ISTHMIA I. ON THE VICTORY OF HERODOTOS OF THEBES IN THE FOUR-HORSE CHARIOT RACE. INTRODUCTION. HÊRODOTOS, Son of Asôpodôros of Thebes, was one of several Theban victors at some Isthmian festival of uncertain date. Some consider that Asôpodôros had been exiled from Thebes (vv. 36—38); but this supposition is not consistent with the most natural interpretation of the passage vv. 34-46, and seems in particular to involve making his father's exile too prominent a topic introducing the most striking part of the ode. If Hêrodotos himself had been exiled at the time of the Persian war as a young man of about twenty he would not be too old to act as his own charioteer (v. 15) in B.C. 458, O. 80. 3, to which date Dissen refers the composition of the ode. He thinks that the alliance between Thebes and Sparta, before the war in which the battles of Tanagra and Oenophyta were fought, is figured in the association of Kastor and Iolâos vv. 16, 17 (but cf. P. 9. 59 ff. composed B.C. 478); that war is suggested by the allusion to Gêryon's Oparciaɩ kúves (v. 12) (but Prof. Seymour justly remarks, agreeing with Don.-"This was the most distant point reached by Heracles, hence this clause means 'whose mighty deeds reached even to the ends of the world'"); and by Toλeμitwv v. 50 (but see my note), so that the premises can hardly be said to be strong enough to carry Dissen's conclusion. Leopold Schmidt on altogether insufficient grounds places the date between the third Isthmian and the fifth Nemean, that is, in the first period of Pindar's poetic activity. Pindar may merely intend to apologise for the slightness of the composition and the thinness of the sentiments when he mentions his engagement for the men of Keos. It is to be safely inferred from vv. 39, 40 that Herodotos was an aristocrat. (Mezger thinks the father was obliged to retire to Orchomenos through loss of property by actual shipwrecks, reading éрeiτóμevov v. 16, a view which I cannot at all admit.) The main thread of the ode is the enforcement and illustration of the glory conferred on the marρis by a successful pursuit of ȧperá and the consequent reward of praise and remembrance due from fellowcitizens (cp. vv. 12; 17; 30, 31; 35; 40; 66, 67; 1—6; 43—46; 50, 51; 67, 68). This train of thought is peculiarly appropriate if Herodotos was re-established at Thebes in consequence of this Isthmian victory, which may be inferred from vv. 39, 40. Exact echoes are τὸ τεόν υυ. 58. 1*, ἁλός υ. 37, ἁλι- ν. 9, στεφάνουυ. 21, 10, δρόμο- νυ. 57, 23, ἀοιδάν ν. 35, νιν ὕμνῳ, υ. 16*, χεῖρα υ. 66, Xepoí v. 15. (The last epode echoes vv. 14—16 of the first epode generally, but it is unsafe to enter into particulars, with Mr Bury, as to the several responsions being specially significant.) The first responsion is obviously ineffective, and the rest are superfluous as keys, signals, or aids towards interpretation. The introduction of the ode extends to v. 17, that is, over all the first system except the last verse; and the conclusion occupies the last system. The central portion has marked breaks at vv. 32 ¿yù dé, and 40 o πovýσas dé. The compounds which seem to be coined for this ode are ἀσπιδόδουπος, ὑψίπεδος, ὀρνιχολόχος. The mode is Dorian, the metres are dactylo-epitritic. The strophe is antithetic-mesodic, the epode antithetic with both mesode and epode. The numbers are respectively 6.5.5.3.5.5 6 and 8.8.7.8.8 4. *Not noticed by Bury or Mezger. + Incisio after the epitrite. Caesura after the first syllable. vv. ANALYSIS. 