WIST Quotations

Cicero, Marcus Tullius -- Philippics [Philippicae; Antonian Orations], No. 11, ch. 15 / sec. 39 (11.15/11.39) (43-02 BC) [ed. Harbottle (1897)]

Dave — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 16:23:43 +0000

Nothing flourishes for ever; each generation gives place to its successor.

[Nihil enim semper floret; aetas succedit aetati.]

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) Roman orator, statesman, philosopher
Philippics [Philippicae; Antonian Orations], No. 11, ch. 15 / sec. 39 (11.15/11.39) (43-02 BC) [ed. Harbottle (1897)]
(Source)

(Source (Latin)). Other translations:

For there is nothing which flourishes for ever. Age succeeds age.
[tr. Yonge (1903)]

For nothing is for ever flourishing; age succeeds to age.
[tr. Ker (Loeb) (1926)]

Bottome, Phyliis -- The Mortal Storm, ch. 15 (1938)

Dave — Fri, 26 Aug 2022 14:10:08 +0000

A blossom must break the sheath it has been sheltered by.

Phyllis Bottome (1884-1963) British novelist and short story writer [mar. Phyllis Forbes Dennis]
The Mortal Storm, ch. 15 (1938)
(Source)

Holland, Barbara -- Endangered Pleasures, “Gardening” (1995)

Dave — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 14:16:35 +0000

One’s own flowers and some of one’s own vegetables make acceptable, free, self-congratulatory gifts when visiting friends, though giving zucchini — or leaving it on the doorstep, ringing the bell, and running — is a social faux pas.

Barbara Holland (1933-2010) American author
Endangered Pleasures, “Gardening” (1995)
(Source)

Homer -- The Iliad [Ἰλιάς], Book 8, l. 306ff (8.306-308) (c. 750 BC) [tr. Lattimore (1951)]

Dave — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 16:03:26 +0000

He bent drooping his head to one side, as a garden poppy
bends beneath the weight of its yield and the rains of springtime;
so his head bent slack to one side beneath the helm’s weight.

[Μήκων δ’ ὡς ἑτέρωσε κάρη βάλεν, ἥ τ’ ἐνὶ κήπῳ
καρπῷ βριθομένη νοτίῃσί τε εἰαρινῇσιν,
ὣς ἑτέρωσ’ ἤμυσε κάρη πήληκι βαρυνθέν.]

Homer (fl. 7th-8th C. BC) Greek author
The Iliad [Ἰλιάς], Book 8, l. 306ff (8.306-308) (c. 750 BC) [tr. Lattimore (1951)]
(Source)

Describing the death of Gorgythion, son of Priam.

Alt. trans.:

And, as a crimson poppy flow’r, surchargéd with his seed,
And vernal humours falling thick, declines his heavy brow,
So, of one side, his helmet’s weight his fainting head did bow.
[tr. Chapman (1611), ll. 265-67]

As full-blown poppies, overcharged with rain,
Decline the head, and drooping kiss the plain, --
So sinks the youth; his beauteous head, depressed
Beneath his helmet, drops upon his breast.
[tr. Pope (1715-20)]

As in the garden, with the weight surcharged
Of its own fruit, and drench’d by vernal rains
The poppy falls oblique, so he his head
Hung languid, by his helmet’s weight depress’d.
[tr. Cowper (1791), l. 351ff]

And as a poppy, which in the garden is weighed down with fruit and vernal showers, droops its head to one side, so did his head incline aside, depressed by the helmet.
[tr. Buckley (1860)]

Down sank his head, as in a garden sinks
A ripen'd poppy charg'd with vernal rains;
So sank his head beneath his helmet's weight.
[tr. Derby (1864), ll. 349-51]

Now he bowed his head as a garden poppy in full bloom when it is weighed down by showers in spring -- even thus heavy bowed his head beneath the weight of his helmet.
[tr. Butler (1898)]

And he bowed his head to one side like a poppy that in a garden is laden with its fruit and the rains of spring; so bowed he to one side his head, laden with his helmet.
[tr. Murray (1924)]

Fallen on one side, as on the stalk a poppy falls, weighed down by showring spring, beneath his helmet's weight his head sank down.
[tr. Fitzgerald (1974)]

As a garden poppy, burst into red bloom, bends
by its full seeds and a sudden spring shower,
so Gorgythion's head fell limp over one shoulder,
weighed down by his helmet.
[tr. Fagles (1990), ll. 349-53]

Off to one side his head he let drop, like a poppy that in some
garden is heavy with its own seed and the showers of springtime --
so to one side did his head incline, weighed down by his helmet.
[tr. Merrill (2007), ll. 306-08]

Shakespeare, William -- Winter’s Tale, Act 4, sc. 4, l. 141ff (4.4.141-143) (1611)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

PERDITA: Daffodils,
That come before the swallow dares, and take
The winds of March with beauty.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) English dramatist and poet
Winter’s Tale, Act 4, sc. 4, l. 141ff (4.4.141-143) (1611)
(Source)