Page images
PDF
EPUB

NEMEA IX.

ON THE VICTORY OF CHROMIOS OF AETNA WITH THE FOUR-HORSE CHARIOT IN THE PYTHIA AT SIKYON.

INTRODUCTION.

FOR Chromios see Introduction to N. 1. In this victory Chromios won a crown (vv. 52, 53) and silver bowls (v. 51). The ode was composed some time after the victory (v. 52) soon after the founding of Aetna, ie. B.C. 474 or 472 (v. 2). As Pindar seems to have been present the latter date is preferable.

Pindar makes effective use of the legend suggested by the games of Adrastos at Sikyon.

In the two passages vv. 21-29 and 48–54 the poet has elaborated a striking contrast between the turmoil and disaster of defeat in war on the one hand and the peaceful celebration of a peaceful victory on the other. We have:

ν. 21 ἐς ὅταν σπεύδεν

ν. 22 χαλκέοις ὅπλοισιν

*υ. 22 ιππείοις σὺν ἔντεσιν

ου. 22, 23 γλυκὺν | νόστον (denied) ν. 28 λευκανθέα σώματα

ν. 48 ἀσυχία,

ν. 49 νικαφορία

ν. 51 ἀργυρέαισι φιάλαισι
υ. 52 ἂς ποθ ̓ ἵπποι κ.τ.λ.
v. 50 γλυκών κώμου προφάταν
ου. 52, 53 θεμιπλέκτοις ἅμα |
Λατοΐδα στεφάνοις

00. 28, 24 σώματ' ἐπίαναν καπνόν | υ. 48 συμπόσιον· νεοθαλής κ.τ.λ.

ἑπτὰ γὰρ δαίσαντο πυροί

νεογνίους φῶτας.

* Tautometrio (as also φίλιπποι υ. 82).

10. 24, 26 κεραυνῷ παμβίς...δουρί τυ. 51, 52 νωμάτω... βιατάν | αμπέλου

[blocks in formation]

In the prayers vv. 28—32, 58–55 we find besides this last responsion another contrast and two resemblances :

ν. 29 ἀναβάλλομαι ως πόρσιστα
9. 81 Ζευ πάτερ (beginning line)
ν. 31 ἀγλαΐαισι

ν. 55 ἀκοντίζων σκοποί ἄγχιστα Μοισάν ν. 53 Ζευ πάτερ (ending line)

ϋ. 54 Χαρίτεσσιν

In the 4th verses of the 4th and 5th stanzas Zeus' lightning is mentioned, first as not giving a favorable omen, then as dealing merciful destruction.

[ocr errors]

We have also subordinate contrasts between the defeat of Amphiaraos and his friends and Chromios' victories in righteous war. Thus v. 37 θυμὸν αἰχματὰν echoes vv. 26, 27, μαχατὰν | θυμὸν αἰ*., and νεότατι ν. 44 effectively echoes the nearly tautometric νεογνίους ν. 24, as does ιππίων αέθλων...* υ. 9, τὸ κρατήσιππον* v. 4. The exact responsions παῖδες ν. 14, παίδεσσιν υ. 4, άνθρωποι ν. 41, ανθρώπων ν. 6, βαθυ- ν. 40, 25, -ρομι- υυ. 8, 3, -ονι- νν. 43, 28 seem to have no significance.

The mode is Dorian and the ode is processional, accompanied both by lyre and flute (v. 8); the metres dactylo-epitritic.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]
[merged small][ocr errors]

1-5. Invocation to the muses to inspire the chorus to celebrate Chromios' victory in games sacred to Lêtô and her children.

6, 7.

8,9.

Let not a deed of prowess sink into oblivion.

Strike up with lyre and flute in honor of the games instituted by Adrastos.

9-27. Myth of the Seven against Thebes concluding with the flight and engulfing of Amphiarâos.

28-32. Prayer that Zeus may grant lasting peace, civil order and glory in games to the Ætnæans.

'82-34. They are fond of horses and, strange to say, are above considerations of gain or economy in their ambition. 84-39. Chronios is a mighty warrior such as fow besides, 39-43. As Hektor by Skamandros, so Chromios by Helôros got glory, and elsewhere too by land and sea.

44. He has earned a peaceful old age.

45-47. He has been blessed with riches and honor.

48, 49.

The banquet loves peace; fresh victory is enhanced by song, which is inspired by the bowl.

