Anakreon Quotes

“Here, the tomb of Timokritos, a hero in the wars.
It is the coward whom Ares spares, not the brave.”
― Anakreon

“On easy wings I glide to Olympos where
I seek my master Eros,
but he no longer lets me run down warm women
as in my doghood days:
he sees my graying beard and passes me by,
while I stand transfixed
in the wind made by his wings of quivering gold.”
― Anakreon

“Eros, the blind god of lovers,
strikes me with a purple ball
and asks me to play with a woman
wearing colorful sandals,
but she is from beautiful
Lesbos, and scorns my white hair,
and turning her back runs gaping
behind another woman.”
― Anakreon

“My Thracian foal, why do you glare with disdain
and then shun me absolutely as if I knew
nothing of this art?

I tell you I could bridle you with tight straps,
seize the reins and gallop you around the posts
of the pleasant course.

But you prefer to graze on the calm meadow,
or frisk and gambol gayly—having no manly
rider to break you in.”
― Anakreon

“Bring out water and wine and an armful
of flowers.
I want the proper setting
when I spar a few rounds with love.”
― Anakreon

“Eros, the blacksmith of love,
smashed me with a giant hammer
and doused me in the cold river.”
― Anakreon

“Lord! I clamber up the white cliff
and dive into the steaming wave,
O dead drunk with love.”
― Anakreon

“O sweet boy like a girl,
I see you though you will not look my way.
You are unaware that you handle the reins
of my soul.”
― Anakreon

“I do not like a man who sits by his bowl
and sobs about the sad wars
but the rake who loves to rave about fine feats
in the arts and art of love.”
― Anakreon

“Come swiftly
and rub aromatic myrrh on her breasts:
the hollow cave around her heart.”
― Anakreon

“The bird flashes back and forth
between the black leaves of the laurel trees
and the greenness of the olive grove.”
― Anakreon

“I looked at her and took off
like a frightened cuckoo bird.”
― Anakreon

“Personally,
I hate those who are furtive and touchy, morose
in their ways. I have learned that you, Megistes,
are of the innocent, of the childlike ones.”
― Anakreon

“My temples are white, my head largely bald.
Graceful youth has departed from my face,
and my teeth are the loose teeth of an old man.
I have few years left of sweet life.

Therefore I tremble and fear the underworld,
for the lightless chasm of death is dreadful
and the descent appalling: once cast down
into Hell there is no return.”
― Anakreon

“The dice of love are
shouting and madness.”
― Anakreon

“I love and yet do not love.
I am mad yet not quite mad.”
― Anakreon

“Although we call these women loose,
they tighten their thighs around thighs.”
― Anakreon

“We go through Poseidon’s month.
Ponderous clouds sag with water
and furious storms break out
collapsing the rain earthward.”
― Anakreon

“Let us hang garlands of celery
across our foreheads
and call a festival to Dionysos.”
― Anakreon