---
title: "Victory Odes · Ἐπίνικοι"
author: "Bacchylides"
translator: "Diane Arnson Svarlien"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
section: 2 of 2
url: https://scriptura.si/works/bacchylides-victory-odes/2/
cite: "Bacchylides, tr. Diane Arnson Svarlien, Victory Odes · Ἐπίνικοι, section 2. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/bacchylides-victory-odes/2/"
---

# Victory Odes · Ἐπίνικοι

*Bacchylides, tr. Diane Arnson Svarlien*

Songs for athletes and for Hieron of Syracuse by Pindar’s rival, lost until a papyrus was found in Egypt in 1896, with Croesus on the pyre and Heracles meeting Meleager in Hades.

> Greek: ed. Richard C. Jebb, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0199.tlg001, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Diane Arnson Svarlien, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0199.tlg001.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (chapters and sections), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## 2. Odes 10–14b

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/bacchylides-victory-odes/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/bacchylides-victory-odes/2/#p-N

[¶0] Fame, you visit the races [of men?], and …
… eyes … peaceful respite … now for him his sister's husband
has moved the clear-voiced island bee
so that the immortal ornament of the Muses will be at hand as a common joy for men, revealing your excellence to men on earth,
… by the will of Victory you have crowned your golden head with blossoms and brought glory to broad Athens and fame to the Oeneidae, when, in Poseidon's far-famed games,
you displayed to the Greeks the swift surge of your feet.
For when he reached the finish-line of the racecourse, breathing out a storm of hot breath, and again moistened the cloaks of the spectators with olive oil, rushing into the close-packed crowd
when he rounded the fourth turn of the course, the spokesmen of the wise judges proclaimed him twice an Isthmian victor,
and twice in Nemea, beside the sacred altar of Zeus son of Cronus.
Glorious Thebes also welcomed him fittingly, and spacious Argos, and Sicyon, and those who dwell in Pellene, and in Euboea rich in grain, and on the holy
island Aegina. Each man seeks a different path on which to walk to attain conspicuous glory; and the forms of knowledge among men are countless.
Indeed, a man is skillful if he has a share of honor from the Graces
and blooms with golden hope, or if he has some knowledge of the prophetic art; another man aims his artful bow at boys; others swell their spirits with fields and herds of cattle.
The future begets unpredictable results: which way will fortune's scale incline? The finest thing is to be envied by many people as a noble man.
I know also the great power of wealth,
which makes even a useless man valuable. Why have I steered my song in its straight course so far off the road? Delight is appointed for mortals after victory … of flutes …
mix … must …

> Greek: Φή]μα, σὺ γ[ὰ]ρ ἀ[γγελίαις θνατῶν ἐπ]οιχνεῖς
φῦ]λα, καὶ πᾶ[!¯˘¯×!!!!!]μ̣εαλμει̣[˘˘¯!!!!!]πὸ κεύ[˘˘¯×!!!!]νωνται [¯˘¯¯
¯˘]!!ῳ ξ[υν]όν, ὅ,τι χρυ[σέαν ˘˘¯
ο[!!!] ὀφθαλμοῖσι Ν[ίκαν
π[αῦλ]αν ἀπράκταν [!!!!![
Ἀ[γλ]αῷ καὶ νῦν κασιγνήτας ἀκοίτας
νασιῶτιν ἐκίνησεν λιγύφθογγον μέλισσαν,
ἀχ]ειρὲς ἵνʼ ἀθάνατον Μουσᾶν ἄγαλμα
ξυνὸν ἀνθρώποισιν εἴη
χάρμα, τεὰν ἀρετὰν
μανῦον ἐπιχθονίοισιν,
ὁσσάκις Νίκας ἕκατι
ἄνθεσι ξανθὰν ἀναδησάμενος κεφαλὰν
κῦδος εὐρείαις Ἀθάναις
θῆκας Οἰνείδαις τε δόξαν.
ἐν Ποσειδᾶνος περικλειτοῖς ἀέθλοις
εὐθὺς ἔνδειξ]ας Ἕλλασιν ποδῶν ὁρμὰν ταχεῖαν·
δεύτερον δʼ οὔ]ροισιν ἔπι σταδίου,
θερμ[ὰν ἔτι] πνέων ἄελλαν,
ἔστα[· βρέχω]ϝ̣ δʼ ᾆξʼ αὖτε θατήρων ἐλαίῳ
φάρε[ʼ ἐς εὔθροο]ν ἐμπίτνων ὅμιλον,
τετρ[αέλικτο]ν ἐπεὶ
κάμ[ψεν δρό]μον. Ἰσθμιονίκαν
δίς ν[ιν ἀγκ]άρυξαν εὐβού-
λων [ἀεθλάρχ]ων προφᾶται·
δὶς δʼ ἐ[ν Νεμέ]ᾳ Κρονίδα Ζηνὸς παρʼ ἁγνὸν
βωμό[ν· ἁ κλει]νά τε Θήβα
δέκτ[ό νιν ε]ὐρύχορόν
τʼ Ἄργο[ς Σικυώ]ν τε κατʼ αἶσαν·
οἵ τε Π[ελλάν]αν νέμονται,
ἀμφί τʼ Εὔβοιαν πολ[υλάϊο]ν, οἵ θʼ ἱερὰν
νᾶσο[ν Αἴγιν]αν. ματεύει
δʼ ἄλλ[ος ἀλλοί]αν κέλευθον,
ἅντι[να στείχ]ων ἀριγνώτοιο δόξας
τεύξεται. μυρίαι δʼ ἀνδρῶν ἐπιστᾶμαι πέλονται·
ἢ γὰρ σοφὸς ἢ Χαρίτων τιμᾶν λελογχὼς
ἐλπίδι χρυ εῳ τέθαλεν·
ἤ τινα θευπροπίαν
εἰδώς· ἕτερος δʼ ἐπὶ πάσι
ποικίλον τόξον τιταίνει·
οἱ δʼ ἐπʼ ἔργοισίν τε καὶ ἀμφὶ βοῶν ἀγέλαις
θυμὸν αὔξουσιν· τὸ μέλλον
δʼ ἀκρίτους τίκτει τελευτάς,
πᾷ τύχα βρίσει. τὸ μὲν κάλλιστον, ἐσθλὸν
ἄνδρα πολλῶν ὑπʼ ἀνθρώπων πολυζήλωτον εἶμεν·
οἶδα καὶ πλούτου μεγάλαν δύνασιν,
ἃ καὶ τὸν ἀχρεῖον τί[θησ]ι
χρηστόν. τί μακρὰν γλῶσσαν ἰθύσας ἐλαύνω
ἐκτὸς ὁδοῦ; πέφαται θνατοῖσι νίκας
ὕστε]ρον εὐφροσύνα·
αὐλῶν [δὲ ˘¯˘˘¯¯
μειγν̣[υτ¯¯˘¯¯
χρή τιν[¯¯¯˘¯¯

