Top 10 Simonides of Ceos Quotes

Greek lyric poet (c. 556–468 BC)

Simonides of Ceos (c. 556 BC – 469 BC) was a Greek lyric poet.

From: Wikiquote (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Native Name: Σιμωνίδης ο Κείος

Alternative Names: Simonides of Keos • Simonides

From Wikidata (CC0)

Painting is silent poetry, and poetry is painting that speaks.

… zographian poiesin sioposan prosagoreuei, ten de poiesin zographian lalousan.

… ζωγραφίαν ποίησιν σιωπῶσαν προσαγορεύει [sc. ὁ Σιμωνίδης], τὴν δὲ ποίησιν ζωγραφίαν λαλοῦσαν.

We did not flinch but gave our lives to save Greece when her fate hung on a razor's edge.

Anankei d' oude theoi makhontai.

ἀνάγκῃ δ᾽ οὐδὲ θεοὶ μάχονται.

Here lies Megistias, who died
When the Medes crossed Spercheius' tide.
A great seer, yet he scorned to save
Himself, and shared the Spartans' grave.

[Word-for-word translation]
O stranger, announce to the Lacadaemonians [Spartans] that here
We lie, to their words [or laws] obedient.

Ō xein', angellein Lakedaimoniois hoti tē(i)de keimetha tois keinōn rhēmasi peithomenoi.

ὦ ξεῖν', ἀγγέλλειν Λακεδαιμονίοις ὅτι τῇδε κείμεθα τοῖς κείνων ῥήμασι πειθόμενοι. (wrongly attributed)