`While all the translations that remain to-date in this article are as you say ``poetic translations`` MY translation, ( I am afterall Greek with some knowledge of ancient Greek and perhaps some modern English) which virtually was word for word, was deleted. It had EXACTLY what Simonides wrote, only in English. But no, let's not keep the actual FACTS, lets keep the subjective feelings of some obscure dead poet, instead of exactly how it was written. All existing translations mention Spartans; there is NO SUCH WORD in Simonides' writing on the epitaph.( Try to translate THAT word into English.)    `