ἄμμες δὲ γ᾽ ἐσσόμεσθα πολλῷ κάρρονες → we shall be sometime mightier men by far than both, sometime we shall become much better than you
ἁμὲς δέ γ' ἐσσόμεσθα πολλῷ κάρρονες
άμμες δε γ’ εσσόμεθα πολλώ κάρρονες
Εμείς όμως θα γίνουμε καλύτεροι
ἡ δὲ περὶ τὰς ᾠδὰς καὶ τὰ μέλη παίδευσις οὐχ ἧττον ἐσπουδάζετο τῆς ἐν τοῖς λόγοις εὐζηλίας καὶ καθαριότητος, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ μέλη κέντρον εἶχεν ἐγερτικὸν θυμοῦ καὶ παραστατικὸν ὁρμῆς ἐνθουσιώδους καὶ πραγματικῆς, καὶ ἡ λέξις ἦν ἀφελὴς καὶ ἄθρυπτος ἐπὶ πράγμασι σεμνοῖς καὶ ἠθοποιοῖς. ἔπαινοι γάρ ἦσαν ὡς τὰ πολλὰ τῶν τεθνηκότων ὑπὲρ τῆς Σπάρτης εὐδαιμονιζομένων, καὶ ψόγοι τῶν τρεσάντων, ὡς ἀλγεινὸν καὶ κακοδαίμονα βιούντων βίον, ἐπαγγελία τε καὶ μεγαλαυχία πρὸς ἀρετὴν πρέπουσα ταῖς ἡλικίαις: [2] ὧν ἕνεκα δείγματος οὐ χεῖρόν ἐστιν ἕν τι προενέγκασθαι. τριῶν γάρ χορῶν κατὰ τὰς τρεῖς ἡλικίας συνισταμένων ἐν ταῖς ἑορταῖς, ὁ μὲν τῶν γερόντων ἀρχόμενος ᾖδεν
ἄμμες πόκ᾽ ἦμες ἄλκιμοι νεανίαι.
ὁ δὲ τῶν ἀκμαζόντων ἀμειβόμενος ἔλεγεν
ἄμμες δὲ γ᾽ εἰμὲν αἰ δὲ λῇς, αὐγάσδεο.
ὁ δὲ τρίτος ὁ τῶν παίδων
ἄμμες δὲ γ᾽ ἐσσόμεσθα πολλῷ κάρρονες.
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Nor was their training in music and poetry any less serious a concern than the emulous purity of their speech, nay, their very songs had a stimulus that roused the spirit and awoke enthusiastic and effectual effort; the style of them was simple and unaffected, and their themes were serious and edifying. They were for the most part praises of men who had died for Sparta, calling them blessed and happy; censure of men who had played the coward, picturing their grievous and ill-starred life; and such promises and boasts of valour as befitted the different ages. [2] Of the last, it may not be amiss to cite one, by way of illustration. They had three choirs at their festivals, corresponding to the three ages, and the choir of old men would sing first:—
We once did deeds of prowess and were strong young men.
Then the choir of young men would respond:—
We are so now, and if you wish, behold and see.
And then the third choir, that of the boys, would sing:—
We shall be sometime mightier men by far than both.
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Plutarch, Lycurgus, chapter 21ἄμμες - Ancient Greek (LSJ)ἁμές - Ancient Greek (LSJ)