[¶1] Victory, giver of sweet gifts—to you alone the father … seated on high … in golden Olympus,
standing beside Zeus, you judge the achievement of excellence for immortals and mortals alike. Be gracious, daughter of Styx with her long hair, the upright judge. For your sake
even now Metapontion, the city honored by the gods, is filled with delight and with victory processions of young men with fine limbs. They sing the praises of the Pythian victor, the marvellous son of Phaiscus.
The Delos-born son of deep-waisted Leto received him with a propitious eye; and many garlands of flowers fell around Alexidamus on the plain of Cirrha
because of his all-conquering powerful wrestling. The sun did not see him, on that particular day, falling to the ground. And I will declare that in the sacred precinct
of revered Pelops, beside the beautiful stream of the Alpheus, if someone had not turned aside the straight path of justice, the gray-green olive for which all compete would have crowned his head
as he returned to his fatherland, calf-nurturing Italy. [For down to the earth?] he brought the young man, by his crafty wits, in the the land of lovely choruses. But either a god was responsible, or else
the wandering judgment of men took the highest honor out of his hands. But now Artemis of the wilds with her golden distaff, the Soother, famous for the bow, gave him shining victory.
To her once the son of Abas and his daughters with beautiful robes set up an altar where many prayers are offered. All-powerful Hera drove these daughters in fear from the lovely halls
of Proetus; she yoked their minds to a violent maddening compulsion. For, while still virgins, they entered the sanctuary of the purple-belted goddess,
and said that their father far surpassed in wealth the golden-haired consort of holy, widely powerful Zeus. In anger at them, she put a twisted thought into their minds,
and they fled to the wooded mountain with terrible screams, leaving behind the city of Tiryns and its god-built streets. For it was now the tenth year since the heroes with their bronze shields, fearless in battle,
had left Argos, the city loved by the gods, and lived in Tiryns with their much envied king, because an insurmountable quarrel
had arisen, from a slight beginning, between the brothers Proetus and Acrisius. They were destroying their people with lawless feuding and grievous battles, and the people entreated the sons of Abas
that, since they had as their share a land rich in barley, the younger one should be the founder of Tiryns, before they fell under ruinous compulsion. And Zeus son of Cronus, honoring the race of Danaus
and of horse-driving Lynceus, was willing to put an end to their hateful woes. And the mighty Cyclopes came, and toiled to build a most beautiful wall for the glorious city, where the godlike
far-famed heroes lived when they had left behind horse-pasturing Argos. It was from Tiryns that the dark-haired unsubdued daughters of Proetus rushed in their flight.
And woe overcame Proetus' heart, and an alien thought smote him. He decided to plant a double-edged sword in his chest; but his spearmen restrained him
with calming words and with the force of their hands. For thirteen whole months his daughters roamed wildly through the shadowy forests and fled through sheep-nurturing Arcadia.
But when their father came to the beautiful stream of Lusus, he washed his skin with its water and called on Leto's daughter with her crimson headdress, the ox-eyed goddess,
stretching his hands to the rays of the steed-swift sun, and asked her to deliver his children from their deranged miserable madness. “I will sacrifice to you twenty”
“unyoked red oxen.” And the huntress, whose father is the highest god, heard him praying. She persuaded Hera, and stopped the godless mania of the bud-garlanded girls.
They built her a sanctuary and an altar right away, and stained it with the blood of sheep, and set up choruses of women. From there you accompanied battle-loving Achaean men to their horse-nurturing city;
and with good fortune you dwell in Metapontion, golden mistress of the people. And a lovely precinct beside the fine waters of the Casas
~ their ancestors established? ~ when at last, by the counsels of the blessed gods, they sacked the well-built city of Priam together with the Atreidae with their bronze breastplates. Whoever has a just mind will find,
throughout all time, countless deeds of valor done by the Achaeans.

