The nature of man is in some respects very much resembling wine. For, like new wine, the youthful mind requries to have its fermentation thrown off, and its roughness skimmed; but when its excessive violence has abated, and the fury, which swam on the top, has disappeared, then it becomes drinkable, and settles down, continuing pleasant to all future time.
ὁμοιότατος ἄνθρωπος οἴνῳ τὴν φύσιν
τρόπον τιν᾿ ἐστί. τὸν γὰρ οἶνον τὸν νέον
πολλή ᾿στ᾿ ἀνάγκη καὶ τὸν ἄνδρ᾿ ἀποζέσαι
πρώτιστον ἀφυβρίσαι τ᾿, ἀπανθήσαντα δὲ
σκληρὸν γενέσθαι, παρακμάσαντα δ᾿ ὧν λέγω
τούτων ἁπάντων, ἀπαρυθέντα τὴν ἄνω
ταύτην ἄνοιαν ἐπιπολάζουσαν, τότε
πότιμον γενέσθαι καὶ καταστῆναι πάλιν
ἡδύν θ᾿ ἅπασι τοὐπίλοιπον διατελεῖν.
τρόπον τιν᾿ ἐστί. τὸν γὰρ οἶνον τὸν νέον
πολλή ᾿στ᾿ ἀνάγκη καὶ τὸν ἄνδρ᾿ ἀποζέσαι
πρώτιστον ἀφυβρίσαι τ᾿, ἀπανθήσαντα δὲ
σκληρὸν γενέσθαι, παρακμάσαντα δ᾿ ὧν λέγω
τούτων ἁπάντων, ἀπαρυθέντα τὴν ἄνω
ταύτην ἄνοιαν ἐπιπολάζουσαν, τότε
πότιμον γενέσθαι καὶ καταστῆναι πάλιν
ἡδύν θ᾿ ἅπασι τοὐπίλοιπον διατελεῖν.
Original text (Ancient Greek)