Ibykus lived in 6th cent B.C. (see info below)
The poem in Ancient Greek:
Ἔρως αὖται με κυανέοισιν ὑπὸ
βλεφάροις τακέρ᾽ ὄμμασι δερκόμενος
κηλήμασι παντοδάποισ᾽ ἐς ἄπειρα
δίκτυα Κύπριδος βάλλει·
ἦ μὰν τρομέω νιν ἐπερχόμενον,
ὥστε φερέζυγος ἵππος ἀεθλοφόρος ποτὶ γήραϊ
ἀέκων σὺν ὄχεσφι θοοῖσ᾽ ἐς ἅμιλλαν ἔβα.
(D 7)
Lyrics in contemporary Greek and their English translation:
Και να που πάλι ο έρωτας με μάτια μαύρα
κάτω απ᾽τα βλέφαρα κοιτώντας φλογερά
με μύρια παιχνιδίσματα στης Κύπριδος τρελά
το αναπόδραστο με παγιδεύει δίχτυ.
Α! στο πλησίασμα του αλήθεια τρεμουλιάζω
καθώς ζευγμένο άλογο παλιός θριαμβευτής
που τώρα στα γεράματα με άμαξες ταχείς
σέρνεται απρόθυμα να δώσει νέες μάχες.
And here again, Eros with his black eyes,
glaring fervently beneath the eyelids,
with a myriad of playful tricks, madly,
traps me in the inevitable net of Cypris.
Ah! As he approaches I truly tremble,
like a horse, an old victor,
which now in old age paired in swift chariots,
reluctantly drags itself to new battles.
Please note that we provide above translation of the lyrics (from contemporary Greek to English). You may also visit “links” for sources translating the ancient text to English.
Brief info about the poet and the poem:
Ibykuς: According to Suidae Lexicon, his father was Phytios, he was born in Rigio, Italy from where he went to Samos in the 54th Olympiad (564-560 BC). The phrase “foolisher than Ibykus” had become proverbial in antiquity, because while he had the opportunity to rule as a tyrant in his homeland, he went into exile in Ionia. Ibykos was considered a poet of love and regardless of subject matter, he maintained a serious style inherited by Epos worthy of his apprenticeship in the choral poetry of Magna Grecia.
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