Olympian IX

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

iambic pentameter · 176 lines · from The Odes of Pindar

Archilochus' chant of the sweet voice singingThe Olympian hymn of victory,With its threefold measure of triumph outringing,Sufficed to lead onward the revelryTo the Hill of Kronos, as paced alongEpharmostus amidst of his comrade-throng.But now with such soul-stirring arrows of songAs in these our days fly fittinglyShot from the Muses' bows far-ranging,Sing praises, my soul, unto Zeus, whose handHurls red-glowing lightnings sin-avenging;And the holy foreland of Elis-landPraise thou, the land which long agonePelops the hero, Lydia's son,With Hippodameia for dowry won,The glorious clasp of her wedlock-band.

And a sweet feathered shaft on the bowstring layingPytho-ward shoot thou: not to the groundShall thy words fall, when thy fingers are strayingO'er the quivering strings of the lyre, to soundThe praise of a lord of the wrestling-ringWho from Opus the famed came journeying;And the glory of that good town do thou singAnd the praise of her champion triumph-crowned.'Tis a city that Themis and Safety-bestower,Her child Fair Governance, won for their own;And in knightly deeds she blooms as a bower;For by Castaly's fountain her praise is known,And Alpheus murmureth her renown,Where blow fair flowers for victory's crownTo shine on the brows of the mother-townOf Lokris, with trees girt stately-grown.

The light of my song shall fierily blazeO'er this city so dear unto me,And swifter than high-mettled steed can raceOr a white-winged galley can flee,I will speed this story of Opus' gloryFar, far over land, over sea,If by Destiny guided my hand essayTo gather fruit and flowerIn the Graces' garden of gardens, for theyAll things delightsome shower.Whether hero or poet one be, he doth owe itTo Heaven's all-gracious power.

How else could Herakles' arm have wieldedMace against Trident in battle-strain?—When by Poseidon was Pylos shielded,And the Sea-god pressed on the Hero amain,When fast did the arrows of Phoebus flyAs the silver bow rang terribly,Neither Hades refrained him from swinging on highHis staff, till his blows flashed down like rain—The staff wherewithal through the cavernous portalsOf his mansion he leadeth, that Underworld-king,The shadowy forms of perished mortals:—Nay, nay, this slander afar from thee fling,O mouth of mine! Him who dares impeachThe Gods, him hatefullest wisdom doth teach!O yea, for untimely bold-mouthed speechDoth with strains insensate of madness ring.

Babble not thou in witless follyOf battle and war of Immortals, nor dareBlaspheme them! Nay, to the city holyOf Protogeneia thy song-gift bear,Telling how by His dooming who wields evermoreThe flickering lightning, the thunder's roar,Deukalion and Pyrrha long of yoreFixed their first habitation there,When down from Parnassus they came, and unmatedOf Aphrodite in wedlock-yoke,Out of the stones of the field createdA race that should be thenceforth one folk;And from stones were they named, that stone-born race.Awaken for these thy clear-ringing lays!O yea, old wine well mayest thou praise;But 'tis song's fresh flowers that our praises provoke.

Out of old days cometh a legend which saithThat the great deep's fountains rainedOn the dark earth's bosom a deluge of death,Till, by counsels of Zeus restrained,The flood-tide sinking with waters shrinkingSwiftly was seaward drained.And this stone-born generation's sonsYour grey forefathers were,All valiant bearers of shields of bronze,Whom Iapetus' daughters bareWhen they made affiance with Kronos' scions,And kings of their blood reigned there,

Till the Lord of Olympus, from earth upraisingThe daughter of Opus, wafted his brideTo a lone spot meet for a God's embracingMid Mainalus' ridges, and lay by her side.Thereafter to Lokrus the childless he broughtThat maid, lest the fingers of eld should blotOut his name, and his line be continued notIf heirless the king of the land should have died.But the king's bride bare till her time's fulfillingThe seed of the Mightiest 'neath her zone;And the hero rejoiced with a joy heart-thrillingO'er the fair babe not of his own seed sown;And he gave him his mother's father's name,And a man pre-eminent he becameIn goodlihead and in deeds of fame,And his sire gave a city to rule for his own.