50-53. Let the prize bowls be filled with wine.

53-end. Zeus is invoked to note the excellence of the poet's minstrelsy.

Στρ. α'.

: Κωμάσομεν παρ' 'Απόλλωνος Σικυώνοθε, Μοίσαι, 3 τὰν νεοκτίσταν ἐς Αἴτναν, ἔνθ' αναπεπταμέναι ξείνων

νενίκανται θύραι,

1 Κωμάσομεν For the future referring to the time of recitation of. v. 10, P. 9. 89, 11. 10. Böckh and others make this and proμer conjunctives, Don. on v. 48 de. liberative futures, a needless dis tinotion.

advarerrapivat Flung baok.' felvev For the gen. of. Hoph. Aj. 1853 xpareis router lur ex

Eur. Med. 315 σιγησόμεσθα, κρεισ obvWV VIKŵμEVO, Madv. § 64. For the hospitality of Aetna of. P. 1. 88; of Chromios of. N. 1. 19-25. The Schol. on Aristoph. Acharn. 127 τοὺς δὲ ξενίζειν οὐδέποτέ γ' ἴσχει Oúpa, has come down to us with the strango misquotation of this panungo~ (v0' äpa wewrapévair Eelνων ἕνεκεν ταῖν θύραιν.

3 ὄλβιον ἐς Χρομίου δῶμ'. ἀλλ ̓ ἐπέων γλυκὺν ὕμνον πράσσεται.

4 τὸ κρατήσιππον γὰρ ἐς ἅρμ ̓ ἀναβαίνων ματέρι καὶ

διδύμοις παίδεσσιν αὐδὲν μανύει

5

5

Πυθῶνος αἰπεινᾶς ὁμοκλάροις ἐπόπταις.

10

Στρ. β'.

ι ἔστι δέ τις λόγος ἀνθρώπων, τετελεσμένον ἐσλὸν 3 μὴ χαμαὶ σιγᾷ καλύψαι· θεσπεσία δ ̓ ἐπέων καύ χαις ἀοιδὰ πρόσφορος.

15

3 ἀλλ ̓ ἀνὰ μὲν βρομίαν φόρμιγγ', ἀνὰ δ ̓ αὐλὸν ἐπ ̓ αὐτὸν ὄρσομεν

4 ἱππίων αέθλων κορυφάν, ἅτε Φοίβῳ θῆκεν "Αδραστος ἐπ' 'Λσωποῦ ῥεέθροις· ὧν ἐγὼ

πράσσεται Cf. Ο. 8, 7, 10, 30 for the phrase, in which the ode is regarded as a debt. The majority of ass. and editors read πράσσετε, but it is not easy to see who is meant, as the Muses do not claim songs but inspire, and so forth. For the addition of exéwv cf. v. 7 infra and N. 7. 16. The ἀλλ ̓ favors the reading πράσσεται. The chorus must discharge their obligation of minstrelsy before partaking of Chromios hospitality.

κρατήσιππον • Team-vanquishing, according to analogy probably, but cf. Ρ. 9. 56. ματέρι, κ.τ.λ. In honor of Lito and Apollo and Artemis. Cf. P. 4. 3. αὐδὲν μανύει He gives the signal for A strain. The sceming interpretation of αὐδὲν by the Schol., τὸ θαυμάζεσθαι, may have been due to a false reading ayar or to a true παίδεσσ ̓ ἄγασθαι. Anyhow the meaning of μανύει is singular.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

For sentiment ef. P. 9. 9396, Frag. 98. τετελεσμένον, κ.τ.λ. Hide not by silence in abasement the achievement of a deed of prowess. For the infinitive clause of. P. 2. 24. For the participle of.

10

Ισλόν

O. 9. 103, I. 7. 12, N. 6. 2. Used in this sense, N. 5. 47, and almost victories,' 'prizes,' P. 8. 73. Cf. the poet's use of ἀρετή, N. 5. 53.

7 ἐπέων Paley rightly takes this gen. after ἀοιδά. Cf. ἐπ. ύμνον τ. 3, ἐπ. ἀοιδαῖς Ν. 7. 16. Kayser, Rauchenstein and v. Leutsch alter ἐπέων. καύχαις πρόσφορος '18 well adapted for loud acclaim.' Cf. O. 9. 38, and for sentiment O. 11. 91-96. ΜΗΗ. γίνε καύχας, which Mommsen reads. The geni. tive καύχας might be like ἀνάγκας, N. 8. 3, and quality επέων αοιδά, but πρόσφορος without a dative is awkward.

