Complete Works of Pindar Read online

  But they, set free from sickness and eld and toils, having fled from the deeply sounding ferry of Acheron...

  The Muse and the poet

  Muse! be thou mine oracle, and I shall be thine interpreter.

  “Sweeter than the honey-comb.”

  My voice is sweeter than the bee-wrought honeycombs.

  Dionysus, the god of trees

  May the field of fruit-trees receive increase from gladsome Dionysus, the pure sunshine of the fruittime.

  The poet’s prayer

  What shall I do to be dear unto thee, O loudly-thundering son of Cronus, and dear unto the Muses, and to be cared for by Jollity? This is my prayer to thee.

  Silenus to the Phrygian hero, Olympus

  Poor child of a day! you are childishly prating, in boasting to me of money.

  Time, the champion of the Just

  Time is the best of champions to the just.

  The battle between the Centaurs and the Lapithae.

  And when the Phêres were aware of the overpowering aroma of honey-sweet wine, anon with their hands they thrust the white milk from the tables, and, drinking, unasked, out of the silver horns, began to wander in mind. But Caeneus, struck by the green fir-trees, cleft the ground with his foot, where he stood, and passed beneath the earth.

  The gluttony of Heracles

  (narrated by his host, Corônus, son of the Lapith, Caeneus)

  Two warm bodies of oxen he set in a circle around the embers, bodies crackling in the fire; and then I noted a noise of flesh and a heavy groaning of bones. There was no long time fitly to distinguish it.

  Law, the lord of all

  Law, the lord of all, mortals and immortals, carrieth everything with a high hand, justifying the extreme of violence.

  This I infer from the labours of Heracles; for he drave to the Cyclopian portals of Eurystheus the kine of Geryon, which he had won neither by prayer nor by price.

  The exploits of Peleus

  The youth of god-like Peleus shone forth with countless labours. With the son of Alcmêna, first went he to the plain of Troy; and, again, on the quest of the girdles of the Amazon; and, when he had made an end of the famous voyage with Iason, he took Medea in the home of the Colchians.

  The birth of Pindar

  It was the quadrennial festival (of the Pythian games) with its procession of oxen, when, as a dear infant, I was first cradled in swaddling-clothes.

  The praise of Thebes

  For sacred songs a foundation of gold hath now been laid. Come! let us now build beauty of words, varied and vocal, thus making Thebes, which is already famous, still more splendid in streets belonging to gods as well as to men.

  The patron goddess of Thebes

  Thêbê, with the noble chariot, and with the golden tunic, our most hallowed pride!

  The poet’s pride in his Theban home Verily, as no stranger, nor as ignorant of the Muses, was I reared by famous Thebes.

  The praise of Sparta

  ... Where old men’s counsels and young men’s spears are matchless, and choral dances also, and the Muse, and the Grace, Aglaïa.

  A prayer to Truth

  Queen of Truth, who art the beginning of great virtue, keep my good-faith from stumbling against rough falsehood.

  The depth of Tartarus

  The invisible depth of Tartarus presseth thee down with iron chains of necessity.

  The madding dance divine

  Frenzies and shouts of dancers driven wild together with the throng that toss their heads.

  “The madding crowd’s ignoble strife.”

  Men who, in the cities, are too eager for ambition, or for faction, that manifest woe...

  Does right fare better than wrong?

  Whether the race of men on earth anounteth a loftier tower by justice, or by crooked wiles, my mind is divided in telling clearly.

  Hope, the nurse of eld

  With him liveth sweet Hope, the nurse of eld, the fosterer of his heart, — Hope, who chiefly ruleth the changeful mind of man.

  “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.”

  Nothing is to be disparaged, nothing to be made different, of all the boons of the glorious earth, and of the rushing sea.

  “Sunt quos curriculo pulverem Olympico collegisse iuvat.”

  One man is gladdened by honours and crowns won by wind-swift steeds; other men by living in chambers rich with gold; and there is even one who rejoiceth in safely crossing the wave of the sea in a swift ship.

  Man’s mind devoured by gold, which neither moth nor rust corrupteth

  Gold is a child of Zeus; neither moth nor rust devoureth it; but the mind of man is devoured by this supreme possession.