And there unto him were gathered strangers:From Argos the horse-land, from Thebes they hied,And from Pisa, and Arcady's mountain-rangers;But of all that came in his land to abideWas Aegina's and Aktor's son honoured most,Menoitius, whose son with the Atreids' hostUnto Teuthras' plain by the Troyland coastSailed. There alone by Achilles' sideSteadfast he stood, when Telephus turningThe valiant Danaans backward in flight,Of their sea-pacing galleys essayed the burning;So that all men knew who could deem arightThat a brave soul dwelt in Patroclus' breast.And the son of Thetis with earnest requestExhorted him, yea, with insistent behest:'Never hereafter in murderous fight

Do thou range thyself mid the battle-strainFrom my man-quelling spear afar!'O that to fit praise I may attainOf those that your champions are,As, bearing my burden of glory's guerdon,I speed in the Song-queen's car!And may Daring attend me close at my sideAnd Power all-compassing!For hither at friendship's call have I hied,And at Chivalry's summons I singOf Lampromachus telling in prowess excellingIn the Isthmian athlete-ring.

Yea, in the same day stood victoriousHe and his brother in mimic fray;And at Corinth's gates was the name twice gloriousOf Epharmostus in athlete-play.Other wreaths did he win him in Nemea's vale,And at Argos again did his prowess prevail,When in strife with men did he nowise fail,As he failed not at Athens in boyhood's day.And what contest was that, when, waxing bolder,From the boys' ranks stealing at Marathon,He abode the grapple of strong men olderThan he, for the silver cups to be won;And by ring-craft that shifteth its balance fastNever falling, he threw them. As tempest-blastRang the cheering, as down the arena he passedIn his goodlihead, goodliest deeds who had done.

At the festal assembly of Zeus LycaeanWondrous he showed in Parrhasia's sight,And again at Pellene's games HeraeanHe won him a warm defence from the spiteOf the blasts of winter, a mantle-vest.And the sepulchre where Iolaus doth rest,And Eleusis beside the sea attestThe splendour of all his deeds of might.The gifts that by Nature's self be givenAre ever the best; yet many there beThat by learning of teachers have painfully strivenTo attain unto honour's felicity.But the deed whose achievement no God hath blessed,That it never be published abroad is best.Some paths there be that in glory's questLead farther than others her votary:

One path of endeavour, ye well may deem,Leads not all men unto fame.Ah, steep are poesy's heights supreme;Yet, Muse, when thou crownest his nameWith thy guerdon of singing, with shout high-ringingFearlessly then proclaimOf our champion, that Nature hath dowered himBy the favour of Fate the divine,With deftness of hand, with litheness of limb,With valour's light in his eyne,And that now victorious hath he made gloriousOilean Aias' shrine.