8 αλλ' Resumptive, going back to vv. 4, 5. Cf. O. 4. 6. βρομίαν 'Pealing' (Myers). Cf. N. 11.7 λúpa δέ σφι βρέμεται καὶ ἀοιδά. The root βρεμ properly denotes deep sound or great body of sound. dvd...dvd Tmesis. For repetition ef. I. 3. 8. ἐπ' αὐτὸν ἰ. α. κορυφάν For the very prime of contests with horses.' The phrase refers to four-horse cha riot races generally. Cf. N. 10. 82.

Ο Ασωπού For thin mtreat, on the cast of Sikyon, ef. N. 3. 4.

10 5 μνασθεὶς ἐπασκήσω κλυταῖς ἥρωα τιμαῖς,

Στρ. γ'.

25

α ὃς τότε μὲν βασιλεύων κεῖθι νέαισι θ' ἑορταῖς ὁ ἰσχύος τ ̓ ἀνδρῶν ἁμίλλαις ἅρμασί τε γλαφυροῖς ἄμφαινε κυδαίνων πόλιν.

ο φεύγε γὰρ Αμφιάρηόν τε θρασυμήδεα καὶ δεινὰν στάσιν 30 4 πατρῴων οἴκων ἀπό τ' Αργεος· ἀρχοὶ δ ̓ οὐκ ἔτ ̓ ἔσαν Ταλαοῦ παῖδες, βιασθέντες λύα.

15 • κρέσσων δὲ καππαύει δίκαν τὴν πρόσθεν ἀνήρ.

35

Στρ. δ'.

ι ἀνδροδάμαντ' Εριφύλαν, ὅρκιον ὡς ὅτε πιστόν, 3 δόντες Οικλείδα γυναῖκα, ξανθοκομᾶν Δαναῶν ἔσσαν μέγιστοι δὴ τόθεν.

11 μέν Without δέ. Cf. O. 3. 19. 12 ἅρμασι Βöckh and Dissen take this dative as dependent on ἁμίλλαις, comparing Ο. 5. 6. cf. also P. 6. 17. γλαφυροίς Carved. Böckh. ἄμφαινε κυδαίνων Both these words are elsewhere (P. 9. 73, Ο. 11. 66) used of victors ; but here of the ἀγωνοθέτης Adrastos, who conferred distinction upon Sikyon, the city whither he fled from Argos when expelled by Amphiaraos' faction, by instituting sacred games there. Pindar ignores the fact that Kleisthenes had suppressed Adrastos' games and substituted the Pythia in which Chromios gained his victory.

18 deûye 'Had fled.' Lit. 'was in flight from.'

14 Ταλαοῦ παῖδες Adrastos and his brothers Parthenopaeos, Pronax, Mikisteus and Aristomachos; these were descendants of Bias, Amphiaraos of Melampus, Kapaneus of Proetos. λύα Cf. Ηesych. λύα· στάσις. Meaning at first, no doubt, a struggle for deliverance from oligarchy or monarchy.

16 κρέσσων ‘Of superior in

40

telligence.' Cf. Xen. Mem. 1. 2. §§ 16 and 47, and perhaps P. 5. 102 κρέσσονα μὲν ἁλικίας | νόον φέρβεται. A Schol. interprets κρείσσων φανείς καὶ συνετώτερος. καππαύει For καταπαύει, annuls. For the assimilation cf. O. 8. 38. δίκαν

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

'The previous award' (given against him). The line must refer to what follows on account of the asyndeton (or τ') in the next line and the fact that δόντες refers to the same subject as βιασθέντες. One Schol., Thiersch and Mezger explain For a stronger man putteth an end to the former right (of sovereignty)'; i.e. might goes before right. The shade of mean. ing given to δίκη is at least unusual: and why should Pindar say might is right' just before telling of a compromise by which the former right was recovered?

[ocr errors]

16 Mss. give ἀνδροδάμαν τ' and ἀνδρομέδαν τ'. Pindar uses the epithet in reference to her bringing about Amphiarâos' death. For termination -αντ- fem. cf. I. 5. 73. ὡς ὅτε Cf. Ο. 6. 2.

17 δόντες ἔσσαν ‘It was after

« PreviousContinue »