It is commonly reported they sing sweetly, but I never heard a Swan sing, nor perhaps any man else: Yet it is believed she sings, and then especially (as is said) she sings most sweetly and pleasantly when she draws near her end. They cross the Sea and fly too over it, yet their wings never are tired.
ὅτι δέ εἰσι φιλῳδοί, τοῦτο μὲν ἤδη καὶ τεθρύληται. ἐγὼ δὲ ᾄδοντος κύκνου οὐκ ἤκουσα, ἴσως δὲ οὐδὲ ἄλλος· πεπίστευται ⟨δ᾿⟩ οὖν ὅτι ᾄδει. καὶ λέγουσί γε αὐτὸν μάλιστα ⟨κατ᾿⟩ ἐκεῖνον εἶναι τὸν χρόνον εὐφωνότατόν τε καὶ ᾠδικώτατον, ὅταν ᾖ περὶ τὴν καταστροφὴν τοῦ βίου. διαβαίνουσι δὲ καὶ πέλαγος, καὶ πέτονται [καὶ] κατὰ θαλάσσης, καὶ αὐτοῖς οὐ κάμνει τὸ πτερόν.
Original text (Ancient Greek)