Olympian XIII

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

iambic pentameter · 160 lines · from The Odes of Pindar

Now, while I laud a house that thrice can vauntOlympian victory, gracious to the guest,To fellow-burghers courteous, I will chantWith theirs the praise of Corinth heaven-blest.Here Isthmian Poseidon fixed his portals,This city glorious—noble sons are hers!Here hath Fair Governance her home mid mortals,Here dwell her sisters, city-stablishers,Justice, and Peace her fellow-fosterling:God's stewards of true wealth to men they be,Themis's golden daughters, they who bringWise counsels from the Queen of Equity;

And resolute are they afar to scareInsolence, glutted greed's tongue-shameless dam.Fair witness of them it is mine to bear;By forthright boldness spurred to speak I am.None can suppress our nature's inborn powers,Hide them can none. On you, Aletes' seed,Oftentimes have the Seasons crowned with flowersBestowed the splendour of the victor's meedAs upon men with hero-prowess fired,Men in the sacred Games with victory wreathed;And oft into men's souls have they inspiredDevices wise by them of old bequeathed.

To him of whom first each invention cameIs all the honour due. Who caused to appearDionysus' graces, with the dithyrambThat wins the ox? Who unto horses' gearAdded the rein? On temples god-enshriningWho set the twofold image of the kingOf birds? Flower-fragrant there the Muse is shining,And Ares spear-girt by a warrior-ring.

Olympian Lord most high, who far and wideReignest, grudge not fulfilment of my prayerThrough all time! May this city's folk abideIn safety! May the breeze of fortune fairThat breathes on Xenophon, blow constant ever!The due procession singing home his crownAccept thou, as from Pisa's plain and riverHe leads it onward to his native town.For victor in the Contests Five is heAnd in the foot-race: so hath he attainedSuch glory multiplied of victoryAs mortal never yet before hath gained.

And shadowed was his head by garlands twainWhen Isthmus saw him win the parsley-meed:Kindness no less from Nemea did he gain.The record of his father's lightning speedIs treasured still where Alpheus softly paces.Yea, and at Pytho by his feet were wonThe crowns of honour in the twofold races,Single and double, under one day's sun.In that same month at rocky Athens-townA day fulfilled of glorious victorySet on his hair crown after victor's crownWhose flying feet had won him races three.

Seven times Hellotia crowned him. 'Twere too longTo tell how with their father PtoiadoreDid Terpsias and Eritimus strongTriumph in games beside the Sea-god's shore;How oft at Delphi ye, and in the Lion'sDark glen stood first—though my song-treasuryOutrival all bards, their tale bids defianceTo reckoning; countless as the sands they be.

But to each thing pertaineth measure meet,And best of all it is to know arightThe fit time. I, who sail in your great fleet,Yet choose mine own course, sing the battle-mightAnd wisdom of old days, and in the tellingLie not,—of heroism's highways trodBy Corinth, and of Sisyphus excellingIn cunning counsels even as some God,And of Medea, her who dared defyHer father, chose at her own heart's behestA bridegroom, and the saviour was therebyOf Argo and the Heroes of the Quest.

Again of old when dashed the war's red seasAgainst Troy's walls, 'twas ever Corinth's sonsThat swayed to either side war's balance, theseHelping Atreides and his mighty onesTo win back Helen, those to make resistanceUnto the uttermost, when Danaans quailedBefore strong Glaukus, who from the far distanceOf Lycia's highlands flashed on them bronze-mailed,And vaunted of his father's emperyOver the city of Peirene there,And of his heritage of deep-loamed lea,And of his stately palace royal-fair,

That sire who sorely suffered by the springWhere he would fain bind snake-haired Gorgon's sonPegasus. Dreaming, he saw Pallas bringThe bridle that with golden frontlet shone:—And lo, 'twas no dream! ' Aiolid prince, awake thee!'She cried—' Receive this spell to charm yon steed.To thine horse-taming Sire with this betake thee;There let a white bull on his altar bleed.'