Words in this poem 64

amidst prep.: In the midst or middle of; surrounded or encompassed by; among. [OE. amidde, amiddes, on midden, AS. on middan, in the middle, fr. midde the middle. The s is an adverbial ending, originally marking the genitive; the t is a la]
foreland n.: A promontory or cape; a headland; as, the North and South Foreland in Kent, England.
dowry n.: A gift; endowment. [Contr. from dowery; cf. LL. dotarium. See Dower.]
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.]
bowstring n.: The string of a bow.
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,]
opus n.: A work; specif. (Mus.), a musical composition. [L. See Opera.]
themis n.: The goddess of law and order; the patroness of existing rights.
governance n.: Exercise of authority; control; government; arrangement. [F. gouvernance.]
knightly a.: Of or pertaining to a knight; becoming a knight; chivalrous; as, a knightly combat; a knightly spirit. [AS. cnihtlic boyish.]
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.]
swifter v. t.: To tighten, as slack standing rigging, by bringing the opposite shrouds nearer.
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.]
delightsome a.: Very pleasing; delightful.
amain adv.: With might; with full force; vigorously; violently; exceedingly. [Pref. a- + main. See 2d Main, n.]
phoebus n.: Apollo; the sun god.
cavernous a.: Full of caverns; resembling a cavern or large cavity; hollow. [L. cavernosus: cf. F. caverneux.]
mansion n.: A dwelling place, -- whether a part or whole of a house or other shelter. [OF. mansion, F. maison, fr. L. mansio a staying, remaining, a dwelling, habitation, fr. manere, mansum, to stay, dwell; akin to Gr. Manse, Manor, Menagerie, Men]
underworld n.: The lower of inferior world; the world which is under the heavens; the earth.
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.]
impeach v. t.: To hinder; to impede; to prevent. [OE. empeechier to prevent, hinder, bar, F. empêcher, L. impedicare to entangle; pref. im- in + pedica fetter, fr. pes, pedis, foot. See Foot, and Appeach, Dispa]
insensate a.: Wanting sensibility; destitute of sense; stupid; foolish. [L. insensatus. See In- not, and Sensate.]
witless a.: Destitute of wit or understanding; wanting thought; hence, indiscreet; not under the guidance of judgment.
blaspheme v. t.: To speak of, or address, with impious irreverence; to revile impiously (anything sacred); as, to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. [OE. blasfem, L. blasphemare, fr. Gr. : cf. F. blasphémer. See Blame, v.]
evermore adv.: During eternity; always; forever; for an indefinite period; at all times; -- often used substantively with for.
yore adv.: In time long past; in old time; long since. [OE. , yare, , AS. geára;akin to geár a year, E. year. Year.]
parnassus n.: A mountain in Greece, sacred to Apollo and the Muses, and famous for a temple of Apollo and for the Castalian spring. Grass of Parnassus. (Bot.) See under Grass, and Parnassia.
aphrodite n.: The Greek goddess of love, corresponding to the Venus of the Romans.
thenceforth adv.: From that time; thereafter.
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.]
saith: 3d pers. sing. pres. of Say.
seaward a.: Directed or situated toward the sea. Donne.
valiant a.: Vigorous in body; strong; powerful; as, a valiant fencer. [OE. valiant, F. vaillant, OF. vaillant, valant, originally p. pr. of OF. & F. valoir to be worth, L. valere to be strong. See Wield, and cf. Avail, Convalesce, ]
affiance n.: Plighted faith; marriage contract or promise. [OE. afiaunce trust, confidence, OF. afiance, fr. afier to trust, fr. LL. affidare to trust; ad + fidare to trust, fr. L. fides faith. See Faith, and cf. Affidav]
lone n.: A lane. See Loanin.
thereafter adv.: After that; afterward. [AS. th\'d6ræfter after that. See There, and After.]
heirless a.: Destitute of an heir.
babe n.: An infant; a young child of either sex; a baby. [Cf. Ir. bab, baban, W. baban, maban.]
sire n.: A lord, master, or other person in authority. See Sir. [F. sire, originally, an older person. See Sir.]
deem v. t.: To decide; to judge; to sentence; to condemn. [OE. demen to judge, condemn, AS. d, fr. d doom; akin to OFries. d, OS. ad, D. doemen, OHG. tuommen, Icel. dæma, Sw. dömma, Dan. dömme, Goth. d. See Doom, n., an]
aright adv.: Rightly; correctly; in a right way or form; without mistake or crime; as, to worship God aright. [Pref. a- + right.]
insistent a.: Standing or resting on something; as, an insistent wall. Sir H. [L. insistens, -entis, p. pr. of insistere.]
behest v. t.: To vow. Paston.
hereafter adv.: In time to come; in some future time or state. [AS. hræfter.]
guerdon n.: A reward; requital; recompense; -- used in both a good and a bad sense. [OF. guerdon, guerredon, LL. widerdonum (influenced by L. donum gift, cf. Donation ), fr. OHG. widarl; widar again, against (G. wider wieder) + lon reward, G. lo]
compassing a.: Curved; bent; as, compassing timbers.
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.]
vale n.: A tract of low ground, or of land between hills; a valley. [OE. val, F. val, L. vallis; perhaps akin to Gr. Avalanche, Vail to lower, Valley.]
strife n.: The act of striving; earnest endeavor. [OF. estrif. See Strive.]
nowise adv.: Not in any manner or degree; in no way; noways. [For in no wise. See Wise, n.]
abode n.: Act of waiting; delay. [OE. abad, abood, fr. abiden to abide. See Abide. For the change of vowel, cf. abode, imp. of abide.]
craft n.: Strength; might; secret power. [AS. cr strength, skill, art, cunning; akin to OS., G., Sw., & Dan. kraft strength, D. kracht, Icel. kraptr; perh. originally, a drawing together, stretching, fr]
festal a.: Of or pertaining to a holiday or a feast; joyous; festive. [L. festum holiday, feast. See feast.]
wondrous adv.: In a wonderful or surprising manner or degree; wonderfully. [OE. wonders, adv. (later also adj.). See Wonder, n., and cf. -wards.]
defence n.: The act of defending, or the state of being defended; protection, as from violence or danger. [F. défense, OF. defense, fem., defens, masc., fr. L. defensa (cf. Fence.]
sepulchre n.: The place in which the dead body of a human being is interred, or a place set apart for that purpose; a grave; a tomb. [OE. sepulcre, OF. sepulcre, F. sépulcre, fr. L. sepulcrum, sepulchrum, fr. sepelire to bury.]
attest v. t.: To bear witness to; to certify; to affirm to be true or genuine; as, to attest the truth of a writing, a copy of record. [L. attestari; ad + testari to bear witness: cf. F. attester.]
splendour n.: Great brightness; brilliant luster; brilliancy; as, the splendor ot the sun. B. Jonson. [L. fr. splendere to shine: cf. F. splendeur.]
endeavour v. t.: To exert physical or intellectual strength for the attainment of; to use efforts to effect; to strive to achieve or reach; to try; to attempt. [OE. endevor; pref. en- + dever, devoir, duty, F. devoir: cf. F. se mettre en devoir de faire quelque chose to try to do a thing, to go about it. See Devoir, Deb]
dowered p. a.: Furnished with, or as with, dower or a marriage portion.
favour n.: Kind regard; propitious aspect; countenance; friendly disposition; kindness; good will. [Written also favour.]
deftness n.: The quality of being deft. Drayton.
litheness n.: The quality or state of being lithe; flexibility; limberness.
eyne n.: Plural of eye; obsolete, or used only in poetry.

