Mother of golden-crowned contests, Olympia, queen of truth! where prophets, judging from burnt sacrifices, inquire of Zeus of the flashing thunderbolt, if he has any message to give concerning menwhose spirits are seeking to attain great excellence and a breathing-space from toils.Accomplishment is granted to the prayers of men in gratitude for their piety. Well-wooded grove of Pisa beside the Alpheus,welcome this victory-procession and the garland we bring to the victor; the man who is attended by your splendid prize of honor has great glory forever. Some good things come to one man, some to another; with the favor of the gods, there are many paths of success.Timosthenes, fortune has allotted you and your brother to the care of your ancestor Zeus, who made you renowned at Nemea, and made Alcimedon an Olympic victor beside the hill of Cronus. He was beautiful to look at, and his deeds did not belie his beautywhen by his victory in wrestling he had Aegina with her long oars proclaimed as his fatherland. There the savior Themis, seated beside Zeus the god of hospitality, is honoredmore than among all other men. For when there is a heavy weight in the balance that sways many ways, to judge with a straight mind and not inopportunelyis a difficult struggle. But some ordinance of the immortals set up as a divine pillar for visitors of all kinds this sea-girt land—and may the dawning time to come never tire of fulfilling this—guarded by the Dorian people since the time of Aeacus, whom wide-ruling Poseidon and the son of Leto, when they were about to build the crown of walls to encircle Ilium, summoned as a fellow worker; for it was fated that when war arose,in the city-destroying battles, that wall would breathe forth ravening smoke.And three gray-green serpents, when the wall was newly built, tried to leap into it; two of them fell down, stunned, and gave up their lives,and the third leapt up with a cry. Pondering this adverse omen, Apollo said right away: “Pergamos is taken, hero, through the works of your hands—so says a vision sent to me from the son of Cronus, loud-thundering Zeus—not without your sons: the city will be destroyed with the first generation, and with the third.” The god spoke clearly, and then hurried on his way, driving to Xanthus, and to the Amazons with their fine horses, and to the Danube, And the wielder of the trident drove his swift chariot to the sea-washed Isthmus,bringing Aeacus here on his golden horses,and going to see the ridge of Corinth, famous for its feasts. But nothing can be equally delightful to all men. If I have, in my song, exalted the glory of Melesias for his training of beardless youths,let envy not strike me with a rough stone. For I will tell how he himself won the same grace at Nemea, and later, among men, in the battleof the pancratium. To teachis easier for one who has knowledge himself. And it is foolish not to learn in advance; for the minds of those with no experience are insubstantial. Melesias, beyond all others, could speak of those deeds: what manner of training will advance a man who is going to win the most longed-for glory from the sacred games.Now it is his honor that his thirtieth victory has been won for him by Alcimedon,who, with divine good fortune, yet without falling short in his own manliness, thrust off from himself and onto the four limbs of other boys a hateful homecoming with contemptuous talk and a secret way back,and breathed into his father’s father the force that wrestles off old age. Hades is forgotten by a man with good accomplishments.But I must awaken memory and tellof the choicest victory of hands for the Blepsiads, who are now crowned with their sixth garland from the contests flourishing with leaves. Even the dead have a share in rites performed according to law; the dust does not coverthe good grace of their kinsmen.Having heard the voice of Hermes’ daughter, Angelia, Iphion might tell Callimachus of the splendid adornment at Olympia, which Zeus gave to their race. May he be willing to grant noble deeds upon nobledeeds, and to ward off bitter diseases. I pray that, for the share of fine things allotted to them, Zeus may not cause the mind of Nemesis to waver; rather, may he grant a painless life, and thus give new growth to themselves and their city.
μᾶτερ ὦ χρυσοστεφάνων ἀέθλων, Οὐλυμπία,δέσποινʼ ἀλαθείας· ἵνα μάντιες ἄνδρεςἐμπύροις τεκμαιρόμενοι παραπειρῶνται Διὸς ἀργικεραύνου,εἴ τινʼ ἔχει λόγον ἀνθρώπων πέριμαιομένων μεγάλανἀρετὰν θυμῷ λαβεῖν,τῶν δὲ μόχθων ἀμπνοάν·ἄνεται δὲ πρὸς χάριν εὐσεβίας ἀνδρῶν λιταῖς.ἀλλʼ ὦ Πίσας εὔδενδρον ἐπʼ Ἀλφεῷ ἄλσος,τόνδε κῶμον καὶ στεφαναφορίαν δέξαι. μέγα τοι κλέος αἰεί,ᾧτινι σὸν γέρας ἕσπητʼ ἀγλαόν·ἄλλα δʼ ἐπʼ ἄλλον ἔβανἀγαθῶν, πολλαὶ δʼ ὁδοὶσὺν θεοῖς εὐπραγίας.Τιμόσθενες, ὔμμε δʼ ἐκλάρωσεν πότμοςΖηνὶ γενεθλίῳ· ὃς σὲ μὲν Νεμέᾳ πρόφατον,Ἀλκιμέδοντα δὲ πὰρ Κρόνου λόφῳθῆκεν Ὀλυμπιονίκαν.ἦν δʼ ἐσορᾶν καλός, ἔργῳ τʼ οὐ κατὰ εἶδος ἐλέγχωνἐξένεπε κρατέων πάλᾳ δολιχήρετμον Αἴγιναν πάτραν·ἔνθα σώτειρα Διὸς ξενίουπάρεδρος ἀσκεῖται Θέμιςἔξοχʼ ἀνθρώπων. ὅ τι γὰρ πολὺ καὶ πολλᾷ ῥέπῃ,ὀρθᾷ διακρίνειν φρενὶ μὴ παρὰ καιρόν,δυσπαλές· τεθμὸς δέ τις ἀθανάτων καὶ τάνδʼ ἁλιερκέα χώρανπαντοδαποῖσιν ὑπέστασε ξένοιςκίονα δαιμονίανὁ δʼ ἐπαντέλλων χρόνοςτοῦτο πράσσων μὴ κάμοιΔωριεῖ λαῷ ταμιευομέναν ἐξ Αἰακοῦ·τὸν παῖς ὁ Λατοῦς εὐρυμέδων τε Ποσειδᾶν,Ἰλίῳ μέλλοντες ἐπὶ στέφανον τεῦξαι, καλέσαντο συνεργὸντείχεος, ἦν ὅτι νιν πεπρωμένονὀρνυμένων πολέμωνπτολιπόρθοις ἐν μάχαιςλάβρον ἀμπνεῦσαι καπνόν.γλαυκοὶ δὲ δράκοντες, ἐπεὶ κτίσθη νέον,πύργον ἐσαλλόμενοι τρεῖς, οἱ δύο μὲν κάπετον,αὖθι δʼ ἀτυζομένω ψυχὰς βάλον·εἷς δʼ ἀνόρουσε βοάσαις.ἔννεπε δʼ ἀντίον ὁρμαίνων τέρας εὐθὺς, Ἀπόλλων·Πέργαμος ἀμφὶ τεαῖς, ἥρως, χερὸς ἐργασίαι ἁλίσκεται·ὣς ἐμοὶ φάσμα λέγει Κρονίδαπεμφθὲν βαρυγδούπου Διός·οὐκ ἄτερ παίδων σέθεν, ἀλλʼ ἅμα πρώτοις ῥάζεταικαὶ τερτάτοις. ὣς ἆρα θεὸς σάφα εἴπαιςΞάνθον ἤπειγεν καὶ Ἀμαζόνας εὐίππους καὶ ἐς Ἴστρον ἐλαύνων.Ὀρσοτρίαινα δʼ ἐπʼ Ἰσθμῷ ποντίᾳἅρμα θοὸν τανύεν,ἀποπέμπων Αἰακὸνδεῦρʼ ἀνʼ ἵπποις χρυσέαις,καὶ Κορίνθου δειράδʼ ἐποψόμενος δαιτικλυτάν.τερπνὸν δʼ ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἴσον ἔσσεται οὐδέν.εἰ δʼ ἐγὼ Μελησίᾳ ἐξ ἀγενείων κῦδος ἀνέδραμον ὕμνῳ,μὴ βαλέτω με λίθῳ τραχεῖ φθόνος·καὶ Νεμέᾳ γὰρ ὁμῶςἐρέω ταύταν χάριν,τὰν δʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀνδρῶν μάχανἐκ παγκρατίου. τὸ διδάξασθαι δέ τοιεἰδότι ῥᾴτερον· ἄγνωμον δὲ τὸ μὴ προμαθεῖν·κουφότεραι γὰρ ἀπειράτων φρένες.