The Tune
Above the lyrics (transcribed here in modern Greek font) is a line with letters and signs for the tune:
Translated into modern musical notation, the tune is something like this:
| Seikilos epitaph Tune performed on a computer |
The following is the Greek text (in the later polytonic script; the original is in majuscule), along a transliteration of the words (which are sung to the melody), and a (somewhat free) English translation:
- Ὅσον ζῇς, φαίνου,
- Hoson zês, phainou,
- While you live, shine,
- μηδὲν ὅλως σὺ λυποῦ·
- mêden holôs su lupou;
- have no grief at all;
- πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶ τὸ ζῆν,
- pros oligon esti to zên,
- life exists only for a short while,
- τὸ τέλος ὁ xρόνος ἀπαιτεῖ.
- to telos ho chronos apaitei.
- and time demands its toll.
Read more about this topic: Seikilos Epitaph
Famous quotes containing the word tune:
“[Children] need time to stare at a wall, daydream over a picture book, make mud pies, kick a ball around, whistle a tune or play the kazoo—to do the things today’s adults had time to do when they were growing up.”
—Leslie Dreyfous (20th century)
“Hortensio. Madam, my instrument’s in tune.
Bianca. Let’s hear. O fie, the treble jars.
Lucentio. Spit in the hole, man, and tune again.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)