Father leaves.
No longer accused, the child
misbehaves again.
Father brings dinner
and serves it.
The child plays the fool
and stumbles.

Answer 4

σκαιός

τε ὁ πατήρ καί ὁ/ἡ παῖς
προσχωρέω ὁ ἄροτος.
πολλοί ἡ ἐλαία.
ἔτι, τοσοῦτος σπείρω.
σκαιός, ἀκίνητος ὁ παῖς
ὀλισθάνω ἐν μέγας ὁ λίθος.
“σύ αἴτιος
πίπτω. μένω δεῦρο.” φησί(ν).
ὁ πατήρ λείπω.
οὐκέτι αἴτιος, ὁ παῖς
ῥᾳδιουργέω αὖθις.
ὁ πατήρ ἐκφέρω τὸ δεῖπνον
καί θεραπεύω αὐτό.
ὁ παῖς φλυαρέω
καί πταίω.

Question 5

A3 Brave (16)

Brave

The farmer shakes
the olive tree to loosen.
He plucks and examines
to prevent. The brave farmer rejects so many.
Then, he makes olive oil
out of the sack.
He’s not a worthless slave
any longer since he produces
a vineyard.

Answer 5

ἀνδρεῖος

ὁ γεωργός κατασείω
ἡ ἐλαία λύω.
δρέπω καί ἐξετάζω
ἐμποδίζω. ἀνδρεῖος ὁ γεωργός
καταβάλλω τοσοῦτος.
ἔπειτα, τὸ ἔλαιον
ἐκ ὁ σάκκος.
μή μαστιγίης
μηκέτι ἐπεί φυτεύω
ἡ ἄμπελος.

Question 6

A4 Festival (36)

Festival

A husband and wife listen to
a messenger:
“Greetings! It’s the right time for the spring festival.”
At first, they groan reluctantly.
They are not willing.
Especially the mother.
But their dear daughter, who is
always very lazy,
intends to persuade.
She holds the water jar off
the ground.
“Look! Easy.” Swiftly, they
make another journey.
The chorus is near.
They watch from here
and rejoice.

Answer 6

ἡ ἑορτή

ὁ ἀνήρ καί ἡ γυνή ἀκούω
ὁ ἄγγελος:
“χαῖρε(τε)! ὁ καιρός
ἡ κρήνη ἡ ἑορτή.”
πρῶτον, στενάζω μόλις.
μή ἐθέλω.
μάλιστα ἡ μήτηρ.
φίλος ἡ θυγάτηρ,
ἀεί μάλα ἀργός,
ἐν νῷ ἔχω πείθω.
ἔχω ἡ ὑδρία
ἡ γῆ.
“ἰδού! ῥᾴδιος.” ταχέως,
ποιέω ἄλλος ἡ ὁδός.
ὁ χορός πρός.
θεωρέω ἀπό δεῦρο
καί χαίρω.

Question 7

A4 Where To (14)

Where to and where from?

Man and wife walk homeward
After going to celebrate a festival
He’s sorely angry but it doesn’t shatter
She feels violent irritation but stifles it
And shows affection and doesn’t blame
They pass through to wash with waves
And see a fig
out of place on the ground

Answer 7

ποῖ (βαίνεις) καὶ πόθεν (ἥκεις);

ὁ ἀνήρ καί ἡ γυνή βαίνω οἴκαδε
ἐπεί ἑορτὴν ποιῶ
χαλεπαίνω μή θραύω
ἀγανακτέω πιέζω αὐτόν
καί ἀγαπάω μή ψέγω
διαπεράω προσκλύζω
καί θεωρέω τὸ σῦκον
ἄτοπος ἐν ἡ γῆ

Question 8

A4 Rustic (11)

rustic at home in the cottage

all day the lady of the house
Has leisure on the couch
But by Zeus! She emboldens her man
To be even more fruitful

Answer 8

ἄγροικος κατ᾽ οἶκον ἐν τὸ αὔλιον

ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἡ δέσποινα
σχολάζω ἐν ἡ κλίνη
μὰ τὸν Δία! οἰκοδομέω ὁ ἀνήρ
οὐδὲν ἧττον καρποφόρος

Question 9

A4 Miserable (11)

Miserable

The man from early morning
Fills the workshop full
Miserable, he punishes
At once he drinks at the tavern
To bring forth wanting to joke

Answer 9

ἄθλιος

ὁ ἀνήρ ἐξ ἑωθινοῦ
γεμίζω τὸ ἐργαστήριον μεστός
ἄθλιος κολάζω
αὐτίκα ἀμέλγω τὸ καπηλεῖον
ἀνατέλλω παίζω