Thus as he slumbered in the gloom of night,The Maid of the Dark Aegis seemed to say.Upleaping, on his feet he stood upright,And seized the marvel that beside him lay.Then joyously to Corinth's seer he wended,And to the son of Koiranus he showedHow that strange venture of the night had ended,How, trusting all the prophet did forebode,He laid him down to sleep all through the nightUpon the altar in Athene's fane;How she, the Child of Him whose lance of lightIs levin, with her own hands did she deign

To bring to him the spirit-taming gold.The seer bade haste that vision to obey;To the Wide-ruler who doth earth enfoldThe bull, the mighty-footed beast, to slay;And then to rear to Pallas chariot-reiningAn altar. Ah, by power of Gods is broughtTo pass a thing transcending prayers' attaining,Transcending all hope—effortlessly wrought!So was it now; for strong BellerophonWith haste impetuous hied him forth to quellThat winged steed—lo, the victory was wonWhen touched his jaws the fury-stilling spell!

He sprang on Pegasus' back; in brazen mailArrayed to play the play of swords he sped;And riding on that steed did he assailFrom the chill cloudland's folds untenantedThe Amazon host, the maids that bear the quiver;Fire-breath'd Chimaera slew and Solymi.That steed in Zeus's stalls abideth ever:—His rider's doom I pass in silence by.

But, as I hurl the whizzing casting-spear,My shaft beside the mark I may not speed.To Song-queens splendour-throned with joy draws nearTheir champion, and to Oligaithus' seed.How oft at Nemea these have shone victoriousAnd at the Isthmus, all will I compriseIn few words: of the record passing-gloriousMy tale a truthful witness ratifies,—Ay, under oath,—that noble herald's tongueWhich published threescore victories in the namesOf this House—welcome-sweet his accents rung!—When Nemea and the Isthmus held their games.

Touching their victories at Olympia won,Meseems, the tale already hath been told;And of the great deeds that shall yet be done,Their tale hereafter shall my song unfoldClearly. I hope now: with God lies the issue;But, if this House's fortune speed, I trow,Zeus and the War-god's hands shall weave the tissueOf that bright future. 'Neath Parnassus' browSix triumphs won they: all at Argos gainedAnd Thebes, and where by that Lykaian heightThe altar royal unto Zeus ordainedShall witness in Arcadia's people's sight,

And in Pellene, Megara, Sikyon,And in the Aiakids' close fair-walled around,And at Eleusis, shining Marathon,And towns by Etna's huge mass overfrowned,Euboea—nay, all Hellas through, thy questingShall prove them countless. Zeus, who answerest prayer,Light let their feet glide on! Be honour restingOn these, all bliss be theirs and fortune fair!