κεῖνα δὲ κεῖνος ἂν εἴποιἔργα περαίτερον ἄλλων, τίς τρόπος ἄνδρα προβάσειἐξ ἱερῶν ἀέθλων μέλλοντα ποθεινοτάταν δόξαν φέρειν.νῦν μὲν αὐτῷ γέρας Ἀλκιμέδωννίκαν τριακοστὰν ἑλών·ὃς τύχᾳ μὲν δαίμονος, ἀνορέας δʼ οὐκ ἀμπλακὼνἐν τέτρασιν παίδων ἀπεθήκατο γυίοιςνόστον ἔχθιστον καὶ ἀτιμοτέραν γλῶσσαν καὶ ἐπίκρυφον οἶμον,πατρὶ δὲ πατρὸς ἐνέπνευσεν μένοςγήραος ἀντίπαλον.Ἀΐδα τοι λάθεταιἄρμενα πράξαις ἀνήρ.ἀλλʼ ἐμὲ χρὴ μναμοσύναν ἀνεγείροντα φράσαιχειρῶν ἄωτον Βλεψιάδαις ἐπίνικον,ἕκτος οἷς ἤδη στέφανος περίκειται φυλλοφόρων ἀπʼ ἀγώνων.ἔστι δὲ καί τι θανόντεσσιν μέροςκὰν νόμον ἐρδομένων·κατακρύπτει δʼ οὐ κόνιςσυγγόνων κεδνὰν χάριν.Ἑρμᾶ δὲ θυγατρὸς ἀκούσαις ἸφίωνἈγγελίας, ἐνέποι κεν Καλλιμάχῳ λιπαρὸνκόσμον Ὀλυμπίᾳ, ὅν σφι Ζεὺς γένειὤπασεν. ἐσλὰ δʼ ἐπʼ ἐσλοῖςἔργʼ ἐθέλοι δόμεν, ὀξείας δὲ νόσους ἀπαλάλκοι.εὔχομαι ἀμφὶ καλῶν μοίρᾳ Νέμεσιν διχόβουλον μὴ θέμεν·ἀλλʼ ἀπήμαντον ἄγων βίοτοναὐτούς τʼ ἀέξοι καὶ πόλιν.
The resounding strain of Archilochus, the swelling thrice-repeated song of triumph, sufficed to lead Epharmostus to the hill of Cronus, in victory-procession with his dear companions.But now, from the bow of the Muses who, shooting from afar, send a shower of such arrows of song as these on Zeus of the red lightning-bolt and on the sacred height of Elis, which once the Lydian hero Pelopswon as the very fine dowry of Hippodameia.And shoot a winged sweet arrow to Pytho; for your words will not fall to the ground, short of the mark, when you trill the lyre in honor of the wrestling of the man from renowned Opus. Praise Opus and her son;praise her whom Themis and her glorious daughter, the savior Eunomia, have received under their protection; she flourishes with excellence beside your stream, Castalia, and beside the Alpheus. From there the choicest garlandsglorify the famous mother-city of the Locrians with her splendid trees.I am lighting up that dear city with fiery songs, and more swiftly than a spirited horse or a winged shipI will send that message everywhere, so surely as I, by some destined skill, am cultivating the exquisite garden of the Graces; for they are the givers of delight, but men become brave and skillful by divine will.Forhow could Heracles have wielded his club against the trident, when Poseidon took his stand to guard Pylos, and pressed him hard, and Phoebus pressed him hard, attacking with his silver bow; nor did Hades keep his staff unmoved, with which he leads mortal bodies down to the hollow pathof the dead. My mouth, fling this story away from me! Since to speak evil of the gods is a hateful skill, and untimely boastingis in harmony with madness.Do not babble of such things now. Keep war and all battles apart from the immortals. But lend your tongue to the city of Protogeneia, where, by the ordinance of Zeus with the flashing thunderbolt, Pyrrha and Deucalion came down from Parnassus and made their first home, and without the marriage-bedthey founded a unified race of stone offspring, and the stones gave the people their name, Arouse for them a clear-sounding path of song; praise wine that is old, but praise the flowers of songsthat are new. They tell, indeed,how the strength of the waters overwhelmed the dark earth; but by the skills of Zeus the ebbing tide suddenly drained off the flood. From these were descended your ancestors with their bronze shields,young men sprung from the beginning from the stock of the daughters of Iapetus and from the powerful sons of Cronus, always a native line of kings,until the ruler of Olympus carried off the daughter of Opus from the land of the Epeians, and lay with her peacefully in the glens of Mount Maenalus, and brought herto Locrus, so that age would not overtake him and lay the burden of childlessness on him. His bride was carrying in her womb the seed of the greatest god, and the hero rejoiced to see his adopted son, and gave him the same name as his mother’s father, Opus,a man beyond words in beauty and fine deeds. Locrus gave him a city and a people to govern,and strangers came to him from Argos and Thebes, from Arcadia and Pisa, But among the settlers he chiefly honored the son of Actorand Aegina, Menoetius, whose son went with the Atreidae to the plain of Teuthras, and stood alone beside Achilles, when Telephus turned to flight the mighty Danaans, and attacked their ships beside the sea, to reveal to a man of understandingthe powerful mind of Patroclus. From that time forward, the son of Thetis exhorted him in deadly warnever to post himself far from his own man-subduing spear.May I be a suitable finder of words as I move onward in the Muses’ chariot; may boldness and all-embracing power attend me. Because of his friendship with my people and his excellence, I went to honor the Isthmian crowning of Lampromachus, when both he and Epharmostus were victorson a single day. And then there were two other joyous victories at the gates of Corinth, and others won by Epharmostus in the vale of Nemea; and at Argos he won glory in a contest of men, and as a boy at Athens, And at Marathon, when he was barred from competing with the beardless youths,how he endured the contest for silver cups among the older men! Having subdued those men by the trick of quickly shifting balance without falling, with what a roar of applause did he pass through the ring, in his prime, and handsome, and having accomplished the finest deeds.Again, among the Parrhasian people he was marvellous to look at, at the festival of Lycaean Zeus, and when at Pellana he carried off as his prize a warm remedy against chilly winds. The tomb of Iolaus bears witness for him, and also Eleusis by the sea, for his splendid achievements.That which is inborn is always the best; but many men strive to win glory with excellence that comes from training. Anything in which a god has no part is none the worse for being quelled in silence. For some roadslead farther than others, and a single occupation will not nourish us all. The paths to skill are steep; but, while offering this prize of song, boldly shout aloudthat this man, by the blessing of the gods, was born with deftness of hand and litheness of limb, and with valor in his eyes; and at the banquet of Aias son of Oileus he laid his victorious garland on the altar.
