(I Want to) Come Home

From The Changeling, or The Rustic
Menander, 342-c. 292 B.C.

THE HAPPIEST LIFE
I'll tell you, Parmenon,
Who seems to me to have the happiest life: the man
Who takes a steady look at the majestic sights
Our world offers--the common sun, stars, water, clouds,
Fire; and having seen them, and lived free from pain, at once
Goes back to where he came from. These same sights will be,
If you live to a hundred, always there, always the same;
And equally if you die young; but you will never
See more majestic sights than these. Think of this time
I speak of as a people's festival, or as
A visit to some city, where you stand and watch
The crowds, the streets, the thieves, the gamblers, and the way
People amuse themselves. If you go back early
To your lodging, you'll have money in your pocket, and
No enemies. The man who stays too long grows tired,
Loses what he once had, gets old, wretched, and poor,
Wanders about, makes enemies, or falls a prey
To plotters; till at last an ignominious death
Sends him off home.












translated by Philip Vellacott

***
Belle to J, 4 July 2008
...I think in a lot of ways I wanted to move back to a place that reminded me of the more bucolic areas of Stamford when I was growing up. This area is that, esp. right where we live...