Simonides of Ceos, born in 556 BC, was a professional poet of considerable repute at the end of the sixth century and the start of the fifth.  Because of his fame he was commissioned to write numerous epitaphs and dedicatory inscriptions.  Also because of his fame, over time numerous other epitaphs and dedicatory inscriptions were attributed to him even though they were written by others.  All of the following brief poems are attributed to Simonides, though some of them may have been written by others.  For our purposes, they are all equally useful as illustrations of Greek thinking about valor and death in battle in the early part of the fifth century BC.

1.  Occasion uncertain; perhaps for Athenians killed fighting Khalkideans and Boiotians in Euboia in 506

In the glen of Dirphys we were overcome -- upon us, near Euripos, a mound has been erected at public expense, not unjustly.  For we lost beloved youth, having faced up to the rough cloud of war.

2. After their victory in Euboia the Athenians erected a bronze statue of a four-horse chariot on their acropolis in honor of Pallas Athena from the tithe of the booty they seized from their enemies

In a gloomy iron chain the sons of the Athenians extinguished hubris by their deeds of war, having subdued the tribes of the Boiotians and Khalkideans whose tithe they have dedicated as these horses to Pallas.

3. On the common grave of the Athenians slain at Marathon (490); the Greeks regularly referred to the Persians as "Medes."

Fighting in the forefront of the Greeks the Athenians at Marathon laid low the might of the gold-wearing Medes.

4. For the dead from the Greek force at Thermopylai (480)

Against three hundred times ten thousand here once fought from the Peloponnesos four thousand.

5. The memorial of the Spartans killed at Thermopylai

O stranger, bring the message to the Lakedaimonians that here we lie obeying their words.

6. Megistias, who was killed at Thermopylai, was a seer, a person gifted with second sight who could see the will of the gods/fate, etc. when others could not

This the memorial of illustrious Megistias, whom once the Medes slew after they crossed the Sperkhios river -- a seer once who, though he clearly knew the approaching fates, did not endure to forsake the leaders of Sparta.

7. Occasion uncertain; possibly referring to those who fell fighting the Persians at Plataia (479)

Unextinguished fame these men placed about their dear fatherland, and put around themselves the blue-black cloud of death, nor are they dead though they have died, since arete, glorfying them, leads them up again from below, from the house of Hades.

8. For the Greek dead in the sea and land battle fought at the mouth of the Eurymedon river (467)

These beside the Eurymedon lost their splendid youth fighting against the first ranks of the bow-bearing Medes.  Spearmen, on foot and upon the quick-moving ships, they left a most beautiful reminder of arete when they died.

9. Occasion uncertain; possibly a poetic composition rather than an actual epitaph

If to die beautifully is the greatest part of arete, to us from among all chance has assigned this.  For having striven to surround Greece with freedom we lie here, enjoying unaging fame.