> Greek: Νίκα [γλυκύδωρε, μεγίσταν
σοὶ πατ[ὴρ ὤπασσε τιμὰν
ὑψίζυγ[ος Οὐρανιδᾶν
ἐν πολυχρύσῳ δʼ Ὀλύμπῳ
Ζηνὶ παρισταμένα
κρίνεις τέλος ἀθανάτοι-
σίν τε καὶ θνατοῖς ἀρετᾶς.
ἔλλαθι, [βαθυ]πλοκάμου
κούρα [Στυγὸς ὀρ]θοδίκου· σέθεν δʼ ἕκατι
καὶ νῦν Μεταπόντιον εὐ-
γυίων [κατέχ]ουσι νέων
κῶμοί τε καὶ εὐφροσύναι θ εό τιμον ἄστυ·
ὑμνεῦσι δὲ Πυθιόνικον
παῖδα θαητὸν Φαΐσκου.
ἵλ εῳ νιν ὁ Δαλογενὴς υἱ-
ὸς βαθυζώνοιο Λατοῦς
δέκτο βλεφάρῳ· πολέες
δʼ ἀμφʼ Ἀλεξίδαμον ἀνθ έω ν
ἐν πεδίῳ στέφανοι
Κίρρας ἔπεσον κρατερᾶς
ἦρα παννίκοιο πάλας·
οὐκ εἶδέ νιν ἀέλιος
κείνῳ γε σὺν ἄματι πρὸς γαίᾳ πεσόντα.
φάσω δὲ καὶ ἐν ζαθέοις
ἁγνοῦ Πέλοπος δαπέδοις
Ἀλφ εὸ ν παρὰ καλλιρόαν, δίκας κέλευθον
εἰ μή τις ἀπέτραπεν ὀρθᾶς,
παγξένῳ χαίταν ἐλαίᾳ
γλαυκᾷ στεφανωσάμενον
πορτιτρόφ[ον ἂν πεδίον πάτ]ραν θʼ ἱκέσθαι.
[οὔ τι δόλος κακόφρων]
παῖδʼ ἐν χθονὶ καλλιχόρῳ
ποικίλαις τέχναις πέλασσεν·
ἀλλʼ ἢ θεὸς αἴτιος, ἢ
γνῶμαι πολύπλαγκτοι βροτῶν
ἄ]μερσαν ὑπέρτατον ἐκ χειρῶν γέρας.
νῦν δʼ Ἄρτεμις ἀγροτέρα
χρυσαλάκατος λιπαρὰν
ἡμέ]ρα τοξόκλυτος νίκαν ἔδωκε.
τᾷ ποτʼ Ἀβαντιάδας
βωμὸν κατένασσε πολύλ-
λιστον εὔπεπλοί τε κοῦραι·
τὰς ἐξ ἐρατῶν ἐφόβησεν
παγκρατὴς Ἥρα μελάθρων
Προίτου, παραπλῆγι φρένας
καρτερᾷ ζεύξασʼ ἀνάγκᾳ·
παρθενίᾳ γὰρ ἔτι
ψυχᾷ κίον ἐς τέμενος
πορφυροζώνοιο θεᾶς·
φάσκον δὲ πολὺ σφέτερον
πλούτῳ προφέρειν πατέρα ξανθᾶς παρέδρου
σεμνοῦ Διὸς εὐρυβία.
ταῖσιν δὲ χολωσαμένα
στήθεσσι παλίντροπον ἔμβαλεν νόημα·
φεῦγον δʼ ὄρος ἐς τανίφυλλον,
σμερδαλ έα ν φωνὰν ἱεῖσαι,
Τιρύνθιον ἄστυ λιποῦσαι
καὶ θεοδμάτους ἀγυιάς,
ἤδη γὰρ ἔτος δέκατον
θ εο φιλὲς λιπόντες Ἄργος
ναῖον ἀδεισιβόαι
χαλκάσπιδες ἡμίθεοι
σὺν πολυζήλῳ βασιλεῖ.
νεῖκος γὰρ ἀμαιμάκετον
βληχρᾶς ἀνέπαλτο κασιγνητοῖς ἀπʼ ἀρχᾶς
