---
title: "Olympian Odes · Ὀλυμπιονῖκαι"
author: "Pindar"
translator: "Diane Arnson Svarlien"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
section: 1 of 2
url: https://scriptura.si/works/pindar-olympian-odes/1/
cite: "Pindar, tr. Diane Arnson Svarlien, Olympian Odes · Ὀλυμπιονῖκαι, section 1. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/pindar-olympian-odes/1/"
---

# Olympian Odes · Ὀλυμπιονῖκαι

*Pindar, tr. Diane Arnson Svarlien*

Fourteen victory songs for winners at Olympia, opening with “Best of all things is water” and the myth of Pelops.

> Greek: ed. Sir John Sandys, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0033.tlg001, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Diane Arnson Svarlien, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0033.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.

## 1. Odes 1–7

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/pindar-olympian-odes/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/pindar-olympian-odes/1/#p-N

[¶0] Water is best, and gold, like a blazing fire in the night, stands out supreme of all lordly wealth. But if, my heart, you wish to sing of contests,
look no further for any star warmer than the sun, shining by day through the lonely sky, and let us not proclaim any contest greater than Olympia, From there glorious song enfolds the wisdom of poets, so that they loudly sing
the son of Cronus, when they arrive at the rich and blessed hearth of Hieron,
who wields the scepter of law in Sicily of many flocks, reaping every excellence at its peak, and is glorified
by the choicest music, which we men often play around his hospitable table. Come, take the Dorian lyre down from its peg, if the splendor of Pisa and of Pherenicus placed your mind under the influence of sweetest thoughts,
when that horse ran swiftly beside the Alpheus, not needing to be spurred on in the race, and brought victory to his master,
the king of Syracuse who delights in horses. His glory shines in the settlement of fine men founded by Lydian Pelops,
with whom the mighty holder of the earth Poseidon fell in love, when Clotho took him out of the pure cauldron, furnished with a gleaming ivory shoulder. Yes, there are many marvels, and yet I suppose the speech of mortals beyond the true account can be deceptive, stories adorned with embroidered lies;
and Grace, who fashions all gentle things for men, confers esteem and often contrives to make believable the unbelievable. But the days to come are the wisest witnesses.
It is seemly for a man to speak well of the gods; for the blame is less that way. Son of Tantalus, I will speak of you, contrary to earlier stories. When your father invited the gods to a very well-ordered banquet at his own dear Sipylus, in return for the meals he had enjoyed,
then it was that the god of the splendid trident seized you,
his mind overcome with desire, and carried you away on his team of golden horses to the highest home of widely-honored Zeus, to which at a later time Ganymede came also,
to perform the same service for Zeus. But when you disappeared, and people did not bring you back to your mother, for all their searching, right away some envious neighbor whispered that they cut you limb from limb with a knife into the water’s rolling boil over the fire,
and among the tables at the last course they divided and ate your flesh.
For me it is impossible to call one of the blessed gods a glutton. I stand back from it. Often the lot of evil-speakers is profitlessness. If indeed the watchers of Olympus ever honored a mortal man,
that man was Tantalus. But he was not able to digest his great prosperity, and for his greed he gained overpowering ruin, which the Father hung over him: a mighty stone. Always longing to cast it away from his head, he wanders far from the joy of festivity.
He has this helpless life of never-ending labor,
a fourth toil after three others, because he stole from the gods nectar and ambrosia, with which they had made him immortal, and gave them to his drinking companions. If any man expects that what he does escapes the notice of a god, he is wrong.
Because of that the immortals sent the son of Tantalus back again to the swift-doomed race of men. And when he blossomed with the stature of fair youth, and down darkened his cheek, he turned his thoughts to an available marriage,
to win glorious Hippodameia from her father, the lord of Pisa, He drew near to the gray sea, alone in the darkness, and called aloud on the deep-roaring god, skilled with the trident; and the god appeared to him, close at hand.
Pelops said to the god, “If the loving gifts of Cyprian Aphrodite result in any gratitude, Poseidon, then restrain the bronze spear of Oenomaus, and speed me in the swiftest chariot to Elis, and bring me to victory. For he has killed thirteen
suitors, and postpones the marriage
of his daughter. Great danger does not take hold of a coward. Since all men are compelled to die, why should anyone sit stewing an inglorious old age in the darkness, with no share of any fine deeds? As for me, on this contest
I will take my stand. May you grant a welcome achievement.” So he spoke, and he did not touch on words that were unaccomplished. Honoring him, the god gave him a golden chariot, and horses with untiring wings.
He overcame the might of Oenomaus, and took the girl as his bride. She bore six sons, leaders of the people eager for excellence.
Now he has a share in splendid blood-sacrifices, resting beside the ford of the Alpheus, where he has his attendant tomb beside the altar that is thronged with many visitors. The fame of Pelops shines from afar in the races of the Olympic festivals,
where there are contests for swiftness of foot, and the bold heights of toiling strength. A victor throughout the rest of his life enjoys honeyed calm,
so far as contests can bestow it. But at any given time the glory of the present day
is the highest one that comes to every mortal man. I must crown that man with the horse-song in the Aeolian strain. I am convinced that there is no host in the world today who is both knowledgeable about fine things and more sovereign in power,
whom we shall adorn with the glorious folds of song. A god is set over your ambitions as a guardian, Hieron, and he devises with this as his concern. If he does not desert you soon, I hope that I will celebrate an even greater sweetness,
sped by a swift chariot, finding a helpful path of song when I come to the sunny hill of Cronus. For me the Muse tends her mightiest shaft of courage. Some men are great in one thing, others in another; but the peak of the farthest limit is for kings. Do not look beyond that!
May it be yours to walk on high throughout your life, and mine to associate with victors as long as I live, distinguished for my skill among Greeks everywhere.

