Iliad 6.146–149

οἵη περ φύλλων γενεὴ τοίη δὲ καὶ ἀνδρῶν.

φύλλα τὰ μέν τʼ ἄνεμος χαμάδις χέει, ἄλλα δέ θʼ ὕλη

τηλεθόωσα φύει, ἔαρος δʼ ἐπιγίγνεται ὥρη·

ὣς ἀνδρῶν γενεὴ ἣ μὲν φύει ἣ δʼ ἀπολήγει.

As the generations of leaves are, so are the generations of men.

The wind scatters some leaves to the ground; the flourishing forest

puts forth others when the season of spring comes on.

So one generation of men grows, and another dies away.