Page images
PDF
EPUB

80 8 μάτρῳ μ' ἔτι Καλλικλεῖ κελεύεις

1 στάλαν θέμεν Παρίου λίθου λευκοτέραν·

2

ὁ χρυσός εψόμενος

3 αὐγὰς ἔδειξεν ἁπάσας, ὕμνος δὲ τῶν ἀγαθῶν 4 ἑργμάτων βασιλεῦσιν ἰσοδαίμονα τεύχει 85 5 φῶτα· κεῖνος ἀμφ' Αχέροντι ναιετάων ἐμὰν 6 γλῶσσαν εὑρέτω κελαδῆτιν, Ορσοτριαίνα 7 ἵν ̓ ἐν ἀγῶνι βαρυκτύπου

8 θάλησε Κορινθίοις σελίνοις·

ι τὸν Εὐφάνης ἐθέλων γεραιός προπάτωρ 90 3 ὁ σός <διδάσκετος παι

31 Cf. N. 8. 47. The substitution of this phrase for ὕμνον anticipates an apodosis.

82 εψόμενος • While being refined.' From 8 xpurbs to pŵra is a virtual parenthesis (the asyndeton being noteworthy), amplifying the general notion of στάλαν Παρίου λίθου λευκοτέραν. Perhaps gram. matically the effect of minstrelsy in general (illustrated by a simile introduced parathetically, cf. O. and P. p. xxiii) is made a false apodosis (cf.P. 11. 41-45), followed abruptly by the true apodosis, κεῖνος εὑρέτω, κ.τ.λ., added to express the promise of the celebration asked for, which is implied in the preceding general statement, ύμνος...τεύχει φώτα. It should be observed that this simile is drawn from molten gold.

83 ἁπάσας ‘All. The strong ἁπάσ. is used because the rays keep changing color.

βασιλ.

84 έργμ. Cf. v. 8. E.g., of course the royal Aeakidae. Ισοδ. Perhaps βασιλεῦσι Εισοδ. 18 right. βασιλεῦσιν Especially the Eacid kings mentioned above. Cf. for idea O. 1. 113 ἐπ' ἄλλοισι δ' ἄλλοι

Στρ. ια'.

130

135

140

Στρ. ιβ'.

145

μεγάλοι· τὸ δ' ἔσχατον κορυφούται | βασιλεῦσι.

86 εὑρέτω ‘Become aware that. Cf. for sentiment Ο. 8. 77 sqq., 14. 19.

87 tv' 'Here on earth where,' or, with Dissen, 'at the Isthmos where.' Bergk reads évek'.

88 θάλησε ‘He burst into bloom.' The word must not be applied literally to σελίνοις, for the Isthmian crown was of withered (ξηρά) parsley. For the phrase cf. δ. 9. 16 θάλλει δ' ἀρεταῖσι.

89 ἐθέλων Implying as an amateur without fee.' προπάτωρ I.ε. ματροπάτωρ. See the following scheme.

[blocks in formation]

3 ἄλλοισι δ' ἄλικες ἄλλοι· τὰ δ', αὐτὸς <ὧν κα> τύχη,

4 ελπεταί τις έκαστος ἐξοχώτατα φάσθαι.

5 οἷον αἰνέων κα Μελησίαν ἔριδα στρέφοι,

6 ρήματα πλέκων, ἀπάλαιστος ἐν λόγῳ ἕλκειν, 08 η μαλακὰ μὲν φρονέων ἐσλοῖς,

8 τραχὺς δὲ παλιγκότοις έφεδρος.

[blocks in formation]

an amateur (¿0€λwv) trainer. This assumption gives point to vv. 91, 92. Perhaps a gloss foxes helped the change of διδάσκετο, I hold that δάσκετο (δι- having dropped out) was mistaken for 8' deloeTo and corrected (?) to delσerai.

