---
title: "Pythian Odes · Πυθιονῖκαι"
author: "Pindar"
translator: "Diane Arnson Svarlien"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
url: https://scriptura.si/works/pindar-pythian-odes/
cite: "Pindar, tr. Diane Arnson Svarlien, Pythian Odes · Πυθιονῖκαι. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/pindar-pythian-odes/"
---

# Pythian Odes · Πυθιονῖκαι

*Pindar, tr. Diane Arnson Svarlien*

Twelve victory songs for winners at Delphi, among them the longest, for Arcesilas of Cyrene, with the story of Jason and the Argonauts.

> Greek: ed. Sir John Sandys, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0033.tlg002, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Diane Arnson Svarlien, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0033.tlg002.perseus-eng3). Notes are not included.

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

## Contents

1. [Odes 1–4](https://scriptura.si/works/pindar-pythian-odes/1.md)
2. [Odes 5–6](https://scriptura.si/works/pindar-pythian-odes/2.md)
3. [Odes 7–12](https://scriptura.si/works/pindar-pythian-odes/3.md)

## 1. Odes 1–4

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

[¶0] Golden lyre, rightful joint possession of Apollo and the violet-haired Muses, to which the dance-step listens, the beginning of splendid festivity; and singers obey your notes, whenever, with your quivering strings, you prepare to strike up chorus-leading preludes.
You quench even the warlike thunderbolt of everlasting fire. And the eagle sleeps on the scepter of Zeus, relaxing his swift wings on either side,
the king of birds; and you pour down a dark mist over his curved head, a sweet seal on his eyelids. Slumbering, he ripples his liquid back,
under the spell of your pulsing notes. Even powerful Ares, setting aside the rough spear-point, warms his heart in repose; your shafts charm the minds even of the gods, by virtue of the skill of Leto’s son and the deep-bosomed Muses.
But those whom Zeus does not love are stunned with terror when they hear the cry of the Pierian Muses, on earth or on the irresistible sea;
among them is he who lies in dread Tartarus, that enemy of the gods, Typhon with his hundred heads. Once the famous Cilician cave nurtured him, but now the sea-girt cliffs above Cumae, and Sicily too, lie heavy on his shaggy chest. And the pillar of the sky holds him down,
snow-covered Aetna, year-round nurse of bitter frost,
from whose inmost caves belch forth the purest streams of unapproachable fire. In the daytime her rivers roll out a fiery flood of smoke, while in the darkness of night the crimson flame hurls rocks down to the deep plain of the sea with a crashing roar.
That monster shoots up the most terrible jets of fire; it is a marvellous wonder to see, and a marvel even to hear about when men are present.
Such a creature is bound beneath the dark and leafy heights of Aetna and beneath the plain, and his bed scratches and goads the whole length of his back stretched out against it. Grant that we may be pleasing to you, Zeus,
you who frequent this mountain, this brow of the fruitful earth, whose namesake city near at hand was glorified by its renowned founder, when the herald at the Pythian racecourse proclaimed the name of Aetna, announcing Hieron’s triumph
with the chariot. For seafaring men, the first blessing at the outset of their voyage is a favorable wind; for then it is likely that
at the end as well they will win a more prosperous homecoming. And that saying, in these fortunate circumstances, brings the belief that from now on this city will be renowned for garlands and horses, and its name will be spoken amid harmonious festivities. Phoebus, lord of Lycia and Delos, you who love the Castalian spring of Parnassus,
may you willingly put these wishes in your thoughts, and make this a land of fine men.
All the resources for the achievements of mortal excellence come from the gods; for being skillful, or having powerful arms, or an eloquent tongue. As for me, in my eagerness to praise that man, I hope that I may not be like one who hurls the bronze-cheeked javelin, which I brandish in my hand, outside the course,
but that I may make a long cast, and surpass my rivals. Would that all of time may, in this way, keep his prosperity and the gift of wealth on a straight course, and bring forgetfulness of troubles.
Indeed he might remember in what kind of battles of war he stood his ground with an enduring soul, when, by the gods’ devising, they found honor such as no other Greek can pluck,
a proud garland of wealth. But now he has gone to battle in the manner of Philoctetes; and under compulsion even a haughty man fawned on him for his friendship. They say that the god-like heroes went to bring from Lemnos that man afflicted with a wound,
the archer son of Poeas, who sacked the city of Priam and brought an end to the toils of the Danaans;
he went with a weak body, but it was fated. In such a way may a god be the preserver of Hieron for the time that is still to come, giving him the opportunity for all he desires. Muse, hear me, and beside Deinomenes sing loud praises for the reward of the four-horse chariot. The joy of his father’s victory is not alien to him.
Come, let us devise a friendly song for the king of Aetna,
for whom Hieron founded that city with god-built freedom, in accordance with the laws of the rule of Hyllus. The descendants of Pamphylus, and, truly, of the Heracleidae also, dwelling beneath the cliffs of Taÿgetus, are willing to abide forever as Dorians under the ordinances of Aegimius.
Setting out from Pindus they took Amyclae and prospered, highly renowned neighbors of the Tyndaridae with their white horses, and the fame of their spear burst into bloom.
Zeus the Accomplisher, grant that beside the waters of Amenas the true report of men may always assign such good fortune to citizens and kings alike; with your blessing the man who is himself the leader,
and who instructs his son, may bring honor to the people and turn them towards harmonious peace. I entreat you, son of Cronus, grant that the battle-shouts of the Carthaginians and Etruscans stay quietly at home, now that they have seen their arrogance bring lamentation to their ships off Cumae.
Such were their sufferings, when they were conquered by the leader of the Syracusans—a fate which flung their young men from their swift ships into the sea,
delivering Hellas from grievous bondage. From Salamis I will win as my reward the gratitude of the Athenians, and in Sparta from the battles before Cithaeron —those battles in which the Medes with their curved bows suffered sorely; but beside the well-watered bank of the river Himeras I shall win my reward by paying my tribute of song to the sons of Deinomenes,
the song which they earned by their excellence, when their enemies were suffering.
If you speak in due proportion, twisting the strands of many themes into a brief compass, less blame follows from men. For wearying satiety blunts the edge of short-lived expectations, and what the citizens hear secretly weighs heavy on their spirits, especially concerning the merits of others.
Nevertheless, since envy is better than pity, do not abandon fine deeds! Steer your men with the rudder of justice; forge your tongue on the anvil of truth:
if even a small spark flies, it is carried along as a great thing when it comes from you. You are the guardian of an ample store. You have many faithful witnesses of both good and bad. But abide in a blossoming temper,
and if you are fond of always hearing sweet things spoken of you, do not be too distressed by expenses, but, like a steersman, let your sail out to the wind. Do not be deceived, my friend, by glib profit-seeking. The loud acclaim of renown that survives a man
is all that reveals the way of life of departed men to storytellers and singers alike. The kindly excellence of Croesus does not perish,
but Phalaris, with his pitiless mind, who burned his victims in a bronze bull, is surrounded on all sides by a hateful reputation; lyres that resound beneath the roof do not welcome him as a theme in gentle partnership with the voices of boys. The first of prizes is good fortune; the second is to be well spoken of; but a man
who encounters and wins both has received the highest garland.

> Greek: χρυσέα φόρμιγξ, Ἀπόλλωνος καὶ ἰοπλοκάμων
σύνδικον Μοισᾶν κτέανον· τᾶς ἀκούει μὲν βάσις, ἀγλαΐας ἀρχά,
πείθονται δʼ ἀοιδοὶ σάμασιν,
ἁγησιχόρων ὁπόταν προοιμίων ἀμβολὰς τεύχῃς ἐλελιζομένα.
καὶ τὸν αἰχματὰν κεραυνὸν σβεννύεις
ἀενάου πυρός. εὕδει δʼ ἀνὰ σκάπτῳ Διὸς αἰετός, ὠκεῖαν πτέρυγʼ ἀμφοτέρωθεν χαλάξαις,
ἀρχὸς οἰωνῶν, κελαινῶπιν δʼ ἐπί οἱ νεφέλαν
ἀγκύλῳ κρατί, γλεφάρων ἁδὺ κλαΐστρον, κατέχευας· ὁ δὲ κνώσσων
ὑγρὸν νῶτον αἰωρεῖ, τεαῖς
ῥιπαῖσι κατασχόμενος. καὶ γὰρ βιατὰς Ἄρης, τραχεῖαν ἄνευθε λιπὼν
ἐγχέων ἀκμάν, ἰαίνει καρδίαν
κώματι, κῆλα δὲ καὶ δαιμόνων θέλγει φρένας, ἀμφί τε Λατοίδα σοφίᾳ βαθυκόλπων τε Μοισᾶν.
ὅσσα δὲ μὴ πεφίληκε Ζεύς, ἀτύζονται βοὰν
Πιερίδων ἀΐοντα, γᾶν τε καὶ πόντον κατʼ ἀμαιμάκετον,
ὅς τʼ ἐν αἰνᾷ Ταρτάρῳ κεῖται, θεῶν πολέμιος,
Τυφὼς ἑκατοντακάρανος· τόν ποτε
Κιλίκιον θρέψεν πολυώνυμον ἄντρον· νῦν γε μὰν
ταί θʼ ὑπὲρ Κύμας ἁλιερκέες ὄχθαι
Σικελία τʼ αὐτοῦ πιέζει στέρνα λαχνάεντα· κίων δʼ οὐρανία συνέχει,
νιφόεσσʼ Αἴτνα, πάνετες χιόνος ὀξείας τιθήνα·
τᾶς ἐρεύγονται μὲν ἀπλάτου πυρὸς ἁγνόταται
ἐκ μυχῶν παγαί· ποταμοὶ δʼ ἁμέραισιν μὲν προχέοντι ῥόον καπνοῦ
αἴθωνʼ· ἀλλʼ ἐν ὄρφναισιν πέτρας
φοίνισσα κυλινδομένα φλὸξ ἐς βαθεῖαν φέρει πόντου πλάκα σὺν πατάγῳ.
κεῖνο δʼ Ἁφαίστοιο κρουνοὺς ἑρπετὸν
δεινοτάτους ἀναπέμπει· τέρας μὲν θαυμάσιον προσιδέσθαι, θαῦμα δὲ καὶ παρεόντων ἀκοῦσαι,
οἷον Αἴτνας ἐν μελαμφύλλοις δέδεται κορυφαῖς
καὶ πέδῳ, στρωμνὰ δὲ χαράσσοισʼ ἅπαν νῶτον ποτικεκλιμένον κεντεῖ.
εἴη, Ζεῦ, τὶν εἴη ἁνδάνειν,
ὃς τοῦτʼ ἐφέπεις ὄρος, εὐκάρποιο γαίας μέτωπον, τοῦ μὲν ἐπωνυμίαν
κλεινὸς οἰκιστὴρ ἐκύδανεν πόλιν
γείτονα, Πυθιάδος δʼ ἐν δρόμῳ κάρυξ ἀνέειπέ νιν ἀγγέλλων Ἱέρωνος ὑπὲρ καλλινίκου
ἅρμασι. ναυσιφορήτοις δʼ ἀνδράσι πρώτα χάρις
ἐς πλόον ἀρχομένοις πομπαῖον ἐλθεῖν οὖρον· ἐοικότα γὰρ
καὶ τελευτᾷ φερτέρου νόστου τυχεῖν. ὁ δὲ λόγος
ταύταις ἐπὶ συντυχίαις δόξαν φέρει
λοιπὸν ἔσσεσθαι στεφάνοισί ⟨νιν⟩ ἵπποις τε κλυτὰν
καὶ σὺν εὐφώνοις θαλίαις ὀνυμαστάν.
Λύκιε καὶ Δάλου ἀνάσσων Φοῖβε, Παρνασσοῦ τε κράναν Κασταλίαν φιλέων,
ἐθελήσαις ταῦτα νόῳ τιθέμεν εὔανδρόν τε χώραν.
ἐκ θεῶν γὰρ μαχαναὶ πᾶσαι βροτέαις ἀρεταῖς,
καὶ σοφοὶ καὶ χερσὶ βιαταὶ περίγλωσσοί τʼ ἔφυν. ἄνδρα δʼ ἐγὼ κεῖνον
αἰνῆσαι μενοινῶν ἔλπομαι
μὴ χαλκοπάρᾳον ἄκονθʼ ὡσείτʼ ἀγῶνος βαλεῖν ἔξω παλάμᾳ δονέων,
μακρὰ δὲ ῥίψαις ἀμεύσασθʼ ἀντίους·
εἰ γὰρ ὁ πᾶς χρόνος ὄλβον μὲν οὕτω καὶ κτεάνων δόσιν εὐθύνοι, καμάτων δʼ ἐπίλασιν παράσχοι.
ἦ κεν ἀμνάσειεν, οἵαις ἐν πολέμοισι μάχαις
τλάμονι ψυχᾷ παρέμεινʼ, ἁνίχʼ εὑρίσκοντο θεῶν παλάμαις τιμάν,
οἵαν οὔτις Ἑλλάνων δρέπει,
πλούτου στεφάνωμʼ ἀγέρωχον. νῦν γε μὰν τὰν Φιλοκτήταο δίκαν ἐφέπων
ἐστρατεύθη· σὺν δʼ ἀνάγκᾳ νιν φίλον
καί τις ἐὼν μεγαλάνωρ ἔσανεν. φαντὶ δὲ Λαμνόθεν ἕλκει τειρόμενον μεταβάσοντας ἐλθεῖν
ἥρωας ἀντιθέους Ποίαντος υἱὸν τοξόταν·
ὃς Πριάμοιο πόλιν πέρσεν, τελεύτασέν τε πόνους Δαναοῖς,
ἀσθενεῖ μὲν χρωτὶ βαίνων, ἀλλὰ μοιρίδιον ἦν.
οὕτω δʼ Ἱέρωνι θεὸς ὀρθωτὴρ πέλοι
τὸν προσέρποντα χρόνον, ὧν ἔραται καιρὸν διδούς.
Μοῖσα, καὶ πὰρ Δεινομένει κελαδῆσαι
πίθεό μοι ποινὰν τεθρίππων. χάρμα δʼ οὐκ ἀλλότριον νικαφορία πατέρος.
ἄγʼ ἔπειτʼ Αἴτνας βασιλεῖ φίλιον ἐξεύρωμεν ὕμνον·
τῷ πόλιν κείναν θεοδμάτῳ σὺν ἐλευθερίᾳ
Ὑλλίδος στάθμας Ἱέρων ἐν νόμοις ἔκτισσʼ. ἐθέλοντι δὲ Παμφύλου
καὶ μὰν Ἡρακλειδᾶν ἔκγονοι
ὄχθαις ὕπο Ταϋγέτου ναίοντες αἰεὶ μένειν τεθμοῖσιν ἐν Αἰγιμιοῦ
Δωριεῖς. ἔσχον δʼ Ἀμύκλας ὄλβιοι,
Πινδόθεν ὀρνύμενοι, λευκοπώλων Τυνδαριδᾶν βαθύδοξοι γείτονες, ὧν κλέος ἄνθησεν αἰχμᾶς.
Ζεῦ τέλειʼ, αἰεὶ δὲ τοιαύταν Ἀμένα παρʼ ὕδωρ
αἶσαν ἀστοῖς καὶ βασιλεῦσιν διακρίνειν ἔτυμον λόγον ἀνθρώπων,
σύν τοι τίν κεν ἁγητὴρ ἀνήρ,
υἱῷ τʼ ἐπιτελλόμενος, δᾶμον γεραίρων τράποι σύμφωνον ἐς ἁσυχίαν.
λίσσομαι νεῦσον, Κρονίων, ἅμερον
ὄφρα κατʼ οἶκον ὁ Φοίνιξ ὁ Τυρσανῶν τʼ ἀλαλατὸς ἔχῃ, ναυσίστονον ὕβριν ἰδὼν τὰν πρὸ Κύμας·
οἷα Συρακοσίων ἀρχῷ δαμασθέντες πάθον,
ὠκυπόρων ἀπὸ ναῶν ὅ σφιν ἐν πόντῳ βάλεθʼ ἁλικίαν,
Ἑλλάδʼ ἐξέλκων βαρείας δουλίας. ἀρέομαι
πὰρ μὲν Σαλαμῖνος, Ἀθαναίων χάριν,
μισθόν, ἐν Σπάρτᾳ δʼ ⟨ἀπὸ⟩ τᾶν πρὸ Κιθαιρῶνος μαχᾶν,
ταῖσι Μήδειοι κάμον ἀγκυλότοξοι,
παρὰ δὲ τὰν εὔυδρον ἀκτὰν Ἱμέρα παίδεσσιν ὕμνον Δεινομένευς τελέσαις,
τὸν ἐδέξαντʼ ἀμφʼ ἀρετᾷ, πολεμίων ἀνδρῶν καμόντων.
καιρὸν εἰ φθέγξαιο, πολλῶν πείρατα συντανύσαις
ἐν βραχεῖ, μείων ἕπεται μῶμος ἀνθρώπων. ἀπὸ γὰρ κόρος ἀμβλύνει
αἰανὴς ταχείας ἐλπίδας·
ἀστῶν δʼ ἀκοὰ κρύφιον θυμὸν βαρύνει μάλιστʼ ἐσλοῖσιν ἐπʼ ἀλλοτρίοις.
ἀλλʼ ὅμως, κρέσσων γὰρ οἰκτιρμοῦ φθόνος,
μὴ παρίει καλά. νώμα δικαίῳ πηδαλίῳ στρατόν· ἀψευδεῖ δὲ πρὸς ἄκμονι χάλκευε γλῶσσαν.
εἴ τι καὶ φλαῦρον παραιθύσσει, μέγα τοι φέρεται
πὰρ σέθεν. πολλῶν ταμίας ἐσσί· πολλοὶ μάρτυρες ἀμφοτέροις πιστοί.
εὐανθεῖ δʼ ἐν ὀργᾷ παρμένων,
εἴπερ τι φιλεῖς ἀκοὰν ἁδεῖαν αἰεὶ κλύειν, μὴ κάμνε λίαν δαπάναις·
ἐξίει δʼ ὥσπερ κυβερνάτας ἀνὴρ
ἱστίον ἀνεμόεν. μὴ δολωθῇς, ὦ φίλος, κέρδεσιν εὐτράπλοις· ὀπιθόμβροτον αὔχημα δόξας
οἶον ἀποιχομένων ἀνδρῶν δίαιταν μανύει
καὶ λογίοις καὶ ἀοιδοῖς· οὐ φθίνει Κροίσου φιλόφρων ἀρετά·
τὸν δὲ ταύρῳ χαλκέῳ καυτῆρα νηλέα νόον
ἐχθρὰ Φάλαριν κατέχει παντᾷ φάτις,
οὐδέ νιν φόρμιγγες ὑπωρόφιαι κοινωνίαν
μαλθακὰν παίδων ὀάροισι δέκονται.
τὸ δὲ παθεῖν εὖ πρῶτον ἄθλων· εὖ δʼ ἀκούειν δευτέρα μοῖρʼ· ἀμφοτέροισι δʼ ἀνὴρ
ὃς ἂν ἐγκύρσῃ, καὶ ἕλῃ, στέφανον ὕψιστον δέδεκται.

[¶1] Great city of Syracuse! Sacred precinct of Ares, plunged deep in war! Divine nurse of men and horses who rejoice in steel! For you I come from splendid Thebes bringing this song, a message of the earth-shaking four-horse race
in which Hieron with his fine chariot won the victory, and so crowned Ortygia with far-shining garlands—Ortygia, home of Artemis the river-goddess: not without her help did Hieron master with his gentle hands the horses with embroidered reins.
For the virgin goddess who showers arrows
and Hermes the god of contests present the gleaming reins to him with both hands when he yokes the strength of his horses to the polished car, to the chariot that obeys the bit, and calls on the wide-ruling god who wields the trident. Other kings have other men to pay them the tribute of melodious song, the recompense for excellence.
The voices of the men of Cyprus often shout the name of Cinyras, whom golden-haired Apollo gladly loved,
Cinyras, the obedient priest of Aphrodite. Reverent gratitude is a recompense for friendly deeds. And you, son of Deinomenes, the West Locrian girl invokes you, standing outside her door: out of the helpless troubles of war,
through your power she looks at the world in security. They say that by the commands of the gods Ixion spins round and round on his feathered wheel, saying this to mortals: “Repay your benefactor frequently with gentle favors in return.”
He learned a clear lesson. For although he received a sweet life among the gracious children of Cronus, he did not abide his prosperity for long, when in his madness of spirit he desired Hera, who was allotted to the joyful bed of Zeus. But his arrogance drove him to extreme delusion; and soon the man suffered a suitable
exquisite punishment. Both of his crimes brought him toil in the end. First, he was the hero who, not without guile, was the first to stain mortal men with kindred blood;
second, in the vast recesses of that bridal chamber he once made an attempt on the wife of Zeus. A man must always measure all things according to his own place.
Unnatural lust throws men into dense trouble; it befell even him, since the man in his ignorance chased a sweet fake and lay with a cloud, for its form was like the supreme celestial goddess, the daughter of Cronus. The hands of Zeus set it as a trap for him,
a beautiful misery. Ixion brought upon himself the four-spoked fetter,
his own ruin. He fell into inescapable bonds, and received the message that warns the whole world. She bore to him, without the blessing of the Graces, a monstrous offspring—there was never a mother or a son like this—honored neither by men nor by the laws of the gods. She raised him and named him Centaurus,
and he mated with the Magnesian mares in the foothills of Pelion, and from them was born a marvelous horde, which resembled both its parents: like the mother below, the father above.
The gods accomplish everything according to their wishes;
the gods, who overtake even the flying eagle and outstrip the dolphin in the sea, and bend down many a man who is overly ambitious, while to others they give unaging glory. For my part, I must avoid the aggressive bite of slander. For I have seen, long before me,
abusive Archilochus often in a helpless state, fattening himself with strong words and hatred. But to be rich by the grace of fortune is the best part of skillful wisdom.
And you clearly have this blessing, and can display it with a generous mind, ruler and leader of many garland-crowned streets and a great army. When wealth and influence are in question,
anyone who says that any man in Greece of earlier times surpassed you has a soft mind that flails around in vain. But I shall ascend a ship covered with flowers, and sing the praises of excellence. Boldness helps youth in terrible wars; and so I say that you too have found boundless fame
by fighting among both horsemen and foot soldiers. And your wisdom beyond your years provides me with praise of you that cannot be challenged in any detail. Greetings! This song, like Phoenician merchandise, is sent to you over the gray sea: look kindly on the Castor-song, composed in Aeolian strains;
come and greet the gracious offering of the seven-toned lyre. Learn and become who you are. To children, you know, an ape is pretty, always
pretty. But Rhadamanthys has prospered, because his allotted portion was the blameless fruit of intelligence, and he does not delight his inner spirit with deceptions,
the kind that always follow a man because of the schemes of whisperers. Those who mutter slander are an evil that makes both sides helpless; they are utterly like foxes in their temper. But what does the fox really gain by outfoxing? For while the rest of the tackle labors in the depths,
I am unsinkable, like a cork above the surface of the salt sea.
A crafty citizen is unable to speak a compelling word among noble men; and yet he fawns on everyone, weaving complete destruction. I do not share his boldness. Let me be a friend to my friend; but I will be an enemy to my enemy, and pounce on him like a wolf,
treading every crooked path. Under every type of law the man who speaks straightforwardly prospers: in a tyranny, and where the raucous masses oversee the state, and where men of skill do. One must not fight against a god,
who raises up some men’s fortunes at one time, and at another gives great glory to others. But even this
does not comfort the minds of the envious; they pull the line too tight and plant a painful wound in their own heart before they get what they are scheming for. It is best to take the yoke on one’s neck and bear it lightly; kicking against the goad
makes the path treacherous. I hope that I may associate with noble men and please them.

