politics

never shall our city be undone by will

of Zeus and not by the will of the gods undying

that is she fair-hearted great-sired our protectress

Pallas Athena her hands above our heads

yet the citizenry wild are mad to destroy

their own great city just for love of money

the civic leaders are thoroughly rotten next will be

suffering en masse for violence

unrestrained they leave off fair apportionment

dealt rightly as one serves a proper banquet

wrongs they commit and grow plutocrats thereby

stealing from the public and the gods

robbing by deceit or subjugation each other

and justice has no sway upon them all

yet sees all knows all tacitly each single deed

and will exact her punishment in time

upon the city as a wound that doesn’t heal

and what follows that is filthy slavery

that makes for civil strife and war that sleeps to wake

destroying many a one in bloom of youth

for haters of our city glorious plan ill

and evil men conspire it is their joy

this we have at home yet see among the poor

many gone away to foreign lands

sold in shameful bonds afar in slavery

and so ruination occupies each home

there are no doors with strength to keep it out

it jumps the highest wall and though a man hide deep

it finds him out in chamber or in closet

my spirit rouses me to tell Athenians

what a city pays that’s governed ill

how fine a thing it is to have good government

to bind the malefactors when it’s needed

she makes the rough place plain curbs greed tames violence

and dries despairing weeds before they grow

makes crooked judgment straight soothes swoln ambition

does away with bold sectarian strife

draws out the gall of hatred tiresome and gives cause

that human life harmonious be and thrive

Solon
tr. after Lattimore