Plutarch, Instituta Laconia, Frank Cole Babbitt (Translator), 15

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[15] So there were three choirs,¹ corresponding to the three periods of life, which were made up at their festivals, and the choir of old men would begin with this song²:

Young valiant men long days ago were we.

Then the choir of men in the prime of life would sing in response,

And that are we; look, if you will, and see.

And the third choir, that of the boys, would sing,

And better far ’tis certain we shall be.

Instituta Laconia. Plutarch. Frank Cole Babbitt (Translator). Cambridge, MA. 1931.

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Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

The Ancient Customs of the Spartans (English) (Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. III. Babbitt, Frank Cole, translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1931 (printing).)

Editions (2)

Τὰ παλαιὰ τῶν Λακεδαινίων ἐπιτηδεύματα Perseus (Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. III. Babbitt, Frank Cole, editor. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1931 (printing).) — 15 focus

[15] τριῶν οὖν χορῶν ὄντων κατὰ τὰς τρεῖς ἡλικίας καὶ συνισταμένων ἐν ταῖς ἑορταῖς, ὁ μὲν τῶν γερόντων ἀρχόμενος ᾖδεν,

ἁμές ποκʼ¹ ἦμες ἄλκιμοι νεανίαι·

238b εἶτα ὁ τῶν ἀκμαζόντων ἀνδρῶν ἀμειβόμενος,

ἁμὲς δέ γʼ εἰμές²· αἰ δὲ λῇς, αὐγάζεο·

ὁ δὲ τρίτος ὁ τῶν παίδων,

ἁμὲς δὲ γʼ ἐσσόμεσθα πολλῷ κάρρονες.

Τὰ παλαιὰ τῶν Λακεδαινίων ἐπιτηδεύματα Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarchi Chaeronensis Moralia, Vol IΙ. Vernardakēs, Grēgorios N., editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1889.) — 15 focus

[15] τριῶν οὖν χορῶν ὄντων κατὰ τὰς τρεῖς 20 ἡλικίας καὶ συνισταμένων ἐν ταῖς ἑορταῖς, ὁ μὲν τῶν γερόντων ἀρχόμενος ᾖδεν

ἄμμες ¹ ποτʼ ἦμες ἄλκιμοι νεανίαι·

238b εἶτα ὁ τῶν ἀκμαζόντων ἀνδρῶν ἔλεγεν ἀμειβόμενος

ἄμμες δὲ γʼ ἐσμέν· αἰ δὲ λῇς, αὐγάζεο·

25 ὁ δὲ τρίτος ὁ τῶν παίδων

ἄμμες δὲ γʼ ἐσσόμεσθα πολλῷ κάρρονες·

Notes on the current edition

Instituta Laconica

1. Pollux, Lexicon, iv. 107, says that the three choirs were established by Tyrtacus.

2. Cf. Moralia, 544 e; Plutarch’s Life of Lycurgus, chap. xxi. (53 b). Other references may be found in Bergk, Poet. Lyr. Graec. iii. p. 661, or Diehl, Anthologia Lyrica Graeca, ii. p. 197, or Edmonds, Lyra Graeca (in the L.C.L.), iii. p. 530.

Plutarch Instituta Laconia 15

Frank Cole Babbitt (Translator)

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