> Greek: μεγαλοπόλιες ὦ Συράκοσαι, βαθυπολέμου
τέμενος Ἄρεος, ἀνδρῶν ἵππων τε σιδαροχαρμᾶν δαιμόνιαι τροφοί,
ὔμμιν τόδε τᾶν λιπαρᾶν ἀπὸ Θηβᾶν φέρων
μέλος ἔρχομαι ἀγγελίαν τετραορίας ἐλελίχθονος,
εὐάρματος Ἱέρων ἐν ᾇ κρατέων
τηλαυγέσιν ἀνέδησεν Ὀρτυγίαν στεφάνοις,
ποταμίας ἕδος Ἀρτέμιδος, ἇς οὐκ ἄτερ
κείνας ἀγαναῖσιν ἐν χερσὶ ποικιλανίους ἐδάμασσε πώλους.
ἐπὶ γὰρ ἰοχέαιρα παρθένος χερὶ διδύμᾳ
ὅ τʼ ἐναγώνιος Ἑρμᾶς αἰγλᾶντα τίθησι κόσμον, ξεστὸν ὅταν δίφρον
ἔν θʼ ἅρματα πεισιχάλινα καταζευγνύῃ
σθένος ἵππιον, ὀρσοτρίαιναν εὐρυβίαν καλέων θεόν.
ἄλλοις δέ τις ἐτέλεσσεν ἄλλος ἀνὴρ
εὐαχέα βασιλεῦσιν ὕμνον, ἄποινʼ ἀρετᾶς.
κελαδέοντι μὲν ἀμφὶ Κινύραν πολλάκις
φᾶμαι Κυπρίων, τὸν ὁ χρυσοχαῖτα προφρόνως ἐφίλασ᾽ Ἀπόλλων,
ἱερέα κτίλον Ἀφροδίτας· ἄγει δὲ χάρις φίλων ποίνιμος ἀντὶ ἔργων ὀπιζομένα·
σὲ δʼ, ὦ Δεινομένειε παῖ, Ζεφυρία πρὸ δόμων
Λοκρὶς παρθένος ἀπύει, πολεμίων καμάτων ἐξ ἀμαχάνων
διὰ τεὰν δύναμιν δρακεῖσʼ ἀσφαλές.
θεῶν δʼ ἐφετμαῖς Ἰξίονα φαντὶ ταῦτα βροτοῖς
λέγειν ἐν πτερόεντι τροχῷ
παντᾷ κυλινδόμενον·
τὸν εὐεργέταν ἀγαναῖς ἀμοιβαῖς ἐποιχομένους τίνεσθαι.
ἔμαθε δὲ σαφές. εὐμενέσσι γὰρ παρὰ Κρονίδαις
γλυκὺν ἑλὼν βίοτον, μακρὸν οὐχ ὑπέμεινεν ὄλβον, μαινομέναις φρασὶν
Ἥρας ὅτʼ ἐράσσατο, τὰν Διὸς εὐναὶ λάχον
πολυγαθέες· ἀλλά νιν ὕβρις εἰς ἀυάταν ὑπεράφανον
ὦρσεν· τάχα δὲ παθὼν ἐοικότʼ ἀνὴρ
ἐξαίρετον ἕλε μόχθον. αἱ δύο δʼ ἀμπλακίαι
φερέπονοι τελέθοντι· τὸ μὲν ἥρως ὅτι
ἐμφύλιον αἷμα πρώτιστος οὐκ ἄτερ τέχνας ἐπέμιξε θνατοῖς,
ὅτι τε μεγαλοκευθέεσσιν ἔν ποτε θαλάμοις
Διὸς ἄκοιτιν ἐπειρᾶτο. χρὴ δὲ κατʼ αὐτὸν αἰεὶ παντὸς ὁρᾶν μέτρον.
εὐναὶ δὲ παράτροποι ἐς κακότατʼ ἀθρόαν
ἔβαλον· ποτὶ καὶ τὸν ἵκοντʼ· ἐπεὶ νεφέλᾳ παρελέξατο,
ψεῦδος γλυκὺ μεθέπων, ἄϊδρις ἀνήρ·
εἶδος γὰρ ὑπεροχωτάτᾳ πρέπεν οὐρανιᾶν
θυγατέρι Κρόνου· ἅντε δόλον αὐτῷ θέσαν
Ζηνὸς παλάμαι, καλὸν πῆμα. τὸν δὲ τετράκναμον ἔπραξε δεσμόν,
ἑὸν ὄλεθρον ὅγʼ· ἐν δʼ ἀφύκτοισι γυιοπέδαις πεσὼν τὰν πολύκοινον ἀνδέξατʼ ἀγγελίαν.
ἄνευ οἱ Χαρίτων τέκεν γόνον ὑπερφίαλον,
μόνα καὶ μόνον, οὔτʼ ἐν ἀνδράσι γερασφόρον οὔτʼ ἐν θεῶν νόμοις·
τὸν ὀνύμαξε τράφοισα Κένταυρον, ὃς
ἵπποισι Μαγνητίδεσσι ἐμίγνυτʼ ἐν Παλίου
σφυροῖς, ἐκ δʼ ἐγένοντο στρατὸς
θαυμαστός, ἀμφοτέροις
ὁμοῖοι τοκεῦσι, τὰ ματρόθεν μὲν κάτω, τὰ δʼ ὕπερθε πατρός.
θεὸς ἅπαν ἐπὶ ἐλπίδεσσι τέκμαρ ἀνύεται,
θεός, ὃ καὶ πτερόεντʼ αἰετὸν κίχε, καὶ θαλασσαῖον παραμείβεται
δελφῖνα, καὶ ὑψιφρόνων τινʼ ἔκαμψε βροτῶν,
ἑτέροισι δὲ κῦδος ἀγήραον παρέδωκʼ. ἐμὲ δὲ χρεὼν
φεύγειν δάκος ἀδινὸν κακαγοριᾶν.
εἶδον γὰρ ἑκὰς ἐὼν τὰ πόλλʼ ἐν ἀμαχανίᾳ
ψογερὸν Ἀρχίλοχον βαρυλόγοις ἔχθεσιν
πιαινόμενον· τὸ πλουτεῖν δὲ σὺν τύχᾳ πότμου σοφίας ἄριστον.
τὺ δὲ σάφα νιν ἔχεις, ἐλευθέρᾳ φρενὶ πεπαρεῖν,
πρύτανι κύριε πολλᾶν μὲν εὐστεφάνων ἀγυιᾶν καὶ στρατοῦ. εἰ δέ τις
ἤδη κτεάτεσσί τε καὶ περὶ τιμᾷ λέγει
ἕτερόν τινʼ ἀνʼ Ἑλλάδα τῶν πάροιθε γενέσθαι ὑπέρτερον,
χαύνα πραπίδι παλαιμονεῖ κενεά.
εὐανθέα δʼ ἀναβάσομαι στόλον ἀμφʼ ἀρετᾷ
κελαδέων. νεότατι μὲν ἀρήγει θράσος
δεινῶν πολέμων· ὅθεν φαμὶ καὶ σὲ τὰν ἀπείρονα δόξαν εὑρεῖν,
τὰ μὲν ἐν ἱπποσόαισιν ἄνδρεσσι μαρνάμενον, τὰ δʼ ἐν πεζομάχαισι· βουλαὶ δὲ πρεσβύτεραι
ἀκίνδυνον ἐμοὶ ἔπος ⟨σὲ⟩ ποτὶ πάντα λόγον
ἐπαινεῖν παρέχοντι. χαῖρε. τόδε μὲν κατὰ Φοίνισσαν ἐμπολὰν
μέλος ὑπὲρ πολιᾶς ἁλὸς πέμπεται·
τὸ Καστόρειον δʼ ἐν Αἰολίδεσσι χορδαῖς ἑκὼν
ἄθρησον χάριν ἑπτακτύπου
φόρμιγγος ἀντόμενος.
γένοιʼ οἷος ἐσσὶ μαθών· καλός τοι πίθων παρὰ παισίν, αἰεὶ
καλός. ὁ δὲ Ῥαδάμανθυς εὖ πέπραγεν, ὅτι φρενῶν
ἔλαχε καρπὸν ἀμώμητον, οὐδʼ ἀπάταισι θυμὸν τέρπεται ἔνδοθεν·
οἷα ψιθύρων παλάμαις ἕπετʼ αἰεὶ βροτῷ.
ἄμαχον κακὸν ἀμφοτέροις διαβολιᾶν ὑποφάτιες,
ὀργαῖς ἀτενὲς ἀλωπέκων ἴκελοι.
κερδοῖ δὲ τί μάλα τοῦτο κερδαλέον τελέθει;
ἅτε γὰρ εἰνάλιον πόνον ἐχοίσας βαθὺν
σκευᾶς ἑτέρας, ἀβάπτιστός εἰμι, φελλὸς ὣς ὑπὲρ ἕρκος, ἅλμας.
ἀδύνατα δʼ ἔπος ἐκβαλεῖν κραταιὸν ἐν ἀγαθοῖς
δόλιον ἀστόν· ὅμως μὰν σαίνων ποτὶ πάντας, ἀγὰν πάγχυ διαπλέκει.
οὔ οἱ μετέχω θράσεος· φίλον εἴη φιλεῖν·
ποτὶ δʼ ἐχθρὸν ἅτʼ ἐχθρὸς ἐὼν λύκοιο δίκαν ὑποθεύσομαι,
ἄλλʼ ἄλλοτε πατέων ὁδοῖς σκολιαῖς.
ἐν πάντα δὲ νόμον εὐθύγλωσσος ἀνὴρ προφέρει,
παρὰ τυραννίδι, χὠπόταν ὁ λάβρος στρατός,
χὤταν πόλιν οἱ σοφοὶ τηρέωντι. χρὴ δὲ πρὸς θεὸν οὐκ ἐρίζειν,
ὃς ἀνέχει τοτὲ μὲν τὰ κείνων, τότʼ αὖθʼ ἑτέροις ἔδωκεν μέγα κῦδος. ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ ταῦτα νόον
ἰαίνει φθονερῶν· στάθμας δέ τινος ἑλκόμενοι
περισσᾶς ἐνέπαξαν ἕλκος ὀδυναρὸν ἑᾷ πρόσθε καρδίᾳ,
πρὶν ὅσα φροντίδι μητίονται τυχεῖν.
φέρειν δʼ ἐλαφρῶς ἐπαυχένιον λαβόντα ζυγὸν
ἀρήγει· ποτὶ κέντρον δέ τοι
λακτιζέμεν τελέθει
ὀλισθηρὸς οἶμος· ἁδόντα δʼ εἴη με τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ὁμιλεῖν.

[¶2] If it were proper for this commonplace prayer to be made by my tongue, I would want Cheiron the son of Philyra to be alive again, he who has departed, the wide-ruling son of Cronus son of Uranus; and I would want him to reign again in the glens of Pelion, the beast of the wilds
whose mind was friendly to men; just as he was when once he reared Asclepius, that gentle craftsman who drove pain from the limbs that he healed, that hero who cured all types of diseases.
His mother, the daughter of Phlegyas with his fine horses, before she could bring him to term with the help of Eleithuia who attends on childbirth, was stricken by the golden
arrows of Artemis in her bedroom and descended to the house of Hades, by the skills of Apollo. The anger of the children of Zeus is not in vain. But she made light of Apollo, in the error of her mind, and consented to another marriage without her father’s knowledge, although she had before lain with Phoebus of the unshorn hair,
and was bearing within her the pure seed of the god. She did not wait for the marriage-feast to come, nor for the full-voiced cry of the hymenaeal chorus, such things as unmarried girls her own age love to murmur in evening songs to their companion. Instead,
she was in love with what was distant; many others have felt that passion. There is a worthless tribe among men which dishonors what is at home and looks far away, hunting down empty air with hopes that cannot be fulfilled.
Such was the strong infatuation
that the spirit of lovely-robed Coronis had caught. For she lay in the bed of a stranger who came from Arcadia; but she did not elude the watcher. Even in Pytho where sheep are sacrificed, the king of the temple happened to perceive it, Loxias, persuading his thoughts with his unerring counsellor: his mind, which knows all things. He does not grasp falsehood, and he is deceived
by neither god nor man, neither in deeds nor in thoughts.
Knowing even then of her sleeping with Ischys, son of Elatus, and of her lawless deceit, he sent his sister, raging with irresistible force, to Lacereia, since the girl lived by the banks of Lake Boebias.
A contrary fortune turned her to evil and overcame her. And many neighbors shared her fate and perished with her; fire leaps from a single spark on a mountain, and destroys a great forest.
But when her kinsmen had placed the girl in the wooden walls of the pyre, and
the ravening flame of Hephaestus ran around it, then Apollo spoke: “I can no longer endure in my soul to destroy my own child by a most pitiful death, together with his mother’s grievous suffering.” So he spoke. In one step he reached the child and snatched it from the corpse; the burning fire divided its blaze for him,
and he bore the child away and gave him to the Magnesian Centaur to teach him to heal many painful diseases for men.
And those who came to him afflicted with congenital sores, or with their limbs wounded by gray bronze or by a far-hurled stone,
or with their bodies wasting away from summer’s fire or winter’s cold, he released and delivered all of them from their different pains, tending some of them with gentle incantations, others with soothing potions, or by wrapping remedies all around their limbs, and others he set right with surgery.
But even skill is enthralled by the love of gain.
Gold shining in his hand turned even that man, for a handsome price, to bring back from death a man who was already caught. And so the son of Cronus hurled his shaft with his hands through both of them, and swiftly tore the breath out of their chests; the burning thunderbolt brought death crashing down on them. We must seek from the gods what is appropriate for mortal minds,
knowing what lies before our feet, and what kind of destiny we have.
Do not crave immortal life, my soul, but use to the full the resources of what is possible. But if wise Cheiron were still living in his cave, and if our honey-voiced odes
had cast a spell on his spirit, I would have persuaded him to send even now a healer to cure noble men of their feverish diseases, someone called a son of Apollo or of his father Zeus. And I would have gone on a ship, cleaving the Ionian waters, to the fountain of Arethusa and the presence of my Aetnaean host,
the king who rules Syracuse, gentle to his citizens, bearing no envious grudge against good men, a marvellous father to his guests. If I had reached his shores bringing a double blessing, golden health and a victory-song to add brilliance to his garlands from the Pythian games, which once Pherenicus took when he was the best at Cirrha,
I say that I would have come across the deep sea to him as a light that shines farther than a star of the sky.
But I, for my part, want to offer a prayer to the Mother, the revered goddess whose praises, with those of Pan, girls often sing at night beside my doorway.
Hieron, if you are skilled in understanding the true essence of words, you have learned and know the saying of former times: “The immortals dispense to men two pains for every blessing.” Fools cannot bear their pain with grace, but noble men can, by turning the good side outwards.
It is your lot to be attended by good fortune.
For great destiny watches over the leader of the people, the tyrant, if over any man. But a secure life was not granted either to Peleus son of Aeacus or to godlike Cadmus; yet they are said to have attained the highest prosperity of all mortal men, since
they heard the Muses of the golden headbands singing on the mountain and in seven-gated Thebes, when Cadmus married ox-eyed Harmonia, and Peleus married the famous daughter of wise Nereus.
And the gods held feasts for both of them, and they saw the royal sons of Cronus on their golden seats, and they received
wedding gifts. By the grace of Zeus, they set their hearts right again from their former troubles. But in time Cadmus’ three daughters, by their bitter suffering, took from him his share of joy; even though father Zeus had visited the desirable bed of white-armed Thyone.
And Peleus’ son, the only child whom immortal Thetis bore in Phthia, had his life taken in battle by the bow, and roused the wailing of the Danaans while his body was burning on the pyre. But if any mortal has the path of truth in his mind, he must fare well at the hands of the gods as he has the opportunity. But the winds are changeable
that blow on high. The prosperity of men does not stay secure for long, when it follows weighing upon them in abundance.
I will be small when my fortunes are small, great when they are great. I will honor in my mind the fortune that attends me from day to day, tending it to the best of my ability.
But if a god were to give me luxurious wealth, I hope that I would find lofty fame in the future. We know of Nestor and Lycian Sarpedon, whom men speak of, from melodious words which skilled craftsmen join together. Through renowned songs excellence
gains a long life. But few find that easy to accomplish.

