Complete Works of Pindar Read online

  Also have I praise for Pytheas, for that he guided aright4 the course of Phylakidas’ blows in the struggle of hands that bring limbs low, an adversary he of cunning soul.

  Take for him a crown, and bring the fleecy fillet, and speed him on his way with this new winged hymn.

  1: Aigina.

  2: Poets.

  3: Meleager and his brothers.

  4: Pytheas had given his brother example, and very probably precept also, in the pankration.

  V. FOR PHYLAKIDAS OF AIGINA, WINNER IN THE PANKRATION.

  This ode seems to be of earlier date than the last, though placed after it in our order. The occasion is similar. Probably it was sung at a banquet at Lampon’s house.

  * * * * *

  As one may do amid merry revel of men, so mingle we a second time the bowls of Muses’ melody in honour of Lampon’s athlete progeny.

  Our first, O Zeus, was unto thee, when at Nemea we1 won thy excellent crown, and now is this second unto the lord2 of Isthmos and unto the fifty daughters of Nereus, for that Phylakidas the youngest son is winner in the games. And be it ours to make ready yet a third for the Saviour3, the Olympian one, and in honour of Aigina make libation of our honey-speaking song.

  For if a man rejoice to suffer cost and toil, and achieve god-builded excellence, and therewithal fate plant for him fair renown, already at the farthest bounds of bliss hath such an one cast anchor, for the glory that he hath thereby from God. With such desires prayeth the son4 of Kleonikos that he may fulfil them ere he meet death or hoary eld.

  Now I call on high-throned Klotho and her sister Fates to draw nigh unto the praying of the man I love.

  And upon you also, golden-charioted seed of Aiakos, I say it is clear law to me to shed the dew of my good words, what time I set my foot5 upon this isle.

  For innumerable hundred-foot6 straight roads are cleft for your fair deeds to go forth, beyond the springs of Nile, and through the Hyperboreans’ midst: neither is any town so barbarous and strange of speech that it knoweth not the fame of Peleus, that blissful son-in-law of gods, or of Aias son of Telamon, and of Aias’ sire; whom unto brazen war an eager ally with Tirynthian men Alkmene’s son took with him in his ships to Troy, to the place of heroes’ toil, to take vengeance for Laomedon’s untruth.

  There did Herakles take the city of Pergamos, and with help of Telamon slew the nations of the Meropes, and the herdsman whose stature was as a mountain, Alkyoneus whom he found at Phlegrai, and spared not of his hands the terrible twanging bowstring.

  But when he went to call the son of Aiakos to the voyage he found the whole company at the feast. And as he stood there in his lion’s skin, then did Telamon their chief challenge Amphitryon’s son of the mighty spear to make initiative libation of nectar, and handed on unto him the wine-cup rough with gold.

  And Herakles stretched forth to heaven his invincible hands and spake on this wise: ‘If ever, O father Zeus, thou hast heard my prayer with willing heart, now, even now, with strong entreaty I pray thee that thou give this man a brave child of Eriboia’s womb, that by award of fate my friend may gain a son of body as staunch7 as this hide that hangeth about me, which was of the beast that I slew at Nemea, first of all my labours; and let his soul be of like sort.’

  And when he had thus spoken, the god sent forth the king of birds, a mighty eagle, and sweet delight thrilled him within, and he spake aloud as a seer speaketh: ‘Behold, the son whom thou askest shall be born unto thee, O Telamon:’ also after the bird’s name that had appeared unto them he said that the child’s name should be the mighty Aias8, terrible in the strife of warring hosts: so he spake, and sate him down straightway.

  But for me it were long to tell all those valiant deeds. For for Phylakidas am I come, O Muse, a dispenser of thy triumphal songs, and for Pytheas, and for Euthymenes9; therefore in Argive fashion my tale shall be of fewest words.

  Three victories have they won in the pankration of Isthmos, and others at leafy Nemea, even these noble sons and their mother’s brother: how fair a portion of song have they brought to light! yea and they water with the Charites’ delicious dew their clan of the Psalychidai, and have raised up the house of Themistios, and dwell here in a city which the gods love well.

  And Lampon, in that he bestoweth practice on all he doth, holdeth in high honour the word of Hesiod which speaketh thereof[10], and exhorteth thereunto his sons, whereby he bringeth unto his city a general fame: and for his kind entreating of strangers is he loved, to the just mean aspiring, to the just mean holding fast; and his tongue departeth not from his thoughts: and among athlete men he is as the bronze-grinding Naxian whetstone amid stones[11].

