ἦλθ’ ἦλθε χελιδὼν
καλὰς ὥρας ἄγουσα,
καλοὺς ἐνιαυτούς,
ἐπὶ γαστέρα λευκά,
ἐπὶ νῶτα μέλαινα.
παλάθαν σὺ προκύκλει
ἐκ πίονος οἴκου
οἴνου τε δέπαστρον
τυροῦ τε κάνυστρον·
καὶ πύρνα χελιδών
καὶ λεκιθίταν
οὐκ ἀπωθεῖται· πότερ’ ἀπίωμες ἢ λαβώμεθα;
εἰ μέν τι δώσεις· εἰ δὲ μή, οὐκ ἐάσομες·
ἢ τὰν θύραν φέρωμες ἢ τὸ ὑπέρθυρον
ἢ τὰν γυναῖκα τὰν ἔσω καθημέναν·
μικρὰ μέν ἐστι, ῥᾳδίως νιν οἴσομες.
ἂν δὴ τι †φέρῃς τι, μέγα δή τι† φέροις·
ἄνοιγ’ ἄνοιγε τὰν θύραν χελιδόνι·
οὐ γὰρ γέροντές ἐσμεν, ἀλλὰ παιδία.
(Anonymous, PMG 848)
The swallow has come, has come,
bringing fine weather,
the fine time of year,
white on its belly,
black on its back.
You, roll out a fruit-cake
from your well-stocked house
and a cup of wine
and a basket of cheese.
The swallow does not
refuse wheaten bread nor pulse-bread.
Shall we go away or shall we get something?
If you are to give us something; if not, we won’t
leave you alone. We’ll carry off your door or the lintel
of your door or your wife who sits inside;
she is little, we’ll easily carry her.
If you bring something, let’s hope you bring us something
big; open up, open up the door to the swallow;
for we are not old men, but little children.
(tr. Dimitrios Yatromanolakis)
Crambe Repetita 