Hesiod, creator; Homer, creator; Evelyn-White, Hugh G.
(Hugh Gerard), d. 1924, translator
roasts her man without fire, strong though he may be, and brings him to a raw[*](I.e.untimely, premature. Juvenal similarly speaks of “cruda senectus” (caused by gluttony).) old age. Be careful to avoid the anger of the deathless gods. Do not make a friend equal to a brother; but if you do, do not wrong him first, and do not lie to please the tongue. But if he wrongs you first,
offending either in word or in deed, remember to repay him double; but if he asks you to be his friend again and be ready to give you satisfaction, welcome him. He is a worthless man who makes now one and now another his friend; but as for you, do not let your face put your heart to shame.[*](The thought is parallel to that of “O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath.”)
Do not get a name either as lavish or as churlish, as a friend of rogues, or as a slanderer of good men. Never dare to taunt a man with deadly poverty which eats out the heart; it is sent by the deathless gods.
The best treasure a man can have is a sparing tongue, and the greatest pleasure, one that moves orderly; for if you speak evil, you yourself will soon be worse spoken of. Do not be boorish at a common feast where there are many guests; the pleasure is greatest and the expense is least.[*](The “common feast” is one to which all present subscribe. Theognis (line 495) says that one of the chief pleasures of a banquet is the general conversation. Hence the present passage means that such a feast naturally costs little, while the many present will make pleasurable conversation.) Never pour a libation of sparkling wine to Zeus after dawn
with unwashed hands, nor to others of the deathless gods; otherwise they do not hear your prayers but spit them back. Do not stand upright facing the sun when you make water, but remember to do this when he has set and towards his rising. And do not make water as you go, whether on the road or off the road,
and do not uncover yourself: the nights belong to the blessed gods. A scrupulous man who has a wise heart sits down or goes to the wall of an enclosed court. Do not expose yourself befouled by the fireside in your house, but avoid this.
Do not beget children when you are come back from ill-omened burial, but after a festival of the gods. Never cross the sweet-flowing water of ever-rolling rivers afoot until you have prayed, gazing into the soft flood, and washed your hands in the clear, lovely water.
Whoever crosses a river with hands unwashed of wickedness, the gods are angry with him and bring trouble upon him afterwards. At a cheerful festival of the gods do not cut the withered from the quick upon that which has five branches[*](I.e.“do not cut your finger-nails.”) with bright steel. Never put the ladle upon the mixing-bowl