Φαίνεταί μοι κήνος ἴσος θέοισιν

ἔμμεν ὤνηρ, ὄστις ἐναντίος τοι

ἰζάνει, καὶ πλυσίον ἆδυ φωνεύ-

        σας ὑπακούει

καὶ γελαίσας ἰμερόεν, τό μοι μάν

καρδίαν ἐν στήθεσιν ἐπτόασεν·

ὡς γὰρ εὔιδον βροχέως σε, φώνας

        οὺδὲν ἔτ' εἴκει·

ἀλλὰ κὰμ μὲν γλῶσσα ἔαγε, λέπτον δ'

αὔτικα χρῷ πῦρ ὐπαδεδρόμακεν,

ὀππάτεσσι δ' οὐδὲν ὄρημ', ἐπιρρόμ-

        βεισι δ' ἄκουαι.

ἀ δέ μίδρως κακχέεται, τρόμος δέ

παῖσαν ἄγρει, χλωροτέρα δὲ ποίας

ἔμμι, τεθνάκην δ' ὀλίγω 'πιδεύης

        φαίνομαι [ἄλλα].

ἀλλὰ πᾶν τόλματον, [ἐπεὶ καὶ πένητα].

He seems to me equal to the gods that man

whoever he is who opposite you

sits and listens close

to your sweet speaking

and lovely laughing — oh it

puts the heart in my chest on wings

for when I look at you, even a moment, no speaking

is left in me

no: tongue breaks and thin

fire is racing under skin

and in eyes no sight and drumming

fills ears

and cold sweat holds me and shaking

grips me all, greener than grass

I am and dead — or almost

I seem to me.

But all is to be dared, because even a person of poverty…