  Now will I give him to drink of the holy water of Dirke, which golden-robed Mnemosyne’s deep-girdled daughters made once to spring out of the earth, beside the well-walled gates of Kadmos.

  1: I. e. Pytheas. See Nem. v.

  2: Poseidon.

  3: [Greek: Zeus Sotaer], to whom the third cup at a feast was drunk. He is here invoked also to give a third victory to the family at the Olympic games.

  4: Lampon.

  5: Figuratively said, as elsewhere.

  6: A hundred feet wide, seemingly.

  7: Not ‘invulnerable.’ A magic invulnerability was only attributed to heroes by later legend.

  8: From [Greek: aietos] an eagle.

  9: Maternal uncle of Pytheas and Phylakidas.

  10: [Greek: melete de ergon ophellei]. Op.

  11: I. e. he stimulates their zeal and skill. The Naxian whetstone seems to be emery.

  VI. FOR STREPSIADES OF THEBES, WINNER IN THE PANKRATION.

  The date of this ode is not fixed, but it has been supposed that the battle referred to — apparently a defeat — in which the winner’s uncle was killed was the battle of Oinophyta, fought B.C. 457. But this, and the notion that the democratic revolution at Thebes is referred to, are only conjectures.

  * * * * *

  Wherewithal of the fair deeds done in thy land, O divine Thebe, hath thy soul had most delight? Whether when thou broughtest forth to the light Dionysos of the flowing hair, who sitteth beside Demeter to whom the cymbals clang? or when at midnight in a snow of gold thou didst receive the mightiest of the gods, what time he stood at Amphitryon’s doors and beguiled his wife, to the begetting of Herakles? Or when thou hadst honour in the wise counsels of Teiresias, or in Iolaos the cunning charioteer, or the unwearied spears of the Spartoi? or when out of the noise of the strong battle-cry thou sentest Adrastos home to horse-breeding Argos, of his countless company forlorn? or when thou madest the Dorian colony of the men of Lakedaimon stand upright upon its feet1, and the sons of Aigeus thy progeny took Amyklai, according to the oracles of Pytho?

  Nay, but the glory of the old time sleepeth, and mortals are unmindful thereof, save such as married to the sounding stream of song attaineth unto the perfect meed that wisdom2 giveth. New triumph now lead for Strepsiades with melodious hymn: for at Isthmos hath he borne away the pankratiast’s prize. Wondrous in strength is he, and to look upon of goodly shape, and his valour is such as shameth not his stature.

  So shineth he forth by grace of the Muses iris-haired, and to his uncle of like name hath he given to share his crown, for albeit bronze-shielded Ares gave him over unto death, yet remaineth there for the valiant a recompense of renown. For let whoso amid the cloud of war from his beloved country wardeth the bloody shower, and maketh havoc in the enemy’s host, know assuredly that for the race of his fellow-citizens he maketh their renown wax mightily, yea when he is dead even as while he was yet alive.

  So didst thou, son3 of Diodotos, following the praise of the warrior Meleagros, and of Hektor, and of Amphiaraos, breathe forth the spirit of thy fair-flowering youth amid the company of fighters in the front, where the bravest on slenderest hopes bare up the struggle of war.

  Then suffered I a pang unspeakable, but now hath the earth-grasper4 granted unto me a calm after the storm: I will set chaplets on my hair and sing. Now let no jealousy
of immortals mar whatever sweet thing through a day’s pursuit I follow, as it leadeth on up to old age, and unto the term of life appointed.

  For all we in like manner die, albeit our lots be diverse. If any lift up his eye to look upon things afar off, yet is he too weak to attain unto the bronze-paved dwelling of the gods. Thus did winged Pegasos throw his lord Bellerophon, when he would fain enter into the heavenly habitations and mix among the company of Zeus. Unrighteous joyance a bitter end awaiteth.

  But to us, O Loxias of the golden-flowing hair, give also at thy Pythian games a new fair-flowering crown.

  1: The Theban Aigidai helped the mythical ‘return of the Herakleidai.’

  2: Wisdom of bards.

  3: Strepsiades the uncle.

  4: Poseidon.