  Labor omnia vincit

  The ambitions of youths, if constantly exercised with toil, win glory; and, in time, their deeds are bathed in light, when lifted aloft to the air of heaven.

  “Quam scit... exerceat artem.”

  The horse is for the chariot; the ox for the plough; while, beside the ship, most swiftly speedeth the dolphin; and, to meet a boar that is meditating murder, you must find a stout-hearted hound.

  Rivers “crowned with vocal reeds.”

  Thou, the most musical reed, wast aforetime nurtured by the spring of the fair-flowing. Acheloüs, and by the streams of the river Melas.

  I shall dance, O Delos, in honour of the unshorn god and Artemis, and in honour of Lêtô... [uttering a tuneful sound. Their praise will be

  The Greek Texts

  Aegina, one of the Saronic Islands of Greece, 17 miles from Athens. During the Persian invasion of 480 BC, when Pindar was almost forty years old, Thebes was occupied by Xerxes’ general, Mardonius. It is believed by some scholars that the poet spent much of this time living on Aegina.

  LIST OF GREEK TEXTS

  In this section of the eBook, readers can view the original Greek texts of Pindar’s works. You may wish to Bookmark this page for future reference.

  CONTENTS

  Ολυμπιόνικοι — Olympian Odes

  I. ΙΕΡΩΝΙ ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΩΙ ΚΕΛΗΤΙ