Words in this poem 51

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.]
governance n.: Exercise of authority; control; government; arrangement. [F. gouvernance.]
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]
wealth n.: Weal; welfare; prosperity; good. [OE. welthe, from wele; cf. D. weelde luxury. See Weal prosperity.]
afar adv.: At, to, or from a great distance; far away; -- often used with from preceding, or off following; as, he was seen from afar; I saw him afar off. [Pref. a-.(for on or of) + far.]
scare v. t.: To frighten; to strike with sudden fear; to alarm. [OE. skerren, skeren, Icel. skirra to bar, prevent, skirrask to shun , shrink from; or fr. OE. skerre, adj., scared, Icel. skjarr; both perhaps akin to E. sheer ]
insolence n.: The quality of being unusual or novel. [F. insolence, L. insolentia. See Insolent.]
forthright adv.: Straight forward; in a straight direction. Sir P. [Forth, adv. + right, adv.]
oftentimes adv.: Frequently; often; many times. [Often + time. Cf. -wards.]
splendour n.: Great brightness; brilliant luster; brilliancy; as, the splendor ot the sun. B. Jonson. [L. fr. splendere to shine: cf. F. splendeur.]
meed v. t.: To reward; to repay. Waytt.
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.]
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.]
dithyramb n.: A kind of lyric poetry in honor of Bacchus, usually sung by a band of revelers to a flute accompaniment; hence, in general, a poem written in a wild irregular strain. Bentley. [L. dithyrambus, Gr. dithyrambe.]
girt v. t.: To gird; to encircle; to invest by means of a girdle; to measure the girth of; as, to girt a tree. [From Girt, n., cf. Girth, v.]
folk n.: In Anglo-Saxon times, the people of a group of townships or villages; a community; a tribe. [AS. folc; akin to D. volk, OS. & OHG. folk, G. volk, Icel. f, Sw. & Dan. folk, Lith. pulkas crowd, and perh. to E. follow.]
twain a.: Two;- nearly obsolete in common discourse, but used in poetry and burlesque. [OE. twein, tweien, tweyne, AS. twegen, masc. See Two.]
outrival v. t.: To surpass in a rivalry.
countless a.: Incapable of being counted; not ascertainable; innumerable.
aright adv.: Rightly; correctly; in a right way or form; without mistake or crime; as, to worship God aright. [Pref. a- + right.]
defy v. t.: To renounce or dissolve all bonds of affiance, faith, or obligation with; to reject, refuse, or renounce. [F. défier, OF. deffier, desfier, LL. disfidare to disown faith or fidelity, to dissolve the bond of allegiance, as between the vassal and his lord; hence, to ch]
behest v. t.: To vow. Paston.
bridegroom n.: A man newly married, or just about to be married. [OE. bridegome, brudgume, AS. br (akin to OS. br, D. bruidegom, bruigom, OHG. pr, MHG. briutegome, G. bräutigam); AS. br bride + guma man, akin to Goth. guma, Ic]
saviour n.: One who saves, preserves, or delivers from destruction or danger. [OE. saveour, OF. salveor, F. sauveur, fr. L. salvator to save. See Save, v.]
swayed a.: Bent down, and hollow in the back; sway-backed; -- said of a horse.
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.]
mailed a.: Protected by an external coat, or covering, of scales or plates.
empery n.: Empire; sovereignty; dominion. [L. imperium, influenced by OF. emperie, empire. See Empire.]
heritage a.: That which is inherited, or passes from heir to heir; inheritance. [OE. heritage, eritage, OF. heritage, eritage, F. héritage, fr. hériter to inherit, LL. heriditare. See Hereditable.]
sire n.: A lord, master, or other person in authority. See Sir. [F. sire, originally, an older person. See Sir.]
sorely adv.: In a sore manner; grievously; painfully; as, to be sorely afflicted.
fain v. t.: To be glad ; to wish or desire.
pallas n.: Pallas Athene, the Grecian goddess of wisdom, called also Athene, and identified, at a later period, with the Roman Minerva.
frontlet n.: A frontal or brow band; a fillet or band worn on the forehead. [OF. frontelet brow band, dim. of frontel, frontal. See Frontal, n.]
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.]
betake v. t.: To take or seize. [Pref. be- + take.]
forebode n.: Prognostication; presage.
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.]
levin n.: Lightning. Spenser. Levin brand, a thunderbolt. [Etymol. uncertain. Cf. Leven.]
deign v. t.: To esteem worthy; to consider worth notice; -- opposed to disdain. [OE. deinen, deignen, OF. degner, deigner, daigner, F. daigner, fr. L. dignari to deem worthy, deign, fr. dignus worthy; akin to decere to be fitting. See Decent]
bade: A form of the pat tense of Bid.
enfold v. t.: To infold. See Infold.
bellerophon n.: A genus of fossil univalve shells, believed to belong to the Heteropoda, peculiar to the Paleozoic age.
quell v. t.: To take the life of; to kill. [OE. quellen to kill, AS. cwellan, causative of cwelan to die; akin to OHG. quellen to torment, Icel. kvelja. See Quail to cower.]
chimaera n.: A cartilaginous fish of several species, belonging to the order Holocephali. The teeth are few and large. The head is furnished with appendages, and the tail terminates in a point. [NL. See Chimera.]
comprise v. t.: To comprehend; to include. [From F. compris, comprise, p. p. of comprendre, L. comprehendere. See Comprehend.]
rung n.: A floor timber in a ship. [OE. ronge, AS. hrung, a staff, rod, pole; akin to G. runge a short, thick piece of iron or wood, OD. ronghe a prop, support, Icel. röng a rib in a ship, Goth. H]
meseems v.: It seems to me.
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,]
hereafter adv.: In time to come; in some future time or state. [AS. hræfter.]
trow v. i.: To believe; to trust; to think or suppose. [OE. trowen, AS.treówan to trust, believe, fr. treów trust, treówe true, faithful. See True.]

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

About this text

Olympian XIII 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, Olympian XIII, in The Odes of Pindar (1922), text of Internet Archive, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/pindar-odes/olympian-13.html, id L29136.

Form and metre

Olympian XIII is 160 lines in 15 stanzas. The metre is iambic pentameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 86%).

See other poems in iambic pentameter.

