Tag: Pindar

Τοῖσι λάμπει μὲν μένος ἀελίου
τὰν ἐνθάδε νύκτα κάτω,
φοινικορόδοις ‹δ’› ἐνὶ λειμώνεσσι προάστιον αὐτῶν
καὶ λιβάνων σκιαρᾶν ‹             ›
   καὶ χρυσοκάρποισιν βέβριθε ‹δενδρέοις›
καὶ τοὶ μὲν ἵπποις γυμνασίοισι ‹τεˉˉ›
   τοὶ δὲ πεσσοῖς
τοὶ δὲ φορμίγγεσσι τέρπονται, παρὰ δέ σφισιν
   εὐανθὴς ἅπας τέθαλεν ὄλβος·
  ὀδμὰ δ’ ἐρατὸν κατὰ χῶρον κίδναται
†αἰεὶ . . θύματα μειγνύντων πυρὶ τηλεφανεῖ
‹παντοῖα θεῶν ἐπὶ βωμοῖς›
[           ]ε̣οι μοῖρ’ ἔνθα . [
[           ]δώροις βουθυ[
  [           ]φ̣αν ἄλοχόν [
[            ]αν·
[            ]π̣ρ̣ὸς [Ὄ]λυμπον [

(Pindar, fr. 129)

For them shines the might of the sun
below during nighttime up here,
and in meadows of red roses their country abode
is laden with . . . shady frankincense trees
and trees with golden fruit,
and some take delight in horses and exercises,
others in draughts,
and others in lyres; and among them
complete happiness blooms and flourishes.
A fragrance spreads throughout the lovely land,
as they continually mingle offerings of all kinds
(with far-shining fire on the gods’ altars)*.
portion from there
gifts, oxen-sacrifice(s)
wife
. . . . . .
to Olympus

* The papyrus omits v. 10 in the passage from Plutarch.

(tr. William H. Race, with his note)

Ὄλβιος ὅστις ἰδὼν κεῖν’ εἶσ’ ὑπὸ χθόν’·
οἶδε μὲν βίου τελευτάν,
οἶδεν δὲ διόσδοτον ἀρχάν
(Pindar, fr. 137)

Blessed is he who sees them* and goes beneath the earth;
he knows the end of life
and knows its Zeus-given beginning.

* the Eleusinian mysteries.

(tr. William H. Race)

Εὐανθέα δ’ ἀναβάσομαι στόλον ἀμφ’ ἀρετᾷ
κελαδέων. νεότατι μὲν ἀρήγει θράσος
δεινῶν πολέμων· ὅθεν φαμὶ καὶ σὲ τὰν ἀπείρονα δόξαν εὑρεῖν,

τὰ μὲν ἐν ἱπποσόαισιν ἄνδρεσσι μαρνάμενον,
τὰ δ’ 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 δ’ ἐν Αἰολίδεσσι χορδαῖς θέλων
ἄθρησον χάριν ἑπτακτύπου
φόρμιγγος ἀντόμενος.
γένοι’ οἷος ἐσσὶ μαθών· καλός τοι πίθων παρὰ παισίν, αἰεὶ

καλός. ὁ δὲ Ῥαδάμανθυς εὖ πέπραγεν, ὅτι φρενῶν
ἔλαχε καρπὸν ἀμώμητον, οὐδ’ ἀπάταισι θυμὸν τέρπεται ἔνδοθεν,
οἷα ψιθύρων παλάμαις ἕπετ’ αἰεὶ βροτῷ.
ἄμαχον κακὸν ἀμφοτέροις διαβολιᾶν ὑποφάτιες,
ὀργαῖς ἀτενὲς ἀλωπέκων ἴκελοι.
κέρδει δὲ τί μάλα τοῦτο κερδαλέον τελέθει;
ἅτε γὰρ εννάλιον πόνον ἐχοίσας βαθύν
σκευᾶς ἑτέρας, ἀβάπτιστός εἰμι φελλὸς ὣς ὑπὲρ ἕρκος ἅλμας.
(Pindar, Pyth. 2.62-81)

I shall mount the wreathed ship to speak aloud
your praise. Your youth is staunch in valor to endure
stark battle; whence I say you have found glory that knows no measure

in striving against those who rode horses in battle
and the fighting footranks also. But your elder counsels
set me free to speak forth
in your praise, a word without peril
against any man’s contention. Hail, then! This melody is sent you
like Phoenician ware over the gray sea.
Be fain to behold and welcome the Kastor-chant
on Aiolian strings, by grace
of the seven-stringed lyre.
Learn what you are and be such. See, the ape to children is a pretty thing, pretty indeed.