Προίτῳ τε καὶ Ἀκρισίῳ·
λαούς τε διχοστασίαις
ἤρειπον ἀμετροδίκοις μάχαις τε λυγραῖς.
λίσσοντο δὲ παῖδας Ἄβαντος
γᾶν πολύκριθον λαχόντας
Τίρυνθα τὸν ὁπλότερον
κτίζειν, πρὶν ἐς ἀργαλέαν πεσεῖν ἀνάγκαν·
Ζεύς τʼ ἔθελεν Κρονίδας,
τιμῶν Δαναοῦ γενεὰν
καὶ διωξίπποιο Λυγκ έο ς,
παῦσαι στυγερῶν ἀχέων.
τεῖχος δὲ Κύκλωπες κάμον
ἐλθόντες ὑπερφίαλοι κλεινᾷ πόλει
κάλλιστον, ἵνʼ ἀντίθεοι
ναῖον κλυτὸν ἱππόβοτον
Ἄργος ἥρωες περικλειτοὶ λιπόντες.
ἔνθεν ἀπεσσύμεναι
Προίτου κυανοπλόκαμοι
φεῦγον ἄδματοι θύγατρες,
τὸν δʼ εἷλεν ἄχος κραδίαν, ξεί-
να τέ νιν πλᾶξεν μέριμνα·
δοίαξε δὲ φάσγανον ἄμ-
φακες ἐν στέρνοισι πᾶξαι.
ἀλλά νιν αἰχμοφόροι
μύθοισί τε μειλιχίοις
καὶ βίᾳ χειρῶν κάτεχον.
τρισκαίδεκα μὲν τελέους
μῆνας κατὰ δάσκιον ἠλύκταζον ὕλαν
φεῦγόν τε κατʼ Ἀρκαδίαν
μηλοτρόφον· ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ
Λοῦσον ποτὶ καλλιρόαν πατὴρ ἵκανεν,
ἔνθεν χρόα νιψάμενος φοι-
νικο[κραδέμνοι]ο Λατοῦς
κίκλ[ῃσκε θύγατρα] βοῶπιν,
χεῖρας ἀντείνων πρὸς αὐγὰς
ἱππώκεος ἀελίου,
τέκνα δυστάνοιο λύσσας
πάρφρονος ἐξαγαγεῖν·
θύσω δέ τοι εἴκοσι βοῦς
ἄζυγας φοινικότριχας.
τοῦ δʼ ἔκλυʼ ἀριστοπάτρα
θηροσκόπος εὐχομένου· πιθοῦσα δʼ Ἥραν
παῦσεν καλυκοστεφάνους
κούρας μανιᾶν ἀθέων·
ταὶ δʼ αὐτίκα ϝοι τέμενος βωμόν τε τεῦχον,
χραῖνόν τέ μιν αἵματι μήλων
καὶ χοροὺς ἵσταν γυναικῶν.
ἔνθεν καὶ ἀρηϊφίλοις
ἄνδρεσσιν ⟨ἐς⟩ ἱπποτρόφον πόλιν ⟨τʼ⟩ Ἀχαιοῖς
ἕσπεο, σὺν δὲ τύχᾳ
ναίεις Μεταπόντιον, ὦ
χρυσέα δέσποινα λαῶν·
ἄλσος τέ τοι ἱμερόεν
Κάσαν παρʼ εὔυδρον πρὸ να-
οῖʼ ἑσσαμένων, Πριάμοιʼ ἐπεὶ χρόνῳ
βουλαῖσι θεῶν μακάρων
πέρσαν πόλιν εὐκτιμέναν
χαλκοθωράκων μετʼ Ἀτρειδᾶν. δικαίας
ὅστις ἔχει φρένας, εὑ-
ρήσει σὺν ἅπαντι χρόνῳ
μυρίας ἀλκὰς Ἀχαιῶν.

