Annotation of Simonides 12

Simonides 12. (Eleg. 19+20)

One thing that Chian poet said very well indeed:

“Like the generation of leaves is the generation of men.”

Yet few among mortals who hear this with their ears

lay it away in their hearts, for each man has Hope,

Hope which grows by nature in the hearts of the young.

So long as a man possess the much-desired flower of youth,

his spirit is light and foolish, and he thinks to no purpose;

for he has no expectation of growing old or of dying,

nor, while he is healthy, does he entertain thoughts of pain.

Childish and vain are those who think thus and do not know

how brief is the time of youth and life for mortals.

But you heed what I say as you move toward life’s boundary:

stand firm in endurance, taking delight in all good things.

·      Chian poet – refers to Homer, whose birthplace most likely is the island of Chios.

·      “Like the generation of leaves is the generation of men.” – quote from The Illiad VI. 146 that supports Simonides’ argument on how “brief the time of youth and life for mortals” is.

o   http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Homer

·      Yet few among…lay it away in their hearts – referring to the people who have read the quote from Homer’s work but do not truly understand the importance.

o   http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/are/summary/v029/29.2sider.html

·      Hope which grows by nature in the hearts of the young – In Greek literature, various feelings and qualities are described as ‘growing’ in human minds. Simonides is the pioneer of this idea.

o   http://www.casa-kvsa.org.za/1999/AC42-09-Henderson.pdf (Page 7)

·      Much-desired flower of youth – adding on to the “hope-growing” idea, youth of flower seems to be Simonides’ own further comparison to Homer’s quote.

o   http://www.casa-kvsa.org.za/1999/AC42-09-Henderson.pdf (Page 7)

·      His spirit is...thoughts of pain – Simonides describes the blindness of youth. Because the young generation is not prepared to anticipate the phase of aging, they do not fear any kind of further circumstance including death.

·      Do not know how brief is the time of youth and life for mortals. – referring back to Homer’s comparison of human beings to leaves to state Simonides’ main theme of the poem: briefness of the time of youth and life for mortals.

·      But you heed…in all good things. – When Simonides writes you, it is most likely to be the readers of his work. He mentions the readers of Homer who have not truly took those words in their hearts and failed to realize the lesson. By writing his own explanations of how brief the time of youth and life for mortals is, Simonides wishes the readers of his work to be aware of his message and enjoy every moment of life and undergo such situations through the process of aging.