> Greek: ἤθελον Χείρωνά κε Φιλλυρίδαν,
εἰ χρεὼν τοῦθʼ ἁμετέρας ἀπὸ γλώσσας κοινὸν εὔξασθαι ἔπος,
ζώειν τὸν ἀποιχόμενον,
Οὐρανίδα γόνον εὐρυμέδοντα Κρόνου, βάσσαισί τʼ ἄρχειν Παλίου Φῆρʼ ἀγρότερον,
νοῦν ἔχοντʼ ἀνδρῶν φίλον· οἷος ἐὼν θρέψεν ποτὲ
τέκτονα νωδυνίας ἅμερον γυιαρκέος Ἀσκλήπιον,
ἥρωα παντοδαπᾶν ἀλκτῆρα νούσων.
τὸν μὲν εὐΐππου Φλεγύα θυγάτηρ
πρὶν τελέσσαι ματροπόλῳ σὺν Ἐλειθυίᾳ, δαμεῖσα χρυσέοις
τόξοισιν ὕπʼ Ἀρτέμιδος,
εἰς Ἀΐδα δόμον ἐν θαλάμῳ κατέβα τέχναις Ἀπόλλωνος. χόλος δʼ οὐκ ἀλίθιος
γίνεται παίδων Διός. ἁ δʼ ἀποφλαυρίξαισά νιν
ἀμπλακίαισι φρενῶν, ἄλλον αἴνησεν γάμον κρύβδαν πατρός,
πρόσθεν ἀκειρεκόμᾳ μιχθεῖσα Φοίβῳ,
καὶ φέροισα σπέρμα θεοῦ καθαρόν.
οὐδʼ ἔμεινʼ ἐλθεῖν τράπεζαν νυμφίαν
οὐδὲ παμφώνων ἰαχὰν ὑμεναίων, ἅλικες
οἷα παρθένοι φιλέοισιν ἑταίρᾳ
ἑσπερίαις ὑποκουρίζεσθʼ ἀοιδαῖς· ἀλλά τοι
ἤρατο τῶν ἀπεόντων· οἷα καὶ πολλοὶ πάθον.
ἔστι δὲ φῦλον ἐν ἀνθρώποισι ματαιότατον,
ὅστις αἰσχύνων ἐπιχώρια παπταίνει τὰ πόρσω,
μεταμώνια θηρεύων ἀκράντοις ἐλπίσιν.
ἔσχε τοιαύταν μεγάλαν ἀυάταν
καλλιπέπλου λῆμα Κορωνίδος. ἐλθόντος γὰρ εὐνάσθη ξένου
λέκτροισιν ἀπʼ Ἀρκαδίας.
οὐδʼ ἔλαθε σκοπόν· ἐν δʼ ἄρα μηλοδόκῳ Πυθῶνι τόσσαις ἄϊεν ναοῦ βασιλεὺς
Λοξίας, κοινᾶνι παρʼ εὐθυτάτῳ γνώμαν πιθών,
πάντα ἰσάντι νόῳ· ψευδέων δʼ οὐχ ἅπτεται· κλέπτει τέ νιν
οὐ θεὸς οὐ βροτὸς ἔργοις οὔτε βουλαῖς.
καὶ τότε γνοὺς Ἴσχυος Εἰλατίδα
ξεινίαν κοίταν ἄθεμίν τε δόλον, πέμψεν κασιγνήταν μένει
θύοισαν ἀμαιμακέτῳ
ἐς Λακέρειαν. ἐπεὶ παρὰ Βοιβιάδος κρημνοῖσιν ᾤκει παρθένος. δαίμων δʼ ἕτερος
ἐς κακὸν τρέψαις ἐδαμάσσατό νιν· καὶ γειτόνων
πολλοὶ ἐπαῦρον, ἁμᾷ δʼ ἔφθαρεν, πολλὰν δʼ ὄρει πῦρ ἐξ ἑνὸς
σπέρματος ἐνθορὸν ἀΐστωσεν ὕλαν.
ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ τείχει θέσαν ἐν ξυλίνῳ
σύγγονοι κούραν, σέλας δʼ ἀμφέδραμεν
λάβρον Ἁφαίστου, τότʼ ἔειπεν Ἀπόλλων· οὐκέτι
τλάσομαι ψυχᾷ γένος ἀμὸν ὀλέσσαι
οἰκτροτάτῳ θανάτῳ ματρὸς βαρείᾳ σὺν πάθᾳ.
ὣς φάτο· βάματι δʼ ἐν πρώτῳ κιχὼν παῖδʼ ἐκ νεκροῦ
ἅρπασε· καιομένα δʼ αὐτῷ διέφαινε πυρά·
καί ῥά νιν Μάγνητι φέρων πόρε Κενταύρῳ διδάξαι
πολυπήμονας ἀνθρώποισιν ἰᾶσθαι νόσους.
τοὺς μὲν ὦν, ὅσσοι μόλον αὐτοφύτων
ἑλκέων ξυνάονες, ἢ πολιῷ χαλκῷ μέλη τετρωμένοι
ἢ χερμάδι τηλεβόλῳ,
ἢ θερινῷ πυρὶ περθόμενοι δέμας ἢ χειμῶνι, λύσαις ἄλλον ἀλλοίων ἀχέων
ἔξαγεν, τοὺς μὲν μαλακαῖς ἐπαοιδαῖς ἀμφέπων,
τοὺς δὲ προσανέα πίνοντας, ἢ γυίοις περάπτων πάντοθεν
φάρμακα, τοὺς δὲ τομαῖς ἔστασεν ὀρθούς.
ἀλλὰ κέρδει καὶ σοφία δέδεται.
ἔτραπεν καὶ κεῖνον ἀγάνορι μισθῷ χρυσὸς ἐν χερσὶν φανεὶς
ἄνδρʼ ἐκ θανάτου κομίσαι
ἤδη ἁλωκότα· χερσὶ δʼ ἄρα Κρονίων ῥίψαις διʼ ἀμφοῖν ἀμπνοὰν στέρνων κάθελεν
ὠκέως, αἴθων δὲ κεραυνὸς ἐνέσκιμψεν μόρον.
χρὴ τὰ ἐοικότα πὰρ δαιμόνων μαστευέμεν θναταῖς φρασίν,
γνόντα τὸ πὰρ ποδός, οἵας εἰμὲν αἴσας.
μή, φίλα ψυχά, βίον ἀθάνατον
σπεῦδε, τὰν δʼ ἔμπρακτον ἄντλει μαχανάν.
εἰ δὲ σώφρων ἄντρον ἔναιʼ ἔτι Χείρων, καί τί οἱ
φίλτρον ἐν θυμῷ μελιγάρυες ὕμνοι
ἁμέτεροι τίθεν· ἰατῆρά τοί κέν νιν πίθον
καί νυν ἐσλοῖσι παρασχεῖν ἀνδράσιν θερμᾶν νόσων
ἤ τινα Λατοΐδα κεκλημένον ἢ πατέρος.
καί κεν ἐν ναυσὶν μόλον Ἰονίαν τάμνων θάλασσαν
Ἀρέθοισαν ἐπὶ κράναν παρʼ Αἰτναῖον ξένον,
ὃς Συρακόσσαισι νέμει βασιλεὺς
πραῢς ἀστοῖς, οὐ φθονέων ἀγαθοῖς, ξείνοις δὲ θαυμαστὸς πατήρ.
τῷ μὲν διδύμας χάριτας,
εἰ κατέβαν ὑγίειαν ἄγων χρυσέαν κῶμόν τʼ ἀέθλων Πυθίων αἴγλαν στεφάνοις.
τοὺς ἀριστεύων Φερένικος ἕλʼ ἐν Κίρρᾳ ποτέ,
ἀστέρος οὐρανίου φαμὶ τηλαυγέστερον κείνῳ φάος
ἐξικόμαν κε βαθὺν πόντον περάσαις.
ἀλλʼ ἐπεύξασθαι μὲν ἐγὼν ἐθέλω
Ματρί, τὰν κοῦραι παρʼ ἐμὸν πρόθυρον σὺν Πανὶ μέλπονται θαμὰ
σεμνὰν θεὸν ἐννύχιαι.
εἰ δὲ λόγων συνέμεν κορυφάν, Ἱέρων, ὀρθὰν ἐπίστᾳ, μανθάνων οἶσθα προτέρων·
ἓν παρʼ ἐσλὸν πήματα σύνδυο δαίονται βροτοῖς
ἀθάνατοι. τὰ μὲν ὦν οὐ δύνανται νήπιοι κόσμῳ φέρειν,
ἀλλʼ ἀγαθοί, τὰ καλὰ τρέψαντες ἔξω.
τὶν δὲ μοῖρʼ εὐδαιμονίας ἕπεται.
λαγέταν γάρ τοι τύραννον δέρκεται,
εἴ τινʼ ἀνθρώπων, ὁ μέγας πότμος. αἰὼν δʼ ἀσφαλὴς
οὐκ ἔγεντʼ οὔτʼ Αἰακίδᾳ παρὰ Πηλεῖ
οὔτε παρʼ ἀντιθέῳ Κάδμῳ· λέγονται μὰν βροτῶν
ὄλβον ὑπέρτατον οἳ σχεῖν, οἵτε καὶ χρυσαμπύκων
μελπομενᾶν ἐν ὄρει Μοισᾶν καὶ ἐν ἑπταπύλοις
ἄϊον Θήβαις, ὁπόθʼ Ἁρμονίαν γᾶμεν βοῶπιν,
ὁ δὲ Νηρέος εὐβούλου Θέτιν παῖδα κλυτάν.
καὶ θεοὶ δαίσαντο παρʼ ἀμφοτέροις,
καὶ Κρόνου παῖδας βασιλῆας ἴδον χρυσέαις ἐν ἕδραις, ἕδνα τε
δέξαντο· Διὸς δὲ χάριν
ἐκ προτέρων μεταμειψάμενοι καμάτων ἔστασαν ὀρθὰν καρδίαν. ἐν δʼ αὖτε χρόνῳ
τὸν μὲν ὀξείαισι θύγατρες ἐρήμωσαν πάθαις
εὐφροσύνας μέρος αἱ τρεῖς· ἀτὰρ λευκωλένῳ γε Ζεὺς πατὴρ
ἤλυθεν ἐς λέχος ἱμερτὸν Θυώνᾳ.
τοῦ δὲ παῖς, ὅνπερ μόνον ἀθανάτα
τίκτεν ἐν Φθίᾳ Θέτις, ἐν πολέμῳ τόξοις ἀπὸ ψυχὰν λιπὼν
ὦρσεν πυρὶ καιόμενος
ἐκ Δαναῶν γόον. εἰ δὲ νόῳ τις ἔχει θνατῶν ἀλαθείας ὁδόν, χρὴ πρὸς μακάρων
τυγχάνοντʼ εὖ πασχέμεν. ἄλλοτε δʼ ἀλλοῖαι πνοαὶ
ὑψιπετᾶν ἀνέμων. ὄλβος οὐκ ἐς μακρὸν ἀνδρῶν ἔρχεται
⟨
σάος ⟩, πολὺς εὖτʼ ἂν ἐπιβρίσαις ἕπηται.
σμικρὸς ἐν σμικροῖς, μέγας ἐν μεγάλοις
ἔσσομαι· τὸν ἀμφέποντʼ αἰεὶ φρασὶν
δαίμονʼ ἀσκήσω κατʼ ἐμὰν θεραπεύων μαχανάν.
εἰ δέ μοι πλοῦτον θεὸς ἁβρὸν ὀρέξαι,
ἐλπίδʼ ἔχω κλέος εὑρέσθαι κεν ὑψηλὸν πρόσω.
Νέστορα καὶ Λύκιον Σαρπηδόνʼ, ἀνθρώπων φάτις,
ἐξ ἐπέων κελαδεννῶν, τέκτονες οἷα σοφοὶ
ἅρμοσαν, γιγνώσκομεν. ἁ δʼ ἀρετὰ κλειναῖς ἀοιδαῖς
χρονία τελέθει. παύροις δὲ πράξασθʼ εὐμαρές.

[¶3] Today you must stand beside a beloved man, Muse, the king of Cyrene with its fine horses, so that while Arcesilas celebrates his triumph you may swell the fair wind of song that is due to the children of Leto and to Pytho, where once the priestess seated beside the golden eagles of Zeus,
on a day when Apollo happened to be present, gave an oracle naming Battus as the colonizer of fruitful Libya, and telling how he would at once leave the holy island and found a city of fine chariots on a shining white breast of the earth,
and carry out
in the seventeenth generation the word spoken at Thera by Medea, which once the inspired daughter of Aeetes, the queen of the Colchians, breathed forth from her immortal mouth. She spoke in this way to the heroes who sailed with the warrior Jason: “Hear me, sons of high-spirited men and of gods. For I say that from this wave-washed land one day the daughter of Epaphus
will have planted in her a root of cities that are dear to men, in the temple of Zeus Ammon.
Instead of short-finned dolphins they will have swift horses, and reins instead of oars, and they will drive storm-footed chariot teams. That token shall make
Thera the mother-city of great cities, the token which once, beside the out-flowing waters of lake Tritonis, Euphemus received as he descended from the prow, a clod of earth as a gift of friendship from a god in the likeness of a man. And as a sign of favor, Zeus the son of Cronus sounded a peal of thunder,
when the stranger found us hanging the bronze-jawed anchor, the bridle of the swift Argo, against the ship. Before that we had been dragging our seafaring ship for twelve days from the Ocean over the deserted back of the land, having drawn it ashore by my counsels. And then the solitary god approached, who had assumed the splendid appearance of an honored man. He began to speak friendly words,
such as beneficent hosts use when they first invite arriving strangers to a meal.
But we could not stay, for the plea of our sweet homecoming prevented us from lingering. He said that he was Eurypylus, the son of the holder of the earth, the immortal earth-shaker Poseidon. He realized that we were hurrying on our way, and straightaway with his right hand he snatched up a piece of earth,
the first thing to come to hand, and sought to present it as a gift of hospitality. He did not fail to persuade Euphemus; the hero leapt down onto the shore, and, pressing his hand in the hand of the stranger, received the divine clod of earth. But now I learn that it was washed out of the ship into the sea by a wave
at evening, following the watery tide. Truly, I often urged the sailors who relieve their masters from toil to guard it; but their minds were forgetful, and now on this island the immortal seed of spacious Libya is washed ashore before the proper time. For if only Euphemus had gone to his home in holy Taenarus and cast the clod beside the earthly mouth of Hades—
Euphemus the son of lord Poseidon, ruler of horses, whom once Europa the daughter of Tityus bore beside the banks of the Cephisus—
the blood of the fourth generation descended from him would have taken possession of that broad continent together with the Danaans; for then they will be uprooted from Lacedaemon and the Argive gulf and Mycenae.
As it is, Euphemus shall find in the beds of foreign women a chosen race, who, with the honor of the gods, will come to this island and beget a man who will be master of the dark-clouded plains; whom one day Phoebus, in his home rich in gold, will mention in his oracles
when he goes into the Pythian shrine at a later time; Phoebus will tell him to carry cities in his ships to the fertile precinct of the son of Cronus beside the Nile.” Indeed, these were the oracular verses of Medea. And the godlike heroes bowed down motionless and in silence, listening to her shrewd words of wisdom. Battus, blessed son of Polymnestus, it was you that, in accord with this word of prophecy,
the oracle glorified by the spontaneous cry of the Delphic Bee, who three times loudly bid you hail, and declared that you were the destined king of Cyrene,
when you came to ask the oracle what relief the gods would grant you for your stammering voice. And even now, in later days, as in the prime of red-blossoming spring,
eighth in the line of Battus’ descendants flourishes Arcesilas. To him Apollo and Pytho gave glory in the chariot race above those that live around. I will offer him, and the all-golden fleece of the ram, to the Muses as a theme for song. For when the Minyans sailed after that fleece, divinely-sent honors were planted for his race.
What beginning of their seafaring welcomed them? What danger bound them with strong bolts of adamant? There was a divine prophecy that Pelias would be killed by the illustrious descendants of Aeolus, either at their hands or through their unflinching counsels; and an oracle came to him that chilled his shrewd spirit, spoken beside the central navel of well-wooded mother earth:
to be on careful guard in every way against a man with one sandal, whenever he should come from the homesteads in the steep mountains to the sunny land of famous Iolcus,
whether he be stranger or citizen. And in time he arrived: an awesome man armed with two spears. He wore two different types of clothing:
his native Magnesian dress fitted to his marvellous limbs, and a leopard-skin wrapped around him protected him from shivering showers. His splendid locks of hair had not been cut away, but flowed shining down his back. He quickly went straight ahead, making trial of his dauntless spirit, and stood
in the marketplace crowded with people.
They did not recognize him. Nevertheless, one of the awed onlookers said even this: “Surely this is not Apollo, nor Ares, the husband of Aphrodite, with his bronze chariot. And they say that the sons of Iphimedeia—Otus and you, bold lord Ephialtes—died in splendid Naxos.
And indeed Tityus was hunted down by the swift arrow of Artemis, which she sped from her unconquerable quiver, so that men might desire to touch only the loves that are within their reach.”
They said such things among themselves; and Pelias arrived, rushing headlong with his mule team and his polished chariot.
He was instantly astonished, looking at the single sandal, plain to see on the stranger’s right foot. But he hid his fear in his heart and said: “What country, stranger, do you claim as your fatherland? And what woman, of mortals on earth, bore you from her aged womb? Do not befoul your story with most hateful lies,
but tell me of your birth.”
And the stranger boldly answered him with gentle words, in this way: “I say that I am going to bring the teaching of Cheiron; for I come from his cave, from the presence of Chariclo and Philyra, where the holy daughters of the Centaur raised me. Living twenty years without
having said or done anything shameful in their house, I have come to my home to recover the ancient honor of my father, now held improperly, which once Zeus granted to Aeolus, the leader of the people, and to his sons.
For I hear that lawless Pelias, yielding to his empty mind,
violently robbed it from my parents, who were the rulers by right. When I first saw the light, they feared the arrogance of the monstrous ruler, and made a show of dark mourning in the home, with the wailing of women as if someone had died, and sent me away secretly, in purple swaddling clothes,
making the night my escort on the journey, and gave me to Cheiron the son of Cronus to rear.
But you know the chief points of this story. Good citizens, show me clearly the home of my ancestors, who rode on white horses. For I am the son of Aeson, and a native; I do not arrive in a strange foreign land. The divine centaur called me by the name Jason.”
So he spoke; and as he entered his father’s eyes recognized him, and tears burst forth from his aged eyelids, for his soul rejoiced when he saw his son, the choicest and most handsome of men.
And both his father’s brothers
came when they heard the report of Jason. Pheres was near by; he came from the Hypereian spring, and Amythaon came from Messene. Admetus and Melampus came quickly, showing kindness to their cousin. And while they joined in the banquet, Jason, welcoming them with gentle words and offering them fitting hospitality, extended every kind of joyfulness,
reaping the sacred bloom of good living for five full nights and as many days.
But on the sixth day, speaking in earnest, Jason confided the entire story from the beginning to his kinsmen; and they took his side. At once he hurried from the camp with them, and they came to the hall of Pelias.
They rushed in, and took their stand. And when Pelias heard them he came to meet them himself, the son of Tyro with beautiful hair. And Jason, with his soothing voice distilling gentle language, laid the foundation of skillful words: “Son of Poseidon, Cleaver of the Rock,
the minds of mortals are all too swift
to praise crafty gain rather than justice, although they are moving towards a harsh reckoning. But you and I must govern our tempers rightly and weave our future prosperity. You know what I am going to say. A single cow was mother to Cretheus and to bold-thinking Salmoneus. And now we, sprung from them in the third generation, look on the golden strength of the sun.
May the Fates withdraw if there is any hatred between members of the same family, which blots out reverence.
It is not right for us to resort to swords of sharp bronze or spears in dividing the great honors of our ancestors. I leave you the flocks, and the golden herds of cattle, and all the fields, which you keep, having stolen them
from my ancestors, feeding fat your wealth; and it does not grieve me that they provide for your household beyond all measure. But as for the royal scepter and the throne, in which Aeson son of Cretheus once sat, and dispensed straight justice for a nation of horsemen: without any distress between us,
release these to me, lest some more disturbing evil arise from them.” So he spoke. And Pelias answered softly: “I will be such a man as you ask. But already old age attends me, while the flower of your youth is now swelling. You have it in your power to remove the anger of the gods below. For Phrixus asks us to bring his soul home,
going to the halls of Aeetes, and to recover the deep-fleeced hide of the ram, on which he was once saved from the sea
and from the impious weapons of his stepmother. A marvellous dream came and told me these things, and I have asked the oracle at Castalia whether it must be pursued; and the oracle urges me to make ready as soon as possible a ship to escort him home.
Willingly fulfill this quest, and I swear that I will deliver up to you the royal power and the kingdom. And, as a mighty oath, may Zeus, who is ancestor to us both, be our witness.” They approved this agreement, and they parted. And Jason himself at once
sent messengers everywhere to announce the voyage. Soon there came the three sons, untiring in battle, whom dark-eyed Alcmena and Leda bore to Zeus son of Cronus; and two high-haired men, sons of the earth-shaker, obeying their innate valor, one from Pylos and the other from the headland of Taenarus; you both achieved
noble fame, Euphemus and wide-ruling Periclymenus. And from Apollo the lyre-player came, the father of songs, much-praised Orpheus.
And Hermes of the golden wand sent two sons to take part in the unabating toil, Echion and Erytus, bursting with youth. Swiftly
came those that dwell around the foothills of Mount Pangaeon, for with a smiling spirit their father Boreas, king of the winds, quickly and willingly equipped Zetes and Calais with purple wings bristling down their backs. And Hera kindled in the demigods an all-persuasive sweet longing
for the ship Argo, so that no one would be left behind to stay by his mother’s side, nursing a life without danger, but even at the risk of death would find the finest elixir of excellence together with his other companions. When the choicest seamen came down to Iolcus, Jason reviewed and praised them all; and
the seer Mopsus, making his prophecy from birds and the casting of sacred lots, gladly gave the men the signal to set out. And when they hung the anchor over the ship’s ram,
the leader, standing at the stern, took in his hands a golden goblet and called on the father of Uranus’ descendants, Zeus whose spear is the thunderbolt; and he called on the
swift-rushing waves and winds, and on the nights, and the paths of the sea, and the propitious days, and on the kindly fortune of their homecoming.. And from the clouds there answered an auspicious peal of thunder, and bright flashes of lightning came bursting forth, and the heroes drew a breath of relief, trusting in the sign of the god.
The seer shouted to them
to throw themselves into the oars, announcing that their hopes were sweet; and the rowing sped on under their swift hands, insatiably. Escorted by the breezes of the South wind, they reached the mouth of the Inhospitable Sea, and there they set up a holy precinct to Poseidon, god of the sea;
there was a herd of red Thracian bulls, and a newly-built hollow of altar stones. And as they rushed into deep danger, they entreated the lord of ships
that they might escape the irresistible onset of the clashing rocks. There was a pair of them; they were alive, and they rolled onward more swiftly
than the battle-lines of the loud-thundering winds. But that voyage of the demigods put an end to them. And then the Argonauts came to Phasis, where they clashed with the dark-faced Colchians in the realm of Aeetes himself. And the queen of sharpest arrows brought the dappled wryneck from Olympus, bound to the four spokes
of the indissoluble wheel:
Aphrodite of Cyprus brought the maddening bird to men for the first time, and she taught the son of Aeson skill in prayerful incantations, so that he could rob Medea of reverence for her parents, and a longing for Greece would lash her, her mind on fire, with the whip of Persuasion.
And she quickly revealed the means of performing the labors set by her father; and she mixed drugs with olive oil as a remedy for hard pains, and gave it to him to anoint himself. They agreed to be united with each other in sweet wedlock.
But when Aeetes placed in their midst the adamantine plough
and the oxen, who breathed the flame of burning fire from their golden jaws and stamped at the earth in turn with their bronze hoofs, he led them along and single-handedly brought them under the yoke. And he drove them, stretching the furrows straight, and split the back of the clodded earth, a fathom deep. Then he spoke in this way: “Let your king,
whoever commands the ship, complete this work for me; then let him carry off the immortal coverlet,
the fleece gleaming with its golden fringe.” When he had spoken thus, Jason threw off his saffron cloak and, trusting in the god, set his hand to the task. The fire did not touch him; he followed the advice of the foreign woman who knew every kind of remedy. He grasped the plough, and bound the necks of the oxen in the irresistible
harness, and prodding their strong-ribbed bulk with the unceasing goad the powerful man accomplished the allotted measure of his task. And Aeetes wailed, though his cry was silent, amazed at Jason’s strength.
His companions stretched their friendly hands towards the mighty man,
and crowned him with garlands of laurel, and greeted him with gentle words. But at once the marvellous son of Helios spoke of the shining fleece, telling where the sword of Phrixus had stretched it out. He expected that Jason would not be able to accomplish this further labor. For the fleece lay in a thicket, held in the ravening jaws of a serpent,
which in thickness and length surpassed a ship with fifty oars, built by the blows of a hammer.
It is too long a way for me to go by the beaten track; for time presses, and I know a shortcut. In poetic skill I am a guide to many others. Jason killed the gray-eyed serpent with its dappled back by cunning,
Arcesilas, and stole away Medea, with her own help, to be the death of Pelias. And they reached the expanses of Ocean, and the Red Sea, and the race of the Lemnian women, who killed their husbands. There they displayed their prowess of limbs in athletic contests with a cloak for a prize,
and they went to bed with the women. In foreign
fields then the fated day, or night, received the seed of your shining prosperity; for there the race of Euphemus was planted, to continue forever. And having gone to share the home of the Lacedaemonians, in time they left to settle the island once called Calliste. From there the son of Leto granted that your race should bring prosperity to the plain of Libya, with the honor of the gods, and govern the divine city of golden-throned Cyrene,
having discovered the wisdom of right counsel. Now, learn the skill of Oedipus: if a man, with a sharp-cutting axe, cuts the branches from a great oak, and spoils its marvellous beauty,
even with its fruit destroyed it votes for its own worth, if it comes at last to the winter fire; or if it is placed with upright columns belonging to a ruler, performing a slavish service among foreign walls, having deserted its native place.
But you are a most opportune healer, and Apollo Paean honors your light. One must apply a gentle hand to tend a sore wound: it is easy even for weak men to shake a city to its foundations, but to set it in its place again is indeed a difficult struggle, unless a god suddenly comes to guide its rulers.
These blessings are woven out for you: be bold, and apply all earnestness for the sake of fortunate Cyrene.
Of the sayings of Homer, take to heart and heed this one: “a noble messenger,” he said, “brings the greatest honor to every business.” Even the Muse is exalted by a correct message. Cyrene
and the most renowned hall of Battus recognized the just mind of Damophilus; a young man among boys, and in counsels like an elder who has lived a hundred years, he robs the evil tongue of its brash voice, and he has learned to hate the arrogant;
he does not struggle against good men, or postpone any decisive action, for the right moment has a brief measure in the eyes of men. He recognizes it well, and he serves it as an attendant, not a slave. But they say that this is the most grievous thing of all, to recognize what is good and to be debarred from it by compulsion. And truly he, like Atlas,
now strains against the weight of the sky, far from his ancestral land and his possessions. But immortal Zeus freed the Titans; and in time, when the wind ceases, there are changes
of sails. But he prays that at some time, when he has drained to the dregs his cup of ruinous affliction, he will see his home, and, joining the symposium near the spring of Apollo,
yield his spirit often to the joys of youth, and attain peace, holding the well-made lyre among his skillful fellow citizens, bringing no pain to anyone, and himself unharmed by his townsmen. Then he would tell you, Arcesilas, what a fountain of immortal song he found, when he was recently entertained by his host at Thebes.