[¶2] Like a skillful helmsman, Clio, mistress of song, guide my thoughts now in a straight course, if you ever did before. For to the prosperous
island of Aegina queenly Victory commands me to go, to my hospitable friends, and adorn the god-built city
and the strong-limbed wrestling at Nemea …
… friend …
in the competitions of the neighboring people. They were honored with celebrations for thirty splendid victories, some in [Pytho,]
others in the neck of Pelops' holy island, full of pine,
others in the precinct of Nemean Zeus, god of brilliant lightning flashes … these … and at the silver-whirling [Alpheus?] …

> Greek: ὡσεὶ κυβερνήτας σοφός, ὑμνοάνασ-
σʼ εὔθυνε Κλειοῖ
νῦν φρένας ἁμετέρας,
εἰ δή ποτε καὶ πάρος· ἐς γὰρ ὀλβίαν
ξείνοισί με πότνια Νίκα
νᾶσον Αἰγίνας ἀπάρχει
ἐλθόντα κοσμῆσαι θεόδματον πόλιν·
τάν τʼ ἐν Νεμέᾳ γυιαλκέα μουνοπάλαν
…
ξεινου̣ [!!!!]νιοι αστ[ׯ˘¯
ἀμφικ[τιόν]ω̣ν ἐν ἀέθλοι̣[ς
σὺν τρι[άκο]ντʼ ἀ̣γλααῖσιν
νίκαις [ἐκ]ωμάσθησαν οἱ μει̣[¯˘¯,
οἱ δʼ ἐν Πέλοπος ζ̣α̣θέας
νάσου π[ι]τυώδεϊ δείρᾳ,
οἱ δὲ φοινικοστερόπα τεμένει
Ζηνὸς Νεμ εαί ου·... (.)] ταύτας̣ καὶ ἐπʼ ἀργυροδίνα

[¶3] … Clio …
…
“… ”
“He shall stop them from arrogant violence, bringing about judgments of law for mortals:”
“look how the descendant of Perseus brings his hand down heavily on the neck of the bloodthirsty lion with every type of skill!”
“For the gleaming, man-subduing bronze refuses to pierce the lion's fearsome body; the sword was bent back. Someday, I prophesy,”
“[in this place] there will be a strenuous toil for the Greeks, competing for garlands in the pancratium.”
… beside the altar of Zeus, the greatest ruler, the blossoms of glory-bringing Victory
nurture for men golden, conspicuous fame throughout their lives—for a select few—and when the dark cloud of death covers them,
the undying glory of their fine deed is left behind, secure in its destiny.
You too have attained this at Nemea, son of Lampon;
your hair crowned with garlands of flourishing blossoms, [you walk] the lofty streets of the city [of Aeacus, so that] your ancestral island [teems] with gentle-voiced victory processions, in which mortals delight,
revealing your overweening strength in the pancratium. Kindly Aegina, daughter of the whirling river,
[the son of Cronus]
gave you great honor, shining [your new victory?] like a torch among all Greeks. And a proud maiden [sings the praises of your strength?]
… often lightly springing with her feet like a carefree fawn on the flowery [hills]
with her far-famed [companions] who live nearby.
The maidens wear garlands of crimson blossoms and rushes, the native decoration, and sing of your [child],
mistress of the all-hospitable [land], and of rosy-armed Endaïs, who bore [godlike Peleus] and the helmeted warrior Telamon, having gone to bed with Aeacus.
Of their battle-rousing sons I shall sing, and of swift Achilles, and the high-spirited son of beautiful Eriboea, Aias, the shield-bearing hero,
who stood on the stern of his ship and stopped bold-hearted, bronze [helmeted] Hector in his rush to burn the ships with dread fire,
at the time when the son of Peleus stirred fierce wrath [in his breast]
and released the [Dardanians from ruin]. Before they had not left the [many-towered]
marvellous town of Ilium, but had cowered, dazed by fear, before the fierce battle, when Achilles raged destructively across the plain,
shaking his murderous spear. But when the fearless son of the violet-garlanded Nereid withdrew from battle,
—as when the North wind, on the dark-blossoming sea,
afflicts the spirits of men beneath the waves, when it comes upon them as night begins, but it withdraws with the break of Dawn, who shines on mortals, and a gentle breeze smooths the sea;
they billow their sail with the breath of the South wind, and eagerly reach unhoped-for dry land—
in such a way, when the Trojans heard that the spearman Achilles
was remaining in his tent because of the golden-haired woman Briseis with lovely limbs, they raised their arms to the gods, seeing a bright
gleam from out of the storm. With all speed they left the walls of Laomedon and rushed onto the plain, bringing violent battle,
and roused terror in the Danaans. Ares, god of the spear, urged them on, and Loxias Apollo, lord of the Lycians. And they came to the shore of the sea,
and fought beside the ships with their fine sterns, and the dark earth ran red with the blood of men slain by the hand of Hector,
… heroes … through the onslaught of godlike …
… with great hopes, and arrogant shouts,
the Trojan horsemen … the dark-eyed ships … the god-built city would have … and feasts, in … But before that could be they were doomed after all
to redden with blood the whirling Scamander,
dying at the hands of the tower-destroying [Aeacidae.] Of these, if … or on a [pyre] piled high with wood …
for all-shining Excellence is not hidden and effaced in the lightless [veil?] of night,
but always abounding in unfailing glory
she roams the earth and the shifting seas. And truly she honors the fame-bringing [island] of Aeacus; she guides the state with garland-loving Eucleia
and sound-minded Eunomia, to whom festivities belong, and who guards the cities of pious men in peace.
Sing, young men, of the very glorious victory of Pytheas, and the helpful care of Menander, which often by the streams of the Alpheus has been honored by
holy, great-spirited Athena of the golden chariot; before now she has garlanded the hair of countless men with crowns in the panhellenic contests.
Let every man
who is not bullied by bold-tongued envy praise the man who is skillful, as is just. All works of mortals are open to fault-finding. But truth tends
to win the victory, and all-subduing time always [preserves] a fine deed. The [vain speech] of enemies diminishes, unseen …
… warms the spirit with hope. With such hope I too, trusting in the [Muses] with their crimson headdresses,
present a [crown] of songs, [of newly-combed wool],
and honor the splendor-loving hospitality which [you], Lampon, [have provided] for me; may you not regard [my gift for your son] as slight. And if it truly is flourishing Clio who has distilled this gift in my [mind],
songs filled with words of delight will proclaim him to all the people.