τὸ μὲν Ἀρχιλόχου μέλοςφωνᾶεν Ὀλυμπίᾳ, καλλίνικος ὁ τριπλόος κεχλαδώς,ἄρκεσε Κρόνιον παρʼ ὄχθον ἁγεμονεῦσαικωμάζοντι φίλοις Ἐφαρμόστῳ σὺν ἑταίροις·ἀλλὰ νῦν ἑκαταβόλων Μοισᾶν ἀπὸ τόξωνΔία τε φοινικοστερόπαν σεμνόν τʼ ἐπίνειμαιἀκρωτήριον Ἄλιδοςτοιοῖσδε βέλεσσιν,τὸ δή ποτε Λυδὸς ἥρως Πέλοψἐξάρατο κάλλιστον ἕδνον Ἱπποδαμείας·πτερόεντα δʼ ἵει γλυκὺνΠυθώναδʼ ὀϊστόν· οὔτοι χαμαιπετέων λόγων ἐφάψεαιἀνδρὸς ἀμφὶ παλαίσμασιν φόρμιγγʼ ἐλελίζωνκλεινᾶς ἐξ Ὀπόεντος· αἰνήσαις ἓ καὶ υἱόν,ἃν Θέμις θυγάτηρ τέ οἱ σώτειρα λέλογχενμεγαλόδοξος Εὐνομία, θάλλει δʼ ἀρεταῖσινσόν τε, Κασταλία, πάραἈλφεοῦ τε ῥέεθρον·ὅθεν στεφάνων ἄωτοι κλυτὰνΛοκρῶν ἐπαείροντι ματέρʼ ἀγλαόδενδρον.ἐγὼ δέ τοι φίλαν πόλινμαλεραῖς ἐπιφλέγων ἀοιδαῖς,καὶ ἀγάνορος ἵππουθᾶσσον καὶ ναὸς ὑποπτέρου παντᾷἀγγελίαν πέμψω ταύταν,εἰ σύν τινι μοιριδίῳ παλάμᾳἐξαίρετον Χαρίτων νέμομαι κᾶπον·κεῖναι γὰρ ὤπασαν τὰ τέρπνʼ· ἀγαθοὶ δὲ καὶ σοφοὶ κατὰ δαίμονʼ ἄνδρεςἐγένοντʼ· ἐπεὶ ἀντίαπῶς ἂν τριόδοντος Ἡρακλέης σκύταλον τίναξε χερσίν,ἁνίκʼ ἀμφὶ Πύλον σταθεὶς ἤρειδε Ποσειδᾶνἤρειδεν δέ νιν ἀργυρέῳ τόξῳ πολεμίζωνΦοῖβος, οὐδʼ Ἀΐδας ἀκινήταν ἔχε ῥάβδον,βρότεα σώμαθʼ ᾇ κατάγει κοίλαν πρὸς ἀγυιὰνθνᾳσκόντων; ἀπό μοι λόγοντοῦτον, στόμα, ῥῖψον·ἐπεὶ τό γε λοιδορῆσαι θεοὺςἐχθρὰ σοφία, καὶ τὸ καυχᾶσθαι παρὰ καιρὸνμανίαισιν ὑποκρέκει.μὴ νῦν λαλάγει τὰ τοιαῦτʼ· ἔα πόλεμον μάχαν τε πᾶσανχωρὶς ἀθανάτων· φέροις δὲ Πρωτογενείαςἄστει γλῶσσαν, ἵνʼ αἰολοβρόντα Διὸς αἴσᾳΠύρρα Δευκαλίων τε Παρνασοῦ καταβάντεδόμον ἔθεντο πρῶτον, ἄτερ δʼ εὐνᾶς ὁμόδαμονκτισσάσθαν λίθινον γόνον·λαοὶ δʼ ὀνύμασθεν.ἔγειρʼ ἐπέων σφιν οἶμον λιγύν,αἴνει δὲ παλαιὸν μὲν οἶνον, ἄνθεα δʼ ὕμνωννεωτέρων. λέγοντι μὰνχθόνα μὲν κατακλύσαι μέλαινανὕδατος σθένος, ἀλλὰΖηνὸς τέχναις ἀνάπωτιν ἐξαίφναςἄντλον ἑλεῖν. κείνων ἔσανχαλκάσπιδες ὑμέτεροι πρόγονοιἀρχᾶθεν Ἰαπετιονίδος φύτλαςκοῦροι κορᾶν καὶ φερτάτων Κρονιδᾶν, ἐγχώριοι βασιλῆες αἰεί,πρὶν Ὀλύμπιος ἁγεμὼνθύγατρʼ ἀπὸ γᾶς Ἐπειῶν Ὀπόεντος ἀναρπάσαις, ἕκαλοςμίχθη Μαιναλίαισιν ἐν δειραῖς, καὶ ἔνεικενΛοκρῷ, μὴ καθέλοι μιν αἰὼν πότμον ἐφάψαιςὀρφανὸν γενεᾶς. ἔχεν δὲ σπέρμα μέγιστονἄλοχος, εὐφράνθη τε ἰδὼν ἥρως θετὸν υἱόν,μάτρωος δʼ ἐκάλεσσέ νινἰσώνυμον ἔμμεν,ὑπέρφατον ἄνδρα μορφᾷ τε καὶἔργοισι. πόλιν δʼ ὤπασεν λαόν τε διαιτᾶν.ἀφίκοντο δέ οἱ ξένοι,ἔκ τʼ Ἄργεος ἔκ τε Θηβᾶν, οἱ δʼ Ἀρκάδες, οἱ δὲ καὶ Πισᾶται·υἱὸν δʼ Ἄκτορος ἐξόχως τίμασεν ἐποίκωνΑἰγίνας τε Μενοίτιον· τοῦ παῖς ἅμʼ ἈτρείδαιςΤεύθραντος πεδίον μολὼν ἔστα σὺν Ἀχιλλεῖμόνος, ὅτʼ ἀλκᾶντας Δαναοὺς τρέψαις ἁλίαισινπρύμναις Τήλεφος ἔμβαλεν·ὥστʼ ἔμφρονι δεῖξαιμαθεῖν Πατρόκλου βιατὰν νόον.ἐξ οὗ Θέτιος γόνος οὐλίῳ νιν ἐν Ἄρειπαραγορεῖτο μή ποτεσφετέρας ἄτερθε ταξιοῦσθαιδαμασιμβρότου αἰχμᾶς.εἴην εὑρησιεπὴς ἀναγεῖσθαιπρόσφορος ἐν Μοισᾶν δίφρῳ·τόλμα δὲ καὶ ἀμφιλαφὴς δύναμιςἕσποιτο. προξενίᾳ δʼ ἀρετᾷ τʼ ἦλθοντιμάορος Ἰσθμίαισι Λαμπρομάχου μίτραις, ὅτʼ ἀμφότεροι κράτησανμίαν ἔργον ἀνʼ ἁμέραν.ἄλλαι δὲ δύʼ ἐν Κορίνθου πύλαις ἐγένοντʼ ἔπειτα χάρμαι,ταὶ δὲ καὶ Νεμέας Ἐφαρμόστῳ κατὰ κόλπον·Ἄργει τʼ ἔσχεθε κῦδος ἀνδρῶν, παῖς δʼ ἐν Ἀθάναις,οἷον δʼ ἐν Μαραθῶνι συλαθεὶς ἀγενείωνμένεν ἀγῶνα πρεσβυτέρων ἀμφʼ ἀργυρίδεσσιν·φῶτας δʼ ὀξυρεπεῖ δόλῳἀπτῶτι δαμάσσαιςδιήρχετο κύκλον ὅσσᾳ βοᾷ,ὡραῖος ἐὼν καὶ καλὸς κάλλιστά τε ῥέξαις.τὰ δὲ Παρρασίῳ στρατῷθαυμαστὸς ἐὼν φάνη Ζηνὸς ἀμφὶ πανάγυριν Λυκαίου,καὶ ψυχρᾶν ὁπότʼ εὐδιανὸν φάρμακον αὐρᾶνΠελλάνᾳ φέρε· σύνδικος δʼ αὐτῷ Ἰολάουτύμβος εἰναλία τʼ Ἐλευσὶς ἀγλαΐαισιν.τὸ δὲ φυᾷ κράτιστον ἅπαν· πολλοὶ δὲ διδακταῖςἀνθρώπων ἀρεταῖς κλέοςὤρουσαν ἀρέσθαι.ἄνευ δὲ θεοῦ σεσιγαμένονοὐ σκαιότερον χρῆμʼ ἕκαστον. ἐντὶ γὰρ ἄλλαιὁδῶν ὁδοὶ περαίτεραι,μία δʼ οὐχ ἅπαντας ἄμμε θρέψειμελέτα· σοφίαι μὲναἰπειναί· τοῦτο δὲ προσφέρων ἆθλον,ὄρθιον ὤρυσαι θαρσέων,τόνδʼ ἀνέρα δαιμονίᾳ γεγάμενεὔχειρα, δεξιόγυιον, ὁρῶντʼ ἀλκάν,Αἰάντειόν τʼ ἐν δαιτὶ Ἰλιάδα νικῶν ἐπεστεφάνωσε βωμόν.
