The Fixed Law

Ζῆνα δέ τις προφρόνως ἐπινίκια κλάζων
τεύξεται φρενῶν τὸ πᾶν,
τὸν φρονεῖν βροτοὺς ὁδώ-
σαντα, τὸν πάθει μάθος
θέντα κυρίως ἔχειν.
στάζει δ᾽ ἔν θ᾽ ὕπνῳ πρὸ καρδίας
μνησιπήμων πόνος: καὶ παρ᾽ ἄ-
κοντας ἦλθε σωφρονεῖν.
δαιμόνων δέ που χάρις βίαιος
σέλμα σεμνὸν ἡμένων.

But whoever willingly sings a victory-song for Zeus, he shall gain wisdom altogether—Zeus, who sets mortals on the path to understanding; Zeus, who has established a fixed law that "wisdom comes by suffering." But even as trouble, bringing memory of pain, drops over the mind in sleep, so wisdom comes to men, whether they want it or not. Harsh, it seems to me, is the grace of gods enthroned upon their awful seats.

(The chorus of Argive elders speaking. Aiskhulos, Agamemnon 174–83, as translated by Herbert Weir Smyth.)