Nemean IX

Pindar (518 BC–438 BC), translated by Arthur S. Way · 1922

Pindaric ode in rhymed strophes · 55 lines · from The Odes of Pindar

We will lead the revel, O Queens of Song, from Apollo's Sikyonian faneUnto new-built Etna,—whose doors flung wide are too strait the throng of her guests to contain—On unto Chromius' wealthy palace. Upraise ye the chant of lips sweet-singing!He hath mounted his car of the steeds triumphant, proclaiming a hymn in the Mother's praiseAnd of her twin offspring who ward in fellowship Pytho through everlasting days.

A saying there is among men—' It befits not that great deeds done be amerced of fameAnd be buried in earth.' The chant celestial is meet the renown of such to acclaim.Awake, awake ye the pealing lyre, awake the flute in the honour ringingOf the crown of contests of steeds which Adrastus founded in Phoebus' name besideAsopus' streams! When I tell their renown, in my far-ringing praise shall be magnified

That hero-king who exalted his city and made it glorious, reigning there,With festivals new, and contests of strength of the athlete, and chariots carven fair,Being exiled from Argos his home ancestral by Amphiaraus the aweless-heartedAnd by baleful sedition; for Talaus' sons were lords no longer therein, overborneBy civil strife. When a stronger cometh, a realm from the rightful possessor is torn.

Yet the Talaïds gave for a pledge of alliance the woman destined her lord to betray,Eriphyle, to Oikles' son; and now of the bright-haired Danaans greatest were they;And leading a valorous host of men on a march ill-omened to Thebes they departed,To the burg seven-gated: but Kronos' Son would speed them not from their home to fareIn their madness of heart, but hurling the flickering levin he bade from the journey forbear.

And so to a doom foreshown to their eyes that company marched with spear and targeAll-brazen, and war-steed trappings;—and there for ever they left on Ismenus' margeSweet hope of their home-return, and fed with their war-grey corpses the smoke upsoaring.Seven pyres ravined up those young men's limbs; but for Amphiaraus Zeus with the mightOf his thunderbolt clave broad-breasted earth, and hid the man and his steeds from sight

Ere his warrior-soul should be shamed by a thrust in the back from Periklymenus' spear:For when panic is sent from Heaven, even the sons of the Gods must flee in fear.If it be possible, O Kronion, such trial of manhood with spears blood-pouring,Such struggle for life and death, I fain would defer to the uttermost. Nay, I implore,Grant thou to the sons of Etna a portion in governance fair for evermore,

Zeus Father, and wed her people to pageant-splendours through gladsome streets outrolledLo, there dwell chariot-lovers and men who have spirits above the lust of gold;Sooth, hard to believe is the thing I have said: greed steals away honour by secret cajoling,Honour, renown-bringer. Hadst thou to Chromius been shield-bearer in battle's dayMid footmen or horsemen, or clash of ships, thou hadst judged what peril he faced in the fray.

For in war it was Honour the Goddess that girded his warrior-spirit with might to withstandThe War-god's havoc of onslaught. Few there are that have strength of heart and handBackward to hurl on the foemen's ranks the imminent war-cloud nearer rolling.Yet is it told how Hector's fame bloomed fair by Skamander in those old wars;And even so on the banks of Helorus, the deep-channelled stream walled in by scaurs,

At the ford men call the Passage of Rhea dawned his light of victoryOn Agesidamus' son in his earliest manhood: in days thereafter hath heWon many a triumph on dust-grey plains and on neighbour seas: I will tell their story.But to toils by the strength of youth and the Right achieved there succeedeth when eld draws nighAn even of calm. Let him know he is dowered with wondrous bliss by the Dwellers on high.

For if any, together with wealth abounding, have won him renown far-shining bright,It can nowise be that a mortal's feet may attain any loftier mountain-height.Peace loveth the banquet: a conqueror's fame like a tree grows with fresh-blossoming gloryWatered by soft-dropping dews of song. By the goblet the bard's voice waxeth bold.Let them mingle the mazer that heraldeth sweetly triumph's processional-chant outrolled,

And in silver chalices bear around to the feasters the potent child of the vine,In the cups that Chromius' horses won him, and sent with the wreaths that for victors they twineIn Phoebus' honour in holy Sikyon. Zeus, let me chant the fame, I implore thee,Of Chromius' prowess by help of the Graces, and outsing every rival in praiseOf his victory, hurling my shaft of song true-aimed to the mark that the Muses place.