> Greek: ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ¯
¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ ˘ λειω
¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ¯ ´ ̣ ε̣ρ̣[
¯ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ ˘ ¯
¯ ¯ ˘ ¯ ¯ ¯ ˘ ¯ δαν·
ὕβριος ὑψινόου
παύσει, δίκας θνατοῖσι κραίνων·
οἵαν τινὰ δύσλοφον ὠ-
μηστᾷ λέοντι
Περσείδας ἐφίησι ⟨ν⟩
χεῖρα παντοίαισι τέχναις·
οὐ γὰρ] δαμασίμβροτος αἴθων
χαλ]κὸς ἀπλάτου θέλει
χωρε]ῖν διὰ σώματος, ἐ-
γνάμ]φθη δʼ ὀπίσσω
φάσγα]νον· ἦ ποτέ φαμι
τᾷδε] περὶ στεφάνοισι
παγκ]ρατίου πόνον Ἑλ-
λάνεσσι]ν ἱδρώεντʼ ἔσεσθαι.
ὃς νῦν παρ]ὰ βωμὸν ἀριστάρχου Διὸς
Νίκας ἐ]ρ[ικ]υδέος ἀν-
δεθε]ῖσιν ἄνθ εα,
χρυσέ]αν δόξαν πολύφαντον ἐν αἰ-
ῶνι] τρέφει παύροις βροτῶν
αἰ]εί, καὶ ὅταν θανάτοιο
κυάν εο ν νέφος καλύψῃ, λείπεται
ἀθάνατον κλέος εὖ ἐρ-
χθέντος ἀσφαλεῖ σὺν αἴσᾳ.
τῶν καὶ σὺ τυχὼν Νεμέᾳ,
Λάμπωνος υἱέ,
πανθαλ έω ν στεφάνοισιν
ἀνθέων] χαίταν ἐρεφθείς,!!!!!!] πόλιν ὑψιάγυιαν!!!!!!! τε]ρψιμβρότων![!!!!!!!!!] ἁβ̣[ροπν]όων
κώμων πατρῴαν
νᾶσον, ὑπέρβιον ἰσχὺν
παμμαχιᾶν ἀναφαίνων.
ὦ ποταμοῦ θύγατερ
δινᾶντος Αἴγινʼ ἠπιόφρον,
ἦ τοι μεγάλαν [Κρονίδας
ἔδωκε τιμὰν
ἐν πάντεσσιν [ἀγῶσιν,,
πυρσὸν ὣς Ἕλλ[ασι ¯×
φαίνων· τό γε σὸ[ν κλέος αἰ]νεῖ
καί τις ὑψαυχὴς κό[ρα,
⟨¯¯˘˘¯˘˘⟩ ραν
πόδεσσι ταρφ έω [ς,
ἠΰτε νεβρὸς ἀπενθής,
ἀνθεμόεντας ἐπʼ [ὄχθους
κοῦφα σὺν ἀγχιδό[μοις
θρῴσκουσʼ ἀγακλειτα[ῖς ἑταίραις·
ταὶ δὲ στεφανωσάμε[ναι πλόκοις ν]έων
ἀνθ έω ν δόνακός τʼ ἐ[πιχω-
ρίαν ἄθυρσιν
παρθένοι μέλπουσι τ[εὸν κράτος], ὦ
δέσποινα παγξε[ίνου χθονός,
Ἐνδαΐδα τε ῥοδό[παχυν,
ἃ τ[ὸν ἱππευτὰ]ν ἔτ[ικτε Πηλέα
καὶ Τελαμῶνα [κρα]τ̣[α]ι̣όν,
Αἰακῷ μειχθεῖσʼ ἐν ε[ὐναῖς·
τῶν ⟨θʼ⟩ υἷας ἀερσιμάχους,
ταχύν τʼ Ἀχιλλ έα
εὐειδ έο ς τʼ Ἐριβοίας
παῖδʼ ὑπέρθυμον βοα[θ όο ν
Αἴαντα σακεσφόρον ἥ[ρω,
ὅς τʼ ἐπὶ πρύμνᾳ σταθεὶς
ἔσχεν θρασυκάρδιον [ὁρ-
μαίνοντα ν[ᾶας
θεσπεσίῳ πυ[ρὶ καῦσαι
Ἕκτορα χαλ[κεομίτρα]ν,
ὁππότε Π[ηλεΐδας
τραχεῖαν [Ἀργείοισι μ]ᾶνιν
ὠρίνατ[ο, Δαρδανίδας
τʼ ἔλυσεν ἄ[τας·
οἳ πρὶν μὲν [πολύπυργο]ν
Ἰλίου θαητὸν ἄστυ
οὐ λεῖπον, ἀτυζόμενοι [δὲ
πτ]ᾶσσον ὀξεῖαν μάχαν,
εὖτʼ ἐν πεδίῳ κλονέων
μαίνοιτʼ Ἀχιλλεύς,
λαοφόνον δόρυ σείων·
ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ πολέμοιο
λῆξεν ἰοστεφάνου