1-10. Invocation of Thêbâ, with an apology for laying aside a poem for the men of Keos to compose an Athenian ode. 10-12. Since six prizes have fallen to Thebes. 12, 13. The birthplace of Hêrakles. 14-16. In honour of Hêrodotos' victory in the four-horse chariot race the poet is ready to compose a Kastoreion or ode of Iolâos. 17-31. The athletic prowess of Kastor and Iolâos. 32-40. Allusion to the victor's family and to his exile and return to good fortune. 40-52. General sentiments in praise of prowess and enterprise glancing at Hêrodotos. 53-59. Enumeration of some of his victories. 60-63. The scope of the ode prevents him proclaiming all. 63. Often what is not mentioned gives the greater satisfaction. 64-67. A hope that encouraged by poetic praises Hêrodotos may win at the Pythian and Olympian games. 67, 68. If any one hoards and finds fault with those who are lavish in pursuit of honor, he does not consider that he will die 'unhonored and unsung.' 1 Μᾶτερ ἐμά, τὸ τεόν, χρύσασπι Θήβα, 2 πρᾶγμα καὶ ἀσχολίας ὑπέρτερον 1 χρύσασπι This epithet refers to a statue of Thêbê, perhaps that which is mentioned in Frag. 177 εὐάρματε, χρυσοχίτων, ἱερώτατον ἄγαλμα, Θήβα. For the prominence given here to the shield compare the shield on coins of Thebes. The hypothesis that the epithet has reference to a state of war is baseless (see Introd.). For Thêbê, daughter of Asôpos and Metôpê, cf. O. 6. 84, 85. 2 πрâуμа 'Thy interests,' the re F. II. Στρ. α'. quirements arising from the recent Isthmian victories of her children. doxoxías 'A pressing engagement.' Plato, Phaedr. 227 B, refers to this passage, οὐκ ἂν οἴει με κατὰ Πίνδαρον καὶ (even) ἀσχολίας ὑπέρτερον πρᾶγμα ποιήσεσθαι τὸ σήν τε καὶ Λυσίου διατριβὴν ἀκοῦσαι;—also Plutarch, de genio Socratis 575 D Èμè Kai ἀσχολίας ὑπέρτερον θέσθαι κατὰ τὸν Πίνδαρον τὸ δεῦρο ἐλθεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν διήγησιν. 4 Aâλos Dêlos, as the birth10 5 5 τί φίλτερον κεδνῶν τοκέων ἀγαθοῖς; 5 6 εἶξον, ὦ πολλωνιάς· ἀμφοτερᾶν τοι χαρίτων σὺν θεοῖς ζεύξω τέλος, 1 καὶ τὸν ἀκειρεκόμαν Φοῖβον χορεύων place of Apollo, was interested in the paeân which was being composed for the Isle of Keos. κέχυpaι 'On which I have been pouring forth my soul.' Cf. Cic. Att. 1. 18. 2 in qua...omnes profudi uires animi atque ingenii mei. Dissen points out that κεχυμένος (εἴς τι, Tрós T) is generally used in a bad sense. 5 The claims of parents, i.e. in this case of Taтpís, are paramount. A respectful apology is needful to excuse his taking up a human theme, when engaged on a paeân. The poet does not ask leave to postpone the paeân, but prays to be excused for diverting his attention for a time from it. 6 ὦ πολλωνιάς Beloved of Apollo.' The tutelary deity of Dêlos is entreated to respect the poet's devotion to Thêbê even as she appreciates the devotion of Apollo to herself. For the personification cf. P. 6. 6, 12. 2, O. 7. 13, 14, N. 1. 4, Frag. 64. Others explain Apollinea urbs, quoting Ov. Met. 13. 631. χαρίτων ‘I shall combine the completing of both songs,' i.e. by finishing one very soon after the other. Mr Bury, altering και to κἀν=καὶ ἀνὰ ν. 9, renders "shall yoke together the particular ends of both gracious works," explaining that "The praise of Apollo is a réλos common to both." Mr Bury's pair, the incidental and the essential, is ̓Αντ. α'. ΙΟ badly matched. Cf. P. 3. 72. The phrase seûça μéλos, N. 1. 7, is a different application of the metaphor. 