ἀναγκαίως δ' ἔχει βίον θερίζειν ὥστε κάρπιμον στάχυν, καὶ τὸν μὲν εἶναι, τὸν δὲ μή → But it is our inevitable lot to harvest life like a fruitful crop, for one of us to live, one not. (Euripides, "Hypsipyle" fr. 60.94ff.)

[ablantzer]

This is another excerpt from Oscar Wilde. I'm trying to understand his writing, but I have no idea what this means and internet searches have not been illuminating. Thanks in advance!

[billberg23]

The correct reading is

ἀναγκαίως δ' ἔχει
βίον θερίζειν ὥστε κάρπιμον στάχυν,
καὶ τὸν μὲν εἶναι τὸν δὲ μή·

This famous saying was evidently derived first from Euripides' Hypsipyle (fragment 60.94ff.).  In Collard's Loeb translation, it reads "But it is our inevitable lot to harvest life like a fruitful crop, for one of us to live, one not."

[ablantzer]

Thank you!