Νηρῇδος ἀτρόμητος υἱός·
ὥστʼ ἐν κυανανθέϊ Θ[ρᾳκὶ ναυβάτας
πόντῳ βορέας ὑπὸ κύ-
μασιν δαΐζει
νυκτὸς ἀντάσας, ἀνατ[ελλομένᾳ
λῆξεν δὲ σὺν φ αε σιμβρότῳ
ἀοῖ, στόρεσεν δέ τε πόντον
οὐρία· νότου δὲ κόλπ[ωσαν πνοᾷ
ἱστίον, ἁρπαλέως τʼ ἄ-
ελπτον ἐξίκοντο χέρσον·
ὣς Τρῶες, ἐπεὶ κλύον αἰ-
χματὰν Ἀχιλλ έα
μίμνοντʼ ἐν κλισίῃσιν
εἵνεκεν ξανθᾶς γυναικός,
Βρισηΐδος ἱμερογυίου,
θ εο ῖσιν ἄντειναν χέρας,
φοιβὰν ἐσιδόντες ὑπαὶ
χειμῶνος αἴγλαν·
πασσυδίᾳ δὲ λιπόντες
τείχεα Λαομέδοντος
ἐς πεδίον κρατερὰν
ἄϊξαν ὑσμίναν φέροντες·
ὦρσάν τε φόβον Δαναοῖς·
ὤτρυνε δʼ Ἄρης
εὐεγχής, Λυκίων τε
Λοξίας ἄναξ Ἀπόλλων·
ἷξόν τʼ ἐπὶ θῖνα θαλάσσας·
ναυσὶ δʼ εὐπύμνοις παραὶ
μάρναντʼ, ἐναριζομένων
δʼ ἔρ]ευθε φώτων
αἵμα]τι γαῖα μέλαινα
Ἑκτορ]έας ὑπὸ χειρός,
πῆμα μ]έγʼ ἡμιθέοις!!!!!] ἰσοθ έω ν διʼ ὁρμάν.!!!!!]ρονες, ἦ μεγάλαισιν ἐλπίσιν!!!!]οντες ὑπερφίαλον
[ׯ˘¯¯]!!!!]ς ἱππευταὶ κυανώπιδας ἐκ-
¯¯˘¯¯¯] νέας
¯¯˘˘ εἰλα]πίνας τʼ ἐν
ἁμέ]ρ[α]ις ἕξειν θεόδματον πόλιν.
μέλλον ἄρα πρότερον δι-
νᾶντα φοινίξειν Σκάμανδρον,
θνᾴσκοντες ὑπʼ Αἰακίδαις
ἐρειψ[ιτ]ο̣ί ̣[χοις·
τῶν εἰ καὶ τ[˘˘¯¯
ἢ βαθυξύλω[ι˘¯¯
οὐ γὰρ ἀλα[μπέσ]ι νυ[κτὸς
πασιφανὴς Ἀρετὰ
κρυφθεῖσʼ ἀμαυρο[ῦται δνόφοισιν,
ἀλλʼ ἔμπεδον ἀκ[αμάτᾳ
βρύουσα δόξᾳ
στρωφᾶται κατὰ γᾶν [τε
καὶ πολυπλάγκταν θ[άλασσαν.
καὶ μὰν φερεκυδέα ν[ᾶσον
Αἰακοῦ τιμᾷ, σὺν Εὐ-
κλείᾳ δὲ φιλοστεφ[άνῳ
πόλιν κυβερνᾷ,
Εὐνομία τε σαόφρων,
ἃ θαλίας τε λέλογχεν
ἄστεά τʼ εὐσεβέων
ἀνδρῶν ἐν εἰρήνᾳ φυλάσσει·
νίκαν τʼ ἐρικυδέα μέλπετʼ, ὦ νέοι,
Πυθ έα, μελέταν τε βροτω-
φελ έα Μενάνδρου,
τὰν ἐπʼ Ἀλφειοῦ τε ῥοαῖς θαμὰ δὴ
τίμασεν ἁ χρυσάρματος
σεμνὰ μεγάθυμος Ἀθάνα,
μυρίων τʼ ἤδη μίτραισιν ἀνέρων
ἐστεφάνωσεν ἐθείρας
ἐν πανελλάνων ἀέθλοις.
εἰ μή τινα θερσιεπὴς
φθόνος βιᾶται,
αἰνείτω σοφὸν ἄνδρα
σὺν δίκᾳ. βροτῶν δὲ μῶμος
πάντεσσι μέν ἐστιν ἐπʼ ἔργοις·
ἁ δʼ ἀλαθεία φιλεῖ
νικᾶν, ὅ τε πανδαμάτωρ
χρόνος τὸ καλῶς
ἐ]ργμένον αἰὲν ἀ[έξει·
δυσμενέων δὲ μα[ταία
γλῶσσʼ ἀϊδ]ὴς μιν[ύθει
ἐλπίδι θυμὸν ἰαίνει·
τᾷ καὶ ἐγὼ πίσυνο[ς
φοινικοκραδέμνοισ[ι Μούσαις
ὕμνων τινὰ τάνδε ν[εόπλοκον δόσιν
φαίνω, ξενίαν τε [φιλά-
γλαον γεραίρω,
τὰν ἐμοὶ Λάμπων [παρέχων χάριν οὐ
βληχρὰν ἐπαθρήσαις τ[ίει,
τὰν εἴ γʼ ἐτύμως ἄρα Κλειὼ
πανθαλὴς ἐμαῖς ἐνέσταξ[εν φρασίν,
τερψιεπεῖς νιν ἀοιδαὶ
παντὶ καρύξοντι λαῷ.