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 ABABCDCDE-E- vaunt^A · guest^B · chant^A · blest^B · portals^C · hers^D · mortals^C · stablishers^D · fosterling^E · be · bring^E · equity
2 ABABCDCDE-E- scare^A · dam^B · bear^A · am^B · powers^C · seed^D · flowers^C · meed^D · fired^E · wreathed · inspired^E · bequeathed
3 -A-ABCBC came · appear^A · dithyramb · gear^A · enshrining^B · king^C · shining^B · ring^C
4 ABAB-C-C-D-D wide^A · prayer^B · abide^A · fair^B · ever · crown^C · river · town^C · he · attained^D · victory · gained^D
5 ABABCDCDE-E- twain^A · meed^B · gain^A · speed^B · paces^C · won^D · races^C · sun^D · town^E · victory · crown^E · three
6 A-A----- long^A · ptoiadore · strong^A · shore · lion's · treasury · defiance · be
7 ABABCDCDEFEF meet^A · aright^B · fleet^A · might^B · telling^C · trod^D · excelling^C · god^D · defy^E · behest^F · thereby^E · quest^F
8 ABABCDCD-E-E seas^A · sons^B · these^A · ones^B · resistance^C · quailed^D · distance^C · mailed^D · empery · there^E · lea · fair^E
9 A-A-BCBC spring^A · son · bring^A · shone · thee^B · steed^C · thee^B · bleed^C
10 ABABCDCDAEAE night^A · say^B · upright^A · lay^B · wended^C · showed^D · ended^C · forebode^D · night^A · fane^E · light^A · deign^E
11 ABABCDCD-E-E gold^A · obey^B · enfold^A · slay^B · reining^C · brought^D · attaining^C · wrought^D · bellerophon · quell^E · won · spell^E
12 A-A----- mail^A · sped · assail^A · untenanted · quiver · solymi · ever · by
13 ABABCDCDEFEF spear^A · speed^B · near^A · seed^B · victorious^C · comprise^D · glorious^C · ratifies^D · tongue^E · names^F · rung^E · games^F
14 ABABC-C-DEDE won^A · told^B · done^A · unfold^B · issue^C · trow · tissue^C · brow · gained^D · height^E · ordained^D · sight^E
15 -A-ABCBC sikyon · around^A · marathon · overfrowned^A · questing^B · prayer^C · resting^B · fair^C

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. Read against iambic pentameter. How this is done.