> Greek: ἄριστον μὲν ὕδωρ, ὁ δὲ χρυσὸς αἰθόμενον πῦρ
ἅτε διαπρέπει νυκτὶ μεγάνορος ἔξοχα πλούτου·
εἰ δʼ ἄεθλα γαρύεν
ἔλδεαι, φίλον ἦτορ,
μηκέθʼ ἁλίου σκόπει
ἄλλο θαλπνότερον ἐν ἁμέρᾳ φαεννὸν ἄστρον ἐρήμας διʼ αἰθέρος,
μηδʼ Ὀλυμπίας ἀγῶνα φέρτερον αὐδάσομεν·
ὅθεν ὁ πολύφατος ὕμνος ἀμφιβάλλεται
σοφῶν μητίεσσι, κελαδεῖν
Κρόνου παῖδʼ ἐς ἀφνεὰν ἱκομένους
μάκαιραν Ἱέρωνος ἑστίαν,
θεμιστεῖον ὃς ἀμφέπει σκᾶπτον ἐν πολυμάλῳ
Σικελίᾳ, δρέπων μὲν κορυφὰς ἀρετᾶν ἄπο πασᾶν,
ἀγλαΐζεται δὲ καὶ
μουσικᾶς ἐν ἀώτῳ,
οἷα παίζομεν φίλαν
ἄνδρες ἀμφὶ θαμὰ τράπεζαν. ἀλλὰ Δωρίαν ἀπὸ φόρμιγγα πασσάλου
λάμβανʼ, εἴ τί τοι Πίσας τε καὶ Φερενίκου χάρις
νόον ὑπὸ γλυκυτάταις ἔθηκε φροντίσιν,
ὅτε παρʼ Ἀλφεῷ σύτο, δέμας
ἀκέντητον ἐν δρόμοισι παρέχων,
κράτει δὲ προσέμιξε δεσπόταν,
Συρακόσιον ἱπποχάρμαν βασιλῆα. λάμπει δέ οἱ κλέος
ἐν εὐάνορι Λυδοῦ Πέλοπος ἀποικίᾳ·
τοῦ μεγασθενὴς ἐράσσατο γαιάοχος
Ποσειδᾶν, ἐπεί νιν καθαροῦ λέβητος ἔξελε Κλωθὼ
ἐλέφαντι φαίδιμον ὦμον κεκαδμένον.
ἦ θαυματὰ πολλά, καί πού τι καὶ βροτῶν φάτις ὑπὲρ τὸν ἀλαθῆ λόγον
δεδαιδαλμένοι ψεύδεσι ποικίλοις ἐξαπατῶντι μῦθοι
Χάρις δʼ, ἅπερ ἅπαντα τεύχει τὰ μείλιχα θνατοῖς,
ἐπιφέροισα τιμὰν καὶ ἄπιστον ἐμήσατο πιστὸν
ἔμμεναι τὸ πολλάκις·
ἁμέραι δʼ ἐπίλοιποι
μάρτυρες σοφώτατοι.
ἔστι δʼ ἀνδρὶ φάμεν ἐοικὸς ἀμφὶ δαιμόνων καλά· μείων γὰρ αἰτία.
υἱὲ Ταντάλου, σὲ δʼ, ἀντία προτέρων, φθέγξομαι,
ὁπότʼ ἐκάλεσε πατὴρ τὸν εὐνομώτατον
ἐς ἔρανον φίλαν τε Σίπυλον,
ἀμοιβαῖα θεοῖσι δεῖπνα παρέχων,
τότʼ Ἀγλαοτρίαιναν ἁρπάσαι
δαμέντα φρένας ἱμέρῳ χρυσέαισί τʼ ἀνʼ ἵπποις
ὕπατον εὐρυτίμου ποτὶ δῶμα Διὸς μεταβᾶσαι,
ἔνθα δευτέρῳ χρόνῳ
ἦλθε καὶ Γανυμήδης
Ζηνὶ τωὔτʼ ἐπὶ χρέος.
ὡς δʼ ἄφαντος ἔπελες, οὐδὲ ματρὶ πολλὰ μαιόμενοι φῶτες ἄγαγον,
ἔννεπε κρυφᾶ τις αὐτίκα φθονερῶν γειτόνων,
ὕδατος ὅτι σε πυρὶ ζέοισαν εἰς ἀκμὰν
μαχαίρᾳ τάμον κάτα μέλη,
τραπέζαισί τʼ, ἀμφὶ δεύτατα, κρεῶν
σέθεν διεδάσαντο καὶ φάγον.
ἐμοὶ δʼ ἄπορα γαστρίμαργον μακάρων τινʼ εἰπεῖν. ἀφίσταμαι.
ἀκέρδεια λέλογχεν θαμινὰ κακαγόρους.
εἰ δὲ δή τινʼ ἄνδρα θνατὸν Ὀλύμπου σκοποὶ
ἐτίμασαν, ἦν Τάνταλος οὗτος· ἀλλὰ γὰρ καταπέψαι
μέγαν ὄλβον οὐκ ἐδυνάσθη, κόρῳ δʼ ἕλεν
ἄταν ὑπέροπλον, ἅν οἱ πατὴρ ὑπερκρέμασε καρτερὸν αὐτῷ λίθον,
τὸν αἰεὶ μενοινῶν κεφαλᾶς βαλεῖν εὐφροσύνας ἀλᾶται.
ἔχει δʼ ἀπάλαμον βίον τοῦτον ἐμπεδόμοχθον,
μετὰ τριῶν τέταρτον πόνον, ἀθανάτων ὅτι κλέψαις
ἁλίκεσσι συμπόταις
νέκταρ ἀμβροσίαν τε
δῶκεν, οἷσιν ἄφθιτον
θῆκαν. εἰ δὲ θεὸν ἀνήρ τις ἔλπεταί τι λαθέμεν ἔρδων, ἁμαρτάνει.
τοὔνεκα προῆκαν υἱὸν ἀθάνατοί οἱ πάλιν
μετὰ τὸ ταχύποτμον αὖτις ἀνέρων ἔθνος.
πρὸς εὐάνθεμον δʼ ὅτε φυὰν
λάχναι νιν μέλαν γένειον ἔρεφον.
ἑτοῖμον ἀνεφρόντισεν γάμον
Πισάτα παρὰ πατρὸς εὔδοξον Ἱπποδάμειαν
σχεθέμεν. ἐγγὺς ἐλθὼν πολιᾶς ἁλὸς οἶος ἐν ὄρφνᾳ
ἄπυεν βαρύκτυπον
Εὐτρίαιναν· ὁ δʼ αὐτῷ
πὰρ ποδὶ σχεδὸν φάνη.
τῷ μὲν εἶπε· φίλια δῶρα Κυπρίας ἄγʼ εἴ τι, Ποσείδαον, ἐς χάριν
τέλλεται, πέδασον ἔγχος Οἰνομάου χάλκεον,
ἐμὲ δʼ ἐπὶ ταχυτάτων πόρευσον ἁρμάτων
ἐς Ἆλιν, κράτει δὲ πέλασον.
ἐπεὶ τρεῖς τε καὶ δέκʼ ἄνδρας ὀλέσαις
ἐρῶντας ἀναβάλλεται γάμον
θυγατρός. ὁ μέγας δὲ κίνδυνος ἄναλκιν οὐ φῶτα λαμβάνει.
θανεῖν δʼ οἷσιν ἀνάγκα, τί κέ τις ἀνώνυμον
γῆρας ἐν σκότῳ καθήμενος ἕψοι μάταν,
ἁπάντων καλῶν ἄμμορος; ἀλλʼ ἐμοὶ μὲν οὗτος ἄεθλος
ὑποκείσεται· τὺ δὲ πρᾶξιν φίλαν δίδοι.
ὣς ἔννεπεν· οὐδʼ ἀκράντοις ἐφάψατʼ ὦν ἔπεσι. τὸν μὲν ἀγάλλων θεὸς
ἔδωκεν δίφρον τε χρύσεον πτεροῖσίν τʼ ἀκάμαντας ἵππους.
ἕλεν δʼ Οἰνομάου βίαν παρθένον τε σύνευνον·
τέκε τε λαγέτας ἓξ ἀρεταῖσι μεμαότας υἱούς.
νῦν δʼ ἐν αἱμακουρίαις
ἀγλααῖσι μέμικται,
Ἀλφεοῦ πόρῳ κλιθείς,
τύμβον ἀμφίπολον ἔχων πολυξενωτάτῳ παρὰ βωμῷ. τὸ δὲ κλέος
τηλόθεν δέδορκε τᾶν Ὀλυμπιάδων ἐν δρόμοις
Πέλοπος, ἵνα ταχυτὰς ποδῶν ἐρίζεται
ἀκμαί τʼ ἰσχύος θρασύπονοι·
ὁ νικῶν δὲ λοιπὸν ἀμφὶ βίοτον
ἔχει μελιτόεσσαν εὐδίαν
ἀέθλων γʼ ἕνεκεν. τὸ δʼ αἰεὶ παράμερον ἐσλὸν
ὕπατον ἔρχεται παντὶ βροτῶν. ἐμὲ δὲ στεφανῶσαι
κεῖνον ἱππίῳ νόμῳ
Αἰοληΐδι μολπᾷ
χρή· πέποιθα δὲ ξένον
μή τινʼ, ἀμφότερα καλῶν τε ἴδριν ἁμᾷ καὶ δύναμιν κυριώτερον,
τῶν γε νῦν κλυταῖσι δαιδαλωσέμεν ὕμνων πτυχαῖς.
θεὸς ἐπίτροπος ἐὼν τεαῖσι μήδεται
ἔχων τοῦτο κᾶδος, Ἱέρων,
μερίμναισιν· εἰ δὲ μὴ ταχὺ λίποι,
ἔτι γλυκυτέραν κεν ἔλπομαι
σὺν ἅρματι θοῷ κλεΐξειν, ἐπίκουρον εὑρὼν ὁδὸν λόγων
παρʼ εὐδείελον ἐλθὼν Κρόνιον. ἐμοὶ μὲν ὦν
Μοῖσα καρτερώτατον βέλος ἀλκᾷ τρέφει·
ἐπʼ ἄλλοισι δʼ ἄλλοι μεγάλοι. τὸ δʼ ἔσχατον
κορυφοῦται βασιλεῦσι. μηκέτι πάπταινε πόρσιον.
εἴη σέ τε τοῦτον ὑψοῦ χρόνον πατεῖν, ἐμέ τε τοσσάδε νικαφόροις
ὁμιλεῖν, πρόφαντον σοφίᾳ καθʼ Ἕλλανας ἐόντα παντᾷ.

[¶1] Songs, rulers of the lyre, what god, what hero, what man shall we celebrate? Indeed, Pisa belongs to Zeus; and Heracles established the Olympic festival, as the finest trophy of battle;
and Theron must be proclaimed because of his victorious four-horse chariot, Theron who is just in his regard for guests, and is the bulwark of Acragas, the strength of the city, the choicest bloom of illustrious ancestors,
who labored much with their spirits, and won a sacred home by the river, and were
the eye of Sicily; their allotted lifetime attended them, bringing wealth and grace to their inborn excellence. But you, son of Cronus and Rhea, who rule over your home on Olympus, and over the foremost of festivals, and over the ford of Alpheus, be warmed by our songs and graciously preserve their ancestral land
for their future generations. When deeds have been accomplished, whether justly or contrary to justice, not even Time the father of all things could undo the outcome. But forgetfulness may come, with favorable fortune. Under the power of noble joys, malignant pain
is subdued and dies,
whenever god-sent Fate lifts prosperity on high. This saying applies to the daughters of Cadmus on their lovely thrones: they suffered greatly, but their heavy sorrow collapsed in the presence of greater blessings.
Long-haired Semele, who died in the roar of the thunderbolt, lives among the Olympians; Pallas is her constant friend, and indeed so is father Zeus, and she is loved by her ivy-crowned son.
And they say that even in the sea, among the ocean-daughters of Nereus, immortal life
is granted to Ino for all time. Truly, for mortal men at least, the time when we will reach the limit of death is by no means fixed, nor when we will bring a peaceful day, the sun’s child, to an end in unworried well-being. But at various times various currents, both of pleasure and of toil, come to men.
In such a way does Fate, who keeps their pleasant fortune to be handed from father to son, bring at another time some painful reversal together with god-sent prosperity, since the destined son met and killed Laius, and fulfilled the oracle of Pytho,
spoken long before.
But the sharp-eyed Erinys saw it, and destroyed his warlike sons through mutual slaughter. Yet Polyneices, when laid low, left behind him a son, Thersander, honored in youthful contests and in the battles of war,
a scion to defend the house of the descendants of Adrastus. And it is fitting that the son of Aenesidamus, whose roots grew from that seed, should meet with songs of praise and with the lyre.
For in Olympia he himself received a prize of honor; at Pytho
and at the Isthmus, the Graces who love them both brought garlands of flowers to his equally blessed brother for his four-horse team, victorious in the twelve courses of the race. To attempt a contest and be successful brings release from sadness. Wealth adorned with excellence brings many opportunities, rousing deep wild ambitions;
it is a brilliant star, a man’s true light, at least if one has and knows the future, that the reckless souls of those who have died on earth immediately pay the penalty—and for the crimes committed in this realm of Zeus there is a judge below the earth; with hateful
compulsion he passes his sentence.
But having the sun always in equal nights and equal days, the good receive a life free from toil, not scraping with the strength of their arms the earth, nor the water of the sea,
for the sake of a poor sustenance. But in the presence of the honored gods, those who gladly kept their oaths enjoy a life without tears, while the others undergo a toil that is unbearable to look at.
Those who have persevered three times, on either side, to keep their souls free from all wrongdoing,
follow Zeus’ road to the end, to the tower of Cronus, where ocean breezes blow around the island of the blessed, and flowers of gold are blazing, some from splendid trees on land, while water nurtures others. With these wreaths and garlands of flowers they entwine their hands
according to the righteous counsels of Rhadamanthys, whom the great father, the husband of Rhea whose throne is above all others, keeps close beside him as his partner. Peleus and Cadmus are counted among them, and Achilles who was brought there by his mother, when she had
persuaded the heart of Zeus with her prayers—
Achilles, who laid low Hector, the irresistible, unswerving pillar of Troy, and who consigned to death Memnon the Ethiopian, son of the Dawn. I have many swift arrows in the quiver under my arm,
arrows that speak to the initiated. But the masses need interpreters. The man who knows a great deal by nature is truly skillful, while those who have only learned chatter with raucous and indiscriminate tongues in vain like crows
against the divine bird of Zeus. Now, bend your bow toward the mark; tell me, my mind, whom are we trying to hit
as we shoot arrows of fame from a gentle mind? I will aim at Acragas, and speak with true intent a word sworn by oath: no city for a hundred years has given birth to a man more beneficent in his mind or more generous with his hand
than Theron. But praise is confronted by greed, which is not accompanied by justice, but stirred up by depraved men, eager to babble and to bury the fine deeds of noble men. Since the sand of the shore is beyond all counting,
who could number all the joys that Theron has given others?