[¶4] To have a good allotment from the gods is the best thing for men. Fortune can destroy even a noble man, if she comes as a grievous burden,
and can make a worthless man shine on high, if she works out well. Different people have different honors.
There are countless forms of excellence among men, but one stands out among all of them:
when a man has conducted whatever lies at hand with a just mind. The voice of the lyre and clear-sounding choruses do not harmonize with the deep griefs of battle,
nor does the clang of clashing bronze with festivities. For every work of men [appropriateness] is the finest thing. When someone does well, a god [advances?] him too. In gratitude to Cleoptolemus,
we must now sing of the precinct of Poseidon Petraios, and of the glorious son of Pyrrichus, victorious with his horses,
who … of hospitable and just …

> Greek: εὖ μὲν εἱμάρθαι παρὰ δαί[μονος ἀν-
θρώποις ἄριστον·
συμφορὰ δʼ ἐσθλόν τʼ ἀμαλδύ-
νει βαρύτλατος μολοῦσα·
κἀγατ]ὸν ἰδʼ ὑψιφανῆ τε[ύ-
χει κ]ατορθωθεῖσα· τιμὰν
δʼ ἄλ]λος ἀλλοίαν ἔχει·
μυρί]αι δʼ ἀνδρῶν ἀρεταί, μία δʼ ἐ[κ
πασᾶ]ν πρόκειται,
ὃς τὸ] πὰρ χειρὸς κυβερνᾶ-
ται δι]καίαισι φρένεσσιν.
οὔτʼ ἐ]ν βαρυπενθέσιν ἁρμό-
ζει μ]άχαις φόρμιγγος ὀμφὰ
καὶ λι]γυκλαγγεῖς χοροί,
οὔτʼ ἐ]ν θαλίαις καναχὰ
χαλκ]όκτυπος· ἀλλʼ ἐφʼ ἑκάστῳ
καιρὸς] ἀνδρῶν ἔργματι κάλ-
λιστος· εὖ ἔρδοντα δὲ καὶ θεὸς ὀ[ρθοῖ.
Κλεοπτολέμῳ δὲ χάριν
νῦν χρὴ Ποσειδᾶνός τε Πετραί-
ου τέμενος κελαδῆσαι,
Πυρρίχου τʼ εὔδοξον ἱππόν[ικον υἱόν,
ὃς φιλοξείνου τε καὶ ὀρθοδ[ίκου

[¶5] Golden-throned Hestia, you who increase the great prosperity of the rich Agathocleadae, seated in the midst of city streets
near the fragrant river Peneius in the valleys of sheep-nurturing Thessaly. From there Aristoteles came to flourishing Cirrha, and was twice crowned,
for the glory of horse-mastering Larisa …

> Greek: Ἐστία χρυσόθρονʼ, εὐ-
δόξων Ἀγαθοκλεαδᾶν ἅτʼ ἀφνε![ῶν
ἀνδρων μέγαν ὄλβον ἀέξεις
ἡμένα μέσαις ἀγυιαῖς
Πηνειὸν ἀμφʼ εὐώδεα Θεσσαλία[ς
μηλοτρόφου ἐν γυάλοις·
κεῖθεν καὶ Ἀριστοτέλης Κίρ-
ραν πρὸς εὐθαλέα μολών
δὶς στεφανώσατο Λα-
ρίσα[ς ἀναξίππου χάριν [