Words in this poem 40

fane n.: A temple; a place consecrated to religion; a church. [L. fanum a place dedicated to some deity, a sanctuary, fr. fari to speak. See Fame.]
etna n.: A kind of small, portable, cooking apparatus for which heat is furnished by a spirit lamp.
upraise v. t.: To raise; to lift up.
acclaim v. i.: To shout applause.
honour n.: Esteem due or paid to worth; high estimation; respect; consideration; reverence; veneration; manifestation of respect or reverence. [OE. honor, honour, onour, onur, OF. honor, onor, honur, onur, honour, onour, F. honneur, fr. L. honor, honos.]
shall v. i.: To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
glorious a.: Exhibiting attributes, qualities, or acts that are worthy of or receive glory; noble; praiseworthy; excellent; splendid; illustrious; inspiring admiration; as, glorious deeds. [OF. glorios, glorious, F. glorieux, fr. L. gloriosus. See Glory, n.]
carven a.: Wrought by carving; ornamented by carvings; carved.
strife n.: The act of striving; earnest endeavor. [OF. estrif. See Strive.]
rightful a.: Righteous; upright; just; good; -- said of persons.
valorous a.: Possessing or exhibiting valor; brave; courageous; valiant; intrepid. [Cf. F. valeureux, LL. valorosus.]
burg n.: A fortified town. [AS. burh, burg, cf. LL. burgus. See 1st Borough.]
levin n.: Lightning. Spenser. Levin brand, a thunderbolt. [Etymol. uncertain. Cf. Leven.]
bade: A form of the pat tense of Bid.
targe n.: A shield or target. [F. Cf. Target.]
steed n.: A horse, especially a spirited horse for state of war; -- used chiefly in poetry or stately prose. [OE. stede, AS. steda a stud-horse, war horse, fr. stod a stud of breeding steeds; akin to G. stute a mare, Icel. stedda, sto, a stud. *163. See Stud of horses.]
marge n.: Border; margin; edge; verge. [F. marge. See Margin.]
thunderbolt n.: A shaft of lightning; a brilliant stream of electricity passing from one part of the heavens to another, or from the clouds to the earth.
fain v. t.: To be glad ; to wish or desire.
uttermost a.: Extreme; utmost; being; in the farthest, greatest, or highest degree; as, the uttermost extent or end. [From Utter, a.; cf. Utmost, and Outermost.]
governance n.: Exercise of authority; control; government; arrangement. [F. gouvernance.]
evermore adv.: During eternity; always; forever; for an indefinite period; at all times; -- often used substantively with for.
gladsome a.: Pleased; joyful; cheerful.
dwell v. i.: To delay; to linger. [OE. dwellen, dwelien, to err, linger, AS. dwellan to deceive, hinder, delay, dwelian to err; akin to Icel. dvelja to delay, tarry, Sw. dväljas to dwell, Dan. dv]
lust v. i.: To list; to like. [AS. lystan. See Lust, n., and cf. List to choose.]
sooth a.: True; faithful; trustworthy. [OE. soth, AS. s, for san; akin to OS. s, OHG. sand, Icel. sannr, Sw. sann, Dan. sand, Skr. sat, sant, real, genuine, present, being; properly p. pr. from a root]
greed n.: An eager desire or longing; greediness; as, a greed of gain. [Akin to Goth. grdus hunger, Icel. graedhr. sq. root34. See Greedy.]
havoc n.: Wide and general destruction; devastation; waste. [W. hafog devastation, havoc; or, if this be itself fr. E. havoc, cf. OE. havot, or AS. hafoc hawk, which is a cruel or rapacious bird, or F. hai, voux! a cry to]
onslaught n.: An attack; an onset; esp., a furious or murderous attack or assault. [OE. on on + slaught, slaht, slaughter. See Slaughter.]
imminent a.: Threatening to occur immediately; near at hand; impending; -- said especially of misfortune or peril. [L. imminens, p. pr. of imminere to project; pref. im- in + minere (in comp.) to jut, project. See Eminent.]
thereafter adv.: After that; afterward. [AS. th\'d6ræfter after that. See There, and After.]
neighbour v. i.: To dwell in the vicinity; to be a neighbor, or in the neighborhood; to be near.
dowered p. a.: Furnished with, or as with, dower or a marriage portion.
wondrous adv.: In a wonderful or surprising manner or degree; wonderfully. [OE. wonders, adv. (later also adj.). See Wonder, n., and cf. -wards.]
wealth n.: Weal; welfare; prosperity; good. [OE. welthe, from wele; cf. D. weelde luxury. See Weal prosperity.]
nowise adv.: Not in any manner or degree; in no way; noways. [For in no wise. See Wise, n.]
mazer n.: A large drinking bowl; -- originally made of maple. [OE. maser, akin to OD. maser an excrescence on a maple tree, OHG. masar, G. maser spot, Icel. mösurr maple.]
processional a.: Of or pertaining to a procession; consisting in a procession.
prowess n.: Distinguished bravery; valor; especially, military bravery and skill; gallantry; intrepidity; fearlessness. Chaucer. Sir P. Sidney. [OF. proece, proesce, F. prouesse. See Prow, a.]
outsing v. t.: To surpass in singing.

Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.

About this text

Nemean IX is in the public domain. This text is taken from Pindar in English Verse, Internet Archive, the Arthur S. Way translation; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.

Cite as: Pindar, Nemean IX, in The Odes of Pindar (1922), text of Internet Archive, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/pindar-odes/nemean-9.html, id L29158.

Form and metre

Nemean IX is 55 lines in 11 stanzas of 5 lines each.

Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.

Rhyme words, stanza by stanza

The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.

1 AABCC fane^A · contain^A · singing^B · praise^C · days^C
2 DDBEE fame^D · acclaim^D · ringing^B · beside^E · magnified^E
3 FFGHH there^F · fair^F · hearted^G · overborne^H · torn^H
4 IIG-J betray^I · they^I · departed^G · fare · forbear^J
5 KKLMM targe^K · marge^K · upsoaring^L · might^M · sight^M
6 JJLNN spear^J · fear^J · pouring^L · implore^N · evermore^N
7 OOPQQ outrolled^O · gold^O · cajoling^P · day^Q · fray^Q
8 RRPSS withstand^R · hand^R · rolling^P · wars^S · scaurs^S
9 --TUU victory · he · story^T · nigh^U · high^U
10 VVTWW bright^V · height^V · glory^T · bold^W · outrolled^W
11 XX--- vine^X · twine^X · thee · praise · place

Scansion, line by line

Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. How this is done.