Read me the name of the Olympic victor, the son of Archestratus, where it has been written in my mind. For I owed him a sweet song, and I have forgotten. But come, Muse, you and the daughter of Zeus, unforgetting Truth: with the hand that puts things right,keep from me the blame for lying, for wronging my friend.Approaching from far away, the future has arrived and made me ashamed of my deep debt. Still, payment with interest has a way of dissolving the bitter reproach of men.Now, just as the flowing wave overwhelms the rolling pebble, so shall I pay my account in full, in gratitude and friendship.For unswerving Exactitude rules the city of the Western Locrians, and Calliope is important to them, and bronze-armored Ares.Battle with Cycnus set back even Heracles, strong and violent; let Hagesidamus, victorious as a boxer at Olympia, offer thanks to Ilas, just as Patroclus did to Achilles.With the help of a god, one man can sharpen another who is born for excellence, and encourage him to tremendous achievement.Without toil only a few have attained joy, a light of life above all labors. The laws of Zeus urge me to sing of that extraordinary contest-place which Heracles founded by the ancient tomb of Pelopswith its six altars, after he killed Cteatus, the flawless son of Poseidonand Eurytus too, with a will to exact from the unwilling Augeas, strong and violent, the wages for his menial labor.Heracles lay in wait in the thicket below Cleonae, and in his turn overcame those men by the roadside; for once before those arrogant Moliones had destroyed his Tirynthian army, when it was encamped in the valley of Elis,And indeed it was not much later before the man who betrayed his friend,the king of the Epeians, saw his land with all its possessions, his own city, sink into a deep channel of destruction beneath unyielding fire and blows of iron. A fight with a stronger manis impossible to push away. So even he, by his own senselessness, last of all found himself captured and did not escape sheer destruction.But the brave son of Zeus gathered the entire army and all the spoils together in Pisaand measured out a sacred precinct for his supreme father. He enclosed the Altis all around and marked it off in the open, and he made the encircling area a resting-place for feasting, honoring the stream of the Alpheusalong with the twelve ruling gods.And he called it the Hill of Cronus; it had been nameless before, while Oenomaus was king, and it was covered with wet snow. But in this rite of first birth the Fates stood close by, and the one who alone puts genuine truth to the test,Time. Time moved forward and told the clear and precise story, how Heracles divided the gifts of war and sacrificed the finest of them, and how he established the four years’ festival with the first Olympic games and its victories.Who won the first garland, with the skill of his hands or feet or chariot, setting the boast of victory in his mind and achieving it with his deeds?In the foot race the best at running the straight coursewith his feet was the son of Licymnius, Oeonus, who had come from Midea at the head of an army. In wrestling, Echemus won glory for Tegea, And the prize in boxing was won by Doryclus, who lived in the city of Tiryns, And in the four-horse chariotthe victor was Samos of Mantinea, the son of Halirhothius. Phrastor hit the mark with the javelin. Niceus sent the stone flying from his circling arm beyond all the others, and his fellow soldiers raised a sudden burst of loud cheering.The lovely light of the moon’s beautiful face lit up the eveningand in the delightful festivities the whole precinct rang with a song in praise of victory. Even now we will follow the first beginnings, and as a namesake song of proud victory, we will shout of the thunderand the fire-wrought shaft of Zeus who rouses the thunder-clap, the burning bolt that suits omnipotence. Swelling music will answer the reed-pipe in songswhich have come to light beside famous Dirce, after a long time, but like a long-desired child from the wife of a man who has already reached the opposite of youth, who fills his father’s mind with the warmth of love; since his wealth falling into the hands of a stranger who is master of another homeis the most hateful thing to a dying man.And, Hagesidamus, when a man with fine achievements but no songs reaches the house of Hades, he has spent his strength and his breath in vain and gained only a short-lived delight with his effort. But on you the soft-singing lyre and the sweet flute scatter graceand the Pierian daughters of Zeus nurture your wide fame.While I, earnestly lending my hand, have embraced the famous tribe of the Locrians, showering with honey their city of fine men. And I praised the lovely son of Archestratus,whom I saw at that time beside the Olympic altar, winning victory with the valor of his hands—beautiful in form, and blended with that youthful bloom which oncekept Ganymede from shameless death, with the help of Cyprian Aphrodite.
