Will, lost in a sea of trouble (Archilochus)

Reaching way back..... Today's poem has no title, but the first line is "Will, lost in a sea of trouble" and it's by the ancient Greek poet Archilochus.

I first read this poem in that anthology I mentioned before. What I like in this one is that it's a terse summation of how to live life. In eight lines it tells how to be good and remain good in all situations and for always. It has taken countless people countless pages to do the same with less clarity and honesty than this poem possesses.

The only piece of advice that gives me pause is the line "Bend before evil." That sounds like good advice for self-preservation, but what good is that if evil has run rampant over everything else? Perhaps, this poem still has much to teach me.

Favorite line: "Will, lost in a sea of trouble,/Rise, save yourself"