Line	Syl.	Stress
Now, while I laud a house that thrice can vaunt	10	··········
Olympian victory, gracious to the guest,	10	˘/˘/˘/˘···
To fellow-burghers courteous, I will chant	10	·/˘/˘/˘···
With theirs the praise of Corinth heaven-blest.	10	·····/˘/˘·
Here Isthmian Poseidon fixed his portals,	11	·/˘˘˘/˘··/˘
This city glorious—noble sons are hers!	10	·/˘/˘/˘···
Here hath Fair Governance her home mid mortals,	11	···/˘˘···/˘
Here dwell her sisters, city-stablishers,	10	···/˘/˘···
Justice, and Peace her fellow-fosterling:	10	/˘···/˘/˘˘
God's stewards of true wealth to men they be,	10	·/˘·······
Themis's golden daughters, they who bring	9	··/˘/˘···
Wise counsels from the Queen of Equity;	10	·/˘····/˘˘
And resolute are they afar to scare	10	·/˘···˘/··
Insolence, glutted greed's tongue-shameless dam.	10	/˘˘/˘··/˘·
Fair witness of them it is mine to bear;	10	·/˘·······
By forthright boldness spurred to speak I am.	10	·///˘·····
None can suppress our nature's inborn powers,	11	··˘///˘/·/˘
Hide them can none. On you, Aletes' seed,	9	·········
Oftentimes have the Seasons crowned with flowers	11	/˘···/˘··/˘
Bestowed the splendour of the victor's meed	10	˘/·/˘··/˘·
As upon men with hero-prowess fired,	11	·····/˘/˘/˘
Men in the sacred Games with victory wreathed;	10	···/˘··/˘·
And oft into men's souls have they inspired	11	········˘/˘
Devices wise by them of old bequeathed.	10	˘/˘·····˘/
To him of whom first each invention came	10	······˘/˘·
Is all the honour due. Who caused to appear	11	···/˘····˘/
Dionysus' graces, with the dithyramb	10	···/˘··/˘·
That wins the ox? Who unto horses' gear	10	·······/˘·
Added the rein? On temples god-enshrining	11	/˘···/˘·˘/˘
Who set the twofold image of the king	10	···///˘···
Of birds? Flower-fragrant there the Muse is shining,	11	··//˘····/˘
And Ares spear-girt by a warrior-ring.	10	······/˘˘·
Olympian Lord most high, who far and wide	10	˘/˘·······
Reignest, grudge not fulfilment of my prayer	10	/˘········
Through all time! May this city's folk abide	10	·····/˘·˘/
In safety! May the breeze of fortune fair	10	·/˘····/˘·
That breathes on Xenophon, blow constant ever!	11	···/˘˘·/˘/˘
The due procession singing home his crown	10	··˘/˘/˘···
Accept thou, as from Pisa's plain and river	11	˘/···/˘··/˘
He leads it onward to his native town.	10	···/˘··/˘·
For victor in the Contests Five is he	10	·/˘··/˘···
And in the foot-race: so hath he attained	10	········˘/
Such glory multiplied of victory	10	·/˘/˘··/˘˘
As mortal never yet before hath gained.	10	·/˘/˘·····
And shadowed was his head by garlands twain	10	·/˘····/˘·
When Isthmus saw him win the parsley-meed:	10	·/˘····/˘·
Kindness no less from Nemea did he gain.	10	/˘········
The record of his father's lightning speed	10	·/˘··/˘/˘·
Is treasured still where Alpheus softly paces.	11	·/˘····/˘/˘
Yea, and at Pytho by his feet were won	10	··········
The crowns of honour in the twofold races,	11	···/˘··///˘
Single and double, under one day's sun.	10	/˘·/˘·····
In that same month at rocky Athens-town	10	·····/˘/˘·
A day fulfilled of glorious victory	11	··˘/·/˘˘/˘˘
Set on his hair crown after victor's crown	10	·······/˘·
Whose flying feet had won him races three.	10	·/˘····/˘·
Seven times Hellotia crowned him. 'Twere too long	10	/·········
To tell how with their father Ptoiadore	9	·····/˘··
Did Terpsias and Eritimus strong	9	·········
Triumph in games beside the Sea-god's shore;	10	/˘···/····
How oft at Delphi ye, and in the Lion's	11	···/˘····/˘
Dark glen stood first—though my song-treasury	10	·······/˘˘
Outrival all bards, their tale bids defiance	11	˘/˘·····˘/˘
To reckoning; countless as the sands they be.	10	·/˘/˘·····
But to each thing pertaineth measure meet,	10	····˘/˘/˘·
And best of all it is to know aright	10	········˘/
The fit time. I, who sail in your great fleet,	10	··········
Yet choose mine own course, sing the battle-might	10	·······/˘·
And wisdom of old days, and in the telling	11	·/˘······/˘
Lie not,—of heroism's highways trod	10	···/˘·˘/··
By Corinth, and of Sisyphus excelling	11	·/˘··/˘˘˘/˘
In cunning counsels even as some God,	10	·/˘/˘/˘···
And of Medea, her who dared defy	10	··˘/˘···˘/
Her father, chose at her own heart's behest	10	·/˘·····˘/
A bridegroom, and the saviour was thereby	10	·/···/˘···
Of Argo and the Heroes of the Quest.	10	·/˘··/˘···
Again of old when dashed the war's red seas	10	˘/········
Against Troy's walls, 'twas ever Corinth's sons	10	·····/˘/˘·
That swayed to either side war's balance, these	10	···/˘··/˘·
Helping Atreides and his mighty ones	9	/˘····/˘·
To win back Helen, those to make resistance	11	···/˘···˘/˘