> Greek: σάμερον μὲν χρή σε παρʼ ἀνδρὶ φίλῳ
στᾶμεν, εὐΐππου βασιλῆϊ Κυράνας, ὄφρα κωμάζοντι σὺν Ἀρκεσίλᾳ,
Μοῖσα, Λατοίδαισιν ὀφειλόμενον Πυθῶνί τʼ αὔξῃς οὖρον ὕμνων,
ἔνθα ποτὲ χρυσέων Διὸς αἰητῶν πάρεδρος,
οὐκ ἀποδάμου Ἀπόλλωνος τυχόντος, ἱέ ρεα
χρῆσεν οἰκιστῆρα Βάττον καρποφόρου Λιβύας, ἱερὰν
νᾶσον ὡς ἤδη λιπὼν κτίσσειεν εὐάρματον
πόλιν ἐν ἀργενν όε ντι μαστῷ,
καὶ τὸ Μηδείας ἔπος ἀγκομίσαι
ἑβδόμᾳ καὶ σὺν δεκάτᾳ γενεᾷ Θήραιον, Αἰήτα τό ποτε ζαμενὴς
παῖς ἀπέπνευσʼ ἀθανάτου στόματος, δέσποινα Κόλχων. εἶπε δʼ οὕτως
ἡμιθέοισιν Ἰάσονος αἰχματᾶο ναύταις·
κέκλυτε, παῖδες ὑπερθύμων τε φωτῶν καὶ θεῶν·
φαμὶ γὰρ τᾶσδʼ ἐξ ἁλιπλάκτου ποτὲ γᾶς Ἐπάφοιο κόραν
ἀστέων ῥίζαν φυτεύσεσθαι μελησιμβρότων
Διὸς ἐν Ἄμμωνος θεμέθλοις.
ἀντὶ δελφίνων δʼ ἐλαχυπτερύγων ἵππους ἀμείψαντες θοάς,
ἁνία τʼ ἀντʼ ἐρετμῶν δίφρους τε νωμάσοισιν ἀελλόποδας.
κεῖνος ὄρνις ἐκτελευτάσει μεγαλᾶν πολίων
ματρόπολιν Θήραν γενέσθαι, τόν ποτε Τριτωνίδος ἐν προχοαῖς
λίμνας θεῷ ἀνέρι εἰδομένῳ γαῖαν διδόντι
ξείνια πρῴραθεν Εὔφαμος καταβὰς
δέξατʼ· αἴσιον δʼ ἐπί οἱ Κρονίων Ζεὺς πατὴρ ἔκλαγξε βροντάν·
ἁνίκʼ ἄγκυραν ποτὶ χαλκόγενυν
ναῒ κρημνάντων ἐπέτοσσε, θοᾶς Ἀργοῦς χαλινόν. δώδεκα δὲ πρότερον
ἁμέρας ἐξ Ωκεανοῦ φέρομεν νώτων ὕπερ γαίας ἐρήμων
εἰνάλιον δόρυ, μήδεσιν ἀνσπάσσαντες ἀμοῖς.
τουτάκι δʼ οἰοπόλος δαίμων ἐπῆλθεν, φαιδίμαν
ἀνδρὸς αἰδοίου πρόσοψιν θηκάμενος· φιλίων δʼ ἐπέων
ἄρχετο, ξείνοις ἅτʼ ἐλθόντεσσιν εὐεργέται
δεῖπνʼ ἐπαγγέλλοντι πρῶτον.
ἀλλὰ γὰρ νόστου πρόφασις γλυκεροῦ
κώλυεν μεῖναι. φάτο δʼ Εὐρύπυλος Γαιαόχου παῖς ἀφθίτου Ἐννοσίδα
ἔμμεναι· γίγνωσκε δʼ ἐπειγομένους· ἂν δʼ εὐθὺς ἁρπάξαις ἀρούρας
δεξιτερᾷ προτυχὸν ξένιον μάστευσε δοῦναι.
οὐδʼ ἀπίθησέ νιν, ἀλλʼ ἥρως ἐπʼ ἀκταῖσιν θορὼν
χειρί οἱ χεῖρʼ ἀντερείσαις δέξατο βώλακα δαιμονίαν.
πεύθομαι δʼ αὐτὰν κατακλυσθεῖσαν ἐκ δούρατος
ἐναλίαν βᾶμεν σὺν ἅλμᾳ
ἑσπέρας, ὑγρῷ πελάγει σπομέναν. ἦ μάν νιν ὤτρυνον θαμὰ
λυσιπόνοις θεραπόντεσσιν φυλάξαι· τῶν δʼ ἐλάθοντο φρένες·
καί νυν ἐν τᾷδʼ ἄφθιτον νάσῳ κέχυται Λιβύας
εὐρυχόρου σπέρμα πρὶν ὥρας· εἰ γὰρ οἴκοι νιν βάλε πὰρ χθόνιον
Ἄιδα στόμα, Ταίναρον εἰς ἱερὰν Εὔφαμος ἐλθών,
υἱὸς ἱππάρχου Ποσειδάωνος ἄναξ,
τόν ποτʼ Εὐρώπα Τιτυοῦ θυγάτηρ τίκτε Καφισοῦ παρʼ ὄχθαις·
τετράτων παίδων κʼ ἐπιγινομένων
αἷμά οἱ κείναν λάβε σὺν Δαναοῖς εὐρεῖαν ἄπειρον. τότε γὰρ μεγάλας
ἐξανίστανται Λακεδαίμονος Ἀργείου τε κόλπου καὶ Μυκηνᾶν.
νῦν γε μὲν ἀλλοδαπᾶν κριτὸν εὑρήσει γυναικῶν
ἐν λέχεσιν γένος, οἵ κεν τάνδε σὺν τιμᾷ θεῶν
νᾶσον ἐλθόντες τέκωνται φῶτα κελαινεφέων πεδίων
δεσπόταν· τὸν μὲν πολυχρύσῳ ποτʼ ἐν δώματι
Φοῖβος ἀμνάσει θέμισσιν
Πύθιον ναὸν καταβάντα χρόνῳ
ὑστέρῳ, νάεσσι πολεῖς ἀγαγὲν Νείλοιο πρὸς πῖον τέμενος Κρονίδα.
ἦ ῥα Μηδείας ἐπέων στίχες. ἔπταξαν δʼ ἀκίνητοι σιωπᾷ
ἥρωες ἀντίθεοι πυκινὰν μῆτιν κλύοντες.
ὦ μάκαρ υἱὲ Πολυμνάστου, σὲ δʼ ἐν τούτῳ λόγῳ
χρησμὸς ὤρθωσεν μελίσσας Δελφίδος αὐτομάτῳ κελάδῳ·
ἅ σε χαίρειν ἐς τρὶς αὐδάσαισα πεπρωμένον
βασιλέʼ ἄμφανεν Κυράνᾳ,
δυσθρόου φωνᾶς ἀνακρινόμενον ποινὰ τίς ἔσται πρὸς θεῶν.
ἦ μάλα δὴ μετὰ καὶ νῦν, ὥστε φοινικανθέμου ἦρος ἀκμᾷ,
παισὶ τούτοις ὄγδοον θάλλει μέρος Ἀρκεσίλας·
τῷ μὲν Ἀπόλλων ἅ τε Πυθὼ κῦδος ἐξ ἀμφικτιόνων ἔπορεν
ἱπποδρομίας. ἀπὸ δʼ αὐτὸν ἐγὼ Μοίσαισι δώσω
καὶ τὸ πάγχρυσον νάκος κριοῦ· μετὰ γὰρ
κεῖνο πλευσάντων Μινυᾶν, θεόπομποί σφισιν τιμαὶ φύτευθεν.
τίς γὰρ ἀρχὰ δέξατο ναυτιλίας;
τίς δὲ κίνδυνος κρατεροῖς ἀδάμαντος δῆσεν ἅλοις; θέσφατον ἦν Πελίαν
ἐξ ἀγαυῶν Αἰολιδᾶν θανέμεν χείρεσσιν ἢ βουλαῖς ἀκάμπτοις.
ἦλθε δέ οἱ κρυόεν πυκινῷ μάντευμα θυμῷ,
πὰρ μέσον ὀμφαλὸν εὐδένδροιο ῥηθὲν ματέρος·
τὸν μονοκρήπιδα πάντως ἐν φυλακᾷ σχεθέμεν μεγάλᾳ,
εὖτʼ ἂν αἰπεινῶν ἀπὸ σταθμῶν ἐς εὐδείελον
χθόνα μόλῃ κλειτᾶς Ἰωλκοῦ,
ξεῖνος αἴτʼ ὦν ἀστός. ὁ δʼ ἆρα χρόνῳ
ἵκετʼ αἰχμαῖσιν διδύμαισιν ἀνὴρ ἔκπαγλος· ἐσθὰς δʼ ἀμφοτέρα νιν ἔχεν,
ἅ τε Μαγνήτων ἐπιχώριος ἁρμόζοισα θαητοῖσι γυίοις,
ἀμφὶ δὲ παρδαλέᾳ στέγετο φρίσσοντας ὄμβρους·
οὐδὲ κομᾶν πλόκαμοι κερθέντες ᾤχοντʼ ἀγλαοί,
ἀλλʼ ἅπαν νῶτον καταίθυσσον. τάχα δʼ εὐθὺς ἰὼν σφετέρας
ἐστάθη γνώμας ἀταρμύκτοιο πειρώμενος
ἐν ἀγορᾷ πλήθοντος ὄχλου.
τὸν μὲν οὐ γίγνωσκον· ὀπιζομένων δʼ ἔμπας τις εἶπεν καὶ τόδε·
οὔτι που οὗτος Ἀπόλλων, οὐδὲ μὰν χαλκάρματός ἐστι πόσις
Ἀφροδίτας· ἐν δὲ Νάξῳ φαντὶ θανεῖν λιπαρᾷ
Ἰφιμεδείας παῖδας, Ὦτον καὶ σέ, τολμάεις Ἐφιάλτα ἄναξ.
καὶ μὰν Τιτυὸν βέλος Ἀρτέμιδος θήρευσε κραιπνόν
ἐξ ἀνικάτου φαρέτρας ὀρνύμενον,
ὄφρα τις τᾶν ἐν δυνατῷ φιλοτάτων ἐπιψαύειν ἔραται.
τοὶ μὲν ἀλλάλοισιν ἀμειβόμενοι
γάρυον τοιαῦτʼ· ἀνὰ δʼ ἡμιόνοις ξεστᾷ τʼ ἀπήνᾳ προτροπάδαν Πελίας
ἵκετο σπεύδων· τάφε δʼ αὐτίκα παπτάναις ἀρίγνωτον πέδιλον
δεξιτερῷ μόνον ἀμφὶ ποδί. κλέπτων δὲ θυμῷ
δεῖμα προσέννεπε· ποίαν γαῖαν, ὦ ξεῖνʼ, εὔχεαι
πατρίδʼ ἔμμεν; καὶ τίς ἀνθρώπων σε χαμαιγενέων πολιᾶς
ἐξανῆκεν γαστρός; ἐχθίστοισι μὴ ψεύδεσιν
καταμιάναις εἰπὲ γένναν.
τὸν δὲ θαρσήσαις ἀγανοῖσι λόγοις
ὧδʼ ἀμείφθη· φαμὶ διδασκαλίαν Χείρωνος οἴσειν. ἀντρόθε γὰρ νέομαι
πὰρ Χαρικλοῦς καὶ Φιλύρας, ἵνα Κενταύρου με κοῦραι θρέψαν ἁγναί.
εἴκοσι δʼ ἐκτελέσαις ἐνιαυτοὺς οὔτε ἔργον
οὔτʼ ἔπος ἐντράπελον κείνοισιν εἰπὼν ἱκόμαν
οἴκαδʼ, ἀρχαίαν κομίζων πατρὸς ἐμοῦ βασιλευομέναν
οὐ κατʼ αἶσαν, τάν ποτε Ζεὺς ὤπασεν λαγέτᾳ
Αἰόλῳ καὶ παισί, τιμάν.
πεύθομαι γάρ νιν Πελίαν ἄθεμιν λευκαῖς πιθήσαντα φρασὶν
ἁμετέρων ἀποσυλᾶσαι βιαίως ἀρχεδικᾶν τοκέων·
τοί μʼ, ἐπεὶ πάμπρωτον εἶδον φέγγος, ὑπερφιάλου
ἁγεμόνος δείσαντες ὕβριν, κᾶδος ὡσείτε φθιμένου δνοφερὸν
ἐν δώμασι θηκάμενοι, μίγα κωκυτῷ γυναικῶν
κρύβδα πέμπον σπαργάνοις ἐν πορφυρέοις,
νυκτὶ κοινάσαντες ὁδόν, Κρονίδᾳ δὲ τράφεν Χείρωνι δῶκαν.
ἀλλὰ τούτων μὲν κεφάλαια λόγων
ἴστε. λευκίππων δὲ δόμους πατέρων, κεδνοὶ πολῖται, φράσσατέ μοι σαφέως·
Αἴσονος γὰρ παῖς ἐπιχώριος οὐ ξείναν ἱκάνω γαῖαν ἄλλων.
Φὴρ δέ με θεῖος Ἰάσονα κικλήσκων προσηύδα.
ὣς φάτο. τὸν μὲν ἐσελθόντʼ ἔγνον ὀφθαλμοὶ πατρός.
ἐκ δʼ ἄρʼ αὐτοῦ πομφόλυξαν δάκρυα γηραλέων γλεφάρων,
ἃν περὶ ψυχὰν ἐπεὶ γάθησεν ἐξαίρετον
γόνον ἰδὼν κάλλιστον ἀνδρῶν.
καὶ κασίγνητοί σφισιν ἀμφότεροι
ἤλυθον κείνου γε κατὰ κλέος· ἐγγὺς μὲν Φέρης κράναν Υπερῇδα λιπών,
ἐκ δὲ Μεσσάνας Ἀμυθάν· ταχέως δʼ Ἄδματος ἷκεν καὶ Μέλαμπος,
εὐμενέοντες ἀνεψιόν. ἐν δαιτὸς δὲ μοίρᾳ
μειλιχίοισι λόγοις αὐτοὺς Ἰάσων δέγμενος,
ξείνιʼ ἁρμόζοντα τεύχων, πᾶσαν ἐυφροσύναν τάνυεν,
ἀθρόαις πέντε δραπὼν νύκτεσσιν ἔν θʼ ἁμέραις
ἱερὸν εὐζοίας ἄωτον.
ἀλλʼ ἐν ἕκτᾳ πάντα, λόγον θέμενος σπουδαῖον, ἐξ ἀρχᾶς ἀνὴρ
συγγενέσιν παρεκοινᾶθʼ· οἱ δʼ ἐπέσποντʼ· αἶψα δʼ ἀπὸ κλισιᾶν
ὦρτο σὺν κείνοισι. καί ῥʼ ἦλθον Πελία μέγαρον·
ἐσσύμενοι δʼ εἴσω κατέσταν. τῶν δʼ ἀκούσαις αὐτὸς ὑπαντίασεν
Τυροῦς ἐρασιπλοκάμου γενεά· πραῢν δʼ Ἰάσων
μαλθακᾷ φωνᾷ ποτιστάζων ὄαρον
βάλλετο κρηπῖδα σοφῶν ἐπέων· παῖ Ποσειδᾶνος Πετραίου,
ἐντὶ μὲν θνατῶν φρένες ὠκύτεραι
κέρδος αἰνῆσαι πρὸ δίκας δόλιον, τραχεῖαν ἑρπόντων πρὸς ἔπιβδαν ὅμως·
ἀλλʼ ἐμὲ χρὴ καὶ σὲ θεμισσαμένους ὀργὰς ὑφαίνειν λοιπὸν ὄλβον.
εἰδότι τοι ἐρέω· μία βοῦς Κρηθεῖ τε μάτηρ
καὶ θρασυμήδεϊ Σαλμωνεῖ· τρίταισιν δʼ ἐν γοναῖς
ἄμμες αὖ κείνων φυτευθέντες σθένος ἀελίου χρύσεον
λεύσσομεν. Μοῖραι δʼ ἀφίσταντʼ, εἴ τις ἔχθρα πέλει
ὁμογόνοις, αἰδῶ καλύψαι.
οὐ πρέπει νῷν χαλκοτόροις ξίφεσιν
οὐδʼ ἀκόντεσσιν μεγάλαν προγόνων τιμὰν δάσασθαι. μῆλά τε γάρ τοι ἐγὼ
καὶ βοῶν ξανθὰς ἀγέλας ἀφίημʼ ἀγρούς τε πάντας, τοὺς ἀπούραις
ἁμετέρων τοκέων νέμεαι, πλοῦτον πιαίνων·
κοὔ με πονεῖ τεὸν οἶκον ταῦτα πορσύνοντʼ ἄγαν·
ἀλλὰ καὶ σκᾶπτον μόναρχον καὶ θρόνος, ᾧ ποτε Κρηθεΐδας
ἐγκαθίζων ἱππόταις εὔθυνε λαοῖς δίκας,
τὰ μὲν ἄνευ ξυνᾶς ἀνίας
λῦσον ἄμμιν, μή τι νεώτερον ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀναστάῃ κακόν.
ὣς ἄρʼ ἔειπεν. ἀκᾷ δʼ ἀνταγόρευσεν καὶ Πελίας· ἔσομαι
τοῖος· ἀλλʼ ἤδη με γηραιὸν μέρος ἁλικίας
ἀμφιπολεῖ· σὸν δʼ ἄνθος ἥβας ἄρτι κυμαίνει· δύνασαι δʼ ἀφελεῖν
μᾶνιν χθονίων. κέλεται γὰρ ἑὰν ψυχὰν κομίξαι
Φρίξος ἐλθόντας πρὸς Αἰήτα θαλάμους,
δέρμα τε κριοῦ βαθύμαλλον ἄγειν, τῷ ποτʼ ἐκ πόντου σαώθη
ἔκ τε ματρυιᾶς ἀθέων βελέων.
ταῦτά μοι θαυμαστὸς ὄνειρος ἰὼν φωνεῖ. μεμάντευμαι δʼ ἐπὶ Κασταλίᾳ,
εἰ μετάλλατόν τι. καὶ ὡς τάχος ὀτρύνει με τεύχειν ναὶ πομπάν.
τοῦτον ἄεθλον ἑκὼν τέλεσον· καί τοι μοναρχεῖν
καὶ βασιλευέμεν ὄμνυμι προήσειν. καρτερὸς
ὅρκος ἄμμιν μάρτυς ἔστω Ζεὺς ὁ γενέθλιος ἀμφοτέροις.
σύνθεσιν ταύταν ἐπαινήσαντες οἱ μὲν κρίθεν·
ἀτὰρ Ἰάσων αὐτὸς ἤδη
ὤρνυεν κάρυκας ἐόντα πλόον
φαινέμεν παντᾷ. τάχα δὲ Κρονίδαο Ζηνὸς υἱοὶ τρεῖς ἀκαμαντομάχαι
ἦλθον Ἀλκμήνας θʼ ἑλικοβλεφάρου Λήδας τε, δοιοὶ δʼ ὑψιχαῖται
ἀνέρες, Ἐννοσίδα γένος, αἰδεσθέντες ἀλκάν,
ἔκ τε Πύλου καὶ ἀπʼ ἄκρας Ταινάρου· τῶν μὲν κλέος
ἐσλὸν Εὐφάμου τʼ ἐκράνθη σόν τε, Περικλύμενʼ εὐρυβία.
ἐξ Ἀπόλλωνος δὲ φορμικτὰς ἀοιδᾶν πατὴρ
ἔμολεν, εὐαίνητος, Ὀρφεύς.
πέμπε δʼ Ἑρμᾶς χρυσόραπις διδύμους υἱοὺς ἐπʼ ἄτρυτον πόνον,
τὸν μὲν Ἐχίονα, κεχλάδοντας ἥβᾳ, τὸν δʼ Ἔρυτον. ταχέες
ἀμφὶ Παγγαίου θεμέθλοις ναιετάοντες ἔβαν·
καὶ γὰρ ἑκὼν θυμῷ γελανεῖ θᾶσσον ἔντυνεν βασιλεὺς ἀνέμων
Ζήταν Κάλαΐν τε πατὴρ Βορέας, ἄνδρας πτεροῖσιν
νῶτα πεφρίκοντας ἄμφω πορφυρέοις.
τὸν δὲ παμπειθῆ γλυκὺν ἡμιθέοισιν πόθον ἔνδαιεν Ἥρα
ναὸς Ἀργοῦς, μή τινα λειπόμενον
τὰν ἀκίνδυνον παρὰ ματρὶ μένειν αἰῶνα πέσσοντʼ, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ καὶ θανάτῳ
φάρμακον κάλλιστον ἑᾶς ἀρετᾶς ἅλιξιν εὑρέσθαι σὺν ἄλλοις.
ἐς δʼ Ἰαωλκὸν ἐπεὶ κατέβα ναυτᾶν ἄωτος,
λέξατο πάντας ἐπαινήσαις Ἰάσων. καί ῥά οἱ
μάντις ὀρνίχεσσι καὶ κλάροισι θεοπροπέων ἱεροῖς
Μόψος ἄμβασε στρατὸν πρόφρων. ἐπεὶ δʼ ἐμβόλου
κρέμασαν ἀγκύρας ὕπερθεν,
χρυσέαν χείρεσσι λαβὼν φιάλαν
ἀρχὸς ἐν πρύμνᾳ πατέρʼ Οὐρανιδᾶν ἐγχεικέραυνον Ζῆνα, καὶ ὠκυπόρους
κυμάτων ῥιπὰς ἀνέμων τʼ ἐκάλει, νύκτας τε καὶ πόντου κελεύθους
ἄματά τʼ εὔφρονα καὶ φιλίαν νόστοιο μοῖραν·
ἐκ νεφέων δέ οἱ ἀντάϋσε βροντᾶς αἴσιον
φθέγμα· λαμπραὶ δʼ ἦλθον ἀκτῖνες στεροπᾶς ἀπορηγνύμεναι·
ἀμπνοὰν δʼ ἥρωες ἔστασαν θεοῦ σάμασιν
πιθόμενοι· κάρυξε δʼ αὐτοῖς
ἐμβαλεῖν κώπαισι τερασκόπος ἁδείας ἐνίπτων ἐλπίδας·
εἰρεσία δʼ ὑπεχώρησεν ταχειᾶν ἐκ παλαμᾶν ἄκορος.
σὺν Νότου δʼ αὔραις ἐπʼ Ἀξείνου στόμα πεμπόμενοι
ἤλυθον· ἔνθʼ ἁγνὸν Ποσειδάωνος ἕσσαντʼ εἰναλίου τέμενος,
φοίνισσα δὲ Θρηϊκίων ἀγέλα ταύρων ὑπᾶρχεν
καὶ νεόκτιστον λίθων βωμοῖο θέναρ.
ἐς δὲ κίνδυνον βαθὺν ἱέμενοι δεσπόταν λίσσοντο ναῶν,
συνδρόμων κινηθμὸν ἀμαιμάκετον
ἐκφυγεῖν πετρᾶν. δίδυμαι γὰρ ἔσαν ζωαί, κυλινδέσκοντό τε κραιπνότεραι
ἢ βαρυγδούπων ἀνέμων στίχες· ἀλλʼ ἤδη τελευτὰν κεῖνος αὐταῖς
ἡμιθέων πλόος ἄγαγεν. ἐς Φᾶσιν δʼ ἔπειτεν
ἤλυθον· ἔνθα κελαινώπεσσι Κόλχοισιν βίαν
μῖξαν Αἰήτᾳ παρʼ αὐτῷ. πότνια δʼ ὀξυτάτων βελέων
ποικίλαν ἴϋγγα τετράκναμον Οὐλυμπόθεν
ἐν ἀλύτῳ ζεύξαισα κύκλῳ
μαινάδʼ ὄρνιν Κυπρογένεια φέρεν
πρῶτον ἀνθρώποισι, λιτάς τʼ ἐπαοιδὰς ἐκδιδάσκησεν σοφὸν Αἰσονίδαν·
ὄφρα Μηδείας τοκέων ἀφέλοιτʼ αἰδῶ, ποθεινὰ δʼ Ἑλλὰς αὐτὰν
ἐν φρασὶ καιομέναν δονέοι μάστιγι Πειθοῦς.
καὶ τάχα πείρατʼ ἀέθλων δείκνυεν πατρωΐων·
σὺν δʼ ἐλαίῳ φαρμακώσαισʼ ἀντίτομα στερεᾶν ὀδυνᾶν
δῶκε χρίεσθαι. καταίνησαν τε κοινὸν γάμον
γλυκὺν ἐν ἀλλάλοισι μῖξαι.
ἀλλʼ ὅτʼ Αἰήτας ἀδαμάντινον ἐν μέσσοις ἄροτρον σκίμψατο
καὶ βόας, οἳ φλόγʼ ἀπὸ ξανθᾶν γεν ύω ν πν έο ν καιομένοιο πυρός,
χαλκέαις δʼ ὁπλαῖς ἀράσσεσκον χθόνʼ ἀμειβόμενοι,
τοὺς ἀγαγὼν ζεύγλᾳ πέλασσεν μοῦνος. ὀρθὰς δʼ αὔλακας ἐντανύσαις
ἤλαυνʼ, ἀνὰ βωλακίας δʼ ὀρόγυιαν σχίζε νῶτον
γᾶς. ἔειπεν δʼ ὧδε· τοῦτʼ ἔργον βασιλεύς,
ὅστις ἄρχει ναός, ἐμοὶ τελέσαις ἄφθιτον στρωμνὰν ἀγέσθω,
κῶας αἰγλᾶεν χρυσέῳ θυσάνῳ.
ὣς ἄρʼ αὐδάσαντος ἀπὸ κροκόεν ῥίψαις Ἰάσων εἷμα θεῷ πίσυνος
εἴχετʼ ἔργου· πῦρ δέ νιν οὐκ ἐόλει παμφαρμάκου ξείνας ἐφετμαῖς.
σπασσάμενος δʼ ἄροτρον, βοέους δήσαις ἀνάγκας
ἔντεσιν αὐχένας ἐμβάλλων τʼ ἐριπλεύρῳ φυᾷ
κέντρον αἰανὲς βιατὰς ἐξεπόνησʼ ἐπιτακτὸν ἀνὴρ
μέτρον. ἴϋξεν δʼ ἀφωνήτῳ περ ἔμπας ἄχει
δύνασιν Αἰήτας ἀγασθείς.
πρὸς δʼ ἑταῖροι καρτερὸν ἄνδρα φίλας
ὤρεγον χεῖρας, στεφάνοισί τέ νιν ποίας ἔρεπτον, μειλιχίοις τε λόγοις
ἀγαπάζοντʼ. αὐτίκα δʼ Ἀελίου θαυμαστὸς υἱὸς δέρμα λαμπρὸν
ἔννεπεν, ἔνθα νιν ἐκτάνυσαν Φρίξου μάχαιραι·
ἤλπετο δʼ οὐκέτι οἱ κεῖνόν γε πράξεσθαι πόνον.
κεῖτο γὰρ λόχμᾳ, δράκοντος δʼ εἴχετο λαβροτατᾶν γενύων,
ὃς πάχει μάκει τε πεντηκόντορον ναῦν κράτει,
τέλεσαν ἃν πλαγαὶ σιδάρου.
μακρά μοι νεῖσθαι κατʼ ἀμαξιτόν· ὥρα γὰρ συνάπτει· καί τινα
οἶμον ἴσαμι βραχύν· πολλοῖσι δʼ ἅγημαι σοφίας ἑτέροις.
κτεῖνε μὲν γλαυκῶπα τέχναις ποικιλόνωτον ὄφιν,
ὦ Ἀρκεσίλα, κλέψεν τε Μήδειαν σὺν αὐτᾷ, τὰν Πελίαο φόνον·
ἔν τʼ Ὠκεανοῦ πελάγεσσι μίγεν πόντῳ τʼ ἐρυθρῷ
Λαμνιᾶν τʼ ἔθνει γυναικῶν ἀνδροφόνων·
ἔνθα καὶ γυίων ἀέθλοις ἐπέδειξαν κρίσιν ἐσθᾶτος ἀμφίς,
καὶ συνεύνασθεν. καὶ ἐν ἀλλοδαπαῖς
σπέρμʼ ἀρούραις τουτάκις ὑμετέρας ἀκτῖνος ὄλβου δέξατο μοιρίδιον
ἆμαρ ἢ νύκτες. τόθι γὰρ γένος Εὐφάμου φυτευθὲν λοιπὸν αἰεὶ
τέλλετο· καὶ Λακεδαιμονίων μιχθέντες ἀνδρῶν
ἤθεσι τάν ποτε Καλλίσταν ἀπῴκησαν χρόνῳ
νᾶσον· ἔνθεν δʼ ὔμμι Λατοίδας ἔπορεν Λιβύας πεδίον
σὺν θεῶν τιμαῖς ὀφέλλειν, ἄστυ χρυσοθρόνου
διανέμειν θεῖον Κυράνας
ὀρθόβουλον μῆτιν ἐφευρομένοις.
γνῶθι νῦν τὰν Οἰδιπόδα σοφίαν. εἰ γάρ τις ὄζους ὀξυτόμῳ πελέκει
ἐξερείψειεν μεγάλας δρυός, αἰσχύνοι δέ οἱ θαητὸν εἶδος·
καὶ φθινόκαρπος ἐοῖσα διδοῖ ψᾶφον περʼ αὐτᾶς,
εἴ ποτε χειμέριον πῦρ ἐξίκηται λοίσθιον·
ἢ σὺν ὀρθαῖς κιόνεσσιν δεσποσύναισιν ἐρειδομένα
μόχθον ἄλλοις ἀμφέπει δύστανον ἐν τείχεσιν,
ἑὸν ἐρημώσαισα χῶρον.
ἐσσὶ δʼ ἰατὴρ ἐπικαιρότατος, Παιάν τέ σοι τιμᾷ φάος·
χρὴ μαλακὰν χέρα προσβάλλοντα τρώμαν ἕλκεος ἀμφιπολεῖν.
ῥᾴδιον μὲν γὰρ πόλιν σεῖσαι καὶ ἀφαυροτέροις·
ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ χώρας αὖτις ἕσσαι δυσπαλὲς δὴ γίγνεται, ἐξαπίνας
εἰ μὴ θεὸς ἁγεμόνεσσι κυβερνατὴρ γένηται.
τὶν δὲ τούτων ἐξυφαίνονται χάριτες.
τλᾶθι τᾶς εὐδαίμονος ἀμφὶ Κυράνας θέμεν σπουδὰν ἅπασαν.
τῶν δʼ Ὁμήρου καὶ τόδε συνθέμενος
ῥῆμα πόρσυνʼ· ἄγγελον ἐσλὸν ἔφα τιμὰν μεγίσταν πράγματι παντὶ φέρειν·
αὔξεται καὶ Μοῖσα διʼ ἀγγελίας ὀρθᾶς. ἐπέγνω μὲν Κυράνα
καὶ τὸ κλεεννότατον μέγαρον Βάττου δικαιᾶν
Δαμοφίλου πραπίδων. κεῖνος γὰρ ἐν παισὶν νέος,
ἐν δὲ βουλαῖς πρέσβυς ἐγκύρσαις ἑκατονταετεῖ βιοτᾷ,
ὀρφανίζει μὲν κακὰν γλῶσσαν φαεννᾶς ὀπός,
ἔμαθε δʼ ὑβρίζοντα μισεῖν,
οὐκ ἐρίζων ἀντία τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς,
οὐδὲ μακύνων τέλος οὐδέν. ὁ γὰρ καιρὸς πρὸς ἀνθρώπων βραχὺ μέτρον ἔχει.
εὖ νιν ἔγνωκεν· θεράπων δέ οἱ, οὐ δράστας ὀπαδεῖ. φαντὶ δʼ ἔμμεν
τοῦτʼ ἀνιαρότατον, καλὰ γιγνώσκοντʼ ἀνάγκᾳ
ἐκτὸς ἔχειν πόδα. καὶ μὰν κεῖνος Ἄτλας οὐρανῷ
προσπαλαίει νῦν γε πατρῴας ἀπὸ γᾶς ἀπό τε κτεάνων·
λῦσε δὲ Ζεὺς ἄφθιτος Τιτᾶνας. ἐν δὲ χρόνῳ
μεταβολαὶ λήξαντος οὔρου
ἱστίων. ἀλλʼ εὔχεται οὐλομέναν νοῦσον διαντλήσαις ποτὲ
οἶκον ἰδεῖν, ἐπʼ Ἀπόλλωνός τε κράνᾳ συμποσίας ἐφέπων
θυμὸν ἐκδόσθαι πρὸς ἥβαν πολλάκις, ἔν τε σοφοῖς
δαιδαλέαν φόρμιγγα βαστάζων πολίταις ἡσυχίᾳ θιγέμεν,
μήτʼ ὦν τινι πῆμα πορών, ἀπαθὴς δʼ αὐτὸς πρὸς ἀστῶν.
καί κε μυθήσαιθʼ ὁποίαν, Ἀρκεσίλα,
εὗρε παγὰν ἀμβροσίων ἐπέων, πρόσφατον Θήβᾳ ξενωθείς.

