Page images
PDF
EPUB

Possibly the step, gesture, and disposition of the dance at this point suited the general idea of 'confronting.' This is a slight extension of my suggestion (O. and P. 1893 p. xix) that certain groups of articulate sound might be especially appropriate to certain parts of the metre and melody. Moreover the leading ideas of an ode would naturally recur where there was an orchestral and musical climax, which is the likeliest explanation of the position of vika- or Tiμodnμ- towards the end of the fourth verse of the strophes in N. 2. The dance at the beginning of the strophes and antistrophes in N. 1 may have been suitable to the idea of arrested motion, which would explain άμπνευμα υ. 1, ἔσταν υ. 19, ἔστα υ. 55. There simply cannot be any poetical reference from ἔστα to ἔσταν, any more than from 0éσav v. 59 to 0éμev v. 5 or from Tol v. 41 to Tŵv v. 30 or from ἐν v. 67 to ἐν v. 31 or from μεγά- ν. 31 to μέγαν ν. 6 or from - ούσαι v. 50 to -oúσai v. 32 or from -oλe- v. 52 to -oλé- v. 16 or from σéo v. 29 to σέθεν υ. 4.

After having passed this last tautometric recurrence over so far, Mezger and Bury cannot now assert that it is significant without acknowledging the inability of so-called signals to arrest the attention even of those who are on the alert to observe signals.

The compounds which seem to have been formed for this ode are ἵππαιχμος, πανδοξία, χαλκευτής, πολύπονος, ὀρθόμαντις, ἀϊδροδίκας.

--ཅ

[ocr errors]

The mode is Dorian. The metre is dactylo-epitritic, the phrases used being A, consisting of three dactylic feet, namely A=~~~| · |-~||, 4' = ~~~|~~~|~|| or ~|-||, B, one epitrite, namely B = — ~ ~ | - - ||, B' = ~ ~ | ~ || or ~ ~ -1- ^ll, C, consisting of two epitrites, namely C | -- | ~ ~ | - =||, C'➖ ➖ ➖ |-- |-~|~|| or |-- |-~|-^||

=

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

The first five verses of the strophe are obviously symmetrical and are equal in number of feet to the last two verses, which present the numbers 4.4. | 2.3.4.4. The verses of the epode present the numbers 9.8.10.8 or 7.10.10.8. Some metricians achieve symmetry by boldly scanning v. 4 - B'.-~~|~|.B'.~. B, and taking vv. 2, 3 as 8.1 2.8. There is caesura after the long syllable of the 3rd and 4th feet of the second verse of the epode, and after the first syllable of C' in the third verse.

[ocr errors]

W.

ANALYSIS.

1-7. The ode goes forth from Ortygia in honor of Zeus of Aetna, on the occasion of Chromios' Nemnoan victory.

8, 9. The exordium makes mention of gods, as the victor's merits are derived from them.

10-18. The highest object of ambition, celebration by an Epinician ode, has its occasion in victory.

13-18. Praise of Sicily's sacred relation to Persephone, fertility, rich cities, glory in war, success in games.

18. This topic is dismissed.

19-25. For it is Chromios' hospitality which brings the poet to his halls, and to him praise is due to confound various cavillers.

85-30. Mon ought to dovolope natural gifts of strongth and foresight, with both of which Chromios is endowed.

31, 32. One ought not to hoard, but to use wealth for one's own enjoyment and the benefit of friends,

32, 33.

since man's time is short and beset with trouble.

33, 34. Introductory mention of Fiêrakles' paramount merits. 35-61. Myth of the infant Herakles and the two snakes. 61-end. Teiresias' prophecy of Herakles' toilsome exploits and their final reward of peaceful bliss.

The application of the latter part of the myth to Chromios is sufficiently obvious to account for there being no formal conclusion to the ode.

Chromios' ancestor, Herakles, afforded a conspicuous illustration of such a theme, and perhaps to some extent his marriage with Hobo presented a parallel to Chromios' splendid alliance. There is no need to suppose that by reciting the infantine courage of Herakles the poet meant to imply that the valor of Chromios had been precocious. On the other hand, the precocity of Herakles is a signal instance, as Aristarchos said, of the innate courage and vigor ascribed to his descendant.

The introduction of the prophecy of Teiresias is a natural device for bringing in the career and reward of Herakles, so that it is needless to suppose, with Müller (Hist. of Gk. Lit. 1. p. 224, trans.), that the mention of the seer and also of foresight, v. 27, implies that Pindar had predicted Chromios' victory. V. 27 rather ascribes to Chromios the faculty which Thukydides notes as characteristic of Themistoklos (1. 125)-οἰκείᾳ γὰρ συνίσει, οὔτε προμαθὼν ἐς αὐτὴν οὔτε ἐπιμαθών (ἦν) τῶν μελλόντων ἐπὶ πλεῖστον τοῦ γενησομένου ἄριστ ros elkaσrýs. Chromios very likely inspired the successful policy of Gelon and Hieron. Dissen refines too much, especially in regarding the infant exploit of Herakles as meant for a parallel to Chromios early valor at the battle of Helôros, at the date of which he was probably about forty years old (see on N. 9. 42). There is a side allusion to Himera and Chromios' land-fights generally in v. 62, and to the sea-f a-fight off Cumae in the next verse. In an ode sung in Ortygia there would scarcely be any reference to the fight of Helôros, in which Syracusans were defeated.