> Greek: ἀναξιφόρμιγγες ὕμνοι,
τίνα θεόν, τίνʼ ἥρωα, τίνα δʼ ἄνδρα κελαδήσομεν;
ἤτοι Πίσα μὲν Διός· Ὀλυμπιάδα δʼ ἔστασεν Ἡρακλέης
ἀκρόθινα πολέμου·
Θήρωνα δὲ τετραορίας ἕνεκα νικαφόρου
γεγωνητέον, ὄπι δίκαιον ξένων, ἔρεισμʼ Ἀκράγαντος,
εὐωνύμων τε πατέρων ἄωτον ὀρθόπολιν·
καμόντες οἳ πολλὰ θυμῷ
ἱερὸν ἔσχον οἴκημα ποταμοῦ, Σικελίας τʼ ἔσαν
ὀφθαλμός, αἰὼν δʼ ἔφεπε μόρσιμος, πλοῦτόν τε καὶ χάριν ἄγων
γνησίαις ἐπʼ ἀρεταῖς.
ἀλλʼ ὦ Κρόνιε παῖ Ῥέας, ἕδος Ὀλύμπου νέμων
ἀέθλων τε κορυφὰν πόρον τʼ Ἀλφεοῦ, ἰανθεὶς ἀοιδαῖς
εὔφρων ἄρουραν ἔτι πατρίαν σφίσιν κόμισον
λοιπῷ γένει. τῶν δὲ πεπραγμένων
ἐν δίκᾳ τε καὶ παρὰ δίκαν, ἀποίητον οὐδʼ ἂν
χρόνος ὁ πάντων πατὴρ δύναιτο θέμεν ἔργων τέλος·
λάθα δὲ πότμῳ σὺν εὐδαίμονι γένοιτʼ ἄν.
ἐσλῶν γὰρ ὑπὸ χαρμάτων πῆμα θνάσκει
παλίγκοτον δαμασθέν,
ὅταν θεοῦ Μοῖρα πέμπῃ
ἀνεκὰς ὄλβον ὑψηλόν. ἕπεται δὲ λόγος εὐθρόνοις
Κάδμοιο κούραις, ἔπαθον αἳ μεγάλα, πένθος δʼ ἐπίτνει βαρὺ
κρεσσόνων πρὸς ἀγαθῶν.
ζώει μὲν ἐν Ὀλυμπίοις ἀποθανοῖσα βρόμῳ
κεραυνοῦ τανυέθειρα Σεμέλα, φιλεῖ δέ νιν Παλλὰς αἰεί,
καὶ Ζεὺς πατὴρ μάλα, φιλεῖ δὲ παῖς ὁ κισσοφόρος·
λέγοντι δʼ ἐν καὶ θαλάσσᾳ
μετὰ κόραισι Νηρῆος ἁλίαις βίοτον ἄφθιτον
Ἰνοῖ τετάχθαι τὸν ὅλον ἀμφὶ χρόνον. ἤτοι βροτῶν γε κέκριται
πεῖρας οὔ τι θανάτου,
οὐδʼ ἡσύχιμον ἁμέραν ὁπότε, παῖδʼ ἁλίου,
ἀτειρεῖ σὺν ἀγαθῷ τελευτάσομεν· ῥοαὶ δʼ ἄλλοτʼ ἄλλαι
εὐθυμιᾶν τε μετὰ καὶ πόνων ἐς ἄνδρας ἔβαν.
οὕτω δὲ Μοῖρʼ, ἅ τε πατρώιον
τῶνδʼ ἔχει τὸν εὔφρονα πότμον, θεόρτῳ σὺν ὄλβῳ
ἐπί τι καὶ πῆμʼ ἄγει παλιντράπελον ἄλλῳ χρόνῳ·
ἐξ οὗπερ ἔκτεινε Λᾷον μόριμος υἱὸς
συναντόμενος, ἐν δὲ Πυθῶνι χρησθὲν
παλαίφατον τέλεσσεν.
ἰδοῖσα δʼ ὀξεῖʼ Ἐριννὺς
ἔπεφνέ οἱ σὺν ἀλλαλοφονίᾳ γένος ἀρήιον·
λείφθη δὲ Θέρσανδρος ἐριπέντι Πολυνείκει, νέοις ἐν ἀέθλοις
ἐν μάχαις τε πολέμου
τιμώμενος, Ἀδραστιδᾶν θάλος ἀρωγὸν δόμοις·
ὅθεν σπέρματος ἔχοντα ῥίζαν, πρέπει τὸν Αἰνησιδάμου
ἐγκωμίων τε μελέων λυρᾶν τε τυγχανέμεν.
Ὀλυμπίᾳ μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸς
γέρας ἔδεκτο, Πυθῶνι δʼ ὁμόκλαρον ἐς ἀδελφεὸν
Ἰσθμοῖ τε κοιναὶ Χάριτες ἄνθεα τεθρίππων δυωδεκαδρόμων
ἄγαγον. τὸ δὲ τυχεῖν
πειρώμενον ἀγωνίας παραλύει δυσφρονᾶν.
ὁ μὰν πλοῦτος ἀρεταῖς δεδαιδαλμένος φέρει τῶν τε καὶ τῶν
καιρόν, βαθεῖαν ὑπέχων μέριμναν ἀγροτέραν,
ἀστὴρ ἀρίζηλος, ἐτήτυμον
ἀνδρὶ φέγγος· εἰ δέ νιν ἔχων τις οἶδεν τὸ μέλλον,
ὅτι θανόντων μὲν ἐνθάδʼ αὐτίκʼ ἀπάλαμνοι φρένες
ποινὰς ἔτισαν, τὰ δʼ ἐν τᾷδε Διὸς ἀρχᾷ
ἀλιτρὰ κατὰ γᾶς δικάζει τις ἐχθρᾷ
λόγον φράσαις ἀνάγκᾳ·
ἴσαις δὲ νύκτεσσιν αἰεί,
ἴσαις δʼ ἐν ἁμέραις ἅλιον ἔχοντες, ἀπονέστερον
ἐσλοὶ δέκονται βίοτον, οὐ χθόνα ταράσσοντες ἐν χερὸς ἀκμᾷ
οὐδὲ πόντιον ὕδωρ
κεινὰν παρὰ δίαιταν· ἀλλὰ παρὰ μὲν τιμίοις
θεῶν, οἵτινες ἔχαιρον εὐορκίαις, ἄδακρυν νέμονται
αἰῶνα· τοὶ δʼ ἀπροσόρατον ὀκχέοντι πόνον
ὅσοι δʼ ἐτόλμασαν ἐστρὶς
ἑκατέρωθι μείναντες ἀπὸ πάμπαν ἀδίκων ἔχειν
ψυχάν, ἔτειλαν Διὸς ὁδὸν παρὰ Κρόνου τύρσιν· ἔνθα μακάρων
νᾶσος ὠκεανίδες
αὖραι περιπνέοισιν, ἄνθεμα δὲ χρυσοῦ φλέγει,
τὰ μὲν χερσόθεν ἀπʼ ἀγλαῶν δενδρέων, ὕδωρ δʼ ἄλλα φέρβει,
ὅρμοισι τῶν χέρας ἀναπλέκοντι καὶ στεφάνοις
βουλαῖς ἐν ὀρθαῖσι Ῥαδαμάνθυος,
ὃν πατὴρ ἔχει ⟨μέ⟩ γας ἑτοῖμον αὐτῷ πάρεδρον,
πόσις ὁ πάντων Ῥέας ὑπέρτατον ἐχοίσας θρόνον.
Πηλεύς τε καὶ Κάδμος ἐν τοῖσιν ἀλέγονται·
Ἀχιλλέα τʼ ἔνεικʼ, ἐπεὶ Ζηνὸς ἦτορ
λιταῖς ἔπεισε, μάτηρ·
ὃς Ἕκτορʼ ἔσφαλε, Τροίας
ἄμαχον ἀστραβῆ κίονα, Κύκνον τε θανάτῳ πόρεν,
Ἀοῦς τε παῖδʼ Αἰθίοπα. πολλά μοι ὑπʼ ἀγκῶνος ὠκέα βέλη
ἔνδον ἐντι φαρέτρας
φωνᾶντα συνετοῖσιν· ἐς δὲ τὸ πὰν ἑρμηνέων
χατίζει. σοφὸς ὁ πολλὰ εἰδὼς φυᾷ· μαθόντες δὲ λάβροι
παγγλωσσίᾳ, κόρακες ὥς, ἄκραντα γαρύετον
Διὸς πρὸς ὄρνιχα θεῖον.
ἔπεχε νῦν σκοπῷ τόξον, ἄγε θυμέ, τίνα βάλλομεν
ἐκ μαλθακᾶς αὖτε φρενὸς εὐκλέας ὀϊστοὺς ἱέντες; ἐπί τοι
Ἀκράγαντι τανύσαις
αὐδάσομαι ἐνόρκιον λόγον ἀλαθεῖ νόῳ
τεκεῖν μή τινʼ ἑκατόν γε ἐτέων πόλιν φίλοις ἄνδρα μᾶλλον
εὐεργέταν πραπίσιν ἀφθονέστερόν τε χέρα
Θήρωνος. ἀλλʼ αἶνον ἔβα κόρος
οὐ δίκᾳ συναντόμενος, ἀλλὰ μάργων ὑπʼ ἀνδρῶν,
τὸ λαλαγῆσαι ἐθέλων κρύφον τε θέμεν ἐσλῶν καλοῖς
ἔργοις· ἐπεὶ ψάμμος ἀριθμὸν περιπέφευγεν,
καὶ κεῖνος ὅσα χάρματʼ ἄλλοις ἔθηκεν
τίς ἂν φράσαι δύναιτο;