Unto the uttermost, when Danaans quailed	10	···/˘˘····
Before strong Glaukus, who from the far distance	11	·········/˘
Of Lycia's highlands flashed on them bronze-mailed,	10	···/˘·····
And vaunted of his father's empery	10	·/˘··/˘/˘˘
Over the city of Peirene there,	9	···/˘····
And of his heritage of deep-loamed lea,	10	···/˘˘····
And of his stately palace royal-fair,	10	···/˘/˘/˘·
That sire who sorely suffered by the spring	10	·/·/˘/˘···
Where he would fain bind snake-haired Gorgon's son	10	·······/˘·
Pegasus. Dreaming, he saw Pallas bring	10	/˘˘/˘·····
The bridle that with golden frontlet shone:—	10	·/˘··/˘/˘·
And lo, 'twas no dream! ' Aiolid prince, awake thee!'	11	········˘/·
She cried—' Receive this spell to charm yon steed.	10	··˘/······
To thine horse-taming Sire with this betake thee;	11	···/˘/··˘/·
There let a white bull on his altar bleed.'	10	·······/˘·
Thus as he slumbered in the gloom of night,	10	···/˘·····
The Maid of the Dark Aegis seemed to say.	10	·····/˘···
Upleaping, on his feet he stood upright,	10	········˘/
And seized the marvel that beside him lay.	10	···/˘·˘/··
Then joyously to Corinth's seer he wended,	10	····/˘··/˘
And to the son of Koiranus he showed	10	··········
How that strange venture of the night had ended,	11	···/˘····/˘
How, trusting all the prophet did forebode,	10	·/˘··/˘·˘/
He laid him down to sleep all through the night	10	··········
Upon the altar in Athene's fane;	9	···/˘····
How she, the Child of Him whose lance of light	10	··········
Is levin, with her own hands did she deign	10	·/˘·······
To bring to him the spirit-taming gold.	10	·····/˘/˘·
The seer bade haste that vision to obey;	10	·····/˘·˘/
To the Wide-ruler who doth earth enfold	10	···/˘···˘/
The bull, the mighty-footed beast, to slay;	10	···/˘/˘···
And then to rear to Pallas chariot-reining	11	·······/˘/˘
An altar. Ah, by power of Gods is brought	10	·/˘··/····
To pass a thing transcending prayers' attaining,	11	····˘/˘·˘/˘
Transcending all hope—effortlessly wrought!	10	˘/˘··/˘˘˘·
So was it now; for strong Bellerophon	10	······˘/˘˘
With haste impetuous hied him forth to quell	10	··˘/˘·····
That winged steed—lo, the victory was won	10	·····/˘˘··
When touched his jaws the fury-stilling spell!	10	·····/˘/˘·
He sprang on Pegasus' back; in brazen mail	10	···/˘··/˘·
Arrayed to play the play of swords he sped;	10	˘/········
And riding on that steed did he assail	10	·/˘·····˘/
From the chill cloudland's folds untenanted	10	··········
The Amazon host, the maids that bear the quiver;	12	·/˘·······/˘
Fire-breath'd Chimaera slew and Solymi.	10	/˘········
That steed in Zeus's stalls abideth ever:—	11	···/˘·/˘˘/˘
His rider's doom I pass in silence by.	10	·/˘····/˘·
But, as I hurl the whizzing casting-spear,	10	·····/˘/˘·
My shaft beside the mark I may not speed.	10	··˘/······
To Song-queens splendour-throned with joy draws near	10	···/˘·····
Their champion, and to Oligaithus' seed.	10	·/˘·······
How oft at Nemea these have shone victorious	11	········˘/˘
And at the Isthmus, all will I comprise	10	···/˘···˘/
In few words: of the record passing-glorious	11	·····/˘/˘/˘
My tale a truthful witness ratifies,—	10	···/˘/˘/˘·
Ay, under oath,—that noble herald's tongue	10	·····/˘/˘·
Which published threescore victories in the names	10	·/˘/˘/˘···
Of this House—welcome-sweet his accents rung!—	10	···/˘··/˘·
When Nemea and the Isthmus held their games.	10	·····/˘···
Touching their victories at Olympia won,	10	/˘·/˘·˘/˘·
Meseems, the tale already hath been told;	10	˘/··˘/˘···
And of the great deeds that shall yet be done,	10	··········
Their tale hereafter shall my song unfold	10	··˘/˘···˘/
Clearly. I hope now: with God lies the issue;	11	/˘·······/˘
But, if this House's fortune speed, I trow,	10	···/˘/˘···
Zeus and the War-god's hands shall weave the tissue	11	·········/·
Of that bright future. 'Neath Parnassus' brow	10	···/˘··/˘·
Six triumphs won they: all at Argos gained	10	·/˘····/˘·
And Thebes, and where by that Lykaian height	9	·········
The altar royal unto Zeus ordained	10	·/˘/˘···˘/
Shall witness in Arcadia's people's sight,	10	·/˘·˘/˘/˘·
And in Pellene, Megara, Sikyon,	9	·········
And in the Aiakids' close fair-walled around,	10	··········
And at Eleusis, shining Marathon,	10	·····/˘/˘·
And towns by Etna's huge mass overfrowned,	10	···/˘·····
Euboea—nay, all Hellas through, thy questing	10	········/˘
Shall prove them countless. Zeus, who answerest prayer,	10	···/˘··/˘·
Light let their feet glide on! Be honour resting	11	·······/˘/˘
On these, all bliss be theirs and fortune fair!	10	·······/˘·

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