There is nowhere a more prominent division of the ode than at v. 19. Yet this is inside Mezger's óμpaλós, vv. 13-30 (20) is a misprint). Moreover, vv. 31, 32 take up vv. 19-24, after the partly gnomic, partly laudatory digression. The main divisions then of the ode are vv. 1-7, 8-12, 13—18, 19-33, 33-72.

There is a possible bearing of the myth which has rot, I believe, been noticed, namely, that Amphitryon was a type of hospitality, so that Chromios' palace might suggest the scene of the myth in this connexion.

The ode is one of the finest examples of Pindar's art. Especially admirable is the vigorous word-painting of the myth.

1 "Αμπνευμα σεμνὸν ̓Αλφεοῦ,

3 κλεινᾶν Συρακοσσᾶν θάλος Ορτυγία, 3 δέμνιον 'Αρτέμιδος,

4 Δάλου κασιγνήτα, σέθεν ἀδυεπής

5 5 ὕμνος ὁρμᾶται θέμεν

Στρ. α'.

6 αἶνον ἀελλοπόδων μέγαν ἵππων, Ζηνὸς Αιτναίου χάριν

[ocr errors]

*Αμπνευμα Hallowed spot where Alpheus took breath'; i.e. after his pursuit of Arethusa under the sea. This myth veils the transference by Dorian colonists of the oult of Artemis Potamia from Elis to Ortygia, cf. P. 2. 7. According to analogy άμπνευμα ought to mean 'recovered breath,' but for a form in -μα, meaning the place of the action, cf. βῆμα. The word αμπν., suggesting τῶν μόχθων ἀμπνοάν (Ο. 8. 7), at once strikes the key-note of the general sentiment of the ode. Mr Bury's treatment of this simple word is both semasiologically and mythologically wild.

2 θάλος As Ortygia is supposed to be the original settlement, it is rather Συρακοσσῶν ῥίζα (cf. P. 4. 15) than θάλος (cf. Ο. 2. 45) in the sense of scion. Either it means · the leader,' whence the other quarters of the city branched, or it and the other quarters spring from a common πυθμήν, i.e. from Sicily or the Dorian stock. Paley renders θάλος

pride,' cf. I. 6. 24. Ορτυγία We have no warrant for identifying a personified Ortygia with the fountsin-nymph Arethusa. In fact a mere apostrophe drifts into a faint vague personification in v. 4, cf. Ρ. 2. 1, 2 ὦ Συράκοσαι... τέμενος... τροφοί. In relation to Alpheus and Artemis, Ortygia is not a person, but a place. As Pindar expressly separates Ortygia from Artemis, Sophokles"Αρτεμιν Ορτυγίαν (Τrach. 213) cannot affect the interpreta

tion of this passage. The devoted lover of Arethusa or Artemis would hardly rest "in the arms of the 'lovely' nymph Ortygia" (Bury), unless δέμνιον is to be rendered 'arm-chair' and personified.

3 δέμνιον Cf. Il. 24. 615 εν Σιπύλῳ ὅθι φασὶ θεάων έμμεναι εὐνὰς Νυμφάων, αἵτ' ἀμφ' Αχελώϊον ἐρρώ σαντο, Plut. de fluv. et mont. 5. 3 Καυκάσιον ὄρος ἐκαλεῖτο τὸ πρότερον Βορέου κοίτη. 'Αρτέμ. Cf. P. 2. 6, 7 Ορτυγίαν...ποταμίας έδος Αρτέ μιδος, and note on 7.

4 ́ Δάλου κασ. The two favorite islands of Artemis are her nurslings metaphorically, and hence are regarded as sisters. σέθεν In form an adv. of motion from, and so used here. The 4th verse of ἀντ. β', υ. 29, contains an address to Chromios, with oéo in the same metrical position as σέθεν. άδνεπ.

Cf. h. Hom. 32. 12 Μοῦσαι | ἡδυεπεῖς κοῦραι Κρονίδεω Διός, Ν. 7. 21.

6 ὁρμᾶται Cf. Ο. 3. 9, 10 Πίσα ...τᾶς ἀπο | θεύμοροι νίσοντ ̓ ἐπ ̓ ἀν θρώπους ἀοιδαί, where the song starts from the scene of the victory, here quite as naturally from the place where an ode upon it is first recited. θέμεν ' Το establish. Cf. Bacchyl. 10. 18 κῦδος εὐρείαις ̓Αθάναις | θήκας, Οἰνείδαις τε δόξαν, Ο. 2. 99.

