Tag: Michael Psellos

Ὁ οἶνος πάντοτε καὶ πᾶσι καλόν, εὐθυμοῦσι συνεργὸν εἰς εὐφροσύνης ἐπίτασιν, εὐεκτοῦσιν ἀγαθὸν εἰς ὑγείας συντήρησιν, ἀθυμοῦσι παράκλησις, ἀρρωστοῦσιν ἴασις. οὐ γὰρ ἂν ὁ σοφὸς ἐκκλησιαστὴς οἶνον διδόναι τοῖς ἐν ἀλύπαις ἐκέλευσεν, ἵνα μὴ λέγω τὸν ῾Ηρακλέα τὸν τοῖς ἥρωσι θαυμαστὸν τὴν ἀνδρείαν ἢ τὴν σοφίαν, ὃς ἀχθομένοις παρῄνει τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ πίνειν φίλοις πάσης αὐτοὺς λύπης λέγων μεθορμιεῖν τοῦ σκύφου τὸν πίτυλον.
(Michael Psellos, Or. 30.3)

Wine is a good thing on every occasion and for everyone: for those in a good mood, it’s an aid for intensifying happiness; for those who are healthy, it’s good for conserving health; it’s a consolation for those who are depressed, and a cure for those who are sick. For the wise Ecclesiastes would not have advised giving wine to those who are sad, to say nothing of Heracles, [who was] admired by the heroes for his valor no less than wisdom, who urged his grieving friends to drink, stating that the lifting and lowering of the wineglass would deliver them out of all sadness. (tr. Michael Fontaine, slightly adapted)

Σὺ δέ μοι ὁ ἔμψυχος μαργαρίτης, τὸ τῆς ἐμῆς ψυχῆς ἐγκαλλώπισμα, ἐπειδὰν τῆς φρονούσης ἅψαιο ἡλικίας καὶ γνοίης οἷος μέν σοι ὁ πάππος, οἷα δέ σοι τῆς ζωῆς τὰ πρωτόλεια, πρὸς τὸ παράδειγμα σαυτὸν ἀπεικόνιζε, ῥυθμίζων τὸ ἦθος πρὸς σωφροσύνην καὶ τιμῶν μὲν γονέας, αἰδούμενος δὲ παιδαγωγούς τε καὶ διδασκάλους καὶ πρὸ πάντων λόγοις τὴν σὴν καλλύνων ψυχήν ἐντεῦθεν γάρ σοι κἀγὼ καὶ τὴν μητέρα καὶ τὸ γένος ἐκόσμησα. καὶ τύχοις μὲν ὅσων ἐρᾷς, μᾶλλον δὲ παιδείας τε καὶ συνέσεως, ἃ δὴ καὶ μόνα ἐπὶ τὸ οἰκεῖον κάλλος ἀνάγει ψυχὴν καὶ σύνεσιν τῶν ἀρρητοτέρων συντίθησιν. ἐγὼ δέ σοι ταῦτα γεγράφηκα ἐπὶ ταῖς ἀγκάλαις ἔχων καὶ  πλήστως κατασπαζόμενος.
(Michael Psellos, Eis ton autou ekgonon eti nēpion onta 155.99-108 Littlewood)

But you, my living pearl, the ornament of my soul, when you reach your age of wisdom and realize what sort of man your grandfather was, and what the first days of your life were like, take him as your model, steer your disposition toward moderation and honour your parents. Feeling respect towards your teachers and professors, above all adorn your soul with words. For hence I too brought honour upon your mother and the family. May you also obtain what you love, but especially education and good sense, which indeed alone raise the soul to its proper beauty and which constitute understanding of the more profound things. I wrote this for you while holding you in my arms and kissing you insatiably. (tr. Michael Champion)