Οι ἄλλοισι δ ̓ ἄλικες ἄλλοι Von Leutsch suggests that the poet is thinking of the proverb ήλιξ ήλικα Tépre, said to be derived from Od. 17. 218. [Mezger.] ὧν κι τύχη M88, av TIS TUXD. The intolerable Tis ousted ke and a gloss dv ousted wv. The emendation gives emphasis to aúrós. It seems that, as has been suggested, Euphanes had trained Kallikles, and the poet apologises for saying little about it and going on to praise Melêsias.

92 έλπεται Cf. Ν. 7. 20.

93 οἷον, κ.τ.λ. 'For instance, were one to sing Melêsias' praises one would twist about (his theme of) the struggle, locking together phrases, hard to stir from his position in recital.' Aristarchos read οἷον and ἔριδας. In this signal instance of Pindar's tendency to make his metaphors appropriate to the contest in which the person whom he is celebrating was vio torious, σrpepo alludes to the general turning and twisting of a wrestler's whole body, λéxwv to the interlacing of his limbs with his opponent's (see the group of Lottatori (Florence, Uffizi), of which there is a cast in the Fitzwilliam

150

145

Museum), έλκειν is more general term for the endeavor to move or bear down the adversary by tugging at him. The subject of orpédo is the object of Kew. For the technical use of. II. 23. 714 Terployeɩ 8' ἄρα νῶτα, θρασειάων ἀπὸ χειρῶν | έλα Kóμeva σTEρews, Hês. Scut. Here, 302 ἐμάχοντο πύξ τε καὶ ἑλκηδόν. For the appropriate metaphor cf. O. 8. 24 διακρῖναι δυσπαλές, Ο. 6. 22, Ν. 1. 7, 7. 70--72, I. 2. 2. For the infinitive λke cf. O. 8. 24, 7. 25, N. 3. 30. For the trainer Melêsias cf. O. 8. 54 sqq., N. 6. 66 to the end. From the trainer receiving such prominent honor as the theme of the conclusion in N. 4 and 6 one may perhaps infer that he engaged the poet to celebrate a pupil on both occasions, cf. P. 4 Introd.

95

Cf. O. 3. 17 πιστὰ φρονέων, but especially P. 8. 82 Térpaσ d' ἔμπετες ὑψόθεν | σωμάτεσσι κακὰ opovéwv, of a wrestler. ἐσλοῖς "The noble,' i.e. here, victors and meritorious competitors in games.

96 παλιγκότοις 'Their malicious enemies.' It may be inferred from the last lines being devoted to enemies that Timâsarchos' victory was not altogether popular, cf.vv. 36

-41. Έφεδρος For the meaning of the term cf. O. 8. 68. It simply means the man who 'draws a by where an odd number of competitors are matched in pairs. Here Melêsias and his resentful rivals are paired, but Euphanes is ready to take up his quarrel.

NEMEA V.

ON THE VICTORY OF PYTHEAS OF AEGINA IN THE BOYS'

PANKRATION.

INTRODUCTION,

PYTHEAS, son of Lampon, was the elder of two brothers, who were both pancratiasts, the younger of whom Phylakidas won the victories commemorated in I. 4(B.C. 482), and I. 5 (B.C. 480). The elder brother's Nemean victory was earlier. They belonged to the noble Tárpa of the Psalychidae of Aegina (I. 5. 63). Their father Lampon was son of Kleonikos (I. 5. 16), and was perhaps cousin to that ingenuous creature Λάμπων ό Πύθεω, Αἰγινητέων τὰ πρῶτα (Herod. 9. 78), who wished Pausanias to increase his fame by impaling Mardonios. Critics are cruel enough to make these two Lampons probably identical, either Pytheas (Don.) or Kleonikos (Müller) being Lampon's natural father, the other his adoptive father, or else Kleonikos being a second name given to Lampon's father Pytheas. However we know that cousins did sometimes bear the same name, and the name of the victor Pytheas is no proof that his grandfather was Pytheas. If he were not the eldest son he would be more likely to be named after another senior member of the family than after his grandfather. So that the identity of Herodotos' and Pindar's Lampon is not more than possible.

