Athens, the eye of Greece, mother of arts
And eloquence.
Maid of Athens, ere we part,
Give, oh give me back my heart!
Wherever literature consoles sorrow or assuages pain; wherever it brings gladness to eyes which fail with wakefulness and tears, and ache for the dark house and the long sleep,--there is exhibited in its noblest form the immortal influence of Athens.
Of right and wrong he taught
Truths as refined as ever Athens heard;
And (strange to tell!) he practised what he preached.
Anacharsis coming to Athens, knocked at Solon's door, and told him that he, being a stranger, was come to be his guest, and contract a friendship with him; and Solon replying, "It is better to make friends at home," Anacharsis replied, "Then you that are at home make friendship with me."
"You speak truth," said Themistocles; "I should never have been famous if I had been of Seriphus; nor you, had you been of Athens."
Like sending owls to Athens, as the proverb goes.
Athens, the eye of Greece, mother of arts And eloquence.
Smyrna, Rhodes, Colophon, Salamis, Chios, Argos, Athens--these seven cities contend as to being the birthplace of the illustrious Homer. [Lat., Smyrna, Rhodos, Colophon, Salamis, Chios, Argos, Athenae, Hae septem certant de stirpe insignis Homeri.]
Of right and wrong he taught Truths as refined as ever Athens heard; And (strange to tell) he practis'd what he preach'd.
When they him spy, As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye, Or russet-pated choughs, many in sort, Rising and cawing at the gun's report, Sever themselves and madly sweep the sky; So at his sight away his fellows fly, And at our stamp here o'er and o'er one falls; He murder cries and help from Athens calls.
At Athens, wise men propose, and fools dispose.
Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
Athens, the eye of Greece, mother of arts And eloquence.
Maid of Athens, ere we part, Give, oh, give me back my heart!
The credite of the Realme, by defending the same with Wodden Walles, as Themistocles called the Ship of Athens.
Of right and wrong he taught Truths as refined as ever Athens heard; And (strange to tell) he practis'd what he preach'd.
How glad the heathens would have been, That worship idols, wood and stone, If they the book God had seen.