Line	Syl.	Stress
We will lead the revel, O Queens of Song, from Apollo's Sikyonian fane	18	····/˘·····˘/˘····
Unto new-built Etna,—whose doors flung wide are too strait the throng of her guests to contain—	21	····/˘·············˘/
On unto Chromius' wealthy palace. Upraise ye the chant of lips sweet-singing!	19	·····/˘/˘˘/······/˘
He hath mounted his car of the steeds triumphant, proclaiming a hymn in the Mother's praise	22	··/˘·····˘/˘˘/˘····/˘·
And of her twin offspring who ward in fellowship Pytho through everlasting days.	20	····/····/˘·····˘/˘·
A saying there is among men—' It befits not that great deeds done be amerced of fame	21	·/˘······˘/··········
And be buried in earth.' The chant celestial is meet the renown of such to acclaim.	21	··/˘····˘/˘···˘/···˘/
Awake, awake ye the pealing lyre, awake the flute in the honour ringing	19	˘/˘/··/˘·˘/····/˘/˘
Of the crown of contests of steeds which Adrastus founded in Phoebus' name beside	20	····˘/······/˘·/˘·˘/
Asopus' streams! When I tell their renown, in my far-ringing praise shall be magnified	21	········˘/···/˘···/˘·
That hero-king who exalted his city and made it glorious, reigning there,	19	·/˘··˘/˘·/˘···/˘/˘·
With festivals new, and contests of strength of the athlete, and chariots carven fair,	19	·/˘··˘/····/··/˘/˘·
Being exiled from Argos his home ancestral by Amphiaraus the aweless-hearted	20	//··/˘··˘/˘·····/˘/˘
And by baleful sedition; for Talaus' sons were lords no longer therein, overborne	21	··/˘˘/˘·······/˘·····
By civil strife. When a stronger cometh, a realm from the rightful possessor is torn.	21	·/˘···/˘/˘····/˘˘/˘··
Yet the Talaïds gave for a pledge of alliance the woman destined her lord to betray,	22	·········˘/˘·/˘/˘···˘/
Eriphyle, to Oikles' son; and now of the bright-haired Danaans greatest were they;	19	···············/˘··
And leading a valorous host of men on a march ill-omened to Thebes they departed,	22	·/˘·/˘˘·······/˘···˘/˘
To the burg seven-gated: but Kronos' Son would speed them not from their home to fare	19	···//˘·/˘··········
In their madness of heart, but hurling the flickering levin he bade from the journey forbear.	22	··/˘···/˘·/˘/˘····/˘˘/
And so to a doom foreshown to their eyes that company marched with spear and targe	19	············/˘·····
All-brazen, and war-steed trappings;—and there for ever they left on Ismenus' marge	19	·/˘···/˘···/·······
Sweet hope of their home-return, and fed with their war-grey corpses the smoke upsoaring.	20	·····˘/······/˘·····
Seven pyres ravined up those young men's limbs; but for Amphiaraus Zeus with the might	18	///˘··············
Of his thunderbolt clave broad-breasted earth, and hid the man and his steeds from sight	19	··/˘···/˘··········
Ere his warrior-soul should be shamed by a thrust in the back from Periklymenus' spear:	21	··/˘·················
For when panic is sent from Heaven, even the sons of the Gods must flee in fear.	18	··/˘···//·········
If it be possible, O Kronion, such trial of manhood with spears blood-pouring,	19	···/˘····/˘·/····/˘
Such struggle for life and death, I fain would defer to the uttermost. Nay, I implore,	21	·/˘·······˘/··/˘˘··˘/
Grant thou to the sons of Etna a portion in governance fair for evermore,	19	······/˘·/˘·/˘··/˘·
Zeus Father, and wed her people to pageant-splendours through gladsome streets outrolled	19	·/˘···/˘·/˘/˘·/˘···
Lo, there dwell chariot-lovers and men who have spirits above the lust of gold;	19	···/˘/˘····/˘······
Sooth, hard to believe is the thing I have said: greed steals away honour by secret cajoling,	23	···˘/········˘//˘·/˘˘/˘
Honour, renown-bringer. Hadst thou to Chromius been shield-bearer in battle's day	19	/˘˘//˘·······/˘·/˘·
Mid footmen or horsemen, or clash of ships, thou hadst judged what peril he faced in the fray.	21	····/˘········/˘·····
For in war it was Honour the Goddess that girded his warrior-spirit with might to withstand	22	·····/˘·/˘·/˘·/˘/···˘/
The War-god's havoc of onslaught. Few there are that have strength of heart and hand	18	···/˘·/···········
Backward to hurl on the foemen's ranks the imminent war-cloud nearer rolling.	18	/˘········/˘··/˘/˘
Yet is it told how Hector's fame bloomed fair by Skamander in those old wars;	18	·····/˘···········
And even so on the banks of Helorus, the deep-channelled stream walled in by scaurs,	19	·/··········/˘·····
At the ford men call the Passage of Rhea dawned his light of victory	17	······/˘·/˘····/˘
On Agesidamus' son in his earliest manhood: in days thereafter hath he	20	·········/˘/···˘/˘··
Won many a triumph on dust-grey plains and on neighbour seas: I will tell their story.	20	·/·/˘······/˘·····/˘
But to toils by the strength of youth and the Right achieved there succeedeth when eld draws nigh	21	···········˘/·˘/˘····
An even of calm. Let him know he is dowered with wondrous bliss by the Dwellers on high.	20	·/·········/˘···/˘··
For if any, together with wealth abounding, have won him renown far-shining bright,	21	··/˘˘/˘··˘/˘···˘/·/˘·
It can nowise be that a mortal's feet may attain any loftier mountain-height.	20	··/˘···/˘··˘//˘/˘/˘·
Peace loveth the banquet: a conqueror's fame like a tree grows with fresh-blossoming glory	20	····/˘·/˘·······/˘/˘
Watered by soft-dropping dews of song. By the goblet the bard's voice waxeth bold.	19	/˘··/˘·····/˘······
Let them mingle the mazer that heraldeth sweetly triumph's processional-chant outrolled,	20	··/˘·/˘·/˘/˘/˘˘/˘···
And in silver chalices bear around to the feasters the potent child of the vine,	20	··/˘/˘·····/˘·/˘····
In the cups that Chromius' horses won him, and sent with the wreaths that for victors they twine	21	······/˘·········/˘··
In Phoebus' honour in holy Sikyon. Zeus, let me chant the fame, I implore thee,	20	·/˘/˘·/˘·········˘/·
Of Chromius' prowess by help of the Graces, and outsing every rival in praise	20	···/˘····/˘·/˘/˘/˘··
Of his victory, hurling my shaft of song true-aimed to the mark that the Muses place.	20	··/˘/˘···········/˘·

The reader shows the same poem with its rhymes coloured and a stress row above each line, the notes beside their stanzas, and any word's definition on a tap; the analysis page takes the whole book apart. How every part of this site was made.

More by Pindar

The Odes of Pindar