τὸν Ὀλυμπιονίκαν ἀνάγνωτέ μοιἈρχεστράτου παῖδα, πόθι φρενὸςἐμᾶς γέγραπται· γλυκὺ γὰρ αὐτῷ μέλος ὀφείλων ἐπιλέλαθʼ· ὦ Μοῖσʼ, ἀλλὰ σὺ καὶ θυγάτηρἈλάθεια Διός, ὀρθᾷ χερὶἐρύκετον ψευδέωνἐνιπὰν ἀλιτόξενον.ἕκαθεν γὰρ ἐπελθὼν ὁ μέλλων χρόνοςἐμὸν καταίσχυνε βαθὺ χρέος.ὅμως δὲ λῦσαι δυνατὸς ὀξεῖαν ἐπιμομφὰν τόκος· ὁρᾶτʼ ὦν νῦν ψᾶφον ἑλισσομένανὅπα κῦμα κατακλύσσει ῥέον,ὅπα τε κοινὸν λόγονφίλαν τίσομεν ἐς χάριν.νέμει γὰρ Ἀτρέκεια πόλιν Λοκρῶν Ζεφυρίων,μέλει τέ σφισι Καλλιόπακαὶ χάλκεος Ἄρης. τράπε δὲ Κύκνεια μάχα καὶ ὑπέρβιονἩρακλέα. πύκτας δʼ ἐν Ὀλυμπιάδι νικῶνἼλᾳ φερέτω χάρινἉγησίδαμος ὡςἈχιλεῖ Πάτροκλος.θήξαις δέ κε φύντʼ ἀρετᾷ ποτὶπελώριον ὁρμάσαι κλέος ἀνὴρ θεοῦ σὺν παλάμᾳ·ἄπονον δʼ ἔλαβον χάρμα παῦροί τινες,ἔργων πρὸ πάντων βιότῳ φάος.ἀγῶνα δʼ ἐξαίρετον ἀεῖσαι θέμιτες ὦρσαν Διός, ὃν ἀρχαίῳ σάματι πὰρ Πέλοποςβωμῶν ἑξάριθμον ἐκτίσσατο,ἐπεὶ Ποσειδάνιονπέφνε Κτέατον ἀμύμονα,πέφνε δʼ Εὔρυτον, ὡς Αὐγέαν λάτριονἀέκονθʼ ἑκὼν μισθὸν ὑπέρβιονπράσσοιτο, λόχμαισι δὲ δοκεύσαις ὑπὸ Κλεωνᾶν δάμασε καὶ κείνους Ἡρακλέης ἐφʼ ὁδῷ,ὅτι πρόσθε ποτὲ Τιρύνθιονἔπερσαν αὐτῷ στρατὸνμυχοῖς ἥμενον ἌλιδοςΜολίονες ὑπερφίαλοι. καὶ μὰν ξεναπάταςἘπειῶν βασιλεὺς ὄπιθενοὐ πολλὸν ἴδε πατρίδα πολυκτέανον ὑπὸ στερεῷ πυρὶπλαγαῖς τε σιδάρου βαθὺν εἰς ὀχετὸν ἄταςἵζοισαν ἑὰν πόλιν.νεῖκος δὲ κρεσσόνωνἀποθέσθʼ ἄπορον.καὶ κεῖνος ἀβουλίᾳ ὕστατοςἁλώσιος ἀντάσαις θάνατον αἰπὺν οὐκ ἐξέφυγεν.ὁ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐν Πίσᾳ ἔλσαις ὅλον τε στρατὸνλαίαν τε πᾶσαν Διὸς ἄλκιμοςυἱὸς σταθμᾶτο ζάθεον ἄλσος πατρὶ μεγίστῳ· περὶ δὲ πάξαις Ἄλτιν μὲν ὅγʼ ἐν καθαρῷδιέκρινε, τὸ δὲ κύκλῳ πέδονἔθηκε δόρπου λύσιν,τιμάσαις πόρον Ἀλφεοῦμετὰ δώδεκʼ ἀνάκτων θεῶν. καὶ πάγονΚρόνου προσεφθέγξατο· πρόσθε γὰρνώνυμνος, ἇς Οἰνόμαος ἆρχε, βρέχετο πολλᾷ νιφάδι. ταύτᾳ δʼ ἐν πρωτογόνῳ τελετᾷπαρέσταν μὲν ἄρα Μοῖραι σχεδὸνὅ τʼ ἐξελέγχων μόνοςἀλάθειαν ἐτήτυμονχρόνος. τὸ δὲ σαφανὲς ἰὼν πόρσω κατέφρασεν,ὅπα τὰν πολέμοιο δόσινἀκρόθινα διελὼν ἔθυε καὶ πενταετηρίδʼ ὅπως ἄραἔστασεν ἑορτὰν σὺν Ὀλυμπιάδι πρώτᾳνικαφορίαισί τε.τίς δὴ ποταίνιονἔλαχε στέφανονχείρεσσι ποσίν τε καὶ ἅρματι,ἀγώνιον ἐν δόξᾳ θέμενος εὖχος, ἔργῳ καθελών;σταδίου μὲν ἀρίστευσεν εὐθὺν τόνονποσσὶ τρέχων παῖς ὁ ΛικυμνίουΟἰωνός· ἷκεν δὲ Μιδέαθεν στρατὸν ἐλαύνων· ὁ δὲ πάλᾳ κυδαίνων Ἔχεμος Τεγέαν·Δόρυκλος δʼ ἔφερε πυγμᾶς τέλος,Τίρυνθα ναίων πόλιν·ἀνʼ ἵπποισι δὲ τέτρασινἀπὸ Μαντινέας Σᾶμος Ὡλιροθίου·ἄκοντι Φράστωρ ἔλασε σκοπόν·μᾶκος δὲ Νικεὺς ἔδικε πέτρῳ χέρα κυκλώσαις ὑπὲρ ἁπάντων, καὶ συμμαχία θόρυβονπαραίθυξε μέγαν· ἐν δʼ ἕσπερονἔφλεξεν εὐώπιδοςσελάνας ἐρατὸν φάος.ἀείδετο δὲ πᾶν τέμενος τερπναῖσι θαλίαιςτὸν ἐγκώμιον ἀμφὶ τρόπον.ἀρχαῖς δὲ προτέραις ἑπόμενοι καί νῦν ἐπωνυμίαν χάριννίκας ἀγερώχου, κελαδησόμεθα βροντὰνκαὶ πυρπάλαμον βέλοςὀρσικτύπου Διός,ἐν ἅπαντι κράτειαἴθωνα κεραυνὸν ἀραρότα.χλιδῶσα δὲ μολπὰ πρὸς κάλαμον ἀντιάξει μελέων,τὰ παρʼ εὐκλέϊ Δίρκᾳ χρόνῳ μὲν φάνεν·ἀλλʼ ὥτε παῖς ἐξ ἀλόχου πατρὶποθεινὸς ἵκοντι νεότατος τὸ πάλιν ἤδη, μάλα δέ οἱ θερμαίνει φιλότατι νόον·ἐπεὶ πλοῦτος ὁ λαχὼν ποιμέναἐπακτὸν ἀλλότριον,θνᾴσκοντι στυγερώτατος·καὶ ὅταν καλὰ ἔρξαις ἀοιδᾶς ἄτερ,Ἁγησίδαμʼ, εἰς Ἀΐδα σταθμὸνἀνὴρ ἵκηται, κενεὰ πνεύσαις ἔπορε μόχθῳ βραχύ τι τερπνόν. τὶν δʼ ἁδυεπής τε λύραγλυκύς τʼ αὐλὸς ἀναπάσσει χάριν·τρέφοντι δʼ εὐρὺ κλέοςκόραι Πιερίδες Διός.ἐγὼ δὲ συνεφαπτόμενος σπουδᾷ, κλυτὸν ἔθνοςΛοκρῶν ἀμφέπεσον μέλιτιεὐάνορα πόλιν καταβρέχων· παῖδʼ ἐρατὸν ⟨δʼ⟩ Ἀρχεστράτουαἴνησα, τὸν εἶδον κρατέοντα χερὸς ἀλκᾷβωμὸν παρʼ Ὀλύμπιον,κεῖνον κατὰ χρόνονἰδέᾳ τε καλὸνὥρᾳ τε κεκραμένον, ἅ ποτεἀναιδέα Γανυμήδει μόρον ἄλαλκε σὺν Κυπρογενεῖ.
There is a time when men’s need for winds is the greatest, and a time for waters from the sky, the rainy offspring of clouds. But when anyone is victorious through his toil, then honey-voiced odesbecome the foundation for future fame, and a faithful pledge for great deeds of excellence.This praise is dedicated to Olympian victors, without stint. My tongue wants to foster such themes;but it is by the gift of a god that a man flourishes with a skillful mind, as with anything else. For the present rest assured, Hagesidamus son of Archestratus: for the sake of your boxing victory,I shall loudly sing a sweet song, an adornment for your garland of golden olive,while I honor the race of the Western Locrians. There, Muses, join in the victory-song; I shall pledge my word to you that we will find there a race that does not repel the stranger, or is inexperienced in fine deeds, but one that is wise and warlike too. Forneither the fiery fox nor loud-roaring lions change their nature.