β αἶνον, κ.τ.λ. Cf. Frag. 206 Αελλοπόδων μέν τιν ̓ εὐφραίνοισιν ἵπ πων | τίμια καὶ στέφανοι. Note that αἰνήσειν, ' to sound the praise of, in the last line takes up alvov and helps to establish the parallel

η ἅρμα δ' οτρύνει Χρομίου Νεμέα θ' ἔργμασιν νικαφόροις ἐγκώμιον ζεύξαι μέλος.

ἀρχαὶ δὲ βέβληνται θεῶν .

1 κείνου σὺν ἀνδρὸς δαιμονίαις ἀρεταῖς.

10 3 ἔστι δ' ἐν εὐτυχία

4 πανδοξίας ἄκρον· μεγάλων δ' αέθλων

§ Μοῖσα μεμνᾶσθαι φιλεῖ.

10

Αντ. α'.

15

6 σπεῖρέ νυν ἀγλαίαν τινὰ νάσῳ, τὴν Ὀλύμπου δεσπότας

1

between Herakles and Chromios. χάριν ' By grace of (Mezger quoting P. 2. 70, 3. 95). To take it as accus. in appos. with the clause,

[ocr errors]

a grateful service to,' is inferior, to take it in appos. with alvov is still worse.

7 For the appropriateness of the metaphor to the victory cf. O. 6. 22-27, 8. 25, N. 4.93—end, N. 7. 70-72, 8. 19, I. 1. 6. Here the poet's verses are the winged horses which will bear over the world the car, Chromios' victory. For metaphor cf. P. 10. 65. For the conjunction ἅρμα Χρομίου Νεμέα θ', cf. Ν. 4. 9 Νεμέα | Τιμασάρχου τε πάλα. στρύνει Echoed by ὀτρύνων, υ. 34. ἔργμασιν Not found in the Olym. pian and Pythian odes, only of noble deeds, esp. in games, in Pindar, cf. h. Hom. 27. 20, 32. 19, Bacchyl. 14. 17.

8 Its first courses are laid with gods (for stones). θεῶν Gen. of definition, plur. of majesty, Zeus of Aetna being meant; cf. Terpander Frag. 1 (Bergk) Ζεῦ σοὶ σπένδω | ταύταν ὕμνων ἀρχάν, Ν. 2. 3. Hitherto all editors have been nonplussed by this line.

σύν‘Under the inspiration of, of. N. 2. 24 σὺν εὐκλέι νόστῳ. δαιμονίαις Cf. O. 9. 110. These good qualities, ' conferred by gods, are pva (ib. 100), and opposed to διδακταῖς ἀρεταῖς. Pindar does not

distinguish δαίμονες from θεοί, 800 0. 1. 35, 7. 39, P. 3. 59, though δαίμονες are not θεοί, Ρ. 1. 12, Ι. 7. 24.

[ocr errors]

10 ἔστι There is in truth, see O. 1. 35, and infra v. 24 ¿vrl in prominent position, cf. N. 2. 10 ἔστι δ' ἐοικός. εὐτυχίᾳ If we regard I. 3. 1 as a mild case of zeugma, εὐτυχία, εὐτυχέω, in all four instances where they occur in Pindar, mean the crowning good fortune of success in games : so too ήθ ἔχοντες, Ο. 5. 16.

11 ἄκρον ΑΒ πανδοξίας (prob. coined by Pindar, cf. παγγλωσσία) is a superlative expression, a. may mean first prize'; cf. P. 11. 55 (ἀρετᾶν) ἄκρον ἑλών, and Theokr. 12. 31 ἄκρα φέρεσθαι. The meaning of the sentence is, The consummation (or first prize ') of highest renown'-i.e. celebration in song

[ocr errors]

has its occasion in victory.' For the sentiment cf. P. 1 pin. rò đề παθεῖν εὖ πρῶτον ἀέθλων· εὖ δ ̓ ἀκούειν δευτέρα μοῖρ ̓ ἀμφοτέροισι δ' ἀνὴρ | ὃς ἂν ἐγκύρσῃ καὶ ὅλῃ, στέφανον ὕψιστον δέδεκται, Ν. 9. 40. δ'. For.

μεγάλων Several M88. read με γίστων.

12 Μοίσα Tautometric with ὕμνος, υ. 5.

13 σπειρε νυν Corrected from ἔγειρε νῦν, νῦν ἔγειρ', on a hint of the Schol. έκπεμπε τοίνυν, ὦ Μοῦσα, καὶ σπεῖρε λαμπρότητά τινα τῇ νή

« PreviousContinue »