## 2. Odes 5–6

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

[¶0] Wealth is widely powerful, whenever a mortal man receives it, blended with pure excellence, from the hands of fortune, and takes it as a companion that makes many friends.
Arcesilas, favored by the gods, from the first steps of your famous life you seek for it with glory, by the grace of Castor with his golden chariot,
who, after the wintry storm, sheds calm on your blessed hearth.
Skillful men are better able to bear even god-given power. Great prosperity surrounds you, as you walk with justice.
First, since you are a king of great cities, your inborn eye looks on this as a most revered prize of honor, united with your mind;
and you are blessed even now, because you have already earned the boast of victory with your horses from the renowned Pythian festival, and you will welcome this victory-procession of men,
a delight for Apollo. And so, do not forget, when you are celebrated in song around Cyrene’s sweet garden of Aphrodite,
to set the god in the highest place as the cause of all things, and to love Carrhotus above all your companions. He did not bring with him Excuse, the daughter of late-thinking Afterthought, when he came to the house of the descendants of Battus who rule by right;
but he was welcomed beside the waters of Castalia, and he flung over your hair the prize of honor for the victorious chariot;
his reins were undamaged in the precinct of the twelve swift-footed courses. For he broke no part of his strong equipment; it hangs dedicated there,
all the handiwork of dextrous craftsmen, which he brought past the hill of Crisa to the hollow valley of the god. The cypress shrine keeps it
beside the statue which the Cretan bowmen set up in the Parnassian chamber, carved from a single piece of wood.
Therefore it is fitting to welcome a benefactor with a willing mind.
Son of Alexibias, the lovely-haired Graces make you radiant. You are blessed, you who have, even after great hardship, a memorial of the best words. For among forty
drivers who fell, having brought your chariot through unscathed with a fearless mind, you have come now from the splendid games to the plain of Libya and your ancestral city.
But no man is without a share of toils, or ever will be.
Yet the ancient prosperity of Battus continues, despite its dispensation of both good and bad, a tower of the city and a most brilliant shining eye to strangers. Even loud-roaring lions fled in fear from Battus, when he unleashed on them his voice from across the sea.
And Apollo, the first leader, doomed the beasts to dread fear, so that his oracles to the guardian of Cyrene would not go unfulfilled.
It is Apollo who dispenses remedies to men and women for grievous diseases,
and who bestowed on us the cithara, and gives the Muses’ inspiration to whomever he will, bringing peaceful concord into the mind, and who possesses the oracular shrine; wherefore he settled the mighty descendants of Heracles and Aegimius in Lacedaemon
and in Argos and in sacred Pylos. But it is my part to sing of the lovely glory that comes from Sparta,
where the Aegeidae were born, and from there
they went to Thera, my ancestors, not without the gods; they were led by a certain fate. From there we have received the feast with its many sacrifices, and at your
banquet, Carneian Apollo, we honor the well-built city of Cyrene, which is held by foreigners who delight in bronze, the Trojan descendants of Antenor. For they came with Helen, after they had seen their native city consumed in the smoke
of war. And that horse-driving race was faithfully welcomed with sacrifices by men who came to them bringing gifts, men whom Aristoteles led, when, with his swift ships, he opened a deep path across the sea. And he founded precincts of the gods that were greater than before,
and he established, for the processions of Apollo, protector of men, a straight cut, level, paved road for the clatter of horses’ hooves, where at the edge of the marketplace he rests by himself in death.
He was blessed when he dwelled among men,
and thereafter a hero worshipped by the people. Apart from him, in front of the houses, are the other sacred kings who took their allotted places in Hades, and somehow below the earth they hear, in their minds, great excellence sprinkled with gentle dew
by the outpourings of victory-songs—prosperity for themselves, and a justly earned and shared grace for their son Arcesilas. It is fitting for him, in the song of the young men, to celebrate Phoebus with his golden sword,
now that he has received from Pytho the graceful victory-song as a compensation for his expense. Intelligent men praise him. I will say what has been said by others:
he nurtures a mind and tongue that are beyond his years; in courage he is a long-winged eagle among birds; his strength in competition is like a bulwark. Among the Muses, he has had wings since he was a child in his dear mother’s lap,
and he has proved himself a skillful charioteer.
He has boldly tried every local opportunity for fine deeds, and now a god gladly brings his power to perfection; and in the future, blessed sons of Cronus, grant him the same, both in deeds and in counsels,
lest some fruit-destroying blast of winter wind quell his life. The great mind of Zeus steers the fortune of men that he loves. I pray to him
to grant another prize of honor at Olympia to the race of Battus.

> Greek: ὁ πλοῦτος εὐρυσθενής,
ὅταν τις ἀρετᾷ κεκραμένον καθαρᾷ
βροτήσιος ἀνὴρ πότμου παραδόντος, αὐτὸν ἀνάγῃ
πολύφιλον ἑπέταν.
ὦ θεόμορʼ Ἀρκεσίλα,
σύ τοί νιν κλυτᾶς
αἰῶνος ἀκρᾶν βαθμίδων ἄπο
σὺν εὐδοξίᾳ μετανίσεαι
ἕκατι χρυσαρμάτου Κάστορος·
εὐδίαν ὃς μετὰ χειμέριον ὄμβρον τεὰν
καταιθύσσει μάκαιραν ἑστίαν.
σοφοὶ δέ τοι κάλλιον
φέροντι καὶ τὰν θεόσδοτον δύναμιν.
σὲ δʼ ἐρχόμενον ἐν δίκᾳ πολὺς ὄλβος ἀμφινέμεται·
τὸ μέν, ὅτι βασιλεὺς
ἐσσὶ μεγαλᾶν πολίων,
ἔχει συγγενὴς
ὀφθαλμὸς αἰδοιότατον γέρας
τεᾷ τοῦτο μιγνύμενον φρενί·
μάκαρ δὲ καὶ νῦν, κλεεννᾶς ὅτι
εὖχος ἤδη παρὰ Πυθιάδος ἵπποις ἑλὼν
δέδεξαι τόνδε κῶμον ἀνέρων,
Ἀπολλώνιον ἄθυρμα. τῷ σε μὴ λαθέτω
Κυράνας γλυκὺν ἀμφὶ κᾶπον Ἀφροδίτας ἀειδόμενον,
παντὶ μὲν θεὸν αἴτιον ὑπερτιθέμεν·
φιλεῖν δὲ Κάρρωτον ἔξοχʼ ἑταίρων·
ὃς οὐ τὰν Ἐπιμαθέος ἄγων
ὀψινόου θυγατέρα Πρόφασιν, Βαττιδᾶν
ἀφίκετο δόμους θεμισκρεόντων·
ἀλλʼ ἀρισθάρματον
ὕδατι Κασταλίας ξενωθεὶς γέρας ἀμφέβαλε τεαῖσιν κόμαις,
ἀκηράτοις ἁνίαις
ποδαρκέων δωδεκάδρομον τέμενος.
κατέκλασε γὰρ ἐντέων σθένος οὐδέν· ἀλλὰ κρέμαται,
ὁπόσα χεριαρᾶν
τεκτόνων δαίδαλʼ ἄγων
Κρισαῖον λόφον
ἄμειψεν ἐν κοιλόπεδον νάπος
θεοῦ· τό σφʼ ἔχει κυπαρίσσινον
μέλαθρον ἀμφʼ ἀνδριάντι σχεδόν,
Κρῆτες ὃν τοξοφόροι τέγεϊ Παρνασσίῳ
καθέσσαντο μονόδροπον φυτόν.
ἑκόντι τοίνυν πρέπει
νόῳ τὸν εὐεργέταν ὑπαντιάσαι.
Ἀλεξιβιάδα, σὲ δʼ ἠΰκομοι φλέγοντι Χάριτες.
μακάριος, ὃς ἔχεις
καὶ πεδὰ μέγαν κάματον
λόγων φερτάτων
μναμήϊʼ· ἐν τεσσαράκοντα γὰρ
πετόντεσσιν ἁνιόχοις ὅλον
δίφρον κομίξαις ἀταρβεῖ φρενί,
ἦλθες ἤδη Λιβύας πεδίον ἐξ ἀγλαῶν
ἀέθλων καὶ πατρωΐαν πόλιν.
πόνων δʼ οὔ τις ἀπόκλαρός ἐστιν οὔτʼ ἔσεται·
ὁ Βάττου δʼ ἕπεται παλαιὸς ὄλβος ἔμπαν τὰ καὶ τὰ νέμων,
πύργος ἄστεος ὄμμα τε φαεννότατον
ξένοισι. κεῖνόν γε καὶ βαρύκομποι
λέοντες περὶ δείματι φύγον,
γλῶσσαν ἐπεί σφιν ἀπένεικεν ὑπερποντίαν·
ὁ δʼ ἀρχαγέτας ἔδωκʼ Ἀπόλλων
θῆρας αἰνῷ φόβῳ,
ὄφρα μὴ ταμίᾳ Κυράνας ἀτελὴς γένοιτο μαντεύμασιν.
ὃ καὶ βαρειᾶν νόσων
ἀκέσματʼ ἄνδρεσσι καὶ γυναιξὶ νέμει,
πόρεν τε κίθαριν, δίδωσί τε Μοῖσαν οἷς ἂν ἐθέλῃ,
ἀπόλεμον ἀγαγὼν
ἐς πραπίδας εὐνομίαν,
μυχόν τʼ ἀμφέπει
μαντήϊον· τῷ [καὶ] Λακεδαίμονι
ἐν Ἄργει τε καὶ ζαθέᾳ Πύλῳ
ἔνασσεν ἀλκ άε ντας Ἡρακλέος
ἐκγόνους Αἰγιμιοῦ τε. τὸ δʼ ἐμὸν γαρύειν
ἀπὸ Σπάρτας ἐπήρατον κλέος·
ὅθεν γεγενναμένοι
ἵκοντο Θήρανδε φῶτες Αἰγεΐδαι,
ἐμοὶ πατέρες, οὐ θεῶν ἄτερ, ἀλλὰ μοῖρά τις ἄγεν·
πολύθυτον ἔρανον
ἔνθεν ἀναδεξάμενοι,
Ἄπολλον, τεᾷ,
Καρνήϊʼ, ἐν δαιτὶ σεβίζομεν
Κυράνας ἀγακτιμέναν πόλιν·
ἔχοντι τὰν χαλκοχάρμαι ξένοι
Τρῶες Ἀντανορίδαι. σὺν Ἑλένᾳ γὰρ μόλον,
καπνωθεῖσαν πάτραν ἐπεὶ ἴδον
ἐν Ἄρει. τὸ δʼ ἐλάσιππον ἔθνος ἐνδυκέως
δέκονται θυσίαισιν ἄνδρες οἰχνέοντές σφε δωροφόροι,
τοὺς Ἀριστοτέλης ἄγαγε, ναυσὶ θοαῖς
ἁλὸς βαθεῖαν κέλευθον ἀνοίγων.
κτίσεν δʼ ἄλσεα μείζονα θεῶν,
εὐθύτομόν τε κατέθηκεν Ἀπολλωνίαις
ἀλεξιμβρότοις πεδιάδα πομπαῖς
ἔμμεν ἱππόκροτον
σκυρωτὰν ὁδόν, ἔνθα πρυμνοῖς ἀγορᾶς ἔπι δίχα κεῖται θανών.
μάκαρ μὲν ἀνδρῶν μέτα
ἔναιεν, ἥρως δʼ ἔπειτα λαοσεβής.
ἄτερθε δὲ πρὸ δωμάτων ἕτεροι λαχόντες Ἀΐδαν
βασιλέες ἱεροὶ
ἐντί, μεγάλαν δʼ ἀρετὰν
δρόσῳ μαλθακᾷ
ῥανθεῖσαν κώμων ὑπὸ χεύμασιν,
ἀκούοντί που χθονίᾳ φρενί,
σφὸν ὄλβον υἱῷ τε κοινὰν χάριν
ἔνδικόν τʼ Ἀρκεσίλᾳ. τὸν ἐν ἀοιδᾷ νέων
πρέπει χρυς άο ρα Φοῖβον ἀπύειν,
ἔχοντα Πυθωνόθεν
τὸ καλλίνικον λυτήριον δαπανᾶν
μέλος χαρίεν. ἄνδρα κεῖνον ἐπαινέοντι συνετοί.
λεγόμενον ἐρέω·
κρέσσονα μὲν ἁλικίας
νόον φέρβεται
γλῶσσάν τε· θάρσος δὲ τανύπτερος
ἐν ὄρνιξιν αἰετὸς ἔπλετο·
ἀγωνίας δʼ, ἕρκος οἷον, σθένος·
ἔν τε Μοίσαισι ποτανὸς ἀπὸ ματρὸς φίλας,
πέφανταί θʼ ἁρματηλάτας σοφός·
ὅσαι τʼ εἰσὶν ἐπιχωρίων καλῶν ἔσοδοι,
τετόλμακε. θεός τέ οἱ τὸ νῦν τε πρόφρων τελεῖ δύνασιν,
καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν ⟨ὁμοῖα⟩, Κρονίδαι μάκαρες,
διδοῖτʼ ἐπʼ ἔργοισιν ἀμφί τε βουλαῖς
ἔχειν, μὴ φθινοπωρὶς ἀνέμων
χειμερία κατὰ πνοὰ δαμαλίζοι χρόνον.
Διός τοι νόος μέγας κυβερνᾷ
δαίμονʼ ἀνδρῶν φίλων.
εὔχομαί νιν Ὀλυμπίᾳ τοῦτο
δόμεν γέρας ἔπι Βάττου γένει.

