Callimachus’ poem on Plato’s Phaedo, read in ancient Greek (epigram 23, the suicide of Cleombrotus)

Cleombrotus, the subject of this epigram, was a disciple of Socrates. In the Phaedo, a Socratic dialogue, Plato argues that the soul lives happily after death; and Cleombrotus, affected by the beauty of its ideas, is said to have been inspired to leap from a high wall into the sea. This suicide is used by Callimachus, in part, to illustrate the overwhelming beauty of Plato’s work.

It has been observed that the word “ἓν” (here translated “single”) is significant. One reason why, is because it may imply that Cleombrotus was not a careful student of Plato; since he was actuated by, and perhaps, even, had only read, "a single work" of his. In both the Phaedo itself and another work, Plato argues that suicide, in all but the most extreme circumstances, is morally wrong; so that Cleombrotus was premature to do as he did. This epigram may also be a warning, then, against the danger of drinking too shallowly from the Pierian spring.

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My translation is free to use under CC-BY-4.0. Transcript:

"Farewell, sun!" said Cleombrotus of Ambracia, and leapt from a high wall into Hades. Although he had not experienced any evil worthy of death; but had read a single work by Plato: "On the Soul."

Εἴπας ἥλιε χαῖρε Κλεόμβροτος Ὡμβρακιώτης
ἥλατ᾿ ἀφ᾿ ὑψηλοῦ τείχεος εἰς Ἀΐδην,
ἄξιον οὐδὲν ἰδὼν θανάτου κακόν, ἀλλὰ Πλάτωνος
ἓν τὸ περὶ ψυχῆς γράμμ᾿ ἀναλεξάμενος.