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

About this text

Olympian 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, Olympian IX, in The Odes of Pindar (1922), text of Internet Archive, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/pindar-odes/olympian-9.html, id L29132.

Form and metre

Olympian IX is 176 lines in 12 stanzas. The metre is iambic pentameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 72%).

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 A-A-BBB-BCBC-DDC singing^A · victory · outringing^A · revelry · along^B · throng^B · song^B · fittingly · ranging^B · hand^C · avenging^B · land^C · agone · son^D · won^D · band^C
2 ABABCCCBDEDEFFFE laying^A · ground^B · straying^A · sound^B · ring^C · journeying^C · sing^C · crowned^B · bestower^D · own^E · bower^D · known^E · renown^F · crown^F · town^F · grown^E
3 -A-A-ABCBC-C blaze · me^A · race · flee^A · glory · sea^A · essay^B · flower^C · they^B · shower^C · it · power^C
4 ABABC-CBDEDEFFFE wielded^A · strain^B · shielded^A · amain^B · fly^C · terribly · high^C · rain^B · portals^D · king^E · mortals^D · fling^E · impeach^F · teach^F · speech^F · ring^E
5 -A-ABBBACDCD-EED folly · dare^A · holy · bear^A · evermore^B · roar^B · yore^B · there^A · unmated^C · yoke^D · created^C · folk^D · race · lays^E · praise^E · provoke^D
6 ABAB-BC-CDCD saith^A · rained^B · death^A · restrained^B · shrinking · drained^B · sons^C · were · bronze^C · bare^D · scions^C · there^D
7 ABAB-CCBDEDEFFFE upraising^A · bride^B · embracing^A · side^B · brought · blot^C · not^C · died^B · fulfilling^D · zone^E · thrilling^D · sown^E · name^F · became^F · fame^F · own^E
8 A-ABCCCBDEDEFFFE strangers^A · hied · rangers^A · abide^B · most^C · host^C · coast^C · side^B · turning^D · flight^E · burning^D · aright^E · breast^F · request^F · behest^F · fight^E
9 ABAB-B-C-CCC strain^A · afar^B · attain^A · are^B · guerdon · car^B · side · compassing^C · hied · sing^C · excelling^C · ring^C
10 ABABCCCBDEDEFFFE victorious^A · fray^B · glorious^A · play^B · vale^C · prevail^C · fail^C · day^B · bolder^D · marathon^E · older^D · won^E · fast^F · blast^F · passed^F · done^E
11 ABABCCCBD-D-CCC- lycaean^A · sight^B · heraean^A · spite^B · vest^C · rest^C · attest^C · might^B · given^D · be · striven^D · felicity · blessed^C · best^C · quest^C · votary
12 ABAB-BCDC--D deem^A · fame^B · supreme^A · name^B · ringing · proclaim^B · him^C · divine^D · limb^C · eyne · glorious · shrine^D