[¶1] Listen! for we are again ploughing the field of dark-eyed Aphrodite, or of the Graces, as we approach the sacred navel of the loud-roaring land;
where, for the prosperous Emmenids and Acragas on the river, and especially for Xenocrates, a Pythian victor’s treasure-house of songs has been built and is ready in the glen of Apollo, rich in gold.
It is buffeted by neither the invading onset of winter rain, the loud-roaring cloud’s pitiless army, nor the wind that sweeps all kinds of rubble into the depths of the sea. Its facade, shining in pure light,
will announce your chariot victory to the speech of men and make it famous—the victory you share with your father and your race, Thrasybulus, won in the vales of Crisa.
You keep it on your right hand and
uphold the commandment, one of the precepts which they say once in the mountains the son of Philyra enjoined on the powerful son of Peleus, when he was separated from his parents: first of the gods, worship the son of Cronus, the loud-voiced ruler of lightning and thunder;
and never deprive your parents of such honor during their allotted lifetime.
Long ago, too, powerful Antilochus showed that he had this way of thinking;
he died for his father’s sake, by awaiting the man-slaying commander of the Ethiopians, Memnon. For the horse kept Nestor’s chariot from moving, since it had been wounded by Paris ’ arrows; and Memnon was aiming his strong spear.
The old man of Messene, his mind reeling, shouted to his son;
the cry he hurled did not fall to the ground; his god-like son stayed on the spot and paid for his father’s rescue with his own life,
and because he accomplished this tremendous deed he seemed to the younger men to be the greatest man of his time in excellence towards his parents. These things are past. Of men alive today, Thrasybulus
more than anyone has approached his father’ s standard,
and he rivals his father’s brother in every splendor. He manages his wealth with intelligence, reaping not an unjust or arrogant youth, but the wisdom found in the quiet haunts of the Pierian Muses.
Earth-shaking Poseidon, he is devoted to you, who rule over horse-races, and his thoughts are pleasing to you. His sweet temperament, when he associates with his drinking companions, surpasses even the bee’s intricate honeycomb.

> Greek: ἀκούσατʼ· ἦ γὰρ ἑλικώπιδος Ἀφροδίτας
ἄρουραν ἢ Χαρίτων
ἀναπολίζομεν, ὀμφαλὸν ἐριβρόμου
χθονὸς ἐς νάϊον προσοιχόμενοι·
Πυθιόνικος ἔνθʼ ὀλβίοισιν Ἐμμενίδαις
ποταμίᾳ τʼ Ἀκράγαντι καὶ μὰν Ξενοκράτει
ἑτοῖμος ὕμνων
θησαυρὸς ἐν πολυχρύσῳ
Ἀπολλωνίᾳ τετείχισται νάπᾳ·
τὸν οὔτε χειμέριος ὄμβρος ἐπακτὸς ἐλθών,
ἐριβρόμου νεφέλας
στρατὸς ἀμείλιχος, οὔτʼ ἄνεμος ἐς μυχοὺς
ἁλὸς ἄξοισι παμφόρῳ χεράδει
τυπτόμενον. φάει δὲ πρόσωπον ἐν καθαρῷ
πατρὶ τεῷ, Θρασύβουλε, κοινάν τε γενεᾷ
λόγοισι θνατῶν
εὔδοξον ἅρματι νίκαν
Κρισαίαισιν ἐν πτυχαῖς ἀπαγγελεῖ.
σύ τοι σχεθών νιν ἐπιδέξια χειρός, ὀρθὰν
ἄγεις ἐφημοσύναν,
τά ποτʼ ἐν οὔρεσι φαντὶ μεγαλοσθενεῖ
Φιλύρας υἱὸν ὀρφανιζομένῲ
Πηλεΐδᾳ παραινεῖν· μάλιστα μὲν Κρονίδαν,
βαρυόπαν στεροπᾶν κεραυνῶν τε πρύτανιν,
θεῶν σέβεσθαι·
ταύτας δὲ μή ποτε τιμᾶς
ἀμείρειν γονέων βίον πεπρωμένον.
ἔγεντο καὶ πρότερον Ἀντίλοχος βιατὰς
νόημα τοῦτο φέρων,
ὃς ὑπερέφθιτο πατρός, ἐναρίμβροτον
ἀναμείναις στράταρχον Αἰθιόπων
Μέμνονα. Νεστόρειον γὰρ ἵππος ἅρμʼ ἐπέδα
Πάριος ἐκ βελέων δαϊχθείς· ὁ δʼ ἔφεπεν
κραταιὸν ἔγχος·
Μεσσανίου δὲ γέροντος
δονηθεῖσα φρὴν βόασε παῖδα ὅν·
χαμαιπετὲς δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπος οὐκ ἀπέριψεν· αὐτοῦ
μένων δʼ ὁ θεῖος ἀνὴρ
πρίατο μὲν θανάτοιο κομιδὰν πατρός,
ἐδόκησέν τε τῶν πάλαι γενεᾷ
ὁπλοτέροισιν, ἔργον πελώριον τελέσαις,
ὕπατος ἀμφὶ τοκεῦσιν ἔμμεν πρὸς ἀρετάν.
τὰ μὲν παρίκει·
τῶν νῦν δὲ καὶ Θρασύβουλος
πατρῴαν μάλιστα πρὸς στάθμαν ἔβα,
πάτρῳ τʼ ἐπερχόμενος ἀγλαΐαν ἅπασαν.
νόῳ δὲ πλοῦτον ἄγει,
ἄδικον οὔθʼ ὑπέροπλον ἥβαν δρέπων,
σοφίαν δʼ ἐν μυχοῖσι Πιερίδων·
τίν τʼ, Ἐλέλιχθον, ἃς εὗρες ἱππίας ἐσόδους, μάλα ἁδόντι νόῳ, Ποσειδᾶν, προσέχεται. γλυκεῖα δὲ φρὴν καὶ συμπόταισιν ὁμιλεῖν μελισσᾶν ἀμείβεται τρητὸν πόνον.

## 3. Odes 7–12

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/pindar-pythian-odes/3/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/pindar-pythian-odes/3/#p-N

[¶0] The great city of Athens is the most beautiful prelude of song, which the widely powerful race of the Alcmaeonids can lay as a foundation of odes in honor of their horses.
What fatherland, what family will you name that is more illustrious in Greece?
For in all cities the story
of the citizens of Erechtheus makes the rounds, Apollo, how they made your dwelling in divine Pytho a marvel to see. Five Isthmian victories lead my song forward, and one outstanding triumph
at Zeus’ Olympian games, and two from Cirrha —
yours, Megacles, and your ancestors’. I rejoice at this new success; but I grieve that fine deeds are repaid with envy.
It is true what they say: the abiding bloom of good fortune brings with it both good and bad.

> Greek: κάλλιστον αἱ μεγαλοπόλιες Ἀθᾶναι
προοίμιον Ἀλκμανιδᾶν εὐρυσθενεῖ γενεᾷ
κρηπῖδʼ ἀοιδᾶν
ἵπποισι βαλέσθαι.
ἐπεὶ τίνα πάτραν, τίνα οἶκον
ναίων ὀνυμάξεαι
ἐπιφανέστερον
Ἑλλάδι πυθέσθαι;
πάσαισι γὰρ πολίεσι λόγος ὁμιλεῖ
Ἐρεχθέος ἀστῶν, Ἄπολλον, οἳ τεόν γε δόμον
Πυθῶνι δίᾳ
θαητὸν ἔτευξαν.
ἄγοντι δέ με πέντε μὲν Ἰσθμοῖ
νῖκαι, μία δʼ ἐκπρεπὴς
Διὸς Ὀλυμπιάς,
δύο δʼ ἀπὸ Κίρρας,
ὦ Μεγάκλεες, ὑμαί τε καὶ προγόνων.
νέα δʼ εὐπραγίᾳ χαίρω τι· τὸ δʼ ἄχνυμαι,
φθόνον ἀμειβόμενον τὰ καλὰ ἔργα.
φαντί γε μὰν οὕτω κεν ἀνδρὶ παρμονίμαν
θάλλοισαν εὐδαιμονίαν
τὰ καὶ τὰ φέρεσθαι.

[¶1] Kindly Peace, daughter of Justice, you who make cities great, holding the supreme keys of counsels and of wars,
receive this honor due to Aristomenes for his Pythian victory. For you know both how to give and how to receive gentleness, with precise timing.
And yet, whenever anyone drives pitiless anger into his heart,
you meet the strength of your enemies roughly, sinking Arrogance in the flood. Porphyrion did not know your power, when he provoked you beyond all measure. Gain is most welcome, when one takes it from the home of a willing giver.
Violence trips up even a man of great pride, in time. Cilician Typhon with his hundred heads did not escape you, nor indeed did the king of the Giants. One was subdued by the thunderbolt, the other by the bow of Apollo, who with a gracious mind welcomed the son of Xenarces on his return from Cirrha, crowned with
a garland of laurel from Parnassus and with Dorian victory-song.
His island with her just city has not fallen far from the Graces, having attained the famous excellence of the Aeacidae; she has had perfect
glory from the beginning. She is praised in song for having fostered heroes who were supreme in many victory-bearing contests and in swift battles;
and she is distinguished in these things even for her men. But I do not have the time to set up
their whole long story to the lyre and the gentle voice, for fear that satiety would come and distress us. But my debt to you, child, which comes running at my feet, your latest fine achievement, let it fly on the wings of my artfulness.
For in wrestling you follow in the footsteps of your mother’s brothers, and you do not disgrace Theognetus at Olympia, nor the bold-limbed victory of Cleitomachus at the Isthmus. And by exalting the clan of the Midylids, you fulfill the prophecy which once Amphiaraus the son of Oicles spoke in riddling words, when he saw, in seven-gated
Thebes, those sons standing by their spears,
when they came from Argos on that second march, the Epigoni. Thus he spoke, while they were fighting: “By nature the genuine spirit of the fathers
is conspicuous in the sons. I clearly see Alcmaeon, wielding a dappled serpent on his blazing shield, the first at the gates of Cadmus.
And he who suffered in the earlier disaster, the hero Adrastus, now has the tidings of a better
bird of omen. But at home his luck will be the opposite. For he alone of the Danaan army will gather the bones of his dead son, by the fortune sent from the gods, and come with his people unharmed
to the spacious streets of Argos, the city of Abas.” So spoke Amphiaraus. And I myself rejoice as I fling garlands over Alcmaeon and sprinkle him with song, because this hero is my neighbor and guardian of my possessions, and he met me when I was going to the songful navel of the earth,
and he touched on prophecies with his inborn arts.
And you, Apollo, shooting from afar, you who govern the glorious temple, hospitable to all, in the hollows of Pytho, there you granted the greatest of joys.
And before, in your festival at home, you brought him a coveted gift for the pentathlon. Lord, I pray that with a willing mind
I may observe a certain harmony on every step of my way.
Justice stands beside the sweet-singing victory procession. I pray that the gods may regard your fortunes without envy, Xenarces. For if anyone has noble achievements without long toil, to many he seems to be a skillful man among the foolish,
arming his life with the resources of right counsel. But these things do not depend on men. It is a god who grants them; raising up one man and throwing down another. Enter the struggle with due measure. You have won a prize of honor at Megara, and in the valley of Marathon; and at the local contest of Hera
you were dominant in action with three victories, Aristomenes.
And you fell from above on the bodies of four opponents, with grim intent; to them no cheerful homecoming was allotted, as it was to you, at the Pythian festival;
nor, when they returned to their mothers, did sweet laughter awaken joy. They slink along the back-streets, away from their enemies, bitten by misfortune.
But he who has gained some fine new thing in his great opulence
flies beyond hope on the wings of his manliness, with ambitions that are greater than wealth. But the delight of mortals grows in a short time, and then it falls to the ground, shaken by an adverse thought.
Creatures of a day. What is someone? What is no one? Man is the dream of a shadow. But when the brilliance given by Zeus comes, a shining light is on man, and a gentle lifetime. Dear mother Aegina, convey this city on her voyage of freedom, with the blessing of Zeus, and the ruler Aeacus,
and Peleus, and good Telamon, and Achilles.

> Greek: φιλόφρον Ἡσυχία, Δίκας
ὦ μεγιστόπολι θύγατερ,
βουλᾶν τε καὶ πολέμων
ἔχοισα κλαῗδας ὑπερτάτας,
Πυθιόνικον τιμὰν Ἀριστομένει δέκευ.
τὺ γὰρ τὸ μαλθακὸν ἔρξαι τε καὶ παθεῖν ὁμῶς
ἐπίστασαι καιρῷ σὺν ἀτρεκεῖ·
τὺ δʼ, ὁπόταν τις ἀμείλιχον
καρδίᾳ κότον ἐνελάσῃ,
τραχεῖα δυσμενέων
ὑπαντιάξαισα κράτει τιθεῖς
Ὕβριν ἐν ἄντλῳ. τὰν οὐδὲ Πορφυρίων μάθεν
παρʼ αἶσαν ἐξερεθίζων· κέρδος δὲ φίλτατον,
ἑκόντος εἴ τις ἐκ δόμων φέροι.
βία δὲ καὶ μεγάλαυχον ἔσφαλεν ἐν χρόνῳ.
Τυφὼς Κίλιξ ἑκατόγκρανος οὔ νιν ἄλυξεν,
οὐδὲ μὰν βασιλεὺς Γιγάντων· δμᾶθεν δὲ κεραυνῷ
τόξοισί τʼ Ἀπόλλωνος· ὃς εὐμενεῖ νόῳ
Ξενάρκειον ἔδεκτο Κίρραθεν ἐστεφανωμένον
υἱὸν ποίᾳ Παρνασσίδι Δωριεῖ τε κώμῳ.
ἔπεσε δʼ οὐ Χαρίτων ἑκὰς
ἁ δικαιόπολις ἀρεταῖς
κλειναῖσιν Αἰακιδᾶν
θιγοῖσα νᾶσος· τελέαν δʼ ἔχει
δόξαν ἀπʼ ἀρχᾶς. πολλοῖσι μὲν γὰρ ἀείδεται
νικαφόροις ἐν ἀέθλοις θρέψαισα καὶ θοαῖς
ὑπερτάτους ἥρωας ἐν μάχαις·
τὰ δὲ καὶ ἀνδράσιν ἐμπρέπει.
εἰμὶ δʼ ἄσχολος ἀναθέμεν
πᾶσαν μακραγορίαν
λύρᾳ τε καὶ φθέγματι μαλθακῷ,
μὴ κόρος ἐλθὼν κνίσῃ. τὸ δʼ ἐν ποσί μοι τράχον
ἴτω τεὸν χρέος, ὦ παῖ, νεώτατον καλῶν,
ἐμᾷ ποτανὸν ἀμφὶ μαχανᾷ.
παλαισμάτεσσι γὰρ ἰχνεύων ματραδελφεοὺς
Ὀλυμπίᾳ τε Θεόγνητον οὐ κατελέγχεις,
οὐδὲ Κλειτομάχοιο νίκαν Ἰσθμοῖ θρασύγυιον·
αὔξων δὲ πάτραν Μιδυλιδᾶν λόγον φέρεις,
τὸν ὅνπερ ποτʼ Ὀϊκλέος παῖς ἐν ἑπταπύλοις ἰδὼν
υἱοὺς Θήβαις αἰνίξατο παρμένοντας αἰχμᾷ,
ὁπότʼ ἀπʼ Ἄργεος ἤλυθον
δευτέραν ὁδὸν Ἐπίγονοι.
ὧδʼ εἶπε μαρναμένων·
φυᾷ τὸ γενναῖον ἐπιπρέπει
ἐκ πατέρων παισὶ λῆμα. θαέομαι σαφὲς
δράκοντα ποικίλον αἰθᾶς Ἀλκμᾶνʼ ἐπʼ ἀσπίδος
νωμῶντα πρῶτον ἐν Κάδμου πύλαις.
ὁ δὲ καμὼν προτέρᾳ πάθᾳ
νῦν ἀρείονος ἐνέχεται
ὄρνιχος ἀγγελίᾳ
Ἄδραστος ἥρως· τὸ δὲ οἴκοθεν
ἀντία πράξει. μοῦνος γὰρ ἐκ Δαναῶν στρατοῦ
θανόντος ὀστέα λέξαις υἱοῦ, τύχᾳ θεῶν
ἀφίξεται λαῷ σὺν ἀβλαβεῖ
Ἄβαντος εὐρυχόρους ἀγυιάς. τοιαῦτα μὲν
ἐφθέγξατʼ Ἀμφιάρηος. χαίρων δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς
Ἀλκμᾶνα στεφάνοισι βάλλω, ῥαίνω δὲ καὶ ὕμνῳ,
γείτων ὅτι μοι καὶ κτεάνων φύλαξ ἐμῶν
ὑπάντασεν ἰόντι γᾶς ὀμφαλὸν παρʼ ἀοίδιμον,
μαντευμάτων τʼ ἐφάψατο συγγόνοισι τέχναις.
τὺ δʼ,Ἑκαταβόλε, πάνδοκον
ναὸν εὐκλέα διανέμων
Πυθῶνος ἐν γυάλοις,
τὸ μὲν μέγιστον τόθι χαρμάτων
ὤπασας· οἴκοι δὲ πρόσθεν ἁρπαλέαν δόσιν
πενταθλίου σὺν ἑορταῖς ὑμαῖς ἐπάγαγες.
ἄναξ, ἑκόντι δʼ εὔχομαι νόῳ
κατά τινʼ ἁρμονίαν βλέπειν,
ἀμφʼ ἕκαστον ὅσα νέομαι.
κώμῳ μὲν ἁδυμελεῖ
Δίκα παρέστακε· θεῶν δʼ ὄπιν
ἄφθονον αἰτέω, Ξείναρκες, ὑμετέραις τύχαις.
εἰ γάρ τις ἐσλὰ πέπαται μὴ σὺν μακρῷ πόνῳ,
πολλοῖς σοφὸς δοκεῖ πεδʼ ἀφρόνων
βίον κορυσσέμεν ὀρθοβούλοισι μαχαναῖς·
τὰ δʼ οὐκ ἐπʼ ἀνδράσι κεῖται· δαίμων δὲ παρίσχει,
ἄλλοτʼ ἄλλον ὕπερθε βάλλων, ἄλλον δʼ ὑπὸ χειρῶν
μέτρῳ καταβαίνει. Μεγάροις δʼ ἔχεις γέρας,
μυχῷ τʼ ἐν Μαραθῶνος, Ἥρας τʼ ἀγῶνʼ ἐπιχώριον
νίκαις τρισσαῖς, Ὦριστόμενες, δάμασσας ἔργῳ·
τέτρασι δʼ ἔμπετες ὑψόθεν
σωμάτεσσι κακὰ φρονέων,
τοῖς οὔτε νόστος ὁμῶς
ἔπαλπνος ἐν Πυθιάδι κρίθη,
οὐδὲ μολόντων πὰρ ματέρʼ ἀμφὶ γέλως γλυκὺς
ὦρσεν χάριν· κατὰ λαύρας δʼ ἐχθρῶν ἀπάοροι
πτώσσοντι, συμφορᾷ δεδαγμένοι.
ὁ δὲ καλόν τι νέον λαχὼν
ἁβρότατος ἔπι μεγάλας
ἐξ ἐλπίδος πέταται
ὑποπτέροις ἀνορέαις, ἔχων
κρέσσονα πλούτου μέριμναν. ἐν δʼ ὀλίγῳ βροτῶν
τὸ τερπνὸν αὔξεται· οὕτω δὲ καὶ πίτνει χαμαί,
ἀποτρόπῳ γνώμᾳ σεσεισμένον.
ἐπάμεροι· τί δέ τις; τί δʼ οὔ τις; σκιᾶς ὄναρ
ἄνθρωπος. ἀλλʼ ὅταν αἴγλα διόσδοτος ἔλθῃ,
λαμπρὸν φέγγος ἔπεστιν ἀνδρῶν καὶ μείλιχος αἰών·
Αἴγινα φίλα μᾶτερ, ἐλευθέρῳ στόλῳ
πόλιν τάνδε κόμιζε Δὶ καὶ κρέοντι σὺν Αἰακῷ
Πηλεῖ τε κἀγαθῷ Τελαμῶνι σύν τʼ Ἀχιλλεῖ.

