Θέλω λέγειν Ἀτρείδας,
θέλω δὲ Κάδμον ἄιδειν,
ὁ βάρβιτος δὲ χορδαῖς
ἔρωτα μοῦνον ἠχεῖ.
 
ἤμειψα νεῦρα πρώην
καὶ τὴν λύρην ἅπασαν·
κἀγὼ μὲν ἦιδον ἄθλους
Ἡρακλέους, λύρη δέ
ἔρωτας ἀντεφώνει.
 
χαίροιτε λοιπὸν ἡμῖν,
ἥρωες· ἡ λύρη γάρ
μόνους ἔρωτας ἄιδει.

I wish to speak of Atreus' sons,
and I wish to sing of Cadmus,
but the strings of my lyre
of love only resound.
 
I changed the strings just now,
And the lyre too.
To be sure, I'd sing¹ of the struggles
of Hercules, but the lyre
only love intones².
 
For me, anyway, farewell,
You heroes, the lyre
only of love sings.

¹ "I started to sing"
  may be a more literal translation

² "only love in antiphon sang"