ἄλλος δ᾽ εἰαρινὸς πέλεται πλόος ἀνθρώποισιν:
ἦμος δὴ τὸ πρῶτον, ὅσον τ᾽ ἐπιβᾶσα κορώνη
ἴχνος ἐποίησεν, τόσσον πέταλ᾽ ἀνδρὶ φανείῃ
ἐν κράδῃ ἀκροτάτῃ, τότε δ᾽ ἄμβατός ἐστι θάλασσα:
εἰαρινὸς δ᾽ οὗτος πέλεται πλόος. οὔ μιν ἔγωγε
αἴνημ᾽: οὐ γὰρ ἐμῷ θυμῷ κεχαρισμένος ἐστίν:
ἁρπακτός: χαλεπῶς κε φύγοις κακόν: ἀλλά νυ καὶ τὰ
ἄνθρωποι ῥέζουσιν ἀιδρείῃσι νόοιο:
χρήματα γὰρ ψυχὴ πέλεται δειλοῖσι βροτοῖσιν.
δεινὸν δ᾽ ἐστὶ θανεῖν μετὰ κύμασιν. ἀλλά σ᾽ ἄνωγα
φράζεσθαι τάδε πάντα μετὰ φρεσίν, ὡς ἀγορεύω.
μηδ᾽ ἐν νηυσὶν ἅπαντα βίον κοΐλῃσι τίθεσθαι:
ἀλλὰ πλέω λείπειν, τὰ δὲ μείονα φορτίζεσθαι.
δεινὸν γὰρ πόντου μετὰ κύμασι πήματι κύρσαι.
δεινὸν δ᾽, εἴ κ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἄμαξαν ὑπέρβιον ἄχθος ἀείρας
ἄξονα. καυάξαις καὶ φορτία μαυρωθείη.
μέτρα φυλάσσεσθαι: καιρὸς δ᾽ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ἄριστος.
(678-694) Another time for men to go sailing is in spring when a man first sees leaves on the topmost shoot of a fig-tree as large as the foot-print that a cow makes; then the sea is passable, and this is the spring sailing time. For my part I do not praise it, for my heart does not like it. Such a sailing is snatched, and you will hardly avoid mischief. Yet in their ignorance men do even this, for wealth means life to poor mortals; but it is fearful to die among the waves. But I bid you consider all these things in your heart as I say. Do not put all your goods in hallow ships; leave the greater part behind, and put the lesser part on board; for it is a bad business to meet with disaster among the waves of the sea, as it is bad if you put too great a load on your waggon and break the axle, and your goods are spoiled. Observe due measure: and proportion is best in all things.
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Prooemium
