One kind of happiness is to survive
a storm at sea, and reach the shore in safety.
Another is to triumph over hardship.
Another is surpassing other people,
moving up in wealth and strength and power.
Or one can hope; there are so many hopes.
Some human hopes succeed
and others fail.
But a truly happy life
is happiness day by day.
Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey
A world there is for those in love with mines of precious stones,
But bards select a different world as setting for their thrones.
The bird who eats love's magic grain lives on another plane -
His nest beyond both worlds, ignoring riches, scorning fame.
Mahsati Ganjavi
