The Seikilos Epitaph is the oldest surviving complete musical composition, including musical notation, from anywhere in the world. It is a Hellenistic Ionic song in the Greek language, found engraved on a tombstone. The melody is recorded in ancient Greek musical notation and is a unique testament to the music of antiquity. The song's lyrics convey a timeless message: "While you live, shine / have no grief at all / life exists only for a short while / and time demands its toll."