Editing Simonides of Ceos (section)

===Poetic style===
Like other lyric poets in late [[Archaic Greece]], Simonides made notable use of compound adjectives and decorative epithets yet he is also remarkable for his restraint and balance. His expression was clear and simple, relying on straightforward statement. An example is found in a quote by [[Stobaeus]]<ref>Simonides 521 ''PMG'', Stobaeus 4.41, cited David A. Campbell, ''Greek Lyric Poetry'', Bristol Classical Press (1982), page 90</ref> paraphrased here to suggest the original [[Aeolic verse]] rhythms, predominantly [[choriamb]]ic ( ¯˘˘¯, ¯˘˘¯ ), with some [[dactylic expansion]] (¯˘˘¯˘˘¯) and an [[Iamb (foot)|iambic]] close (˘¯,˘¯): 

{{poemquote|
Being a man you cannot tell what might befall when tomorrow comes
Nor yet how long one who appears blessed will remain that way,
So soon our fortunes change even the long-winged fly
Turns around less suddenly.
}}

The only decorative word is 'long-winged' ({{lang|grc|τανυπτέρυγος}}), used to denote a [[dragonfly]], and it emerges from the generalised meanings of the passage as an 'objective correlative' for the fragility of the human condition.<ref>Charles Segal, 'Choral lyric in the fifth century', P. Easterling and B. Knox (ed.s), ''The Cambridge History of Classical Literature: Greek Literature'', Cambridge University Press (1985), page 226</ref> The rhythm evokes the movement of the dragonfly and the mutability of human fortunes.<ref>David A. Campbell, ''Greek Lyric Poetry'', Bristol Classical Press (1982), page 383</ref>