[¶2] With the help of the deep-waisted Graces I want to shout aloud proclaiming the Pythian victory with the bronze shield of Telesicrates, a prosperous man, the crowning glory of chariot-driving Cyrene;
the long-haired son of Leto once snatched her from the wind-echoing glens of Mt. Pelion, and carried the girl of the wilds in his golden chariot to a place where he made her mistress of a land rich in flocks and most rich in fruits, to live and flourish on the root of the third continent.
Silver-footed Aphrodite welcomed
the Delian guest from his chariot, touching him with a light hand, and she cast lovely modesty on their sweet union, joining together in a common bond of marriage the god and the daughter of wide-ruling Hypseus. He was at that time king of the proud Lapiths, a hero of the second generation from Oceanus;
in the renowned glens of Mt. Pindus a Naiad bore him, Creusa the daughter of Gaia, delighting in the bed of the river-god Peneius.
And Hypseus raised his lovely-armed daughter Cyrene. She did not care for pacing back and forth at the loom, nor for the delights of luncheons with her stay-at-home companions;
instead, fighting with bronze javelins and with a sword, she killed wild beasts, providing great restful peace for her father’s cattle; but as for her sweet bed-fellow, sleep,
she spent only a little of it on her eyelids as it fell on them towards dawn.
Once the god of the broad quiver, Apollo who works from afar, came upon her wrestling alone and without spears with a terrible lion. Immediately he called Cheiron from out of his halls and spoke to him:
“Leave your sacred cave, son of Philyra, and marvel at the spirit and great strength of this woman; look at what a struggle she is engaged in, with a fearless head, this young girl with a heart more than equal to any toil; her mind is not shaken with the cold wind of fear. From what mortal was she born? From what stock has this cutting been taken,
that she should be living in the hollows of the shady mountains
and putting to the test her boundless valor? Is it lawful to lay my renowned hand on her? And to cut the honey-sweet grass of her bed?” And the powerful Centaur, laughing softly with a gentle brow, right away gave his wise advice in reply: “Hidden are skilled Persuasion’s keys to holy love,
Phoebus, and both gods and men blush to take the pleasure of a bed for the first time openly.
For even in your case, for whom it is unlawful to touch on falsehood, a gentle impulse has swayed you to dissemble your words. You ask me from what race the girl comes, lord Apollo? You who know the appointed end of all things,
and all the paths that lead to them? And how many leaves the earth puts forth in spring, and how many grains of sand in the sea and in rivers are dashed by the waves and the gusting winds; and that which will be, and from where it will come, all this you clearly see.
But if I must match myself even against one who is wise,
I will speak. You came to this glen to be her husband, and you will bear her over the sea to the choicest garden of Zeus, where you will make her the ruler of a city, when you have gathered the island-people
to the hill encircled by plains. And now queen Libya of the broad meadows will gladly welcome your glorious bride in her golden halls. There she will right away give her a portion of land to flourish with her as her lawful possession, not without tribute of all kinds of fruit, nor unfamiliar with wild animals.
There she will bear a child, whom famous Hermes
will take from beneath his own dear mother and carry to the Seasons on their lovely thrones and to Gaia. They will admire the baby on their knees and drop nectar and ambrosia on his lips, and they will make him immortal, to be called Zeus and holy Apollo, a delight to men he loves, an ever-present guardian of flocks,
Agreus and Nomius, and others will call him Aristaeus.” Having spoken thus, Cheiron urged the god to fulfill the delightful consummation of his marriage.
Accomplishment is swift when the gods are already hurrying, and the roads are short. That very day decided the matter. They lay together in the bedchamber of Libya, rich in gold, where she possesses a most beautiful city
which is renowned for victories in contests. And now in very holy Pytho, where by his victory he had Cyrene proclaimed, the son of Carneiades brought lovely, flourishing good fortune to her; she will welcome him graciously, when he brings back home to the land of beautiful women
desirable fame from Delphi.
Great excellence can always inspire many stories; but to embroider a short account from a lengthy theme is what wise men love to hear. Right proportion in the same way contains the gist of the whole; as seven-gated Thebes once knew well,
Telesicrates was not dishonored by Iolaus; when he had cut off the head of Eurystheus with the edge of his sword, he was buried below the earth by the tomb of the charioteer Amphitryon, his father’s father, where he lay as the guest of the Sown Men, having come to dwell in the streets of the Cadmeans, who ride on white horses.
Wise Alcmena lay with Amphitryon and with Zeus, and bore
in a single birth twin sons, strong and victorious in battle. Only a mute man does not have Heracles’ name on his lips, and does not always remember the waters of Dirce, which reared him and Iphicles. To them I will sing a victory-song for the fulfillment of my prayer;
may the pure light of the clear-voiced Graces not desert me. For I say that I have praised this city three times, in Aegina and on the hill of Nisus,
truly escaping silent helplessness. Therefore, whether a man is friendly or hostile among the citizens, let him not obscure a thing that is done well for the common good and so dishonor the precept of the old man of the sea,
who said to praise with all your spirit, and with justice, even an enemy when he accomplishes fine deeds. The women saw your many victories at the seasonal rites of Pallas, and each silently prayed that you could be her dear husband,
Telesicrates, or her son;
and in the Attic Olympia too, and in the contests of deep-bosomed Mother Earth, and in all your local games. But while I am quenching my thirst for song, someone exacts an unpaid debt from me, to awake again
the ancient glory of his ancestors as well: for the sake of a Libyan woman they went to the city of Irasa, as suitors of the very famous daughter of Antaeus with the beautiful hair. Many excellent kinsmen sought her, and many strangers too, since her beauty was marvellous.
They wanted
to pluck the flowering fruit of golden-crowned Youth. But her father, cultivating for his daughter a more renowned marriage, heard how Danaus once in Argos had found for his forty-eight daughters, before noon overtook them, a very swift marriage. For right away he stood the whole band of suitors at the end of a course,
and told them to decide with a footrace which of the heroes, who came to be bridegrooms, would take which bride.
The Libyan too made such an offer in joining his daughter with a husband. He placed her at the goal, when he had arrayed her as the crowning prize, and in their midst he announced that that man should lead her to his home, whoever was the first to leap forward
and touch her robes. There Alexidamus, when he had sped to the front of the swift race, took the noble girl’s hand in his hand and led her through the crowd of Nomad horsemen. They cast on that man many leaves and garlands,
and before he had received many wings for his victories.

> Greek: ἐθέλω χαλκάσπιδα Πυθιονίκαν
σὺν βαθυζώνοισιν ἀγγέλλων
Τελεσικράτη Χαρίτεσσι γεγωνεῖν,
ὄλβιον ἄνδρα, διωξίππου στεφάνωμα Κυράνας·
τὰν ὁ χαιτάεις ἀνεμοσφαράγων ἐκ Παλίου κόλπων ποτὲ Λατοΐδας
ἅρπασʼ, ἔνεικέ τε χρυσέῳ παρθένον ἀγροτέραν δίφρῳ, τόθι νιν πολυμήλου
καὶ πολυκαρποτάτας θῆκε δέσποιναν χθονὸς
ῥίζαν ἀπείρου τρίταν εὐήρατον θάλλοισαν οἰκεῖν.
ὑπέδεκτο δʼ ἀργυρόπεζʼ Ἀφροδίτα
Δάλιον ξεῖνον θεοδμάτων
ὀχέων, ἐφαπτομένα χερὶ κούφᾳ.
καί σφιν ἐπὶ γλυκεραῖς εὐναῖς ἐρατὰν βάλεν αἰδῶ,
ξυνὸν ἁρμόζοισα θεῷ τε γάμον μιχθέντα κούρᾳ θʼ Ὑψέος εὐρυβία·
ὃς Λαπιθᾶν ὑπερόπλων τουτάκις ἦν βασιλεύς, ἐξ Ὠκεανοῦ γένος ἥρως
δεύτερος· ὅν ποτε Πίνδου κλεενναῖς ἐν πτυχαῖς
Ναῒς εὐφρανθεῖσα Πηνειοῦ λέχει Κρείοισʼ ἔτικτεν,
Γαίας θυγάτηρ. ὁ δὲ τὰν εὐώλενον
θρέψατο παῖδα Κυράναν· ἁ μὲν οὔθʼ ἱστῶν παλιμβάμους ἐφίλησεν ὁδούς,
οὔτε δείπνων οἰκοριᾶν μεθʼ ἑταιρᾶν τέρψιας,
ἀλλʼ ἀκόντεσσίν τε χαλκέοις
φασγάνῳ τε μαρναμένα κεράϊζεν ἀγρίους
θῆρας, ἦ πολλάν τε καὶ ἡσύχιον
βουσὶν εἰρήναν παρέχοισα πατρῴαις, τὸν δὲ σύγκοιτον γλυκὺν
παῦρον ἐπὶ γλεφάροις
ὕπνον ἀναλίσκοισα ῥέποντα πρὸς ἀῶ.
κίχε νιν λέοντί ποτʼ εὐρυφαρέτρας
ὀμβρίμῳ μούναν παλαίοισαν
ἄτερ ἐγχέων ἑκάεργος Ἀπόλλων.
αὐτίκα δʼ ἐκ μεγάρων Χείρωνα προσέννεπε φωνᾷ.
σεμνὸν ἄντρον, Φιλλυρίδα, προλιπὼν θυμὸν γυναικὸς καὶ μεγάλαν δύνασιν
θαύμασον, οἷον ἀταρβεῖ νεῖκος ἄγει κεφαλᾷ, μόχθου καθύπερθε νεᾶνις
ἦτορ ἔχοισα· φόβῳ δʼ οὐ κεχείμανται φρένες.
τίς νιν ἀνθρώπων τέκεν; ποίας δʼ ἀποσπασθεῖσα φύτλας
ὀρέων κευθμῶνας ἔχει σκιοέντων,
γεύεται δʼ ἀλκᾶς ἀπειράντου;
ὁσία κλυτὰν χέρα οἱ προσενεγκεῖν,
ἦ ῥα; καὶ ἐκ λεχέων κεῖραι μελιηδέα ποίαν;
τὸν δὲ Κένταυρος ζαμενής, ἀγανᾷ χλαρὸν γελάσσαις ὀφρύϊ, μῆτιν ἑὰν
εὐθὺς ἀμείβετο· κρυπταὶ κλαΐδες ἐντὶ σοφᾶς Πειθοῦς ἱερᾶν φιλοτάτων,
Φοῖβε, καὶ ἔν τε θεοῖς τοῦτο κἀνθρώποις ὁμῶς
αἰδέοντʼ, ἀμφανδὸν ἁδείας τυχεῖν τὸ πρῶτον εὐνᾶς.
καὶ γὰρ σέ, τὸν οὐ θεμιτὸν ψεύδει θιγεῖν,
ἔτραπε μείλιχος ὀργὰ παρφάμεν τοῦτον λόγον. κούρας δʼ ὁπόθεν γενεὰν
ἐξερωτᾷς, ὦ ἄνα; κύριον ὃς πάντων τέλος
οἶσθα καὶ πάσας κελεύθους·
ὅσσα τε χθὼν ἠρινὰ φύλλʼ ἀναπέμπει, χὠπόσαι
ἐν θαλάσσᾳ καὶ ποταμοῖς ψάμαθοι
κύμασιν ῥιπαῖς τʼ ἀνέμων κλονέονται, χὤ τι μέλλει, χὠπόθεν
ἔσσεται, εὖ καθορᾷς.
εἰ δὲ χρὴ καὶ πὰρ σοφὸν ἀντιφερίξαι,
ἐρέω. ταύτᾳ πόσις ἵκεο βᾶσσαν
τάνδε, καὶ μέλλεις ὑπὲρ πόντου
Διὸς ἔξοχον ποτὶ κᾶπον ἐνεῖκαι·
ἔνθα νιν ἀρχέπολιν θήσεις, ἐπὶ λαὸν ἀγείραις
νασιώταν ὄχθον ἐς ἀμφίπεδον· νῦν δʼ εὐρυλείμων πότνιά σοι Λιβύα
δέξεται εὐκλέα νύμφαν δώμασιν ἐν χρυσέοις πρόφρων· ἵνα οἱ χθονὸς αἶσαν
αὐτίκα συντελέθειν ἔννομον δωρήσεται,
οὔτε παγκάρπων φυτῶν νήποινον, οὔτʼ ἀγνῶτα θηρῶν.
τόθι παῖδα τέξεται, ὃν κλυτὸς Ἑρμᾶς
εὐθρόνοις Ὥραισι καὶ Γαίᾳ
ἀνελὼν φίλας ὑπὸ ματέρος οἴσει.
ταὶ δʼ ἐπιγουνίδιον θαησάμενοι βρέφος αὐταῖς,
νέκταρ ἐν χείλεσσι καὶ ἀμβροσίαν στάξοισι, θήσονταί τέ νιν ἀθάνατον
Ζῆνα καὶ ἁγνὸν Ἀπόλλωνʼ, ἀνδράσι χάρμα φίλοις ἄγχιστον, ὀπάονα μήλων,
Ἀγρέα καὶ Νόμιον, τοῖς δʼ Ἀρισταῖον καλεῖν.
ὣς ἄρʼ εἰπὼν ἔντυεν τερπνὰν γάμου κραίνειν τελευτάν.
ὠκεῖα δʼ ἐπειγομένων ἤδη θεῶν
πρᾶξις ὁδοί τε βραχεῖαι. κεῖνο κεῖνʼ ἆμαρ διαίτασεν· θαλάμῳ δὲ μίγεν
ἐν πολυχρύσῳ Λιβύας· ἵνα καλλίσταν πόλιν
ἀμφέπει κλεινάν τʼ ἀέθλοις.
καί νυν ἐν Πυθῶνί νιν ἀγαθέᾳ Καρνειάδα
υἱὸς εὐθαλεῖ συνέμιξε τύχᾳ·
ἔνθα νικάσαις ἀνέφανε Κυράναν, ἅ νιν εὔφρων δέξεται,
καλλιγύναικι πάτρᾳ
δόξαν ἱμερτὰν ἀγαγόντʼ ἀπὸ Δελφῶν.
ἀρεταὶ δʼ αἰεὶ μεγάλαι πολύμυθοι·
βαιὰ δʼ ἐν μακροῖσι ποικίλλειν,
ἀκοὰ σοφοῖς· ὁ δὲ καιρὸς ὁμοίως
παντὸς ἔχει κορυφάν. ἔγνον ποτὲ καὶ Ἰόλαον
οὐκ ἀτιμάσαντά νιν ἑπτάπυλοι Θῆβαι· τόν, Εὐρυσθῆος ἐπεὶ κεφαλὰν
ἔπραθε φασγάνου ἀκμᾷ, κρύψαν ἔνερθʼ ὑπὸ γᾶν διφρηλάτα Ἀμφιτρύωνος
σάματι, πατροπάτωρ ἔνθα οἱ Σπαρτῶν ξένος
κεῖτο, λευκίπποισι Καδμείων μετοικήσαις ἀγυιαῖς.
τέκε οἷ καὶ Ζηνὶ μιγεῖσα δαΐφρων
ἐν μόναις ὠδῖσιν Ἀλκμήνα
διδύμων κρατησίμαχον σθένος υἱῶν.
κωφὸς ἀνήρ τις, ὃς Ἡρακλεῖ στόμα μὴ παραβάλλει,
μηδὲ Διρκαίων ὑδάτων ἀὲ μέμναται, τά νιν θρέψαντο καὶ Ἰφικλέα·
τοῖσι τέλειον ἐπʼ εὐχᾷ κωμάσομαί τι παθὼν ἐσλόν· Χαρίτων κελαδεννᾶν
μή με λίποι καθαρὸν φέγγος. Αἰγίνᾳ τε γὰρ
φαμὶ Νίσου τʼ ἐν λόφῳ τρὶς δὴ πόλιν τάνδʼ εὐκλεΐξαι,
σιγαλὸν ἀμαχανίαν ἔργῳ φυγών·
οὕνεκεν, εἰ φίλος ἀστῶν, εἴ τις ἀντάεις, τό γʼ ἐν ξυνῷ πεποναμένον εὖ
μὴ λόγον βλάπτων ἁλίοιο γέροντος κρυπτέτω.
κεῖνος αἰνεῖν καὶ τὸν ἐχθρὸν
παντὶ θυμῷ σύν γε δίκᾳ καλὰ ῥέζοντʼ ἔννεπεν.
πλεῖστα νικάσαντά σε καὶ τελεταῖς
ὡρίαις ἐν Παλλάδος εἶδον ἄφωνοί θʼ ὡς ἕκασται φίλτατον
παρθενικαὶ πόσιν ἢ
υἱὸν εὔχοντʼ, ὦ Τελεσίκρατες, ἔμμεν,
ἐν Ὀλυμπίοισί τε καὶ βαθυκόλπου
Γᾶς ἀέθλοις ἔν τε καὶ πᾶσιν
ἐπιχωρίοις. ἐμὲ δʼ ὦν τις ἀοιδᾶν
δίψαν ἀκειόμενον πράσσει χρέος αὖτις ἐγεῖραι
καὶ παλαιὰν δόξαν ἑῶν προγόνων· οἷοι Λιβύσσας ἀμφὶ γυναικὸς ἔβαν
Ἴρασα πρὸς πόλιν, Ἀνταίου μετὰ καλλίκομον μναστῆρες ἀγακλέα κούραν·
τὰν μάλα πολλοὶ ἀριστῆες ἀνδρῶν αἴτεον
σύγγονοι, πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ ξείνων. ἐπεὶ θαητὸν εἶδος
ἔπλετο· χρυσοστεφάνου δέ οἱ Ἥβας
καρπὸν ἀνθήσαντʼ ἀποδρέψαι
ἔθελον. πατὴρ δὲ θυγατρὶ φυτεύων
κλεινότερον γάμον, ἄκουσεν Δαναόν ποτʼ ἐν Ἄργει
οἷον εὗρεν τεσσαράκοντα καὶ ὀκτὼ παρθένοισι, πρὶν μέσον ἆμαρ ἑλεῖν,
ὠκύτατον γάμον. ἔστασεν γὰρ ἅπαντα χορὸν ἐν τέρμασιν αὐτίκʼ ἀγῶνος·
σὺν δʼ ἀέθλοις ἐκέλευσεν διακρῖναι ποδῶν,
ἅντινα σχήσοι τις ἡρώων, ὅσοι γαμβροί σφιν ἦλθον.
οὕτω δʼ ἐδίδου Λίβυς ἁρμόζων κόρᾳ
νυμφίον ἄνδρα· ποτὶ γραμμᾷ μὲν αὐτὰν στᾶσε κοσμήσαις τέλος ἔμμεν ἄκρον,
εἶπε δʼ ἐν μέσσοις ἀπάγεσθαι, ὃς ἂν πρῶτος θορὼν
ἀμφί οἱ ψαύσειε πέπλοις.
ἔνθʼ Ἀλεξίδαμος, ἐπεὶ φύγε λαιψηρὸν δρόμον,
παρθένον κεδνὰν χερὶ χειρὸς ἑλὼν
ἆγεν ἱππευτᾶν Νομάδων διʼ ὅμιλον. πολλὰ μὲν κεῖνοι δίκον
φύλλʼ ἔπι καὶ στεφάνους·
πολλὰ δὲ πρόσθεν πτερὰ δέξατο νικᾶν.

