Happy Twentieth of September!

    Happy Twentieth!


    (Okay, so technically, this should have been posted on the 19th, but y'all get the idea ^^ . We could alter Philodemus's first line to accommodate today's celebration:

    σήμερον εἰς λιτήν σε καλιάδα, φίλτατε Πείσων,

    Today I invite you to my little hut, dearest Piso,...

    It even keeps the correct long/short rhythm!)


    To-morrow, dearest Piso, your friend, beloved by the Muses, who keeps our annual feast of the twentieth * invites you to come after the ninth hour to his simple cottage. If you miss udders and draughts of Chian wine, you will see at least sincere friends and you will hear things far sweeter than the land of the Phaeacians. But if you ever cast your eyes on me, Piso, we shall celebrate the twentieth richly instead of simply.


    αὔριον εἰς λιτήν σε καλιάδα, φίλτατε Πείσων,

    ἐξ ἐνάτης ἕλκει μουσοφιλὴς ἕταρος,

    εἰκάδα δειπνίζων ἐνιαύσιον: εἰ δ᾽ ἀπολείψεις

    οὔθατα καὶ Βρομίου χιογενῆ πρόποσιν,

    ἀλλ᾽ ἑτάρους ὄψει παναληθέας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπακούσῃ

    Φαιήκων γαίης πουλὺ μελιχρότερα:

    ἢν δέ ποτε στρέψῃς καὶ ἐς ἡμέας ὄμματα, Πείσων,

    ἄξομεν ἐκ λιτῆς εἰκάδα πιοτέρην.

    The Greek Anthology. with an English Translation by. W. R. Paton. London. William Heinemann Ltd. 1926