But Rhadamanthys has done well, to reap
a blameless harvest of the mind, without joy of deception at the inward heart,
such as ever befalls a man by action of those who whisper.
To both sides the speakers of slander are an evil beyond control.
They are minded like foxes, utterly.
But what good then befalls the greedy fox of his slyness?
As when the rest of the gear founders in the sea’s
depth, I, the cork at the net, ride not drenched in the brine.
(tr. Richmond Lattimore)

Χρῆν μὲν κατὰ καιρὸν ἐρώ-
των δρέπεσθαι, θυμέ, σὺν ἁλικίᾳ·
τὰς δὲ Θεοξένου ἀκτῖνας πρὸς ὄσσων
μαρμαρυζοίσας δρακείς
ὃς μὴ πόθῳ κυμαίνεται, ἐξ ἀδάμαντος
ἢ σιδάρου κεχάλκευται μέλαιναν καρδίαν

ψυχρᾷ φλογί, πρὸς δ’ Ἀφροδί-
τας ἀτιμασθεὶς ἑλικογλεφάρου
ἢ περὶ χρήμασι μοχθίζει βιαίως
ἢ γυναικείῳ θράσει
†ψυχρὰν† φορεῖται πᾶσαν ὁδὸν θεραπεύων.
ἀλλ’ ἐγὼ τᾶς ἕκατι κηρὸς ὣς δαχθεὶς ἕλᾳ

ἱρᾶν μελισσᾶν τάκομαι, εὖτ’ ἂν ἴδω
παίδων νεόγυιον ἐς ἥβαν·
ἐν δ’ ἄρα καὶ Τενέδῳ
Πειθώ τ’ ἔναιεν καὶ Χάρις
υἱὸν Ἁγησίλα.
(Pindar, fr. 123)

One should pluck the fruits of love at the right time, my heart, in youth. But whoever has seen the rays flashing from Theoxenus’ eyes and is not overwhelmed by desire has a black heart forged from adamant or steel with a cold flame, dishonoured by bright-eyed Aphrodite, or struggles compulsively for wealth, or through a woman’s daring is borne along serving a totally cold path (?). As for me, because of her [sc. Aphrodite] I melt like the sun-bitten wax of holy bees, whenever I look upon the young-limbed youth of boys. Truly even in Tenedos Persuasion and Grace inhabit the son of Hagesilas. (tr. Richard Rawles)

Εἰ δὲ δή τιν’ ἄνδρα θνατὸν Ὀλύμπου σκοποί
ἐτίμασαν, ἦν Τάνταλος οὗτος· ἀλ-
λὰ γὰρ καταπέψαι
μέγαν ὄλβον οὐκ ἐδυνάσθη, κόρῳ δ’ ἕλεν
ἄταν ὑπέροπλον, ἅν τοι πατὴρ ὕπερ
κρέμασε καρτερὸν αὐτῷ λίθον,
τὸν αἰεὶ μενοινῶν κεφαλᾶς βαλεῖν
εὐφροσύνας ἀλᾶται.
ἔχει δ’ ἀπάλαμον βίον τοῦτον ἐμπεδόμοχθον
μετὰ τριῶν τέταρτον πόνον, ἀθανάτους ὅτι κλέψαις
ἁλίκεσσι συμπόταις
νέκταρ ἀμβροσίαν τε
δῶκεν, οἷσιν ἄφθιτον
θέν νιν. εἰ δὲ θεὸν ἀνήρ τις ἔλπεταί
τι λαθέμεν ἔρδων, ἁμαρτάνει.
(Pindar, Ol. 1.54-64)

If they who watch on Olympos have honored
any man, that was Tantalos; but he was not
able to swallow his great fortune, and for his high stomach
drew a surpassing doom when our father
hung the weight of the stone above him.
He waits ever the stroke at his head and is divided from joy.
That life is too much for his strength; he is buckled fast in torment,
agony fourth among three others, because he stole
and gave to his own fellowship
that ambrosia and nectar
wherewith the gods made him immortal. If any man thinks to swindle
God, he is wrong.
(tr. Richard Lattimore)

 

ἓν ἀνδρῶν, ἓν θεῶν γένος· ἐκ μιᾶς δὲ πνέομεν
ματρὸς ἀμφότεροι· διείργει δὲ πᾶσα κεκριμένα
δύναμις, ὡς τὸ μὲν οὐδέν, ὁ δὲ χάλκεος ἀσφαλὲς αἰὲν ἕδος
μένει οὐρανός. ἀλλά τι προσφέρομεν ἔμπαν ἢ μέγαν
νόον ἤτοι φύσιν ἀθανάτοις,
καίπερ ἐφαμερίαν οὐκ εἰδότες οὐδὲ μετὰ νύκτας ἄμμε πότμος
ἅντιν’ ἔγραψε δραμεῖν ποτὶ στάθμαν.
(Pindarus, Nem. 6.1-7)

There is one
race of men, one race of gods; both have breath
of life from a single mother. But sundered power
holds us divided, so that the one is nothing, while for the
other the brazen sky is established
their sure citadel forever. Yet we have some likeness in great
intelligence, or strength, to the immortals,
though we know not what the day will bring, what course
after nightfall
destiny has written that we must run to the end.
(tr. Richard Lattimore)