[¶3] Lacedaemon is prosperous; Thessaly is divinely blessed. Both are ruled by the race of a single ancestor, Heracles, the best in battle. Why do I make this untimely boast? Because Pytho summons me, and Pelinna,
and the sons of Aleuas; they want me to present to Hippocleas the glorious voices of men in celebration.
For he is trying his hand at contests, and the gorge of Parnassus proclaimed him to the people that live around as the greatest of the boys in the double-course footrace.
Apollo, the end and the beginning both grow sweet when a god urges on a man«s work. No doubt he accomplished this with the help of your counsels. Kinship has stepped into the footprints of the father,
who was twice an Olympic victor in the war-enduring armor of Ares;
and the contest in the deep meadow that stretches beneath the rock of Cirrha made Phricias victorious in the race. May a good fate follow them in their future days as well, so that their noble wealth will blossom;
having received no small share of the delights of Greece, may they encounter no envious reversals at the hands of the gods. A god«s heart should be free from pain; but a man is considered fortunate, and wise poets sing his praises, if he wins victory with his hands or the excellence of his feet, and takes the greatest prizes through his courage and strength,
and lives to see his young son duly winning Pythian garlands. He can never set foot in the bronze heavens; but whatever splendor we mortals can attain, he reaches the limit of that voyage. Neither by ship nor on foot could you find
the marvellous road to the meeting-place of the Hyperboreans—
Once Perseus, the leader of his people, entered their homes and feasted among them, when he found them sacrificing glorious hecatombs of donkeys to the god. In the festivities of those people
and in their praises Apollo rejoices most, and he laughs when he sees the erect arrogance of the beasts.
The Muse is not absent from their customs; all around swirl the dances of girls, the lyre«s loud chords and the cries of flutes.
They wreathe their hair with golden laurel branches and revel joyfully. No sickness or ruinous old age is mixed into that sacred race; without toil or battles
they live without fear of strict Nemesis. Breathing boldness of spirit
once the son of Danae went to that gathering of blessed men, and Athena led him there. He killed the Gorgon, and came back bringing stony death to the islanders, the head that shimmered with hair made of serpents. To me
nothing that the gods accomplish ever appears
unbelievable, however miraculous. Hold the oar! Quick, let the anchor down from the prow to touch the bottom, to protect us from the rocky reef. The choicest hymn of praise flits from theme to theme, like a bee.
And I hope that, while the Ephyreans pour forth my sweet voice beside the Peneius, with my songs I will make Hippocleas even more admired for his garlands by boys his age and by his elders, and I will make the girls think of him. For
people«s minds are tickled by various desires;
but whatever each man strives for, let him hold on to it eagerly if he gets it, the concern that is close at hand. It is impossible to foresee what will happen a year from now. I trust in the gentle friendship of Thorax; he made busy efforts for my sake,
and yoked this four-horse chariot of the Pierian Muses, a friend for a friend, going gladly arm in arm.
Gold shows its nature when it is tried by the touchstone, and so does a right-thinking mind. We shall further praise his noble brothers, because
they exalt and strengthen the traditional laws of the Thessaliaaans; the good piloting of states, handed from father to son, rests in the hands of noble men.

> Greek: ὄλβια Λακεδαίμων,
μάκαιρα Θεσσαλία· πατρὸς δʼ ἀμφοτέραις ἐξ ἑνὸς
ἀριστομάχου γένος Ἡρακλεῦς βασιλεύει.
τί κομπέω παρὰ καιρόν; ἀλλά με Πυθώ τε καὶ τὸ Πελινναῖον ἀπύει
Ἀλεύα τε παῖδες, Ἱπποκλέᾳ ἐθέλοντες
ἀγαγεῖν ἐπικωμίαν ἀνδρῶν κλυτὰν ὄπα.
γεύεται γὰρ ἀέθλων·
στρατῷ τʼ ἀμφικτιόνων ὁ Παρνάσιος αὐτὸν μυχὸς
διαυλοδρομᾶν ὕπατον παίδων ἀνέειπεν.
Ἄπολλον, γλυκὺ δʼ ἀνθρώπων τέλος ἀρχά τε δαίμονος ὀρνύντος αὔξεται·
ὁ μέν που τεοῖς γε μήδεσι τοῦτʼ ἔπραξεν·
τὸ δὲ συγγενὲς ἐμβέβακεν ἴχνεσιν πατρὸς
Ὀλυμπιονίκα δὶς ἐν πολεμαδόκοις
Ἄρεος ὅπλοις·
ἔθηκε καὶ βαθυλείμων ὑπὸ Κίρρας ἀγὼν
πέτραν κρατησίποδα Φρικίαν.
ἕσποιτο μοῖρα καὶ ὑστέραισιν
ἐν ἁμέραις ἀγάνορα πλοῦτον ἀνθεῖν σφίσιν·
τῶν δʼ ἐν Ἑλλάδι τερπνῶν
λαχόντες οὐκ ὀλίγαν δόσιν, μὴ φθονεραῖς ἐκ θεῶν
μετατροπίαις ἐπικύρσαιεν. θεὸς εἴη
ἀπήμων κέαρ· εὐδαίμων δὲ καὶ ὑμνητὸς οὗτος ἀνὴρ γίγνεται σοφοῖς,
ὃς ἂν χερσὶν ἢ ποδῶν ἀρετᾷ κρατήσαις
τὰ μέγιστʼ ἀέθλων ἕλῃ τόλμᾳ τε καὶ σθένει,
καὶ ζώων ἔτι νεαρὸν
κατʼ αἶσαν υἱὸν ἴδῃ τυχόντα στεφάνων Πυθίων.
ὁ χάλκεος οὐρανὸς οὔ ποτʼ ἀμβατὸς αὐτῷ.
ὅσαις δὲ βροτὸν ἔθνος ἀγλαΐαις ἁπτόμεσθα, περαίνει πρὸς ἔσχατον
πλόον. ναυσὶ δʼ οὔτε πεζὸς ἰών ⟨κεν⟩ εὕροις
ἐς Ὑπερβορέων ἀγῶνα θαυματὰν ὁδόν.
παρʼ οἷς ποτε Περσεὺς ἐδαίσατο λαγέτας,
δώματʼ ἐσελθών,
κλειτὰς ὄνων ἑκατόμβας ἐπιτόσσαις θεῷ
ῥέζοντας· ὧν θαλίαις ἔμπεδον
εὐφαμίαις τε μάλιστʼ Ἀπόλλων
χαίρει, γελᾷ θʼ ὁρῶν ὕβριν ὀρθίαν κνωδάλων.
Μοῖσα δʼ οὐκ ἀποδαμεῖ
τρόποις ἐπὶ σφετέροισι· παντᾷ, δὲ χοροὶ παρθένων
λυρᾶν τε βοαὶ καναχαί τʼ αὐλῶν δονέονται·
δάφνᾳ τε χρυσέᾳ κόμας ἀναδήσαντες εἰλαπινάζοισιν εὐφρόνως.
νόσοι δʼ οὔτε γῆρας οὐλόμενον κέκραται
ἱερᾷ γενεᾷ· πόνων δὲ καὶ μαχᾶν ἄτερ
οἰκέοισι φυγόντες
ὑπέρδικον Νέμεσιν. θρασείᾳ δὲ πνέων καρδίᾳ
μόλεν Δανάας ποτὲ παῖς, ἁγεῖτο δʼ Ἀθάνα,
ἐς ἀνδρῶν μακάρων ὅμιλον· ἔπεφνέν τε Γοργόνα, καὶ ποικίλον κάρα
δρακόντων φόβαισιν ἤλυθε νασιώταις
λίθινον θάνατον φέρων. ἐμοὶ δὲ θαυμάσαι
θεῶν τελεσάντων οὐδέν ποτε φαίνεται
ἔμμεν ἄπιστον.
κώπαν σχάσον, ταχὺ δʼ ἄγκυραν ἔρεισον χθονὶ
πρῴραθε, χοιράδος ἄλκαρ πέτρας.
ἐγκωμίων γὰρ ἄωτος ὕμνων
ἐπʼ ἄλλοτʼ ἄλλον ὥτε μέλισσα θύνει λόγον.
ἔλπομαι δʼ Ἐφυραίων
ὄπʼ ἀμφὶ Πηνεϊὸν γλυκεῖαν προχεόντων ἐμὰν
τὸν Ἱπποκλέαν ἔτι καὶ μᾶλλον σὺν ἀοιδαῖς
ἕκατι στεφάνων θαητὸν ἐν ἅλιξι θησέμεν ἐν καὶ παλαιτέροις,
νέαισίν τε παρθένοισι μέλημα. καὶ γὰρ
ἑτέροις ἑτέρων ἔρως ὑπέκνισε φρένας·
τῶν δʼ ἕκαστος ὀρούει,
τυχών κεν ἁρπαλέαν σχέθοι φροντίδα τὰν πὰρ ποδός·
τὰ δʼ εἰς ἐνιαυτὸν ἀτέκμαρτον προνοῆσαι.
πέποιθα ξενίᾳ προσανέϊ Θώρακος, ὅσπερ ἐμὰν ποιπνύων χάριν
τόδʼ ἔζευξεν ἅρμα Πιερίδων τετράορον,
φιλέων φιλέοντʼ, ἄγων ἄγοντα προφρόνως.
πειρῶντι δὲ καὶ χρυσὸς ἐν βασάνῳ πρέπει
καὶ νόος ὀρθός.
ἀδελφεοὺς Ἔτʼ ἐπαινήσομεν ἐσλούς, ὅτι
ὑψοῦ φέροντι νόμον Θεσσαλῶν
αὔξοντες· ἐν δʼ ἀγαθοῖσι κεῖνται
πατρώϊαι κεδναὶ πολίων κυβερνάσιες.

[¶4] Daughters of Cadmus, Semele dwelling among the Olympians and Ino Leucothea, sharing the chamber of the Nereid sea-nymphs: come, with the mother of Heracles, greatest in birth, to the presence of Melia; come to the sanctuary of golden tripods,
the treasure-house which Loxias honored above all
and named the Ismenion, true seat of prophecy. Come, children of Harmonia, where even now he calls the native host of heroines to assemble, so that you may loudly sing of holy Themis and Pytho and the just
navel of the earth, at the edge of evening,
in honor of seven-gated Thebes and the contest at Cirrha, in which Thrasydaeus caused his ancestral hearth to be remembered by flinging over it a third wreath
as a victor in the rich fields of Pylades, the friend of Laconian Orestes,
who indeed, when his father was murdered, was taken by his nurse Arsinoe from the strong hands and bitter deceit of Clytaemnestra, when she sent the Dardanian daughter of Priam,
Cassandra, together with the soul of Agamemnon, to the shadowy bank of Acheron with her gray blade of bronze,
the pitiless woman. Was it Iphigeneia, slaughtered at the Euripus far from her fatherland, that provoked her to raise the heavy hand of her anger? Or was she vanquished by another bed
and led astray by their nightly sleeping together? This is the most hateful error for young brides, and is impossible to conceal
because other people will talk. Citizens are apt to speak evil, for prosperity brings with it envy as great as itself.
But the man who breathes close to the ground roars unseen. He himself died, the heroic son of Atreus, when at last he returned to famous Amyclae,
and he caused the destruction of the prophetic girl, when he had robbed of their opulent treasures the houses of the Trojans, set on fire for Helen«s sake. And his young son went to the friend of the family, the old man
Strophius, who dwelled at the foot of Parnassus. But at last, with the help of Ares, he killed his mother and laid Aegisthus low in blood.
My friends, I was whirled off the track at a shifting fork in the road, although I had been traveling on a straight path before. Or did some wind throw me off course,
like a skiff on the sea? Muse, it is your task, if you undertook to lend your voice for silver, to let it flit now this way, now that:
now to the father, who was a Pythian victor, now to his son Thrasydaeus.
Their joyfulness and renown shine brightly. With their chariots they were victorious long ago; they captured the swift radiance of the famous games at Olympia with their horses.
And at Pytho, when they entered the naked footrace, they put to shame
the Hellenic host with their speed. May I desire fine things from the gods, seeking what is possible at my time of life. For I have found that those of middle rank in a city flourish with longer prosperity, and I find fault with the lot of tyrannies.
I am intent upon common excellences. The evil workings of envy are warded off,
if a man who attains the summit and dwells in peace escapes dread arrogance. Such a man would go to the farthest shore of a dark death that is finer when he leaves to his sweetest offspring the grace of a good name, the best of possessions.
Such is the grace that spreads abroad the fame of the son of Iphicles,
Iolaus, whose praises are sung; and of the strength of Castor, and of you, lord Polydeuces, sons of the gods: you who dwell for one day at home in Therapne, and for the other in Olympus.

> Greek: Κάδμου κόραι, Σεμέλα μὲν Ὀλυμπιάδων ἀγυιᾶτις,
Ἰνώ τε Λευκοθέα ποντιᾶν ὁμοθάλαμε Νηρηΐδων,
ἴτε σὺν Ἡρακλέος ἀριστογόνῳ
ματρὶ πὰρ Μελίαν χρυσέων ἐς ἄδυτον τριπόδων
θησαυρόν, ὃν περίαλλʼ ἐτίμασε Λοξίας,
Ἰσμήνιον δʼ ὀνύμαξεν, ἀλαθέα μαντίων θῶκον,
ὦ παῖδες Ἁρμονίας, ἔνθα καί νυν ἐπίνομον ἡρωΐδων
στρατὸν ὁμαγερέα καλεῖ συνίμεν,
ὄφρα Θέμιν ἱερὰν Πυθῶνά τε καὶ ὀρθοδίκαν
γᾶς ὀμφαλὸν κελαδήσετʼ ἄκρᾳ σὺν ἑσπέρᾳ,
ἑπταπύλοισι Θήβαις
χάριν ἀγῶνί τε Κίρρας,
ἐν τῷ Θρασυδαῖος ἔμνασεν ἑστίαν
τρίτον ἐπὶ στέφανον πατρῴαν βαλών,
ἐν ἀφνεαῖς ἀρούραισι Πυλάδα
νικῶν ξένου Λάκωνος Ὀρέστα.
τὸν δὴ φονευομένου πατρὸς Ἀρσινόα Κλυταιμνήστρας
χειρῶν ὕπο κρατερᾶν ἐκ δόλου τροφὸς ἄνελε δυσπενθέος,
ὁπότε Δαρδανίδα κόραν Πριάμου
Κασσάνδραν πολιῷ χαλκῷ σὺν Ἀγαμεμνονίᾳ
ψυχᾷ πόρευσʼ Ἀχέροντος ἀκτὰν παρʼ εὔσκιον
νηλὴς γυνά. πότερόν νιν ἄρʼ Ἰφιγένειʼ ἐπʼ Εὐρίπῳ
σφαχθεῖσα τῆλε πάτρας ἔκνισεν βαρυπάλαμον ὄρσαι χόλον;
ἢ ἑτέρῳ λέχεϊ δαμαζομέναν
ἔννυχοι πάραγον κοῖται; τὸ δὲ νέαις ἀλόχοις
ἔχθιστον ἀμπλάκιον καλύψαι τʼ ἀμάχανον
ἀλλοτρίαισι γλώσσαις·
κακολόγοι δὲ πολῖται.
ἴσχει τε γὰρ ὄλβος οὐ μείονα φθόνον·
ὁ δὲ χαμηλὰ πνέων ἄφαντον βρέμει.
θάνεν μὲν αὐτὸς ἥρως Ἀτρεΐδας
ἵκων χρόνῳ κλυταῖς ἐν Ἀμύκλαις,
μάντιν τʼ ὄλεσσε κόραν, ἐπεὶ ἀμφʼ Ἑλένᾳ πυρωθέντων
Τρώων ἔλυσε δόμους ἁβρότατος. ὁ δʼ ἄρα γέροντα ξένον
Στρόφιον ἐξίκετο, νέα κεφαλά,
Παρνασοῦ πόδα ναίοντʼ· ἀλλὰ χρονίῳ σὺν Ἄρει
πέφνεν τε ματέρα θῆκέ τʼ Αἴγισθον ἐν φοναῖς.
ἦ ῥʼ, ὦ φίλοι, κατʼ ἀμευσιπόρους τριόδους ἐδινήθην,
ὀρθὰν κέλευθον ἰὼν τὸ πρίν· ἤ μέ τις ἄνεμος ἔξω πλόου
ἔβαλεν, ὡς ὅτʼ ἄκατον εἰναλίαν;
Μοῖσα, τὸ δὲ τεόν, εἰ μισθοῖο συνέθευ παρέχειν
φωνὰν ὑπάργυρον, ἄλλοτʼ ἄλλᾳ ταρασσέμεν
ἢ πατρὶ Πυθονίκῳ
τό γέ νυν ἢ Θρασυδαίῳ·
τῶν εὐφροσύνα τε καὶ δόξʼ ἐπιφλέγει.
τὰ μὲν ⟨ἐν⟩ ἅρμασι καλλίνικοι πάλαι,
Ὀλυμπίᾳ ἀγώνων πολυφάτων
ἔσχον θοὰν ἀκτῖνα σὺν ἵπποις·
Πυθοῖ τε γυμνὸν ἐπὶ στάδιον καταβάντες ἤλεγξαν
Ἑλλανίδα στρατιὰν ὠκύτατι. θεόθεν ἐραίμαν καλῶν,
δυνατὰ μαιόμενος ἐν ἁλικίᾳ.
τῶν γὰρ ἂμ πόλιν εὑρίσκων τὰ μέσα μακροτέρῳ
ὄλβῳ τεθαλότα, μέμφομʼ αἶσαν τυραννίδων·
ξυναῖσι δʼ ἀμφʼ ἀρεταῖς τέταμαι. φθονεροὶ δʼ ἀμύνονται
ἆται, εἴ τις ἄκρον ἑλὼν ἁσυχᾶ τε νεμόμενος αἰνὰν ὕβριν
ἀπέφυγεν· μέλανος ἂν ἐσχατιὰν
καλλίονα θανάτου ⟨στείχοι⟩, γλυκυτάτᾳ γενεᾷ
εὐώνυμον κτεάνων κρατίσταν χάριν πορών.
ἅ τε τὸν Ἰφικλείδαν
διαφέρει Ἰόλαον
ὑμνητὸν ἐόντα, καὶ Κάστορος βίαν,
σέ τε, ἄναξ Πολύδευκες, υἱοὶ θεῶν,
τὸ μὲν παρʼ ἆμαρ ἕδραισι Θεράπνας,
τὸ δʼ οἰκέοντας ἔνδον Ὀλύμπου.

[¶5] I beseech you, splendor-loving city, most beautiful on earth, home of Persephone; you who inhabit the hill of well-built dwellings above the banks of sheep-pasturing Acragas: be propitious, and with the goodwill of gods and men, mistress,
receive this victory garland from Pytho in honor of renowned Midas, and receive the victor himself, champion of Hellas in that art which once Pallas Athena discovered when she wove into music the dire dirge of the reckless Gorgons
which Perseus heard
pouring in slow anguish from beneath the horrible snakey hair of the maidens, when he did away with the third sister and brought death to sea-girt Seriphus and its people. Yes, he brought darkness on the monstrous race of Phorcus, and he repaid Polydectes with a deadly wedding-present for the long
slavery of his mother and her forced bridal bed; he stripped off the head of beautiful Medusa,
Perseus, the son of Danae, who they say was conceived in a spontaneous shower of gold. But when the virgin goddess had released that beloved man from those labors, she created the many-voiced song of flutes
so that she could imitate with musical instruments the shrill cry that reached her ears from the fast-moving jaws of Euryale. The goddess discovered it; but she discovered it for mortal men to have, and called it the many-headed strain, the glorious strain that entices the people to gather at contests,
often sounding through thin plates of brass and through reeds, which grow beside the city of lovely choruses, the city of the Graces, in the sacred precinct of the nymph of Cephisus, reeds that are the faithful witnesses of the dancers. If there is any prosperity among men, it does not appear without hardship. A god will indeed grant it in full today...
What is fated cannot be escaped. But that time will come, striking unexpectedly, and give one thing beyond all expectation, and withhold another.

> Greek: αἰτέω σε, φιλάγλαε, καλλίστα βροτεᾶν πολίων,
Φερσεφόνας ἕδος, ἅ τʼ ὄχθαις ἔπι μηλοβότου
ναίεις Ἀκράγαντος ἐΰδματον κολώναν, ὦ ἄνα,
ἵλαος ἀθανάτων ἀνδρῶν τε σὺν εὐμενίᾳ
δέξαι στεφάνωμα τόδʼ ἐκ Πυθῶνος εὐδόξῳ Μίδᾳ,
αὐτόν τέ νιν Ἑλλάδα νικάσαντα τέχνᾳ, τάν ποτε
Παλλὰς ἐφεῦρε θρασειᾶν Γοργόνων
οὔλιον θρῆνον διαπλέξαισʼ Ἀθάνα·
τὸν παρθενίοις ὑπό τʼ ἀπλάτοις ὀφίων κεφαλαῖς
ἄϊε λειβόμενον δυσπενθέϊ σὺν καμάτῳ,
Περσεὺς ὁπότε τρίτον ἄνυσσεν κασιγνητᾶν μέρος,
εἰναλίᾳ τε Σερίφῳ λαοῖσί τε μοῖραν ἄγων.
ἤτοι τό τε θεσπέσιον Φόρκοιο μαύρωσεν γένος,
λυγρόν τʼ ἔρανον Πολυδέκτᾳ θῆκε ματρός τʼ ἔμπεδον
δουλοσύναν τό τʼ ἀναγκαῖον λέχος,
εὐπαράου κρᾶτα συλάσαις Μεδοίσας
υἱὸς Δανάας· τὸν ἀπὸ χρυσοῦ φαμεν αὐτορύτου
ἔμμεναι. ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ ἐκ τούτων φίλον ἄνδρα πόνων
ἐρρύσατο, παρθένος αὐλῶν τεῦχε πάμφωνον μέλος,
ὄφρα τὸν Εὐρυάλας ἐκ καρπαλιμᾶν γενύων
χριμφθέντα σὺν ἔντεσι μιμήσαιτʼ ἐρικλάγκταν γόον.
εὗρεν θεός· ἀλλά νιν εὑροῖσʼ ἀνδράσι θνατοῖς ἔχειν,
ὠνόμασεν κεφαλᾶν πολλᾶν νόμον,
εὐκλεᾶ λαοσσόων μναστῆρʼ ἀγώνων,
λεπτοῦ διανισσόμενον χαλκοῦ θαμὰ καὶ δονάκων,
τοὶ παρὰ καλλιχόρῳ ναίοισι πόλει Χαρίτων.
Καφισίδος ἐν τεμένει, πιστοὶ χορευτᾶν μάρτυρες.
εἰ δέ τις ὄλβος ἐν ἀνθρώποισιν, ἄνευ καμάτου
οὐ φαίνεται· ἐκ δὲ τελευτάσει νιν ἤτοι σάμερον
δαίμων—τὸ δὲ μόρσιμον οὐ παρφυκτόν,—ἀλλʼ ἔσται χρόνος
οὗτος, ὃ καί τινʼ ἀελπτίᾳ βαλὼν
ἔμπαλιν γνώμας τὸ μὲν δώσει, τὸ δʼ οὔπω.