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
Archilochus' chant of the sweet voice singing	11	·········/˘
The Olympian hymn of victory,	10	·˘/˘˘··/˘˘
With its threefold measure of triumph outringing,	12	··/·/˘·/˘···
Sufficed to lead onward the revelry	10	˘/··/˘·/˘˘
To the Hill of Kronos, as paced along	10	····/˘··˘/
Epharmostus amidst of his comrade-throng.	11	····˘/··/··
But now with such soul-stirring arrows of song	11	·····/˘/˘··
As in these our days fly fittingly	10	···/˘··/˘˘
Shot from the Muses' bows far-ranging,	9	···/˘··/˘
Sing praises, my soul, unto Zeus, whose hand	10	·/˘·······
Hurls red-glowing lightnings sin-avenging;	10	··/˘/˘·˘/˘
And the holy foreland of Elis-land	10	··/˘/˘····
Praise thou, the land which long agone	8	······˘/
Pelops the hero, Lydia's son,	9	···/˘/˘˘·
With Hippodameia for dowry won,	9	······/˘·
The glorious clasp of her wedlock-band.	10	·/˘˘···/··
And a sweet feathered shaft on the bowstring laying	12	···/˘···/˘/˘
Pytho-ward shoot thou: not to the ground	9	·········
Shall thy words fall, when thy fingers are straying	11	······/˘·/˘
O'er the quivering strings of the lyre, to sound	10	··/˘······
The praise of a lord of the wrestling-ring	10	·······/˘·
Who from Opus the famed came journeying;	10	··/˘···/˘˘
And the glory of that good town do thou sing	11	··/˘·······
And the praise of her champion triumph-crowned.	10	·····/˘/˘·
'Tis a city that Themis and Safety-bestower,	13	··/˘·/˘·/˘˘/˘
Her child Fair Governance, won for their own;	10	···/˘˘····
And in knightly deeds she blooms as a bower;	11	··/˘·····/˘
For by Castaly's fountain her praise is known,	11	·····/˘····
And Alpheus murmureth her renown,	9	···/˘˘·˘/
Where blow fair flowers for victory's crown	10	···/˘·/˘˘·
To shine on the brows of the mother-town	10	·······/˘·
Of Lokris, with trees girt stately-grown.	9	······/˘·
The light of my song shall fierily blaze	10	··········
O'er this city so dear unto me,	9	··/˘·····
And swifter than high-mettled steed can race	10	·/˘··/˘···
Or a white-winged galley can flee,	9	····˘/˘··
I will speed this story of Opus' glory	11	····/˘·/˘/˘
Far, far over land, over sea,	8	········
If by Destiny guided my hand essay	10	··/˘/˘··/·
To gather fruit and flower	7	·/˘··/˘
In the Graces' garden of gardens, for they	11	··/˘/˘·/˘··
All things delightsome shower.	7	··˘/˘/˘
Whether hero or poet one be, he doth owe it	13	··/˘·/˘······
To Heaven's all-gracious power.	8	·/˘·/˘/˘
How else could Herakles' arm have wielded	9	·······/˘
Mace against Trident in battle-strain?—	9	···/˘·/˘·
When by Poseidon was Pylos shielded,	10	··˘/˘·/˘/˘
And the Sea-god pressed on the Hero amain,	11	·······/˘˘/
When fast did the arrows of Phoebus fly	10	····/˘·/˘·
As the silver bow rang terribly,	9	··/˘··/˘˘
Neither Hades refrained him from swinging on high	12	/˘/˘˘/··/˘··
His staff, till his blows flashed down like rain—	10	······˘···
The staff wherewithal through the cavernous portals	11	··/˘···/˘/˘
Of his mansion he leadeth, that Underworld-king,	12	··/˘·/˘·/˘··
The shadowy forms of perished mortals:—	10	·/˘˘··/˘/˘
Nay, nay, this slander afar from thee fling,	10	···/˘˘/···
O mouth of mine! Him who dares impeach	9	·······˘/
The Gods, him hatefullest wisdom doth teach!	10	···/˘˘/˘··