  II. ΘΗΡΩΝΙ ΑΚΡΑΓΑΝΤΙΝΩΙ ΑΡΜΑΤΙ

  III. ΘΗΡΩΝΙ ΑΚΡΑΓΑΝΤΙΝΩΙ ΑΡΜΑΤΙ ΕΙΣ ΘΕΟΞΕΝΙΑ

  IV. ΨΑΥΜΙΔΙ ΚΑΜΑΡΙΝΑΙΩΙ

  V. ΨΑΥΜΙΔΙ ΚΑΜΑΡΙΝΑΙΩΙ ΑΠΗΝΗΙ

  VI. ΑΓΗΣΙΑΙ ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΩΙ ΑΠΗΝΗΙ

  VII. ΔΙΑΓΟΡΑΙ ΡΟΔΙΩΙ ΠΥΚΤΗΙ

  VIII. ΑΛΚΙΜΕΔΟΝΤΙ (ΑΙΓΙΝΗΤΗΙ) ΠΑΙΔΙ ΠΑΛΑΙΣΤΗΙ

  IX. ΕΦΑΡΜΟΣΤΩΙ ΟΠΟΥΝΤΙΩΙ ΠΑΛΑΙΣΤΗΙ

  X. ΑΓΗΣΙΔΑΜΩΙ ΛΟΚΡΩΙ ΕΠΙΖΕΦΥΡΙΩΙ ΠΑΙΔΙ ΠΥΚΤΗΙ

  XI. ΑΓΗΣΙΔΑΜΩΙ ΛΟΚΡΩΙ ΕΠΙΖΕΦΥΡΙΩΙ ΠΑΙΔΙ ΠΥΚΤΗΙ

  XII. ΕΡΓΟΤΕΛΕΙ ΙΜΕΡΑΙΩΙ ΔΟΛΙΧΟΔΡΟΜΩΙ

  XIII. ΞΕΝΟΦΩΝΤΙ ΚΟΡΙΝΘΙΩΙ ΣΤΑΔΙΟΔΡΟΜΩΙ ΚΑΙ ΠΕΝΤΑΘΛΩΙ

  XIV. ΑΣΩΠΙΚΩΙ ΟΡΧΟΜΕΝΙΩΙ ΣΤΑΔΙΕΙ

  Πυθιόνικοι — Pythian Odes

  I. ΙΕΡΩΝΙ ΑΙΤΝΑΙΩΙ ΑΡΜΑΤΙ

  II. ΙΕΡΩΝΙ ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΩΙ ΑΡΜΑΤΙ

  III. ΙΕΡΩΝΙ ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΩΙ ΚΕΛΗΤΙ

  IV. ΑΡΚΕΣΙΛΑΩΙ ΚΥΡΗΝΑΙΩΙ ΑΡΜΑΤΙ

  V. ΑΡΚΕΣΙΛΑΩΙ ΚΥΡΗΝΑΙΩΙ ΑΡΜΑΤΙ

  VI. ΞΕΝΟΚΡΑΤΕΙ ΑΚΡΑΓΑΝΤΙΝΩΙ ΑΡΜΑΤΙ

  VII. ΜΕΓΑΚΛΕΙ ΑΘΗΝΑΙΩΙ ΤΕΘΡΙΠΠΩΙ

  VIII. ΑΡΙΣΤΟΜΕΝΗΙ ΑΙΓΙΝΗΤΗΙ ΠΑΛΑΙΣΤΗΙ

  IX. ΤΕΛΕΣΙΚΡΑΤΗΙ ΚΥΡΗΝΑΙΩΙ ΟΠΛΙΤΟΔΡΟΜΩΙ

  X. ΙΠΠΟΚΛΕΙ ΘΕΣΣΑΛΩΙ ΠΑΙΔΙ ΔΙΑΥΛΟΔΡΟΜΩΙ

  XI. ΘΡΑΣΥΔΑΙΩΙ ΘΗΒΑΙΩΙ ΠΑΙΔΙ ΣΤΑΔΙΕΙ

  XII. ΜΙΔΑΙ ΑΥΛΗΤΗΙ ΑΚΡΑΓΑΝΤΙΝΩΙ

  Νεμεόνικ
οι — Nemean Odes

  I. ΧΡΟΜΙΩΙ ΑΙΤΝΑΙΩΙ ΙΠΠΟΙΣ

  II. ΤΙΜΟΔΗΜΩΙ ΑΧΑΡΝΕΙ ΠΑΓΚΡΑΤΕΙ

  III. ΑΡΙΣΤΟΚΛΕΙΔΗΙ ΑΙΓΙΝΗΤΗΙ ΠΑΓΚΡΑΤΙΑΣΤΗΙ

  IV. ΤΙΜΑΣΑΡΧΩΙ ΑΙΓΙΝΗΤΗΙ ΠΑΙΔΙ ΠΑΛΑΙΣΤΗΙ

  V. ΠΥΘΕΑΙ ΑΙΓΙΝΗΤΗΙ ΠΑΓΚΡΑΤΙΑΣΤΗΙ