Ἀλλὰ γὰρ νόστου πρόφασις γλυκεροῦ
κώλυεν μεῖναι. φάτο δ’ Εὐρύπυλος Γαιαόχου παῖς ἀφθίτου Ἐννοσίδα
ἔμμεναι· γίνωσκε δ’ ἐπειγομένους· ἂν δ’ εὐθὺς ἁρπάξαις ἀρούρας
δεξιτερᾷ προτυχὸν ξένιον μάστευσε δοῦναι,
οὐδ’ ἀπίθησέ ἱν, ἀλλ’ ἥρως ἐπ’ ἀκταῖσιν θορών,
χειρί οἱ χεῖρ’ ἀντερείσαις δέξατο βώλακα δαιμονίαν.
πεύθομαι δ’ αὐτὰν κατακλυσθεῖσαν ἐκ δούρατος
ἐναλίαν βᾶμεν σὺν ἅλμᾳ
ἑσπέρας ὑγρῷ πελάγει σπομέναν. ἦ μάν νιν ὤτρυνον θαμά
λυσιπόνοις θεραπόντεσσιν φυλάξαι· τῶν δ’ ἐλάθοντο φρένες·
καί νυν ἐν τᾷδ’ ἄφθιτον νάσῳ κέχυται Λιβύας
εὐρυχόρου σπέρμα πρὶν ὥρας.
(Pindarus, Pyth. 4.32-43)

We spoke of the sweet necessity of return that stayed
our lingering. He named himself Eurypylos, son of the earthshaker immortal, Poseidon;
he understood our haste, but, tearing a clod from the soil,
proffered it in his right hand, a token of friendship.
The hero Euphamos disobeyed him not, but, vaulting ashore,
set hand in hand and accepted the magic piece of earth.
They tell me that, washed from the deck,
it has gone with the current,
at nightfall down the salt sea’s bending track. Indeed, over and again I charged
the grooms, easing their masters, to guard it well. But their hearts forgot.
And now the seed imperishable of wide
Libya is washed before its time to this island.
(tr. Richmond Lattimore)

 

Ξανθὸς δ’ Ἀχιλεὺς τὰ μὲν μένων Φιλύρας ἐν δόμοις,
παῖς ἐὼν ἄθυρε μεγάλα ἔργα· χερσὶ θαμινά
βραχυσίδαρον ἄκοντα πάλλων ἴσα τ’ ἀνέμοις,
μάχᾳ λεόντεσσιν ἀγροτέροις ἔπρασσεν φόνον,
κάπρους τ’ ἔναιρε· σώματα δὲ παρὰ Κρονίδαν
Κένταυρον ἀσθμαίνοντα κόμιζεν,
ἑξέτης τὸ πρῶτον, ὅλον δ’ ἔπειτ’ ἂν χρόνον·
τὸν ἐθάμβεον Ἄρτεμίς τε καὶ θρασεῖ’ Ἀθάνα,
κτεἰνοντ’ ἐλάφους ἄνευ κυνῶν δολίων θ’ ἑρκέων·
ποσσὶ γὰρ κράτεσκε.
(Pindar, Nem. 3.43-52)

But tawny Achilles lived in the house of Philyra
and as yet a boy did great things; in his hands hefting
javelins scantly tipped with iron, wind-light,
he wreaked death in bloody combat upon wild lions;
he struck down boars, and to the house of the Kronian
centaur dragged the gasping carcasses,
at six years, and thereafter for the rest of his time;
and amazed Artemis and stern Athene,
killing deer without hounds or treacherous nets,
for he ran them down in his speed.
(tr. Richmond Lattimore)

Εἰ γὰρ ὁ πᾶς χρόνος ὄλβον μὲν οὕτω καὶ κτεάνων
δόσιν εὐθύνοι, καμάτων δ’ ἐπίλασιν παράσχοι.

[Antistr. γ’]
ἦ κεν ἀμνάσειεν, οἵαις ἐν πολέμοισι μάχαις
τλάμονι ψυχᾷ παρέμειν’, ἁνίχ’ εὑρίσκοντο θεῶν
παλάμαις τιμάν,
οἵαν οὔτις Ἑλλάνων δρέπει,
πλούτου στεφάνωμ’ ἀγέρωχον. νῦν γε μὰν τὰν
Φιλοκτήταο δίκαν ἐφέπων
ἐστρατεύθη· σὺν δ’ ἀνάγκᾳ νιν φίλον
καί τις ἐὼν μεγαλάνωρ ἔσανεν. φαντὶ δὲ Λαμνόθεν
ἕλκει τειρόμενον μεταβάσοντας ἐλθεῖν

[Ep. γ’]

ἥρωας ἀντιθέους Ποίαντος υἱὸν τοξόταν;
ὃς Πριάμοιο πόλιν πέρσεν, τελεύτασέν τε πόνους Δαναοῖς,
ἀσθενεῖ μὲν χρωτὶ βαίνων, ἀλλὰ μοιρίδιον ἦν.

(Pindar, Pyth. 1.46-55)

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. (tr. Diane Arnson Svarlien)