[¶2] I pray that I may be pleasing to the hospitable sons of Tyndareus and to Helen of the beautiful hair while I honor renowned Acragas by raising my song in praise of Theron’s victory at Olympia, won by the choicest of horses with untiring feet. With this in view the Muse stood beside me when I found a shining new manner
of fitting the splendid voice of the victory procession to the Dorian sandal.
For the garlands twined around his hair exact from me this sacred debt, to blend harmoniously for the son of Aenesidamus the embroidered song of the lyre and the cry of the flutes with the arrangement of words, and Pisa bids me to raise my voice— Pisa, from which
god-fated songs come often to men,
for anyone over whose brow the strict Aetolian judge of the Greeks tosses up around his hair the gray-green adornment of olive leaves, fulfilling the ancient behests of Heracles; the olive which once the son of Amphitryon brought from the shady springs of the Danube,
to be the most beautiful memorial of the Olympian contests,
when he had persuaded the Hyperborean people, the servants of Apollo, with speech. With trustworthy intentions he was entreating them for a shady plant, to be shared by all men and to be a garland of excellence in the grove of Zeus which is hospitable to all. For already the altars had been consecrated to his father, and in mid-month the full
evening’s eye shone brightly, the Moon on her golden chariot,
and he had established the consecrated trial of the great games along with the four years’ festival beside the sacred banks of the Alpheus. But Pelops’ sacred ground was not flourishing with beautiful trees in the valleys below the hill of Cronus. He saw that this garden, bare of trees, was exposed to the piercing rays of the sun.
And so his spirit prompted him to travel to the land
of the Danube, where the horse-driving daughter of Leto had received him when he came from the mountain-glens and deep, winding valleys of Arcadia; through the commands of Eurystheus, compulsion from his father urged him on the quest of the doe with the golden horns, which once Taÿgete
had inscribed as a sacred dedication to Artemis who sets things right.
Pursuing that doe he had also seen that land beyond the cold blasts of Boreas; there he had stood and marvelled at the trees, and sweet desire for them possessed him, to plant them around the boundary-line of the horse-racing ground with its twelve courses. And now in his kindness he comes regularly to this festival of ours, together with the godlike
twin sons of deep-waisted Leda.
For Heracles, when he ascended to Olympus, assigned to them the ordering of the marvellous contest of men, the contest in excellence and in the driving of swift chariots. And so my spirit somehow urges me to say that glory has come to the Emmenidae and to Theron through the dispensation of the sons of Tyndareus with their fine horses, because that family
comes to them with the most hospitable feasting-tables of any mortal men,
observing the rites of the blessed gods with pious thoughts. If water is best and gold is the most honored of all possessions, so now Theron reaches the farthest point by his own native excellence; he touches the pillars of Heracles. Beyond that the wise cannot set foot; nor can the unskilled set foot
beyond that. I will not pursue it; I would be a fool.

> Greek: Τυνδαρίδαις τε φιλοξείνοις ἁδεῖν καλλιπλοκάμῳ θʼ Ἑλένᾳ
κλεινὰν Ἀκράγαντα γεραίρων εὔχομαι,
Θήρωνος Ὀλυμπιονίκαν ὕμνον ὀρθώσαις, ἀκαμαντοπόδων
ἵππων ἄωτον. Μοῖσα δʼ οὕτω ποι παρέστα μοι νεοσίγαλον εὑρόντι τρόπον
Δωρίῳ φωνὰν ἐναρμόξαι πεδίλῳ
ἀγλαόκωμον. ἐπεὶ χαίταισι μὲν ζευχθέντες ἔπι στέφανοι
πράσσοντί με τοῦτο θεόδματον χρέος,
φόρμιγγά τε ποικιλόγαρυν καὶ βοὰν αὐλῶν ἐπέων τε θέσιν
Αἰνησιδάμου παιδὶ συμμῖξαι πρεπόντως, ἅ τε Πίσα με γεγωνεῖν· τᾶς ἄπο
θεόμοροι νίσοντʼ ἐπʼ ἀνθρώπους ἀοιδαί,
ᾧ τινι, κραίνων ἐφετμὰς Ἡρακλέος προτέρας,
ἀτρεκὴς Ἑλλανοδίκας γλεφάρων Αἰτωλὸς ἀνὴρ ὑψόθεν
ἀμφὶ κόμαισι βάλῃ γλαυκόχροα κόσμον ἐλαίας· τάν ποτε
Ἴστρου ἀπὸ σκιαρᾶν παγᾶν ἔνεικεν Ἀμφιτρυωνιάδας,
μνᾶμα τῶν Οὐλυμπίᾳ κάλλιστον ἄθλων
δᾶμον Ὑπερβορέων πείσαις Ἀπόλλωνος θεράποντα λόγῳ.
πιστὰ φρονέων Διὸς αἴτει πανδόκῳ
ἄλσει σκιαρόν τε φύτευμα ξυνὸν ἀνθρώποις στέφανόν τʼ ἀρετᾶν.
ἤδη γὰρ αὐτῷ, πατρὶ μὲν βωμῶν ἁγισθέντων, διχόμηνις ὅλον χρυσάρματος
ἑσπέρας ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντέφλεξε Μήνα,
καὶ μεγάλων ἀέθλων ἁγνὰν κρίσιν καὶ πενταετηρίδʼ ἁμᾶ
θῆκε ζαθέοις ἐπὶ κρημνοῖς Ἀλφεοῦ·
ἀλλʼ οὐ καλὰ δένδρεʼ ἔθαλλεν χῶρος ἐν βάσσαις Κρονίου Πέλοπος.
τούτων ἔδοξεν γυμνὸς αὐτῷ κᾶπος ὀξείαις ὑπακουέμεν αὐγαῖς ἁλίου.
δὴ τότʼ ἐς γαῖαν πορεύεν θυμὸς ὥρμα
Ἰστρίαν νιν· ἔνθα Λατοῦς ἱπποσόα θυγάτηρ
δέξατʼ ἐλθόντʼ Ἀρκαδίας ἀπὸ δειρᾶν καὶ πολυγνάμπτων μυχῶν,
εὖτέ νιν ἀγγελίαις Εὐρυσθέος ἔντυʼ ἀνάγκα πατρόθεν
χρυσόκερων ἔλαφον θήλειαν ἄξονθʼ, ἅν ποτε Ταϋγέτα
ἀντιθεῖσʼ Ὀρθωσίᾳ ἔγραψεν ἱράν.
τὰν μεθέπων ἴδε καὶ κείναν χθόνα πνοιᾶς ὄπιθεν Βορέα
ψυχροῦ. τόθι δένδρεα θάμβαινε σταθείς.
τῶν νιν γλυκὺς ἵμερος ἔσχεν δωδεκάγναμπτον περὶ τέρμα δρόμου
ἵππων φυτεῦσαι. καί νυν ἐς ταύταν ἑορτὰν ἵλαος ἀντιθέοισιν νίσσεται
σὺν βαθυζώνου διδύμοις παισὶ Λήδας.
τοῖς γὰρ ἐπέτραπεν Οὐλυμπόνδʼ ἰὼν θαητὸν ἀγῶνα νέμειν
ἀνδρῶν τʼ ἀρετᾶς πέρι καὶ ῥιμφαρμάτου
διφρηλασίας. ἐμὲ δʼ ὦν πᾳ θυμὸς ὀτρύνει φάμεν Ἐμμενίδαις
Θήρωνί τʼ ἐλθεῖν κῦδος, εὐΐππων διδόντων Τυνδαριδᾶν, ὅτι πλείσταισι βροτῶν
ξεινίαις αὐτοὺς ἐποίχονται τραπέζαις,
εὐσεβεῖ γνώμᾳ φυλάσσοντες μακάρων τελετάς.
εἰ δʼ ἀριστεύει μὲν ὕδωρ, κτεάνων δὲ χρυσὸς αἰδοιέστατος,
νῦν δὲ πρὸς ἐσχατιὰν Θήρων ἀρεταῖσιν ἱκάνων ἅπτεται
οἴκοθεν Ἡρακλέος σταλᾶν. τὸ πόρσω δʼ ἔστι σοφοῖς ἄβατον
κἀσόφοις. οὔ νιν διώξω· κεινὸς εἴην.

[¶3] Charioteer of the thundercloud with untiring feet, highest Zeus! Your Seasons, whirling to the embroidered notes of the lyre’s song, sent me as a witness of the most lofty games. When friends are successful, the noble immediately smile on
the sweet announcement. Son of Cronus, you who hold Aetna, the wind-swept weight on terrible hundred-headed Typhon, receive, for the sake of the Graces, this Olympic victory-procession,
this most enduring light of widely powerful excellence. For the procession comes in honor of Psaumis’ chariot; Psaumis, who, crowned with the olive of Pisa, hurries to rouse glory for Camarina. May the god be gracious to his future prayers, since I praise a man who is most eager in the raising of horses,
who rejoices in being hospitable to all guests, and whose pure thoughts are turned towards city-loving peace. I will not stain my words with lies. Perseverance is what puts men to the test,
and what saved the son of Clymenus
from the contempt of the Lemnian women. He won the foot race in bronze armor, and said to Hypsipyle as he went to take the garland: “Such is my swiftness;
and I have hands and heart to match. Even on young men gray hair often grows, even before the expected age.”