  VI. ΑΛΚΙΜΙΔΑΙ ΑΙΓΙΝΗΤΗΙ ΠΑΙΔΙ ΠΑΛΑΙΣΤΗΙ

  VII. ΣΩΓΕΝΕΙ ΑΙΓΙΝΗΤΗΙ ΠΑΙΔΙ ΠΕΝΤΑΘΛΩΙ

  VIII. ΔΕΙΝΙΑΙ ΑΙΓΙΝΗΤΗΙ ΔΙΑΥΛΟΔΡΟΜΩΙ

  IX. ΧΡΟΜΙΩΙ ΑΙΤΝΑΙΩΙ ΑΡΜΑΤΙ

  X. ΘΕΑΙΩΙ ΑΡΓΕΙΩΙ ΠΑΛΑΙΣΤΗΙ

  XI. ΑΡΙΣΤΑΓΟΡΑΙ ΤΕΝΕΔΙΩΙ ΠΡΥΤΑΝΕΙ

  Ισθμιόνικοι — Isthmian Odes

  I. ΗΡΟΔΟΤΩΙ ΘΗΒΑΙΩΙ ΑΡΜΑΤΙ

  II. ΞΕΝΟΚΡΑΤΗΙ ΑΚΡΑΓΑΝΤΙΝΩΙ ΑΡΜΑΤΙ

  III. ΜΕΛΙΣΣΩΙ ΘΗΒΑΙΩΙ ΙΠΠΟΙΣ

  IV. ΜΕΛΙΣΣΩΙ ΘΗΒΑΙΩΙ ΙΠΠΟΙΣ

  V. ΦΥΛΑΚΙΔΑΙ ΑΙΓΙΝΗΤΗΙ ΠΑΓΚΡΑΤΙΩΙ

  VI. ΦΥΛΑΚΙΔΑΙ ΑΙΓΙΝΗΤΗΙ ΠΑΙΔΙ ΠΑΓΚΡΑΤΙΩΙ

  VII. ΣΤΡΕΨΙΑΔΗΙ ΘΗΒΑΙΩΙ ΠΑΓΚΡΑΤΙΩ

  VIII. ΚΛΕΑΝΔΡΩΙ ΑΙΓΙΝΗΤΗΙ ΠΑΙΔΙ ΠΑΓΚΡΑΤΙΩΙ

  θραύσματα — Fragments

  ΕΠΙΝΙΚΟΙ ΙΣΘΜΙΟΝΙΚΑΙΣ

  ΚΑΣΜΥΛΩΙ ΡΟΔΙΩΙ ΠΥΚΤΗΙ

  ΜΕΙΔΙΑΙ ΑΙΓΙΝΗΤΗΙ

  Ω̣Ι ΜΕΓΑΡΕΙ ΣΤΑΔΙΕΙ

  ΑΘΗ̣Ν̣ΑΙΩΙ ΩΣΧΟΦΟΡΙΚΟΝ

  ΥΜΝΟΙ ΘΗΒΑΙΟΙΣ ΕΙΣ ΔΙΑ

  ΕΙΣ ΑΜΜΩΝΑ

  ΕΙΣ ΠΕΡΣΕΦΟΝΗΝ

  ΕΙΣ ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΑ ΠΤΩΙΟΝ

  ΠΑΙΑΝΕΣ ΘΗΒΑΙΟΙΣ ΕΙΣ ΙΣΜΗΝΙΟΝ

  ΑΒΔΗΡΙΤΑΙΣ

  ΚΕΙΟΙΣ ΕΙΣ ΔΗΛΟΝ

  ΑΘΗΝΑΙΟΙΣ() ΕΙΣ ΔΗΛΟΝ

  ΔΕΛΦΟΙΣ ΕΙΣ ΠΥΘΩ

  Π ....ΑΙΣ ΕΙΣ ΔΗΛΟΝ

  ΕΙΣ ΠΥΘΩ

  ΘΗΒΑΙΟΙΣ ΕΙΣ ΙΣΜΗΝΙΟΝ

  ΝΑΞΙΟΙΣ ΕΙΣ ΔΗΛΟΝ

  ΑΙΓΙΝΗΤΑΙΣ ΕΙΣ ΑΙΑΚΟΝ

  ΑΡΓΕΙΟΙΣ....Σ ΗΛΕΚΤΡΥΩ̣

  Ν...

  ΑΡΙΟΙΣ ΕΙΣ...

  ΑΙΓΙΝΗΤΑΙΣ ΕΙΣ

  ΕΙΣ ΔΙΑ ΔΩΔΩΝΑΙΟΝ

  ΘΗΒΑΙΟΙΣ ΤΡΙΠΟΔΗΦΟΡΙΚΟΝ ΕΙΣ ΙΣΜΗΝΙΟΝ

  ΔΙΘΥΡΑΜΒΩΝ Α΄ et Β΄ (ΑΡΓΕΙΟΙΣ)

  ΚΑ̣Τ̣Α̣ΒΑΣΙΣ ΗΡΑΚΛΕ̣Ο̣Υ̣Σ Η ΚΕΡΒΕΡΟΣ (ΘΗΒΑΙΟΙΣ)

  ΘΗΒΑΙΟΙΣ

  ΑΘΗΝΑΙΟΙΣ Α΄ ΑΘΗΝΑΙΟΙΣ (Β΄ cl. v.

  ΑΘΗΝΑΙΟΙΣ (Γ΄ cl. fr.