O yea, for untimely bold-mouthed speech	10	···˘/˘··˘·
Doth with strains insensate of madness ring.	10	···˘/˘·/˘·
Babble not thou in witless folly	9	/˘···/˘/˘
Of battle and war of Immortals, nor dare	11	·/˘···˘/˘··
Blaspheme them! Nay, to the city holy	10	˘/····/˘/˘
Of Protogeneia thy song-gift bear,	9	·········
Telling how by His dooming who wields evermore	12	/˘···/˘··/˘·
The flickering lightning, the thunder's roar,	10	·/˘˘/˘·/˘·
Deukalion and Pyrrha long of yore	9	·········
Fixed their first habitation there,	9	·˘···˘/˘·
When down from Parnassus they came, and unmated	12	····/˘······
Of Aphrodite in wedlock-yoke,	9	··˘/˘·/··
Out of the stones of the field created	10	·······˘/˘
A race that should be thenceforth one folk;	9	······/··
And from stones were they named, that stone-born race.	10	··········
Awaken for these thy clear-ringing lays!	10	˘/˘····/˘·
O yea, old wine well mayest thou praise;	8	········
But 'tis song's fresh flowers that our praises provoke.	11	····/·//˘˘/
Out of old days cometh a legend which saith	11	····/˘·/˘··
That the great deep's fountains rained	7	····/˘·
On the dark earth's bosom a deluge of death,	11	····/˘·/˘··
Till, by counsels of Zeus restrained,	9	··/˘··˘/˘
The flood-tide sinking with waters shrinking	10	···/˘·/˘/˘
Swiftly was seaward drained.	6	/˘·/˘·
And this stone-born generation's sons	9	·····˘/˘·
Your grey forefathers were,	6	··/·˘·
All valiant bearers of shields of bronze,	9	·/˘/˘····
Whom Iapetus' daughters bare	7	····/˘·
When they made affiance with Kronos' scions,	11	···˘/˘·/˘/˘
And kings of their blood reigned there,	7	·······
Till the Lord of Olympus, from earth upraising	12	····˘/˘·····
The daughter of Opus, wafted his bride	10	·/˘·/˘/˘··
To a lone spot meet for a God's embracing	11	········˘/˘
Mid Mainalus' ridges, and lay by her side.	11	····/˘·····
Thereafter to Lokrus the childless he brought	11	˘/˘····/˘··
That maid, lest the fingers of eld should blot	10	····/˘····
Out his name, and his line be continued not	11	·······˘/˘·
If heirless the king of the land should have died.	11	·/˘········
But the king's bride bare till her time's fulfilling	11	········˘/˘
The seed of the Mightiest 'neath her zone;	10	····/˘˘···
And the hero rejoiced with a joy heart-thrilling	12	··/˘˘/····/˘
O'er the fair babe not of his own seed sown;	10	··········
And he gave him his mother's father's name,	10	·····/˘/˘·
And a man pre-eminent he became	10	····/˘˘·˘/
In goodlihead and in deeds of fame,	9	·········
And his sire gave a city to rule for his own.	12	··/··/˘·····
And there unto him were gathered strangers:	10	······/˘/˘
From Argos the horse-land, from Thebes they hied,	10	·/˘·······
And from Pisa, and Arcady's mountain-rangers;	12	··/˘····/˘/˘
But of all that came in his land to abide	11	·········˘/
Was Aegina's and Aktor's son honoured most,	11	········/˘·
Menoitius, whose son with the Atreids' host	10	··········
Unto Teuthras' plain by the Troyland coast	10	··········
Sailed. There alone by Achilles' side	10	·˘·˘/·˘/˘·
Steadfast he stood, when Telephus turning	10	/·······/˘
The valiant Danaans backward in flight,	9	·/˘··/˘··
Of their sea-pacing galleys essayed the burning;	12	···/˘/˘˘/·/˘
So that all men knew who could deem aright	10	········˘/