ἔστιν ἀνθρώποις ἀνέμων ὅτε πλείσταχρῆσις, ἔστιν δʼ οὐρανίων ὑδάτων,ὀμβρίων παίδων νεφέλας.εἰ δὲ σὺν πόνῳ τις εὖ πράσσοι, μελιγάρυες ὕμνοιὑστέρων ἀρχὰ λόγωντέλλεται καὶ πιστὸν ὅρκιον μεγάλαις ἀρεταῖς.ἀφθόνητος δʼ αἶνος Ὀλυμπιονίκαιςοὗτος ἄγκειται. τὰ μὲν ἁμετέραγλῶσσα ποιμαίνειν ἐθέλει·ἐκ θεοῦ δʼ ἀνὴρ σοφαῖς ἀνθεῖ πραπίδεσσιν ὁμοίως.ἴσθι νῦν, Ἀρχεστράτουπαῖ, τεᾶς, Ἁγησίδαμε, πυγμαχίας ἕνεκενκόσμον ἐπὶ στεφάνῳ χρυσέας ἐλαίαςἁδυμελῆ κελαδήσω,Ζεφυρίων, Λοκρῶν γενεὰν ἀλέγων.ἔνθα συγκωμάξατʼ· ἐγγυάσομαιὔμμιν, ὦ Μοῖσαι, φυγόξενον στρατὸνμηδʼ ἀπείρατον καλῶν,ἀκρόσοφον δὲ καὶ αἰχματὰν ἀφίξεσθαι. τὸ γὰρἐμφυὲς οὔτʼ αἴθων ἀλώπηξοὔτʼ ἐρίβρομοι λέοντες διαλλάξαντο ἦθος.
I entreat you, child of Zeus the Deliverer, saving Fortune, keep protecting Himera, and make her powerful. For by your favor swift ships are steered on the sea, and on dry land rushing battlesand assemblies where counsel is given. But men’s expectations are often tossed up and then back down, as they cleave the waves of vain falsehood.Never yet has any man on earth found a reliable token of what will happen from the gods. Our understanding of the future is blind.And therefore many things fall out for men contrary to their judgement, bringing to some reversal of delight, while others, having encountered grievous storms, in a short time exchange their troubles for high success.Son of Philanor, truly, like a cock that fights at home, eventhe fame of your swift feet would have shed its leaves ingloriously beside your native hearth, if hostile civil strife had not deprived you of your Cnossian fatherland. But as things are, Ergoteles, having been crowned with garlands at Olympia, and twice from Pytho, and at the Isthmus, you exalt the hot baths of the Nymphs, while keeping company with them beside your own fields.
λίσσομαι, παῖ Ζηνὸς Ἐλευθερίου,Ἱμέραν εὐρυσθενέʼ ἀμφιπόλει, σώτειρα Τύχα.τὶν γὰρ ἐν πόντῳ κυβερνῶνται θοαὶνᾶες, ἐν χέρσῳ τε λαιψηροὶ πόλεμοικἀγοραὶ βουλαφόροι. αἵ γε μὲν ἀνδρῶνπόλλʼ ἄνω, τὰ δʼ αὖ κάτω ψεύδη μεταμώνια τάμνοισαι κυλίνδοντʼ ἐλπίδες·σύμβολον δʼ οὔ πώ τις ἐπιχθονίωνπιστὸν ἀμφὶ πράξιος ἐσσομένας εὗρεν θεόθεν·τῶν δὲ μελλόντων τετύφλωνται φραδαί.πολλὰ δʼ ἀνθρώποις παρὰ γνώμαν ἔπεσεν,ἔμπαλιν μὲν τέρψιος, οἱ δʼ ἀνιαραῖςἀντικύρσαντες ζάλαις ἐσλὸν βαθὺ πήματος ἐν μικρῷ πεδάμειψαν χρόνῳ.υἱὲ Φιλάνορος, ἤτοι καὶ τεά κεν,ἐνδομάχας ἅτʼ ἀλέκτωρ, συγγόνῳ παρʼ ἑστίᾳἀκλεὴς τιμὰ κατεφυλλορόησε ποδῶν,εἰ μὴ στάσις ἀντιάνειρα Κνωσίας ἄμερσε πάτρας.νῦν δʼ Ὀλυμπία στεφανωσάμενοςκαὶ δὶς ἐκ Πυθῶνος Ἰσθμοῖ τʼ, Ἐργότελες,θερμὰ Νυμφᾶν λουτρὰ βαστάζεις, ὁμιλέων παρʼ οἰκείαις ἀρούραις.
While I praise a house that has been three times victorious at Olympia, gentle to her own citizens, and hospitable to strangers, I shall recognize prosperous Corinth,the portal of Isthmian Poseidon, glorious in her young men. There dwell Eunomia and her sisters, the secure foundation of cities: Dike, and Eirene, who was raised together with her, the guardians of wealth for men, the golden daughters of wise Themis.They are resolute in repellingHybris, the bold-tongued mother of Koros, I have fine things to tell, and straightforward boldness urges my tongue to speak. It is impossible to conceal one’s inborn nature. As for you, sons of Aletes, often the Seasons have sent you victorious splendorfor your consummate excellence when you won in sacred contests, and often into the hearts of menthe Seasons rich in flowers have cast ancient inventiveness. But the fame for every work is due to its inventor. Whence did the graces of Dionysus first come to light, with the ox-driving dithyramb?Who invented the bridle for the harness of horses, or placed the double king of birds on top of the temples of gods? And in Corinth the sweet-breathing Muse blossoms, and also Ares, with the deadly spears of young men.Highest lordof Olympia, ruling far and wide; for all time, father Zeus, may you be ungrudging of our words, and ruling this people in safety, grant a straight course to the fair wind of Xenophon’s good fortune. Receive the ordained song of praise in honor of his garlands, the procession which he leads from the plains of Pisa,since he has been victorious in both the pentathlon and the foot race; he has attained what no mortal man has ever attained before.Two wreaths of wild celery crowned him, when he appeared at the Isthmian festival; and Nemea does not speak differently.The brilliance of his father Thessalus’ feet is stored up by the streams of the Alpheus, and at Pytho he has honor for the single and the double foot race within the circuit of a single day’s sun; and in the same month, in rocky Athens, one swift-footed day placed three very beautiful prizes on his head,and the games of Athena Hellotis give him seven victories. In the games of Poseidon between the two seas, the songs would be too long that could tell of all the victories won by Terpsias and Eritimus, with their father Ptoeodorus. And as for all the times you were best at Delphi, and in the lion’s pastures, I am ready to contend with manyover the number of your honors; for, truly, I would not know how to give a clear account of the number of pebbles in the sea.Each thing has its limit; knowing it is the best and most timely way. And I, sailing on my own course for the common good,and singing of the wisdom and the battles of ancient men in their heroic excellence, shall not falsify the story of Corinth; I shall tell of Sisyphus, who, like a god, was very shrewd in his devising, and of Medea, who resolved on her own marriage against her father’s will, and thus saved the ship Argo and its seamen.And again, in the fight long ago before the walls of Dardanus, Corinthians seemed to decide the issue of battles on either side: some of them attempting, with the dear race of Atreus, to recover Helen, and others doing everything they couldto oppose the attempt. And the Danaans trembled before Glaucus, when he came from Lycia; he boasted to them that in the city of Peirene lay the rule and rich estate and hall of his ancestor, Bellerophon,who once suffered greatly when beside the spring he wanted to harness Pegasus, the son of the snake-entwined Gorgon;until the maiden Pallas brought to him a bridle with golden cheek-pieces. The dream suddenly became waking reality, and she spoke: “Are you sleeping, king, son of Aeolus? Come, take this charm for the horse; and, sacrificing a white bull, show it to your ancestor, Poseidon the Horse-Tamer.”The goddess of the dark aegis seemed to say such words to him as he slumbered in the darkness, and he leapt straight up to his feet. He seized the marvellous thing that lay beside him, and gladly went to the seer of the land,and he told the son of Coeranus the whole story: how, at the seer’s bidding, he had gone to sleep for the night on the altar of the goddess, and how the daughter herself of Zeus whose spear is the thunderbolt had given himthe spirit-subduing gold. The seer told him to obey the dream with all speed;and, when he sacrificed a strong-footed bull to the widely powerful holder of the earth, straightaway to dedicate an altar to Athena, goddess of horses. The power of the gods accomplishes as a light achievement what is contrary to oaths and expectations. And so mighty Bellerophon eagerlystretched the gentle charmed bridle around its jaws and caughtthe winged horse. Mounted on its back and armored in bronze, at once he began to play with weapons. And with Pegasus, from the chilly bosom of the lonely air, he once attacked the Amazons, the female army of archers,and he killed the fire-breathing Chimaera, and the Solymi. I shall pass over his death in silence; but Pegasus has found his shelter in the ancient stables of Zeus in Olympus,But I, while casting the whirling javelins with straight aim, must not miss the markas I speed many shafts with the strength of my hands. I have come as a willing champion of the Muses on their splendid thrones and of the race of Oligaethus. I shall make their many victories at the Isthmus and at Nemea manifest in a few words; and, as a truthful witness under oath,the sweet-tongued cry of the noble herald, who announced their victories sixty times at both places, will confirm my words.Their victories at Olympia seem to have already been mentioned; and of those in the future I could tell clearly when the time comes. For now I am hopeful, although a god controlsthe outcome. If the good fortune of their family continues, we shall leave this to Zeus and Enyalius to accomplish. They won six times beneath the brow of Parnassus; and all their victories in Argos and in Thebes, and all that shall be witnessed by the royal Lycaean altar that rules over the Arcadians,and by Pellana, and Sicyon, and Megara, the beautifully enclosed precinct of the Aeacidae,and Eleusis and splendid Marathon, and the wealthy and beautiful cities beneath the high crest of Aetna, and Euboea—you may search through all Greece, and you will find that their victories are more than the eye can see. Come, swim away with agile feet!Zeus the Accomplisher, grant reverence, and a sweet good fortune of delights.
