Odes of Anacreon

XLIII (43)

THE CICADA

We say: "Happy Cicada!"
As soon as, on the treetops,
You have drunk a few drops of dew,
Like a queen, you sing.
Because, it is yours, all
that you see in the fields
and that the forests produce.
You are the friend of the plowmen,
Doing them no harm;
Thou art worshiped by mortals,
Sweet Prophetess of Summer.
The Muses cherish you,
He also cherishes you, Phebus,
Who endowed you with a harmonious voice.
Old age does not overwhelm you.
Wise, daughter of the Earth, lover of songs,
Impassive, without flesh or blood,
You are, or little by little, equal to the Gods.

Translated from French version

https://bit.ly/3sNgVbT


Anacreon (c. 582 – c. 485 BC) was a Greek lyric poet, notable for his drinking songs and erotic poems. I listened to a scholar on youtube comparing Anacreon to the ancient Persian poets like Rumi and Hafiz