μικρή τις, Διόνυσε, καλὰ πρήσσοντι ποιητῇ
ῥῆσις ὁ μὲν νικῶ φησὶ τὸ μακρότατον
ᾧ δὲ σὺ μὴ πνεύσῃς ἐνδέξιος, ἤν τις ἔρηται,

πῶς ἔβαλες; φησί, σκληρὰ τὰ γιγνόμενα.

τῷ μερμηρίξαντι τὰ μἤνδικα τοῦτο γένοιτο
τοὖπος: ἐμοὶ δ᾽, ὦναξ, ἡ βραχυσυλλαβίη.

— Paton edition

A successful poet, Dionysus, is a man of few words.
The most he says is "I conquer." But he whom thy
auspicious gale favours not, if he be asked " What
luck?" says "Things go hard with me." Let such
phrases be his who broods on fancied injustice. But
mine, Ο Lord, be the few syllables.

— Paton edition