δένδρεον ἱερόν εἰμι: παρερχόμενός με φυλάσσευ
πημαίνειν: ἀλγῶ, ξεῖνε, κολουομένη.

μέμνεο, παρθένιός μοι ἔπι φλόος, οὐχ ἅπερ ὠμαῖς
ἀχράσιν: αἰγείρων τίς γένος οὐκ ἐδάη;

εἰ δὲ περιδρύψῃς με παρατραπίην περ ἐοῦσαν,
δακρύσεις: μέλομαι καὶ ξύλον Ἠελίῳ.

— Paton edition

I am a holy tree. Beware of injuring me as thou
passest by, stranger, for I suffer pain if I am muti-
lated. Remember that my bark is still virginal, not
like that of savage wild pear-trees. Who does not
know what the race of poplars is like ? If thou dost
bark me, as I stand here by the road, thou shalt
weep for it. Though I am but wood, the Sun cares
for me.¹

— Paton edition