  VII. FOR KLEANDROS OF AIGINA, WINNER IN THE PANKRATION.

  All that we can be certain of as to the date of this ode is that it was written soon after the final expulsion of the Persians. From the first strophe we learn that Kleandros had won a Nemean as well as an Isthmian victory, and perhaps this ode really belongs to the former. It was to be sung, it seems, before the house of Telesarchos the winner’s father, at Aigina.

  * * * * *

  For Kleandros in his prime let some of you, ye young men, go stand before the shining portal of his father Telesarchos, and rouse a song of triumph, to be a glorious recompense of his toils, for that he hath achieved reward of victory at Isthmos, and hath showed his strength in the games of Nemea.

  For him I also, albeit heavy at heart1, am bidden to call upon the golden Muse. Yea since we are come forth from our sore troubles let us not fall into the desolation of crownlessness, neither nurse our griefs; but having ease from our ills that are past mending, we will set some pleasant thing before the people, though it follow hard on pain: inasmuch as some god hath put away from us the Tantalos-stone that hung above our heads, a curse intolerable to Hellas.

  But now hath the passing of this terror ended my sore disquietude, and ever it is better to look only on the thing hard by. For the guile of time hangeth above the heads of men, and maketh the way of their life crooked, yet if Freedom abide with them, even such things may mortals cure.

  But it is meet that a man cherish good hope: and meet also that I, whom seven-gated Thebes reared, proffer chiefly unto Aigina the choicest of the Graces’ gifts, for that from one sire were two daughters2 born, youngest of the children of Asopos, and found favour in the eyes of the king Zeus.

  One by the fair stream of Dirke he set to be the queen of a city of charioteers, and thee the other he bare to the Oinopian isle, and lay with thee, whence to the sire of great thunderings thou didst bear the godlike Aiakos, best of men upon the earth.

  This man even among divinities became a decider of strife: and his godlike sons and his sons’ sons delighting in battle were foremost in valour when they met in the ringing brazen melley: chaste also were they approved, and wise of heart.

  Thereof was the god’s council mindful, what time for the hand of Thetis there was strife between Zeus and glorious Poseidon, each having desire that she should be his fair bride, for love had obtained dominion over them.

  Yet did not the wisdom of the immortal gods fulfil for them such marriage, when they had heard a certain oracle. For Themis of wise counsels spake in the midst of them of how it was pre-destined that the sea-goddess should bear a royal offspring mightier than his father, whose hand should wield a bolt more terrible than the lightning or the dread trident, if she came ever into the bed of Zeus, or of brethren of Zeus.

  ‘Cease ye herefrom: let her enter a mortal’s couch and see her son fall in war, who shall be as Ares in the might of his hands, and as the lightning in the swiftness of his feet. My counsel is that ye give her to be the heaven-sent prize of Peleus son of Aiakos, whom the speech of men showeth to be their most righteous, an offspring of Iolkos’ plain. Thus straightway let the message go forth to Cheiron’s cave divine, neither let the daughter of Nereus put a second time into your hands the ballot-leaves of strife. So on the evening of the mid-month moon shall she unbind for the hero the fair girdle of her virginity.’

  Thus spake the goddess her word to the children of Kronos, and they bowed their everlasting brows. Nor failed her words of fruit, for they say that to Thetis’ bridals came those twain kings even with the rest.

  Out of the mouths of the wise hath the young valour of Achilles been declared to them that beheld it not. He it was who stained the vine-clad Mysian plain with the dark blood of Telephos that he shed thereon, and made for the sons of Atreus a safe return across the sea, and delivered Helen, when that he had cut asunder with his spear the sinews of Troy, even the men who kept him back as he plied the work of slaughterous battle on the plain, the strength of Memnon and high-hearted Hektor, and other chiefs of pride. Unto all these did Achilles, champion of the Aiakid race, point the way to the house of Persephone, and thereby did he glorify Aigina and the root whence he was sprung.

  Neither in death was he of songs forsaken, for at his funeral pyre and beside his tomb stood the Helikonian maiden-choir, and poured thereon a dirge of many melodies. For so the immortals willed, to give charge unto the songs of goddesses over that valorous man even in his death.

  And now also holdeth such charge good, and the Muses’ chariot speedeth to sound the glories of Nikokles the boxer3. Honour to him who in the Isthmian vale hath won the Dorian parsley: for he even as Achilles overcame men in battle, turning them to confusion, with hand from which flight was vain. Him shameth not this kinsman of his father’s noble brother. Wherefore let some one of the young men his fellows twine for Kleandros a wreath of tender myrtle for his pankratiast victory. For the games whose name is of Alkathoos4, and the youth of Epidauros5, have ere now entertained him with good hap. To praise him is given unto the good: for in no hidden corner quenched he his youth, unproven in honourable deeds.

