On His Lost Shield
Some gloating Saian now wields the shield that I abandoned
under a bush while fighting—a fine shield, shiny new!—
yet I saved my skin, so what does losing a shield matter?
Hell with the thing! I’ll find another just as good.
Translation (c) Carey Jobe. Original:
Ἀσπίδι μὲν Σαΐων τις ἀγάλλεται, ἥν παρὰ θάμνῳ
ἔντος ἀμώμητον κάλλιπον οὐκ ἐθέλων·
αὐτὸν δ’ ἔκ μ’ ἐσάωσα· τί μοι μέλει ἀσπὶς ἐκείνη;
Ἐρρέτω· ἐξαῦτις κτήσομαι οὐ κακίω.