  ΠΡΟΣΟΔΙΑ

  ΑΙΓΙΝΗΤΑΙΣ ΕΙΣ ΑΦΑΙΑΝ

  ΠΑΡΘΕΝΕΙΑ

  ΘΗΒΑΙΟΙΣ ΔΑΦΝΗΦΟΡΙΚΟΝ ΕΙΣ ΙΣΜΗΝΙΟΝ

  ΘΗΒΑΙΟΙΣ ΔΑΦΝΗΦΟΡΙΚΟΝ ΕΙΣ ΙΣΜΗΝΙΟΝ

  ΚΕΧΩΡΙΣΜΕΝΑ ΤΩΝ ΠΑΡΘΕΝΕΙΩΝ

  ΔΑΦΝΗΦΟΡΙΚΟΝ ΕΙΣ ΓΑΛΑΞΙΟΝ

  ΥΠΟΡΧΗΜΑΤΑ ΙΕΡΩΝΙ (ΕΙΣ ΠΥΘΙΑ)

  ΘΗΒΑΙΟΙΣ

  ΛΑΚΕΔΑΙΜΟΝΙΟΙΣ

  ΕΓΚΩΜΙΑ ΘΗΡΩΝΙ ΑΚΡΑΓΑΝΤΙΝΩΙ

  ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΩΙ ΑΜΥΝΤΑ

  ΞΕΝΟΦΩΝΤΙ ΚΟΡΙΝΘΙΩΙ

  ΘΕΟΞΕΝΩΙ ΤΕΝΕΔΙΩΙ

  ΘΡΑΣΥΒΟΥΛΩΙ ΑΚΡΑΓΑΝΤΙΝΩΙ

  ΙΕΡΩΝΙ ΣΥΡΑΚΟΥΣΙΩΙ

  ΘΡΗΝΟΙ

  ΙΠΠΟΚΡΑΤΕΙ ΑΘΗΝΑΙΩΙ

  INCERTORVM LIBRORVM

  ΘΗΒΑΙΟΙΣ

  ΘΗΒΑΙΟΙΣ

  Αμφίβολη Θραύσμα — Dubious Fragment

  ΕΧΕΚΡΑΤΕΙ ΟΡΧΟΜΕΝΙΩΙ

  Ολυμπιόνικοι — Olympian Odes

  I. ΙΕΡΩΝΙ ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΩΙ ΚΕΛΗΤΙ

  Α΄ Ἄριστον μὲν ὕδωρ, ὁ δὲ χρυσὸς αἰθόμενον πῦρ

  ἅτε διαπρέπει νυκτὶ μεγάνορος ἔξοχα πλούτου·

  εἰ δ’ ἄεθλα γαρύεν

  ἔλδεαι, φίλον ἦτορ,

  5 μηκέτ’ ἀλίου σκόπει

  ἄλλο θαλπνότερον ἐν ἁμέρᾳ φαεννὸν ἄστρον ἐρήμας δι’ αἰθέρος,

  μηδ’ Ὀλυμπίας ἀγῶνα φέρτερον αὐδάσομεν·

  ὅθεν ὁ πολύφατος ὕμνος ἀμφιβάλλεται

  σοφῶν μητίεσσι, κελαδεῖν

  10 Κρόνου παῖδ’ ἐς ἀφνεὰν ἱκομένους

  μάκαιραν Ἱέρωνος ἑστίαν,

  θεμιστεῖον ὃς ἀμφέπει σκᾶπτον ἐν πολυμήλῳ

  Σικελίᾳ δρέπων μὲν κορυφὰς ἀρετᾶν ἄπο πασᾶν,

  ἀγλαΐζεται δὲ καί

  15 μουσικᾶς ἐν ἀώτῳ,

  οἷα παίζομεν φίλαν

  ἄνδρες ἀμφὶ θαμὰ τράπεζαν. ἀλλὰ Δωρίαν ἀπὸ φόρμιγγα πασσάλου

  λάμβαν’, εἴ τί τοι Πίσας τε καὶ Φερενίκου χάρις

  νόον ὑπὸ γλυκυτάταις ἔθηκε φροντίσιν,

  20 ὅτε παρ’ Ἀλφεῷ σύτο δέμας

  ἀκέντητον ἐν δρόμοισι παρέχων,

  κράτει δὲ προσέμειξε δεσπόταν,

  Συρακόσιον ἱπποχάρμαν βασιλῆα· λάμπει δέ οἱ κλέος

  ἐν εὐάνορι Λυδοῦ Πέλοπος ἀποικίᾳ·

  25 τοῦ μεγασθενὴς ἐράσσατο Γαιάοχος

  Ποσειδάν, ἐπεί νιν καθαροῦ λέβητος ἔξελε Κλωθώ,

  ἐλέφαντι φαίδιμον ὦμον κεκαδμένον.