That a brave soul dwelt in Patroclus' breast.	10	··········
And the son of Thetis with earnest request	11	····/˘·/˘˘/
Exhorted him, yea, with insistent behest:	11	˘/˘···˘/˘˘/
'Never hereafter in murderous fight	10	/˘˘/˘·/˘˘·
Do thou range thyself mid the battle-strain	10	···˘/··/˘·
From my man-quelling spear afar!'	8	···/˘·˘/
O that to fit praise I may attain	9	·······˘/
Of those that your champions are,	8	····/˘˘·
As, bearing my burden of glory's guerdon,	11	·/˘·/˘·/˘/˘
I speed in the Song-queen's car!	7	·······
And may Daring attend me close at my side	11	··/˘˘/·····
And Power all-compassing!	7	·/˘·/˘˘
For hither at friendship's call have I hied,	10	·/˘·/˘····
And at Chivalry's summons I sing	9	··/˘˘/˘··
Of Lampromachus telling in prowess excelling	13	·····/˘·/˘˘/˘
In the Isthmian athlete-ring.	8	··/˘˘/··
Yea, in the same day stood victorious	10	······˘/˘˘
He and his brother in mimic fray;	9	···/˘·/˘·
And at Corinth's gates was the name twice glorious	11	··/˘·····/˘
Of Epharmostus in athlete-play.	9	······/··
Other wreaths did he win him in Nemea's vale,	11	/˘·········
And at Argos again did his prowess prevail,	12	··/˘˘/··/˘˘/
When in strife with men did he nowise fail,	10	·······/˘·
As he failed not at Athens in boyhood's day.	11	·····/˘·/··
And what contest was that, when, waxing bolder,	11	··˘/···/˘/˘
From the boys' ranks stealing at Marathon,	10	····/˘·/˘·
He abode the grapple of strong men older	11	·˘/·/˘···/˘
Than he, for the silver cups to be won;	10	····/˘····
And by ring-craft that shifteth its balance fast	11	·····/˘·/˘·
Never falling, he threw them. As tempest-blast	10	//˘····/˘·
Rang the cheering, as down the arena he passed	12	··/˘···˘/˘··
In his goodlihead, goodliest deeds who had done.	11	···········
At the festal assembly of Zeus Lycaean	11	··/˘˘/˘····
Wondrous he showed in Parrhasia's sight,	10	/˘··˘·····
And again at Pellene's games Heraean	9	·˘/······
He won him a warm defence from the spite	10	·····˘/···
Of the blasts of winter, a mantle-vest.	10	····/˘·/˘·
And the sepulchre where Iolaus doth rest,	9	·········
And Eleusis beside the sea attest	10	····˘/··˘/
The splendour of all his deeds of might.	9	·/˘······
The gifts that by Nature's self be given	10	····/˘··/˘
Are ever the best; yet many there be	10	·/˘···/˘··
That by learning of teachers have painfully striven	12	··/˘·/˘·/˘/˘
To attain unto honour's felicity.	11	·˘/··/˘˘/˘˘
But the deed whose achievement no God hath blessed,	11	····˘/˘····
That it never be published abroad is best.	10	··/·/˘˘/··
Some paths there be that in glory's quest	9	······/˘·
Lead farther than others her votary:	10	·/˘·/˘·/˘˘
One path of endeavour, ye well may deem,	10	···˘/˘····
Leads not all men unto fame.	7	·······
Ah, steep are poesy's heights supreme;	8	······˘/
Yet, Muse, when thou crownest his name	8	····/˘··
With thy guerdon of singing, with shout high-ringing	12	··/˘·/˘···/˘
Fearlessly then proclaim	6	····˘/
Of our champion, that Nature hath dowered him	10	·//˘·/˘···
By the favour of Fate the divine,	9	··/˘···˘/
With deftness of hand, with litheness of limb,	10	·/˘···/˘··
With valour's light in his eyne,	7	·/˘····
And that now victorious hath he made glorious	11	···˘/˘···/˘
Oilean Aias' shrine.	4	····

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