Youth and Age

Euripides, Heracles 637-654 (tr. William Attowsmith): Youth I long for always. But old age lies on my head, a weight more heavy than Aetna's rocks; darkness hides the light from my eyes. Had I the wealth of an Asian king, or a palace crammed with gold, both would I give for youth, loveliest in wealth, in poverty, loveliest. But old age I loathe: ugly, murderous. Let the waves take it so it comes no more to the homes and cities of men! Let the wind whirl it away forever! ἁ νεότας μοι φίλον αἰ- εί· τὸ δὲ γῆρας ἄχθος βαρύτερον Αἴτνας σκοπέλων ἐπὶ κρατὶ κεῖται, βλεφάρων 640 σκοτεινὸν φάος ἐπικαλύψαν. μή μοι μήτ᾽ Ἀσιήτιδος τυραννίδος ὄλβος εἴη, μὴ χρυσοῦ δώματα πλήρη 645 τᾶς ἥβας ἀντιλαβεῖν, ἃ καλλίστα μὲν ἐν ὄλβῳ, καλλίστα δ᾽ ἐν πενίᾳ. τὸ δὲ λυγρὸν φόνιόν τε γῆ- ρας μισῶ· κατὰ κυμάτων δ᾽ 650 ἔρροι, μηδέ ποτ᾽ ὤφελεν θνατῶν δώματα καὶ πόλεις ἐλθεῖν, ἀλλὰ κατ᾽ αἰθέρ᾽ αἰ- εὶ πτεροῖσι φορείσθω.