The following stemma, mostly hypothetical, shows how, according to the Attic habits of Nomenclature, the victor might get his name, without his father having been adoptive.

[blocks in formation]

Lampon (Herod.) Lampon*+A Euthymenes
Kleonikos Themistios Pytheas* Phylakidas*

The names marked with a star are mentioned by Pindar.

The exact responsion of seμvàv Öétw, v. 25, to Nnpntdwr, v. 7, is effective, but the tautometric recurrences Téкt- v. 49, tikt' v. 18, unuév. 50, uh ke- v. 14, -avтo- vv. 25, 1, -aλ- vv. 2, 20, -aï d- vv. 7, 1, μèv dpapev v. 44, ¿yépaιpev v. 8, have no poetic significance.

There cannot be any intentional reference to πίτναν υ. 11 in πίτνων v. 42, as in origin and meaning the two verbs are quite distinct, while the neighbourhood of loria to Oeμloriov vv. 50, 51, is a mere coincidence; but οἴκοι τ' ἐκράτει | Νίσου τ ̓ ἐν εὐαγκελ λόφῳ νυ. 45, 46 clearly refers back to τὸ δὲ Αἰγίνᾳ...Νίκας ἐν ἀγκώνεσσι. The three verses which close the ode echo the last three verses of the first strophe with vK- wаYKρaтIOσTepavo- -avba- recurring, and the blooms of the Graces' songs recall song proclaiming the victor's bloom of youth; while the fame celebrated in songs of victory is contrasted with rò σiyâv, rendered wise by crime, of the end of the first epode, and moreover the bliss of dwelling near #połúpoliv Alákov (cf. vv. 8, 9) is contrasted with the doom of banishment from Oendne (v. 16). Hence we detect an allusion to youth reared in Oenône in οινάνθας οπώραν υ. 6. The end of the second strophe recalls the end of the first, and connects the epinician songs of Pythons with the transcendent privilege granted to Pôleus and Telamon (vv. 23 ff.). The alliteration with initial is noteworthy, especially vv. 21, 22, cf. N. 4. 54-56. The ode is instinct with the idea of song wafted on sea-breezes.

This ode is particularly easy of general comprehension. From mention of the victor the poet passes rapidly to the myth of Pêleus, which illustrates inter alia the saw that 'truth is not always to be told'; a maxim which applies more or less to every family and to most individuals. Still there might be a reference to the discredit attaching to the family from the notoriety of the dvoσióraros Móyos of Lampon, son of Pytheas, or to some other specific family skeleton. The last fiftoon lines are dovoted to the illustration of the poet's favorite theory that excellence is hereditary, in this case through the mother chiefly. This victory is also celebrated by Bacchylides, 13, who deals with the prowess of Ajax.

[ocr errors]

The compounds εὐαγκής, όρσινεφής are only found in this ode.

The mode is Lydo-Dorian, the metre dactylo-epitritic. The metrical phrases, represented as in N. 1, are arranged as follows, the strophe forming an antithetic mesodic period. The mesode is B. C.B of vv. 2, 3.

[blocks in formation]

The epode is probably not intentionally symmetrical, though two symmetrical periods can be assumed. The first three verses contain the same number of feet as the last three, viz. 21.

[blocks in formation]

1-6. The poet is not a maker of motionless statues, but his song travels by every craft to tell of Pytheas' victory.

7, 8. He did honor to the Aeakidae and Aegina.

9-13. For which Pêleus, Telamon and Phôkos effectually prayed to Zeus Hellênios.

* Caesura before the last (short) syllable. In v. 10 the thesis of the fourth foot is resolved.

+ Caesura before last syllable.

Incisio answering to the syncope of the fourth foot of v. 1.

|| Incisio.

Incisio in the middle. The thesis of the second foot of vv. 6, 12 is resolved.

« PreviousContinue »