> Greek: ἐλατὴρ ὑπέρτατε βροντᾶς ἀκαμαντόποδος Ζεῦ· τεαὶ γὰρ ὧραι
ὑπὸ ποικιλοφόρμιγγος ἀοιδᾶς ἑλισσόμεναί μʼ ἔπεμψαν
ὑψηλοτάτων μάρτυρʼ ἀέθλων.
ξείνων δʼ εὖ πρασσόντων ἔσαναν αὐτίκʼ ἀγγελίαν
ποτὶ γλυκεῖαν ἐσλοί.
ἀλλʼ, ὦ Κρόνου παῖ, ὃς Αἴτναν ἔχεις,
ἶπον ἀνεμόεσσαν ἑκατογκεφάλα Τυφῶνος ὀβρίμου,
Οὐλυμπιονίκαν δέκευ
Χαρίτων ἕκατι τόνδε κῶμον,
χρονιώτατον φάος εὐρυσθενέων ἀρετᾶν. Ψαύμιος γὰρ ἵκει
ὀχέων, ὅς, ἐλαίᾳ στεφανωθεὶς Πισάτιδι, κῦδος ὄρσαι
σπεύδει Καμαρίνᾳ. θεὸς εὔφρων
εἴη λοιπαῖς εὐχαῖς· ἐπεί νιν αἰνέω μάλα μὲν
τροφαῖς ἑτοῖμον ἵππων,
χαίροντά τε ξενίαις πανδόκοις
καὶ πρὸς ἁσυχίαν φιλόπολιν καθαρᾷ γνώμᾳ τετραμμένον.
οὐ ψεύδεϊ τέγξω λόγον·
διάπειρά τοι βροτῶν ἔλεγχος·
ἅπερ Κλυμένοιο παῖδα
Λαμνιάδων γυναικῶν
ἔλυσεν ἐξ ἀτιμίας.
χαλκέοισι δʼ ἐν ἔντεσι νικῶν δρόμον
ἔειπεν Ὑψιπυλείᾳ μετὰ στέφανον ἰών·
οὗτος ἐγὼ ταχυτᾶτι·
χεῖρες δὲ καὶ ἦτορ ἴσον.
φύονται δὲ καὶ νέοις ἐν ἀνδράσιν
πολιαὶ θαμὰ καὶ παρὰ τὸν ἁλικίας
ἐοικότα χρόνον.

[¶4] Daughter of Ocean, with a smiling heart receive the sweet bloom of lofty excellence and Olympian garlands, the gifts of Psaumis and of his mule car team with untiring feet.
Psaumis who, exalting your city, Camarina, which cares for its people,
honored the six double altars, at the greatest festivals of the gods, with the sacrifice of oxen and in contests on the fifth day,
contests of horse teams, and mule teams, and of riding the single horse. To you he has dedicated rich renown by his victory, and he had his father Acron and his new-founded home proclaimed by the herald.
Coming from the lovely homes of Oenomaus and of Pelops,
he sings of your sacred grove, Pallas protector of the city, and of the river Oanis, and the local lake,
and the sacred canals with which Hipparis waters its people, and swiftly builds a tall-standing grove of steadfast dwellings, bringing this host of citizens out of helplessness into the light.
Always, when it is a question of excellence, toil and expense strive to accomplish a deed that is shrouded in danger; those who are successful seem wise, even to their fellow-citizens.
Savior Zeus, high in the clouds, you who dwell on the hill of Cronus and honor the wide-flowing Alpheus and the sacred cave of Ida! I come as your suppliant, singing to the sound of Lydian flutes,
entreating you to adorn this city with glorious hosts of noble men; and that you, Psaumis the Olympic victor, delighting in the horses of Poseidon, may carry on to the end a pleasurable old age
with your sons standing beside you. If a man cultivates both prosperity and health, being generous with his possessions and winning praise as well, let him not seek to become a god.

> Greek: ὑψηλᾶν ἀρετᾶν καὶ στεφάνων ἄωτον γλυκὺν
τῶν Οὐλυμπίᾳ, Ὠκεανοῦ θύγατερ, καρδίᾳ γελανεῖ
ἀκαμαντόποδός τʼ ἀπήνας δέκευ Ψαύμιός τε δῶρα·
ὃς τὰν σὰν πόλιν αὔξων, Καμάρινα, λαοτρόφον
βωμοὺς ἓξ διδύμους ἐγέραιρεν ἑορταῖς θεῶν μεγίσταις
ὑπὸ βουθυσίαις ἀέθλων τε πεμπαμέροις ἁμίλλαις,
ἵπποις ἡμιόνοις τε μοναμπυκίᾳ τε. τὶν δὲ κῦδος ἁβρόν
νικάσαις ἀνέθηκε, καὶ ὃν πατέρʼ Ἄκρωνʼ ἐκάρυξε καὶ τὰν νέοικον ἕδραν.
ἵκων δʼ Οἰνομάου καὶ Πέλοπος παρʼ εὐηράτων
σταθμῶν, ὦ πολιάοχε Παλλάς, ἀείδει μὲν ἄλσος ἁγνὸν
τὸ τεόν, ποταμόν τε Ὤανιν, ἐγχωρίαν τε λίμναν,
καὶ σεμνοὺς ὀχετούς, Ἵππαρις οἷσιν ἄρδει στρατόν,
κολλᾷ τε σταδίων θαλάμων ταχέως ὑψίγυιον ἄλσος,
ἀπʼ ἀμαχανίας ἄγων ἐς φάος τόνδε δᾶμον ἀστῶν·
αἰεὶ δʼ ἀμφʼ ἀρεταῖσι πόνος δαπάνα τε μάρναται πρὸς ἔργον
κινδύνῳ κεκαλυμμένον· ἠῢ δʼ ἔχοντες σοφοὶ καὶ πολίταις ἔδοξαν ἔμμεν.
Σωτὴρ ὑψινεφὲς Ζεῦ, Κρόνιόν τε ναίων λόφον
τιμῶν τʼ Ἀλφεὸν εὐρὺ ῥέοντʼ Ἰδαῖόν τε σεμνὸν ἄντρον,
ἱκέτας σέθεν ἔρχομαι Λυδίοις ἀπύων ἐν αὐλοῖς,
αἰτήσων πόλιν εὐανορίαισι τάνδε κλυταῖς
δαιδάλλειν, σέ τʼ, Ὀλυμπιόνικε, Ποσειδανίαισιν ἵπποις
ἐπιτερπόμενον φέρειν γῆρας εὔθυμον ἐς τελευτάν,
υἱῶν, Ψαῦμι, παρισταμένων. ὑγίεντα δʼ εἴ τις ὄλβον ἄρδει,
ἐξαρκέων κτεάτεσσι καὶ εὐλογίαν προστιθείς, μὴ ματεύσῃ θεὸς γενέσθαι.

[¶5] Raising the fine-walled porch of our dwelling with golden pillars, we will build, as it were, a marvellous hall; at the beginning of our work we must place a far-shining front. If someone were an Olympic victor,
and a guardian of the prophetic altar of Zeus at Pisa, and a fellow-founder of renowned Syracuse, what hymn of praise would that man fail to win, by finding fellow-citizens ungrudging in delightful song?
Let the son of Sostratus know that this sandal fits his divinely-blessed foot. But excellence without danger
is honored neither among men nor in hollow ships. But many people remember, if a fine thing is done with toil. Hagesias, that praise is ready for you, which once Adrastus’ tongue rightly spoke for the seer Amphiaraus, son of Oicles, when the earth swallowed up him and his shining horses.
In Thebes, when the seven pyres of corpses had been consumed, the son of Talaus spoke in this way: “I long for the eye of my army, a man who was good both as a prophet and at fighting with the spear.” And this holds good as well for the man of Syracuse who is master of our victory-procession. Though I am not prone to quarrel, and not overly fond of victory,
I would even swear a great oath, and on this point at least I will clearly bear witness for him; and the honey-voiced Muses will give their consent.
Phintis, come now and yoke the strength of mules for me, quickly, so that we can drive the chariot along a clear path, and I can at last arrive at the race of these men.
For those mules above all others know how to lead the way along this path, since they have won garlands at Olympia, And so it is right to open for them the gates of song; and I must go today, in good time, to Pitana, beside the ford of Eurotas.
Pitana, who, it is said, lay with Poseidon son of Cronus,
and bore a child, violet-haired Evadne. But she hid her unwedded pregnancy in the folds of her robe. And in the appointed month she sent servants, and told them to give the baby to be tended by the hero, Aepytus son of Eilatus, who ruled over the Arcadians at Phaesana, and had his allotted home on the Alpheus,
where Evadne was raised, and first touched the sweets of Aphrodite beneath Apollo’s embrace.
She did not escape the notice of Aepytus in all the time that she was hiding the offspring of the god; no, he went to Pytho, pressing down the unspeakable anger in his spirit with intense concern, to consult the oracle about this unbearable disaster. And she laid down her purple and saffron girdle,
and her silver pitcher, and beneath a blue-shaded thicket gave birth to a god-inspired boy. The golden-haired god sent gentle-minded Eleithuia and the Fates to help her.
From her womb and her sweet birth-pangs Iamus came right away into the light. In her distress,
she left him on the ground. But by the will of the gods, two gray-eyed serpents nurtured him with the harmless venom of bees, caring for him. And when the king had driven back from rocky Pytho, he questioned everyone in the household about the child whom Evadne had borne. For he said that he was begotten by Phoebus,
and that he would be, for men on earth, a prophet above all mortals, and that his race would never fail. Such was his speech. But they claimed that they had neither seen nor heard the baby, born four days ago. For it had been hidden in the rushes and the boundless thicket,
his tender body washed in the golden and purple light of violets. Therefore his mother declared that he should be called for all time
by this immortal name, “Iamus.” And when he had attained the delightful fruit of golden-crowned Youth, he went down into the middle of the Alpheus, and called on wide-ruling Poseidon, his grandfather, and on the Archer who watches over god-built Delos,
praying that the honor of caring for the people be on his head, under the clear night sky. His father’s voice responded in clear speech, and sought him out: “Rise, my son, and follow my voice here to a place that welcomes all.”
They came to the steep rock of the lofty hill of Cronus.
There the god gave him a double treasure of prophecy: there and then to hear a voice that did not know how to lie; and when bold-plotting Heracles came, the sacred scion of the Alcidae, and founded for his father a festival frequented by mortals and the greatest ritual of contests,
then he commanded him to establish an oracle on the highest altar of Zeus.
Since then the race of the sons of Iamus has been very famous throughout Greece, Prosperity attended them; and by honoring excellence, they walk along a bright path. Every action brings evidence. Envious blame from others hangs
over those who have once driven first down the final course of a race, and on whom honored Grace has shed glorious beauty. But if, Hagesias, it is true that the men on your mother’s side, living below the boundaries of Cyllene,
piously gave many gifts, with prayers and sacrifices, to the herald of the gods, Hermes, who rules over games and the dispensation of contests,
and honors Arcadia, the home of fine men, it is that god, son of Sostratus, who with his loud-thundering father fulfills your good fortune. I think I have on my tongue a shrill whetstone, which steals over me (and I am willing) with fair-flowing breaths. My mother’s mother was the nymph of Stymphalus, blossoming Metopa,
who bore horse-driving Thebe, whose delicious water I drink, while I weave my embroidered song for heroic spearmen. Now rouse your companions, Aeneas, first to shout the praises of Hera Parthenia, and then to know whether we have truly escaped the ancient reproach
of men’s speech, “Boeotian pig.” For you are a faithful herald, a message-stick of the lovely-haired Muses, a sweet mixing-bowl of loud-sounding songs.
Tell them to remember Syracuse and Ortygia, which Hieron rules with his pure scepter and with good counsels,
while he attends on the worship of Demeter of the red feet, and on the festival of her daughter with her white horses, and on the might of Aetnaean Zeus. The sweet-voiced lyres and music are familiar with Hieron. May time not creep up and disturb his prosperity, but may he with loving friendliness welcome the victory-procession of Hagesias
as it comes to one home from his other home within the walls of Stymphalus,
leaving his motherland, Arcadia of the fine flocks. On a stormy night it is good to have two anchors to throw down from a swift ship. May a god lovingly bestow a glorious lot on the men of both cities. Master, ruler of the sea, husband of Amphitrite of the golden distaff, grant straight sailing free from troubles,
and give new growth to the delightful flower of my songs.