τρισολυμπιονίκανἐπαινέων οἶκον ἅμερον ἀστοῖς,ξένοισι δὲ θεράποντα, γνώσομαιτὰν ὀλβίαν Κόρινθον, Ἰσθμίουπρόθυρον Ποτειδᾶνος, ἀγλαόκουρον.ἐν τᾷ γὰρ Εὐνομία ναίει, κασίγνηταί τε, βάθρον πολίων ἀσφαλές,Δίκα καὶ ὁμότροφος Εἰρήνα, ταμίαι ἀνδράσι πλούτου,χρύσεαι παῖδες εὐβούλου Θέμιτος·ἐθέλοντι δʼ ἀλέξεινὝβριν, Κόρου ματέρα θρασύμυθον.ἔχω καλά τε φράσαι, τόλμα τέ μοιεὐθεῖα γλῶσσαν ὀρνύει λέγειν.ἄμαχον δὲ κρύψαι τὸ συγγενὲς ἦθος.ὔμμιν δέ, παῖδες Ἀλάτα, πολλὰ μὲν νικαφόρον ἀγλαΐαν ὤπασανἄκραις ἀρεταῖς ὑπερελθόντων ἱεροῖς ἐν ἀέθλοις,πολλὰ δʼ ἐν καρδίαις ἀνδρῶν ἔβαλονὧραι πολυάνθεμοι ἀρχαῖα σοφίσμαθʼ. ἅπαν δʼ εὑρόντος ἔργον.ταὶ Διωνύσου πόθεν ἐξέφανενσὺν βοηλάτᾳ χάριτες διθυράμβῳ·τίς γὰρ ἱππείοις ἐν ἔντεσσιν μέτρα,ἢ θεῶν ναοῖσιν οἰωνῶν βασιλέα δίδυμονἐπέθηκʼ; ἐν δὲ Μοῖσʼ ἁδύπνοος,ἐν δʼ Ἄρης ἀνθεῖ νέων οὐλίαις αἰχμαῖσιν ἀνδρῶν.ὕπατʼ εὐρὺ ἀνάσσωνὈλυμπίας, ἀφθόνητος ἔπεσσινγένοιο χρόνον ἅπαντα, Ζεῦ πάτερ,καὶ τόνδε λαὸν ἀβλαβῆ νέμωνΞενοφῶντος εὔθυνε δαίμονος οὖρον·δέξαι τέ οἱ στεφάνων ἐγκώμιον τεθμόν, τὸν ἄγει πεδίων ἐκ Πίσας,πεντάθλῳ ἅμα σταδίου νικῶν δρόμον· ἀντεβόλησεντῶν ἀνὴρ θνατὸς οὔπω τις πρότερον.δύο δʼ αὐτὸν ἔρεψανπλόκοι σελίνων ἐν Ἰσθμιάδεσσινφανέντα· Νέμεά τʼ οὐκ ἀντιξοεῖ.πατρὸς δὲ Θεσσαλοῦ ἐπʼ Ἀλφεοῦῥεέθροισιν αἴγλα ποδῶν ἀνάκειται,Πυθοῖ τʼ ἔχει σταδίου τιμὰν διαύλου θʼ ἁλίῳ ἀμφʼ ἑνί, μηνός τέ οἱτωὐτοῦ κρανααῖς ἐνʼ Ἀθάναισι τρία ἔργα ποδαρκὴςἅμερα θῆκε κάλλιστʼ ἀμφὶ κόμαις,Ἑλλώτια δʼ ἑπτάκις· ἐν δʼ ἀμφιάλοισι Ποτειδᾶνος τεθμοῖσινΠτοιοδώρῳ σὺν πατρὶ μακρότεραιΤερψίᾳ θʼ ἕψοντʼ Ἐριτίμῳ τʼ ἀοιδαί.ὅσσα τʼ ἐν Δελφοῖσιν ἀριστεύσατεἠδὲ χόρτοις ἐν λέοντος, δηρίομαι πολέσινπερὶ πλήθει καλῶν, ὡς μὰν σαφὲςοὐκ ἂν εἰδείην λέγειν ποντιᾶν ψάφων ἀριθμόν.ἕπεται δʼ ἐν ἑκάστῳμέτρον· νοῆσαι δὲ καιρὸς ἄριστος.ἐγὼ δὲ ἴδιος ἐν κοινῷ σταλεὶςμῆτίν τε γαρύων παλαιγόνωνπόλεμόν τʼ ἐν ἡρωΐαις ἀρεταῖσινοὐ ψεύσομʼ ἀμφὶ Κορίνθῳ, Σίσυφον μὲν πυκνότατον παλάμαις ὡς θεόν,καὶ τὰν πατρὸς ἀντία Μήδειαν θεμέναν γάμον αὐτᾷ,ναῒ σώτειραν Ἀργοῖ καὶ προπόλοις.τὰ δὲ καί ποτʼ ἐν ἀλκᾷπρὸ Δαρδάνου τειχέων ἐδόκησανἐπʼ ἀμφότερα μαχᾶν τάμνειν τέλος,τοὶ μὲν γένει φίλῳ σὺν ἈτρέοςἙλέναν κομίζοντες, οἱ δʼ ἀπὸ πάμπανεἴργοντες· ἐκ Λυκίας δὲ Γλαῦκον ἐλθόντα τρόμεον Δαναοί. τοῖσι μὲνἐξεύχετʼ ἐν ἄστεϊ Πειράνας σφετέρου πατρὸς ἀρχὰνκαὶ βαθὺν κλᾶρον ἔμμεν καὶ μέγαρον·ὃς τᾶς ὀφιώδεος υἱόν ποτε Γοργόνος ἦ πόλλʼ ἀμφὶ κρουνοῖςΠάγασον ζεῦξαι ποθέων ἔπαθεν,πρίν γέ οἱ χρυσάμπυκα κούρα χαλινὸνΠαλλὰς ἤνεγκʼ· ἐξ ὀνείρου δʼ αὐτίκαἦν ὕπαρ· φώνασε δʼ· εὕδεις, Αἰολίδα βασιλεῦ;ἄγε φίλτρον τόδʼ ἵππειον δέκευ,καὶ Δαμαίῳ νιν θύων ταῦρον ἀργᾶντα πατρὶ δεῖξον.κυαναιγὶς ἐν ὄρφνᾳκνώσσοντί οἱ παρθένος τόσα εἰπεῖνἔδοξεν· ἀνὰ δʼ ἐπᾶλτʼ ὀρθῷ ποδί.παρκείμενον δὲ συλλαβὼν τέρας,ἐπιχώριον μάντιν ἄσμενος εὗρεν,δεῖξέν τε Κοιρανίδᾳ πᾶσαν τελευτὰν πράγματος, ὥς τʼ ἀνὰ βωμῷ θεᾶςκοιτάξατο νύκτʼ ἀπὸ κείνου χρήσιος. ὥς τέ οἱ αὐτὰΖηνὸς ἐγχεικεραύνου παῖς ἔπορενδαμασίφρονα χρυσόν.ἐνυπνίῳ δʼ ᾇ τάχιστα πιθέσθαικελήσατό μιν, ὅταν δʼ εὐρυσθενεῖκαρταίποδʼ ἀναρύῃ Γαιαόχῳ,θέμεν Ἱππίᾳ βωμὸν εὐθὺς Ἀθάνᾳ.τελεῖ δὲ θεῶν δύναμις καὶ τὰν παρʼ ὅρκον καὶ παρὰ ἐλπίδα κούφαν κτίσιν.ἤτοι καὶ ὁ καρτερὸς ὁρμαίνων ἕλε Βελλεροφόντας,φάρμακον πραῢ τείνων ἀμφὶ γένυι,ἵππον πτερόεντʼ· ἀναβὰς δʼ εὐθὺς ἐνόπλια χαλκωθεὶς ἔπαιζεν.