  ἦ θαύματα πολλά, καί πού τι καὶ βροτῶν

  φάτις ὑπὲρ τὸν ἀλαθῆ λόγον

  δεδαιδαλμένοι ψεύδεσι ποικίλοις ἐξαπατῶντι μῦθοι.

  Β΄ Χάρις δ’, ἅπερ ἅπαντα τεύχει τὰ μείλιχα θνατοῖς,

  31 ἐπιφέροισα τιμὰν καὶ ἄπιστον ἐμήσατο πιστόν

  ἔμμεναι τὸ πολλάκις·

  ἁμέραι δ’ ἐπίλοιποι

  μάρτυρες σοφώτατοι.

  35 ἔστι δ’ ἀνδρὶ φάμεν ἐοικὸς ἀμφὶ δαιμόνων καλά· μείων γὰρ αἰτία.

  υἱὲ Ταντάλου, σὲ δ’ ἀντία προτέρων φθέγξομαι,

  ὁπότ’ ἐκάλεσε πατὴρ τὸν εὐνομώτατον

  ἐς ἔρανον φίλαν τε Σίπυλον,

  ἀμοιβαῖα θεοῖσι δεῖπνα παρέχων,

  40 τότ’ Ἀγλαοτρίαιναν ἁρπάσαι,

  δαμέντα φρένας ἱμέρῳ, χρυσέαισί τ’ ἀν’ ἵπποις

  ὕπατον εὐρυτίμου ποτὶ δῶμα Διὸς μεταβᾶσαι·

  ἔνθα δευτέρῳ χρόνῳ

  ἦλθε καὶ Γανυμήδης

  45 Ζηνὶ τωὔτ’ ἐπὶ χρέος.

  ὡς δ’ ἄφαντος ἔπελες, οὐδὲ ματρὶ πολλ�
�� μαιόμενοι φῶτες ἄγαγον,

  ἔννεπε κρυφᾷ τις αὐτίκα φθονερῶν γειτόνων,

  ὕδατος ὅτι τε πυρὶ ζέοισαν εἰς ἀκμάν

  μαχαίρᾳ τάμον κατὰ μέλη,

  50 τραπέζαισί τ’ ἀμφὶ δεύτατα κρεῶν

  σέθεν διεδάσαντο καὶ φάγον.

  ἐμοὶ δ’ ἄπορα γαστρίμαργον μακάρων τιν’ εἰπεῖν· ἀφίσταμαι·

  ἀκέρδεια λέλογχεν θαμινὰ κακαγόρους.

  εἰ δὲ δή τιν’ ἄνδρα θνατὸν Ὀλύμπου σκοποί

  55 ἐτίμασαν, ἦν Τάνταλος οὗτος· ἀλλὰ γὰρ καταπέψαι

  μέγαν ὄλβον οὐκ ἐδυνάσθη, κόρῳ δ’ ἕλεν

  ἄταν ὑπέροπλον, ἅν τοι πατὴρ ὕπερ

  κρέμασε καρτερὸν αὐτῷ λίθον,

  τὸν αἰεὶ μενοινῶν κεφαλᾶς βαλεῖν εὐφροσύνας ἀλᾶται.

  Γ΄ ἔχει δ’ ἀπάλαμον βίον τοῦτον ἐμπεδόμοχθον

  60 μετὰ τριῶν τέταρτον πόνον, ἀθανάτους ὅτι κλέψαις

  ἁλίκεσσι συμπόταις

  νέκταρ ἀμβροσίαν τε

  δῶκεν, οἷσιν ἄφθιτον

  θέν νιν. εἰ δὲ θεὸν ἀνήρ τις ἔλπεταί ‹τι› λαθέμεν ἔρδων, ἁμαρτάνει.