7 ἀκειρ. "Milton's 'unshorn Apollo" (Prof. Seymour). Xo ρεύων • Composing a choral ode for-is what is meant, but he represents himself as the χορηγός, κορυφαῖος. The Schol. says that Pindar was asked by the men of Keos to compose a paeân to be sung at Dêlos, inferring the place of recitation from v. 3, ἐκ τούτου δῆλον, ὅτι εἰς Δῆλον ἔγραφε Κείοις, but from v. 8 it is clear that the ode was to be recited in Keos, perhaps in the principal temple of Apollo at Kartheia, in the Xopnyetov of which Athenaeos tells us (456 F) that Simonides, who was perhaps dead at the date of this ode, was for some time χοροδιδάσκαλος. 8 ȧupp. This form of the fem. is Epic. The word is only found here in Pindar's extant works. 9 κα Bury needlessly alters to κἀν (for καὶ ἀνὰ), as he demurs to making Ισθμοῦ δειράδ' parallel to Poißov and assumes a reference to Apollo being praised at the Isthmos as well as at Keos. ἁλι 10 + δειράδ ̓· ἐπεὶ στεφάνους 5 ἓξ ὤπασεν Κάδμου στρατῷ ἐξ ἀέθλων, 6 καλλίνικον πατρίδι κῦδος. ἐν ᾧ καὶ τὸν ἀδείμαντον Αλκμήνα τέκεν Ἐπ. α'. 15 παῖδα, θρασείαι τόν ποτε Γηρυόνα φρίξαν κύνες. ι ἀλλ ̓ ἐγὼ Ηροδότῳ τεύχων τὸ μὲν ἅρματι τεθρίππῳ γέρας, 15 « ἁνία τ ̓ ἀλλοτρίαις οὐ χερσὶ νωμάσαντ ̓ ἐθέλω « ή Καστορείῳ ἡ Ἰολάοι ἐναρμόξαι μιν ὕμνῳ. 11 στρατῷ Taken up by πατρίδι as στεφάνους is by καλλίν. κύδος. In P. 2. 87, ὁ λάβρος στρατός means 'the democracy,' in P. 1. 86, 2. 58, Hieron, in N. 1. 61 Amphitryon is excluded. But no such exclusion is intended here or in O. 9. 95, 10. 17, N. 10. 25. ἀέθλων Obviously only means the recent Isthmian games. Hêrodotos was clearly one of several (from four to six) Thebans who had won prizes. 13 κύνες It must remain a question whether Orthros is made plural in consideration of his two heads or whether Pindar is following an unknown version of the myth. 14 ἀλλ ̓ The poet checks himself in the praise of Herakles. Prof. Seymour points out that here, and N. 1. 33, Ι. 5. 16, εγώ introduces the transition to a myth. Cf. also O. 9. 21, 13. 49, P. 1. 42, 9. 103. For τεύχων...ἐθέλω τε cf. O. 1. 14 δρέπων μὲν ἀγλαΐζεται δέ, Ι. 3. 12, Aesch. Αg. 97 λέξασα...παίων τε γενοῦ, and with the verb before the participle N. 11. 44, 45. For μέν—τε cf. N. 2. 9, Ο. 4. 15. Prof. Seymour takes τὸ μέν ='partly.' Of course editors, esp. Germans, alter. ἄρμ. For instrumental dat. with noun cf. Soph. Oed. Col. 1026 τὰ γὰρ δόλῳ ¦ τῷ μὴ δικαίῳ κτήματα, so often, esp. in 66 20 Ρ. Plato" (Jebb), and O. and P. xxvi. It matters not to the construction whether the yépas be the crown as in P. 5. 31 or the ode. Dissen and others, regardless of the order, compare double datives such as those at O. 2. 14 sq., P. 7. 2, vv. 61, 62 infra. τεύχων ... γέρας = 'making (-the-ode-on)-the victory'; the theme is put in the place of the composition, as occasionally with ποιέω. This reasonable assumption saves the passage from the charge of corruption. For τεύχων cf. τεύXOVT' v. 67 infra, 'working,' 'causing (honor).' Or is it making for Hêrodotos the gift due to the chariot'? 15 νωμάσαντ Acc. agreeing with v. For that he managed the reins with no alien hands.' Note that ἀλλοτρ. οὐ χερσί =οὐκ ἀλλοτρ. χερσί. 16 Ιολάοι mss. - άου, but cf. O. 13. 35, N. 9. 55. This conjecture is confirmed by the Bacchylides papyrus, e.g. 5. 62 ἀπλάτοι Ἐχίδνας. ἐναρμόξαι Cf. I. 6. 19, Ν. 3. 11, 12, for the kind of phrase. The strain of Iolâos was probably a variety (perhaps Theban) of the ἵππιος νόμος, the Καστόρειον being another variety of the same, cf. P. 2. 69. As Iolâos was charioteer to Hêrakles (Schol.), perhaps an 'Ioλ. üμv. |