  1: Because, though the Persians had been defeated, Thebes, Pindar’s city, had not shared the glory.

  2: Thebe and Aigine.

  3: Uncle of the winner.

  4: A son of Pelops: he slew the lion of Kithairon.

  5: The Epidaurian games were in honour of Asklepios.

  FRAGMENTS

  Translated by Sir John Sandys

  THE life of Pindar in the Ambrosian MS in Milan states that the poet was the author of seventeen works: — (1) Hymns, (2) Paeans, (3) and (4) two books of Dithyrambs, (5) and (6) two books of Processional Songs (Προσδια), (7) and (8) two books of Maidens’ Songs, (9) a separate book of the same, (10) and (11) two books of Dance-songs (‘Υπορχήματα), (12) Eulogies (Εγκώμια), (13) Dirges and, lastly, (14), (15), (16), (17), four books of Epinician Odes. In the order adopted by the first editor, Aristophanes of Byzantium, these Odes were arranged as follows: — Olympia, Pythia, Isthmia, Nemea, in the sequence of the foundation of the four festivals (776, 582, 581, 573), with three other Odes (Nem ix, x, xi) connected with Sicyon, Argos, and Tenedos, added at the end.

  In the above order of the poet’s works, the first place is assigned to poems celebrating the gods, and the last to those in commemoration of men; and, in the Epinician Odes, the order is, first the Odes on horse-races or chariot-races, next those on boxing or wrestling, and, lastly, those on foot-races.

  The order in which Horace (Carm iv 2), alludes to the Odes of Pindar is (1) Dithyrambs, (2) other Odes S™ relating to the gods, (3) Eulogies of kings, (4) Epinician Odes, and (5) Dirges.

  The Oxyrhynchus Papyri have helped to determine the dates of several of the Epinician Odes, and have added much to our knowledge of the Paeans and the Partheneia.

  The following selection includes all the principal Fragments, old and new, which originally appeared in the Loeb Classical Library edition of Pindar (1915).

  CONTENTS

  FROM AN ISTHMIAN ODE

  HYMNS

  FOR THE THEBANS

  COUNSELS GIVEN BY AMPHIARAÜS TO HIS SON AMPHILOCHUS

  TO APOLLO
/>
  PAEANS

  1. FOR THE THEBANS

  2. FOR THE ABDERITANS

  4. FOR THE CEANS TO DELOS

  5. FOR THE ATHENIANS TO DELOS

  6. FOR THE DELPHIANS ΤΟ ΡΥΤΗΟ

  7. PRAYER TO MNEMOSYNE

  8. FOR THE THEBANS

  9. FOR THE THEBANS

  DITHYRAMBS

  FOR THE ATHENIANS

  The Fame of Athens

  The Battle of Artemisium

  Death for the Father-Land

  Poems, past and present

  PROCESSIONAL SONGS

  On Delos

  For the Aeginetans. On the goddess Aphaia

  MAIDENS’ SONGS

  From a maiden’s song to Pan

  Dionysus, the giver of milk

  On Aealadas I

  On Aeoladas II

  DANCE-SONGS

  TO HIERON OF SYRACUSE

  The Sicilian mule-car

  A good beginning

  An Eclipse

  “Dulce bellum inexpertis.”

  Concord in the State

  Heracles and his club

  EULOGIES

  ON THERON OF ACRAGAS

  ON ALEXANDER, SON OF AMNXTAS

  FOR XENOPHON OF CORINTH

  ON THEOXENUS OF TENEDOS

  Love

  TO HIERON OF SYRACUSE

  TO THRASYBULUS OF ACRAGAS

  The Delights of Dessert

  The Cottabus

  DIRGES

  Elysium

  The survival of the soul

  The spirits of just men made perfect

  The happiness of the blessed

  “Whom universal Nature did lament.”

  The Eleusinian Mysteries

  Linus, Hymenaeus, Iâlemus

  FROM ODES OF UNCERTAIN CLASS

  Locrian music

  The Gifts of God

  The Felicity of the gods

  The Muse and the poet

  “Sweeter than the honey-comb.”