σὺν δὲ κείνῳ καί ποτʼ Ἀμαζονίδωναἰθέρος ψυχρῶν ἀπὸ κόλπων ἐρήμουτοξόταν βάλλων γυναικεῖον στρατόν,καὶ Χίμαιραν πῦρ πνέοισαν καὶ Σολύμους ἔπεφνεν.διασωπάσομαί οἱ μόρον ἐγώ·τὸν δʼ ἐν Οὐλύμπῳ φάτναι Ζηνὸς ἀρχαῖαι δέκονται.ἐμὲ δʼ εὐθὺν ἀκόντωνἱέντα ῥόμβον παρὰ σκοπὸν οὐ χρὴτὰ πολλὰ βέλεα καρτύνειν χεροῖν.Μοίσαις γὰρ ἀγλαοθρόνοις ἑκὼνὈλιγαιθίδαισίν τʼ ἔβαν ἐπίκουρος.Ἰσθμοῖ τά τʼ ἐν Νεμέᾳ παύρῳ ἔπει θήσω φανέρʼ ἀθρόʼ, ἀλαθής τέ μοιἔξορκος ἐπέσσεται ἑξηκοντάκι δὴ ἀμφοτέρωθενἁδύγλωσσος βοὰ κάρυκος ἐσλοῦ.τὰ δʼ Ὀλυμπίᾳ αὐτῶνἔοικεν ἤδη πάροιθε λελέχθαι·τά τʼ ἐσσόμενα τότʼ ἂν φαίην σαφές·νῦν δʼ ἔλπομαι μέν, ἐν θεῷ γε μὰντέλος· εἰ δὲ δαίμων γενέθλιος ἕρποι,διʼ τοῦτʼ Ἐνυαλίῳ τʼ ἐκδώσομεν πράσσειν. τὰ δʼ ὑπʼ ὀφρύϊ Παρνασσίᾳἕξ· Ἄργεΐ θʼ ὅσσα καὶ ἐν Θήβαις, ὅσα τʼ Ἀρκάσιν ἀνάσσωνμαρτυρήσει Λυκαίου βωμὸς ἄναξ,Πέλλανά τε καὶ Σικυὼν καὶ Μέγαρʼ Αἰακιδᾶν τʼ εὐερκὲς ἄλσος,ἅ τʼ Ἐλευσὶς καὶ λιπαρὰ Μαραθών,ταί θʼ ὑπʼ Αἴτνας ὑψιλόφου καλλίπλουτοιπόλιες, ἅ τʼ Εὔβοια· καὶ πᾶσαν κατὰἙλλάδʼ εὑρήσεις ἐρευνῶν μάσσονʼ ἢ ὡς ἰδέμεν.ἄνα, κούφοισιν ἐκνεῦσαι ποσίν·Ζεῦ τέλειʼ, αἰδῶ δίδοι καὶ τύχαν τερπνῶν γλυκεῖαν.
You who have your home by the waters of Cephisus, who dwell in the town of beautiful horses: songful queens, Graces of splendid Orchomenus, guardians of the ancient race of Minyans,hear me; I am praying. For with your help all delightful and sweet things are accomplished for mortals, if any man is skillful, or beautiful, or splendid. Not even the gods arrange dances or feasts without the holy Graces, who oversee everythingthat is done in heaven; with their thrones set beside Pythian Apollo of the golden bow, they worship the everlasting honor of the Olympian father.Lady Aglaia, and Euphrosyne, lover of dance and song, daughters of the strongest god,listen now; and you, Thalia, passionate for dance and song, having looked with favor on this victory procession, stepping lightly in honor of gracious fortune. For I have come to sing of Asopichus in Lydian melodies and chosen phrases, because the Minyan land is victorious at Olympia,thanks to you. Now go, Echo, to the dark-walled home of Persephone and bring the glorious message to his father; when you see Cleodamus, tell him that his son, by the famous valley of Pisa, has wreathed his youthful hair with the wings of the renowned games.
Καφισίων ὑδάτωνλαχοῖσαι, αἵτε ναίετε καλλίπωλον ἕδραν,ὦ λιπαρᾶς ἀοίδιμοι βασίλειαιΧάριτες Ὀρχομενοῦ, παλαιγόνων Μινυᾶν ἐπίσκοποι,κλῦτʼ, ἐπεὶ εὔχομαι. σὺν γὰρ ὔμμιν τὰ τερπνὰ καὶτὰ γλυκέʼ ἄνεται πάντα βροτοῖς,εἰ σοφός, εἰ καλός, εἴ τις ἀγλαὸς ἀνήρ.οὐδὲ γὰρ θεοὶ σεμνᾶν Χαρίτων ἄτερκοιρανέοισιν χοροὺς οὔτε δαῖτας· ἀλλὰ πάντων ταμίαιἔργων ἐν οὐρανῷ, χρυσότοξον θέμεναι παρὰΠύθιον Ἀπόλλωνα θρόνους,ἀέναον σέβοντι πατρὸς Ὀλυμπίοιο τιμάν.⟨ὦ⟩ πότνιʼ Ἀγλαΐαφιλησίμολπέ τʼ Εὐφροσύνα, θεῶν κρατίστουπαῖδες, ἐπακοοῖτε νῦν, Θαλία τεἐρασίμολπε, ἰδοῖσα τόνδε κῶμον ἐπʼ εὐμενεῖ τύχᾳκοῦφα βιβῶντα· Λυδῷ γὰρ Ἀσώπιχον τρόπῳἔν τε μελέταις ἀείδων ἔμολον,οὕνεκʼ Ὀλυμπιόνικος ἁ Μινυείασεῦ ἕκατι. μελανοτειχέα νῦν δόμονΦερσεφόνας ἔλθʼ, Ἀχοῖ, πατρὶ κλυτὰν φέροισʼ ἀγγελίαν,Κλεόδαμον ὄφρʼ ἰδοῖσʼ, υἱὸν εἴπῃς ὅτι οἱ νέανκόλποις παρʼ εὐδόξοις Πίσαςἐστεφάνωσε κυδίμων ἀέθλων πτεροῖσι χαίταν.