> Greek: χρυσέας ὑποστάσαντες εὐτειχεῖ προθύρῳ θαλάμου
κίονας, ὡς ὅτε θαητὸν μέγαρον
πάξομεν· ἀρχομένου δʼ ἔργου πρόσωπον
χρὴ θέμεν τηλαυγές. εἰ δʼ εἴη μὲν Ὀλυμπιονίκας,
βωμῷ τε μαντείῳ ταμίας Διὸς ἐν Πίσᾳ,
συνοικιστήρ τε τᾶν κλεινᾶν Συρακοσσᾶν· τίνα κεν φύγοι ὕμνον
κεῖνος ἀνήρ, ἐπικύρσαις ἀφθόνων ἀστῶν ἐν ἱμερταῖς ἀοιδαῖς;
ἴστω γὰρ ἐν τούτῳ πεδίλῳ δαιμόνιον πόδʼ ἔχων
Σωστράτου υἱός. ἀκίνδυνοι δʼ ἀρεταὶ
οὔτε παρʼ ἀνδράσιν οὔτʼ ἐν ναυσὶ κοίλαις
τίμιαι· πολλοὶ δὲ μέμνανται, καλὸν εἴ τι ποναθῇ.
Ἁγησία, τὶν δʼ αἶνος ἑτοῖμος, ὃν ἐν δίκᾳ
ἀπὸ γλώσσας Ἄδραστος μάντιν Οἰκλείδαν ποτʼ ἐς Ἀμφιάρηον
φθέγξατʼ, ἐπεὶ κατὰ γαῖʼ αὐτόν τέ νιν καὶ φαιδίμας ἵππους ἔμαρψεν.
ἑπτὰ δʼ ἔπειτα πυρᾶν νεκρῶν τελεσθεισᾶν Ταλαϊονίδας
εἶπεν ἐν Θήβαισι τοιοῦτόν τι ἔπος· ποθέω στρατιᾶς ὀφθαλμὸν ἐμᾶς,
ἀμφότερον μάντιν τʼ ἀγαθὸν καὶ δουρὶ μάρνασθαι. τὸ καὶ
ἀνδρὶ κώμου δεσπότᾳ πάρεστι Συρακοσίῳ.
οὔτε δύσηρις ἐὼν οὔτʼ ὦν φιλόνικος ἄγαν,
καὶ μέγαν ὅρκον ὀμόσσαις τοῦτό γέ οἱ σαφέως
μαρτυρήσω· μελίφθογγοι δʼ ἐπιτρέψοντι Μοῖσαι.
ὦ Φίντις, ἀλλὰ ζεῦξον ἤδη μοι σθένος ἡμιόνων,
ᾇ τάχος, ὄφρα κελεύθῳ τʼ ἐν καθαρᾷ
βάσομεν ὄκχον, ἵκωμαί τε πρὸς ἀνδρῶν
καὶ γένος· κεῖναι γὰρ ἐξ ἀλλᾶν ὁδὸν ἁγεμονεῦσαι
ταύταν ἐπίστανται, στεφάνους ἐν Ὀλυμπίᾳ
ἐπεὶ δέξαντο· χρὴ τοίνυν πύλας ὕμνων ἀναπίτναμεν αὐταῖς·
πρός Πιτάναν δὲ παρʼ Εὐρώτα πόρον δεῖ σάμερόν μʼ ἐλθεῖν ἐν ὥρᾳ·
ἅ τοι Ποσειδάωνι μιχθεῖσα Κρονίῳ λέγεται
παῖδα ἰόπλοκον Εὐάδναν τεκέμεν.
κρύψε δὲ παρθενίαν ὠδῖνα κόλποις·
κυρίῳ δʼ ἐν μηνὶ πέμποισʼ ἀμφιπόλους ἐκέλευσεν
ἥρωι πορσαίνειν δόμεν Εἰλατίδᾳ βρέφος,
ὃς ἀνδρῶν Ἀρκάδων ἄνασσε Φαισάνᾳ λάχε τʼ Ἀλφεὸν οἰκεῖν·
ἔνθα τραφεῖσʼ ὑπʼ Ἀπόλλωνι γλυκείας πρῶτον ἔψαυσʼ Ἀφροδίτας.
οὐδʼ ἔλαθʼ Αἴπυτον ἐν παντὶ χρόνῳ κλέπτοισα θεοῖο γόνον.
ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν Πυθώναδʼ, ἐν θυμῷ πιέσαις χόλον οὐ φατὸν ὀξείᾳ μελέτᾳ,
ᾤχετʼ ἰὼν μαντευσόμενος ταύτας περʼ ἀτλάτου πάθας.
ἁ δὲ φοινικόκροκον ζώναν καταθηκαμένα
κάλπιδά τʼ ἀργυρέαν, λόχμας ὑπὸ κυανέας
τίκτε θεόφρονα κοῦρον. τᾷ μὲν ὁ Χρυσοκόμας
πραΰμητίν τʼ Ἐλείθυιαν παρέστασέν τε Μοίρας·
ἦλθεν δʼ ὑπὸ σπλάγχνων ὑπʼ ὠδῖνός τʼ ἐρατᾶς Ἴαμος
ἐς φάος αὐτίκα. τὸν μὲν κνιζομένα
λεῖπε χαμαί· δύο δὲ γλαυκῶπες αὐτὸν
δαιμόνων βουλαῖσιν ἐθρέψαντο δράκοντες ἀμεμφεῖ
ἰῷ μελισσᾶν καδόμενοι. βασιλεὺς δʼ ἐπεὶ
πετραέσσας ἐλαύνων ἵκετʼ ἐκ Πυθῶνος, ἅπαντας ἐν οἴκῳ
εἴρετο παῖδα, τὸν Εὐάδνα τέκοι· Φοίβου γὰρ αὐτὸν φᾶ γεγάκειν
πατρός, περὶ θνατῶν δʼ ἔσεσθαι μάντιν ἐπιχθονίοις
ἔξοχον, οὐδέ ποτʼ ἐκλείψειν γενεάν.
ὣς ἄρα μάνυε. τοὶ δʼ οὔτʼ ὦν ἀκοῦσαι
οὔτʼ ἰδεῖν εὔχοντο πεμπταῖον γεγενημένον. ἀλλʼ ἐν
κέκρυπτο γὰρ σχοίνῳ βατιᾷ τʼ ἐν ἀπειράτῳ,
ἴων ξανθαῖσι καὶ παμπορφύροις ἀκτῖσι βεβρεγμένος ἁβρὸν
σῶμα· τὸ καὶ κατεφάμιξεν καλεῖσθαί νιν χρόνῳ σύμπαντι μάτηρ
τοῦτʼ ὄνυμʼ ἀθάνατον. τερπνᾶς δʼ ἐπεὶ χρυσοστεφάνοιο λάβεν
καρπὸν Ἥβας, Ἀλφεῷ μέσσῳ καταβὰς ἐκάλεσσε Ποσειδᾶνʼ εὐρυβίαν,
ὃν πρόγονον, καὶ τοξοφόρον Δάλου θεοδμάτας σκοπόν,
αἰτέων λαοτρόφον τιμάν τινʼ ἑᾷ κεφαλᾷ,
νυκτὸς ὑπαίθριος. ἀντεφθέγξατο δʼ ἀρτιεπὴς
πατρία ὄσσα, μετάλλασέν τέ νιν· ὄρσο, τέκος,
δεῦρο πάγκοινον ἐς χώραν ἴμεν φάμας ὄπισθεν.
ἵκοντο δʼ ὑψηλοῖο πέτραν ἀλίβατον Κρονίου·
ἔνθα οἱ ὤπασε θησαυρὸν δίδυμον
μαντοσύνας, τόκα μὲν φωνὰν ἀκούειν
ψευδέων ἄγνωστον, εὖτʼ ἂν δὲ θρασυμάχανος ἐλθὼν
Ἡρακλέης, σεμνὸν θάλος Ἀλκαϊδᾶν, πατρὶ
ἑορτάν τε κτίσῃ πλειστόμβροτον τεθμόν τε μέγιστον ἀέθλων,
Ζηνὸς ἐπʼ ἀκροτάτῳ βωμῷ τότʼ αὖ χρηστήριον θέσθαι κέλευσεν.
ἐξ οὗ πολύκλειτον καθʼ Ἕλλανας γένος Ἰαμιδᾶν.
ὄλβος ἅμʼ ἕσπετο· τιμῶντες δʼ ἀρετὰς
ἐς φανερὰν ὁδὸν ἔρχονται. τεκμαίρει
χρῆμʼ ἕκαστον· μῶμος ἐξ ἄλλων κρέμαται φθονεόντων
τοῖς, οἷς ποτε πρώτοις περὶ δωδέκατον δρόμον
ἐλαυνόντεσσιν αἰδοία ποτιστάξῃ Χάρις εὐκλέα μορφάν.
εἰ δʼ ἐτύμως ὑπὸ Κυλλάνας ὅροις, Ἁγησία, μάτρωες ἄνδρες
ναιετάοντες ἐδώρησαν θεῶν κάρυκα λιταῖς θυσίαις
πολλὰ δὴ πολλαῖσιν Ἑρμᾶν εὐσεβέως, ὃς ἀγῶνας ἔχει μοῖράν τʼ ἀέθλων
Ἀρκαδίαν τʼ εὐάνορα τιμᾷ· κεῖνος, ὦ παῖ Σωστράτου,
σὺν βαρυγδούπῳ πατρὶ κραίνει σέθεν εὐτυχίαν.
δόξαν ἔχω τινʼ ἐπὶ γλώσσᾳ ἀκόνας λιγυρᾶς,
ἅ μʼ ἐθέλοντα προσέρπει καλλιρόοισι πνοαῖς·
ματρομάτωρ ἐμὰ Στυμφαλίς, εὐανθὴς Μετώπα,
πλάξιππον ἃ Θήβαν ἔτικτεν, τᾶς ἐρατεινὸν ὕδωρ
πίομαι, ἀνδράσιν αἰχματαῖσι πλέκων
ποικίλον ὕμνον. ὄτρυνον νῦν ἑταίρους,
Αἰνέα, πρῶτον μὲν Ἥραν Παρθενίαν κελαδῆσαι,
γνῶναί τʼ ἔπειτʼ, ἀρχαῖον ὄνειδος ἀλαθέσιν
λόγοις εἰ φεύγομεν, Βοιωτίαν ὗν. ἐσσὶ γὰρ ἄγγελος ὀρθός,
ἠϋκόμων σκυτάλα Μοισᾶν, γλυκὺς κρατὴρ ἀγαφθέγκτων ἀοιδᾶν·
εἰπὸν δὲ μεμνᾶσθαι Συρακοσσᾶν τε καὶ Ὀρτυγίας·
τὰν Ἱέρων καθαρῷ σκάπτῳ διέπων,
ἄρτια μηδόμενος, φοινικόπεζαν
ἀμφέπει Δάματρα, λευκίππου τε θυγατρὸς ἑορτάν,
καὶ Ζηνὸς Αἰτναίου κράτος. ἁδύλογοι δέ νιν
λύραι μολπαί τε γιγνώσκοντι. μὴ θράσσοι χρόνος ὄλβον ἐφέρπων.
σὺν δὲ φιλοφροσύναις εὐηράτοις Ἁγησία δέξαιτο κῶμον
οἴκοθεν οἴκαδʼ ἀπὸ Στυμφαλίων τειχέων ποτινισσόμενον,
ματέρʼ εὐμήλοιο λείποντʼ Ἀρκαδίας. ἀγαθαὶ δὲ πέλοντʼ ἐν χειμερίᾳ
νυκτὶ θοᾶς ἐκ ναὸς ἀπεσκίμφθαι δύʼ ἄγκυραι. θεὸς
τῶν τε κείνων τε κλυτὰν αἶσαν παρέχοι φιλέων.
δέσποτα ποντομέδων, εὐθὺν δὲ πλόον καμάτων
ἐκτὸς ἐόντα δίδοι, χρυσαλακάτοιο πόσις
Ἀμφιτρίτας, ἐμῶν δʼ ὕμνων ἄεξʼ εὐτερπὲς ἄνθος.

[¶6] As when someone takes a goblet, all golden, the most prized of his possessions, foaming with the dew of the vine from a generous hand, and makes a gift of it to his young son-in-law, welcoming him with a toast from one home to another,
honoring the grace of the symposium and the new marriage-bond, and thereby, in the presence of his friends, makes him enviable for his harmonious marriage-bed;
I too, sending to victorious men poured nectar, the gift of the Muses, the sweet fruit of my mind, I try to win the gods’ favor
for those men who were victors at Olympia and at Pytho, That man is prosperous, who is encompassed by good reports. Grace, which causes life to flourish, looks with favor now on one man, now on another, with both the sweet-singing lyre and the full-voiced notes of flutes.
And now, with the music of flute and lyre alike I have come to land with Diagoras, singing the sea-child of Aphrodite and bride of Helios, Rhodes,
so that I may praise this straight-fighting, tremendous man who had himself crowned beside the Alpheus and near Castalia, as a recompense for his boxing, and also his father Damagetus, a man pleasing to Justice, living on the island of three cities near the foreland of spacious Asia, among Argive spearmen.
I shall want to proclaim my message for them, the widely powerful race of Heracles, and tell correctly from the beginning, from Tlepolemus, the story that concerns all. For, on the father’s side, they boast descent from Zeus, while, on the mother’s, they are descendants of Amyntor, through Astydameia. But around the minds of men
countless errors loom; and this is impossible to discover:
what is best to happen to a man, now and in the end. For indeed, striking Licymnius, the bastard brother of Alcmena, with a staff of hard olive-wood as he came out of the chamber of Midea,
the founder of this land once killed that man, in anger. Disturbances of the mind lead astray even a wise man. Tlepolemus went and sought the god’s oracle.
To him the golden-haired god spoke, from his fragrant sanctuary, of a voyage by ship from the shore of Lerna straight to the pasture land with sea all around it, where once the great king of the gods showered the city with golden snow,
when, by the skills of Hephaestus with the bronze-forged hatchet, Athena leapt from the top of her father’s head and cried aloud with a mighty shout. The Sky and mother Earth shuddered before her.
Then even the god that brings light to mortals, son of Hyperion,
enjoined his dear children to observe the obligation that was soon to be due: that they should be the first to build for the goddess an altar visible to all men, and by founding a sacred burnt-offering warm the spirit of the father and of the daughter who thunders with her spear. She who casts excellence and joys into men is the daughter of Forethought, Reverence.
Truly, a cloud of forgetfulness sometimes descends unexpectedly, and draws the straight path of action away from the mind. For they climbed the hill without bringing the seed of burning flame; and they established the sacred precinct on the acropolis with fireless sacrifices. Zeus brought to them a yellow cloud
and rained on them abundant gold. And the gray-eyed goddess herself bestowed on them
every art, so that they surpassed all mortal men as the best workers with their hands; and the roads bore works of art like living, moving creatures, and their fame was profound. For a wise craftsman, even superior skill is free from guile. The ancient stories of men tell
that when Zeus and the immortals were dividing the earth among them, Rhodes was not yet visible in the expanse of the sea, but the island was hidden in the salty depths.
Helios was absent, and no one marked out a share for him; in fact they left him without any allotment of land,
although he was a holy god. And when Helios mentioned it, Zeus was about to order a new casting of lots, but Helios did not allow him. For he said that he himself saw in the gray sea, growing from the bottom, a rich, productive land for men, and a kindly one for flocks.
And he bid Lachesis of the golden headband
raise her hands right away, and speak, correctly and earnestly, the great oath of the gods, and consent with the son of Cronus that that island, when it had risen into the shining air, should thereafter be his own prize of honor. And the essence of his words was fulfilled and turned out to be true. There grew from the waters of the sea
an island, which is held by the birthgiving father of piercing rays, the ruler of fire-breathing horses. And there he once lay with Rhodes, and begat seven sons who inherited from him the wisest minds in the time of earlier men; and of these one begat Cameirus, and Ialysus the eldest, and Lindus, Each had his own separate share of cities
in their threefold division of their father’s land, and their dwelling-places were named after them.
There it is that a sweet recompense for his pitiful misfortune is established for Tlepolemus, the first leader of the Tirynthians, as for a god:
a procession of flocks for burnt sacrifice and the trial of contests. With the flowers from these Diagoras has had himself crowned twice, and at the renowned Isthmus four times, in his good fortune, and again and again at Nemea and in rocky Athens;
and the prizes of the bronze shield in Argos and the works of art in Arcadia and Thebes are familiar with him, and the duly ordered contests
of the Boeotians, and Pellana and Aegina, where he was six times victor. And in Megara the list carved in stone gives no other account. But, Father Zeus, you who rule over the ridges of Atabyrium, grant honor to the hymn ordained in praise of an Olympian victor,
and to the man who has found excellence as a boxer, and grant to him honored grace
in the eyes of both citizens and strangers. For he walks a straight course on a road that hates arrogance, knowing clearly the sound prophetic wisdom of his good ancestors. Do not bury in obscurity the shared seed of Callianax. When the Eratidae are graced with victories, the city too holds festivities; but in a single space of apportioned time
the winds shift quickly from moment to moment.

> Greek: φιάλαν ὡς εἴ τις ἀφνειᾶς ἀπὸ χειρὸς ἑλὼν
ἔνδον ἀμπέλου καχλάζοισαν δρόσῳ
δωρήσεται
νεανίᾳ γαμβρῷ προπίνων οἴκοθεν οἴκαδε, πάγχρυσον κορυφὰν κτεάνων,
συμποσίου τε χάριν κᾶδός τε τιμάσαις νέον, ἐν δὲ φίλων
παρεόντων θῆκέ νιν ζαλωτὸν ὁμόφρονος εὐνᾶς·
καὶ ἐγὼ νέκταρ χυτόν, Μοισᾶν δόσιν, ἀεθλοφόροις
ἀνδράσιν πέμπων, γλυκὺν καρπὸν φρενός,
ἱλάσκομαι,
Οὐλυμπίᾳ Πυθοῖ τε νικώντεσσιν· ὁ δʼ ὄλβιος, ὃν φᾶμαι κατέχοντʼ ἀγαθαί.
ἄλλοτε δʼ ἄλλον ἐποπτεύει Χάρις ζωθάλμιος ἁδυμελεῖ
θαμὰ μὲν φόρμιγγι παμφώνοισί τʼ ἐν ἔντεσιν αὐλῶν.
καί νυν ὑπʼ ἀμφοτέρων σὺν Διαγόρᾳ κατέβαν τὰν ποντίαν
ὑμνέων παῖδʼ Ἀφροδίτας Ἀελίοιό τε νύμφαν, Ῥόδον,
εὐθυμάχαν ὄφρα πελώριον ἄνδρα παρʼ Ἀλφεῷ στεφανωσάμενον
αἰνέσω πυγμᾶς ἄποινα
καὶ παρὰ Κασταλίᾳ, πατέρα τε Δαμάγητον ἁδόντα Δίκᾳ,
Ἀσίας εὐρυχόρου τρίπολιν νᾶσον πέλας
ἐμβόλῳ ναίοντας Ἀργείᾳ σὺν αἰχμᾷ.
ἐθελήσω τοῖσιν ἐξ ἀρχᾶς ἀπὸ Τλαπολέμου
ξυνὸν ἀγγέλλων διορθῶσαι λόγον,
Ἡρακλέος
εὐρυσθενεῖ γέννᾳ. τὸ μὲν γὰρ πατρόθεν ἐκ Διὸς εὔχονται· τὸ δʼ Ἀμυντορίδαι
ματρόθεν Ἀστυδαμείας. ἀμφὶ δʼ ἀνθρώπων φρασὶν ἀμπλακίαι
ἀναρίθμητοι κρέμανται· τοῦτο δʼ ἀμάχανον εὑρεῖν,
ὅ τι νῦν ἐν καὶ τελευτᾷ φέρτατον ἀνδρὶ τυχεῖν.
καὶ γὰρ Ἀλκμήνας κασίγνητον νόθον
σκάπτῳ θένων
σκληρᾶς ἐλαίας ἔκτανʼ ἐν Τίρυνθι Λικύμνιον ἐλθόντʼ ἐκ θαλάμων Μιδέας
τᾶσδέ ποτε χθονὸς οἰκιστὴρ χολωθείς. αἱ δὲ φρενῶν ταραχαὶ
παρέπλαγξαν καὶ σοφόν. μαντεύσατο δʼ ἐς θεὸν ἐλθών.
τῷ μὲν ὁ Χρυσοκόμας εὐώδεος ἐξ ἀδύτου ναῶν πλόον
εἶπε Λερναίας ἀπʼ ἀκτᾶς εὐθὺν ἐς ἀμφιθάλασσον νομόν,
ἔνθα ποτὲ βρέχε θεῶν βασιλεὺς ὁ μέγας χρυσέαις νιφάδεσσι πόλιν,
ἁνίχʼ Ἁφαίστου τέχναισιν
χαλκελάτῳ πελέκει πατέρος Αθαναία κορυφὰν κατʼ ἄκραν
ἀνορούσαισʼ ἀλάλαξεν ὑπερμάκει βοᾷ·
Οὐρανὸς δʼ ἔφριξέ νιν καὶ Γαῖα μάτηρ.
τότε καὶ φαυσίμβροτος δαίμων Ὑπεριονίδας
μέλλον ἔντειλεν φυλάξασθαι χρέος
παισὶν φίλοις,
ὡς ἂν θεᾷ πρῶτοι κτίσαιεν βωμὸν ἐναργέα, καὶ σεμνὰν θυσίαν θέμενοι
πατρί τε θυμὸν ἰάναιεν κόρᾳ τʼ ἐγχειβρόμῳ. ἐν δʼ ἀρετὰν
ἔβαλεν καὶ χάρματʼ ἀνθρώποισι Προμαθέος Αἰδώς·
ἐπὶ μὰν βαίνει τε καὶ λάθας ἀτέκμαρτα νέφος,
καὶ παρέλκει πραγμάτων ὀρθὰν ὁδὸν
ἔξω φρενῶν.
καὶ τοὶ γὰρ αἰθοίσας ἔχοντες σπέρμʼ ἀνέβαν φλογὸς οὔ· τεῦξαν δʼ ἀπύροις ἱεροῖς
ἄλσος ἐν ἀκροπόλει· κείνοις ὁ μὲν ξανθὰν ἀγαγὼν νεφέλαν
πολὺν ὗσε χρυσόν· αὐτὰ δέ σφισιν ὤπασε τέχναν
πᾶσαν ἐπιχθονίων Γλαυκῶπις ἀριστοπόνοις χερσὶ κρατεῖν.
ἔργα δὲ ζωοῖσιν ἑρπόντεσσί θʼ ὁμοῖα κέλευθοι φέρον·
ἦν δὲ κλέος βαθύ. δαέντι δὲ καὶ σοφία μείζων ἄδολος τελέθει.
φαντὶ δʼ ἀνθρώπων παλαιαὶ
ῥήσιες, οὔπω, ὅτε χθόνα δατέοντο Ζεύς τε καὶ ἀθάνατοι,
φανερὰν ἐν πελάγει Ῥόδον ἔμμεν ποντίῳ,
ἁλμυροῖς δʼ ἐν βένθεσιν νᾶσον κεκρύφθαι.
ἀπεόντος δʼ οὔτις ἔνδειξεν λάχος Ἀελίου·
καί ῥά μιν χώρας ἀκλάρωτον λίπον,
ἁγνὸν θεόν.
μνασθέντι δὲ Ζεὺς ἄμπαλον μέλλεν θέμεν. ἀλλά νιν οὐκ εἴασεν· ἐπεὶ πολιᾶς
εἶπέ τινʼ αὐτὸς ὁρᾶν ἔνδον θαλάσσας αὐξομέναν πεδόθεν
πολύβοσκον γαῖαν ἀνθρώποισι καὶ εὔφρονα μήλοις.
ἐκέλευσεν δʼ αὐτίκα χρυσάμπυκα μὲν Λάχεσιν
χεῖρας ἀντεῖναι, θεῶν δʼ ὅρκον μέγαν
μὴ παρφάμεν,
ἀλλὰ Κρόνου σὺν παιδὶ νεῦσαι, φαεννὸν ἐς αἰθέρα νιν πεμφθεῖσαν ἑᾷ κεφαλᾷ
ἐξοπίσω γέρας ἔσσεσθαι. τελεύταθεν δὲ λόγων κορυφαὶ
ἐν ἀλαθείᾳ πετοῖσαι. βλάστε μὲν ἐξ ἁλὸς ὑγρᾶς
νᾶσος, ἔχει τέ νιν ὀξειᾶν ὁ γενέθλιος ἀκτίνων πατήρ,
πῦρ πνεόντων ἀρχὸς ἵππων· ἔνθα Ῥόδῳ ποτὲ μιχθεὶς τέκεν
ἑπτὰ σοφώτατα νοήματʼ ἐπὶ προτέρων ἀνδρῶν παραδεξαμένους
παῖδας, ὧν εἷς μὲν Κάμειρον
πρεσβύτατόν τε Ἰάλυσον ἔτεκεν Λίνδον τʼ· ἀπάτερθε δʼ ἔχον,
διὰ γαῖαν τρίχα δασσάμενοι πατρωίαν,
ἀστέων μοῖραν, κέκληνται δέ σφιν ἕδραι.
τόθι λύτρον συμφορᾶς οἰκτρᾶς γλυκὺ Τλαπολέμῳ
ἵσταται Τιρυνθίων ἀρχαγέτᾳ,
ὥσπερ θεῷ,
μήλων τε κνισσάεσσα πομπὰ καὶ κρίσις ἀμφʼ ἀέθλοις. τῶν ἄνθεσι Διαγόρας
ἐστεφανώσατο δίς, κλεινᾷ τʼ ἐν Ἰσθμῷ τετράκις εὐτυχέων,
Νεμέᾳ τʼ ἄλλαν ἐπʼ ἄλλα, καὶ κρανααῖς ἐν Ἀθάναις.
ὅ τʼ ἐν Ἄργει χαλκὸς ἔγνω νιν, τά τʼ ἐν Ἀρκαδίᾳ
ἔργα καὶ Θήβαις, ἀγῶνές τʼ ἔννομοι
Βοιωτίων,
Πέλλανά τʼ Αἴγινά τε νικῶνθʼ ἑξάκις. ἐν Μεγάροισίν τʼ οὐχ ἕτερον λιθίνα
ψᾶφος ἔχει λόγον. ἀλλʼ, ὦ Ζεῦ πάτερ, νώτοισιν Ἀταβυρίου
μεδέων, τίμα μὲν ὕμνου τεθμὸν Ὀλυμπιονίκαν,
ἄνδρα τε πὺξ ἀρετὰν εὑρόντα, δίδοι τέ οἱ αἰδοίαν χάριν
καὶ ποτʼ ἀστῶν καὶ ποτὶ ξείνων. ἐπεὶ ὕβριος ἐχθρὰν ὁδὸν
εὐθυπορεῖ, σάφα δαεὶς ἅ τέ οἱ πατέρων ὀρθαὶ φρένες ἐξ ἀγαθῶν
ἔχρεον. μὴ κρύπτε κοινὸν
σπέρμʼ ἀπὸ Καλλιάνακτος· Ἐρατιδᾶν τοι σὺν χαρίτεσσιν ἔχει
θαλίας καὶ πόλις· ἐν δὲ μιᾷ μοίρᾳ χρόνου
ἄλλοτʼ ἀλλοῖαι διαιθύσσοισιν αὖραι.