Praise for Hagesidamus and the Virtues of the Locrians — Pindar, Olympian Odes 11.1–11.21, Greek & English

ἔστιν ἀνθρώποις ἀνέμων ὅτε¹ πλείστα

There is a time when the need for winds is greatest for men,

χρῆσις, ἔστιν δʼ οὐρανίων ὑδάτων,

and there is a time for heavenly waters,

ὀμβρίων παίδων νεφέλας.

the rainy children of the cloud.

εἰ δὲ σὺν πόνῳ τις εὖ πράσσοι, μελιγάρυες ὕμνοι

But if one fares well with toil, honey-voiced hymns

ὑστέρων ἀρχὰ λόγων

become the beginning of future words

τέλλεται² καὶ πιστὸν ὅρκιον μεγάλαις ἀρεταῖς.

and a faithful pledge for great virtues.

ἀφθόνητος δʼ αἶνος Ὀλυμπιονίκαις

And this praise, free from envy,

οὗτος ἄγκειται. τὰ μὲν ἁμετέρα

is laid up for Olympian victors. My

γλῶσσα ποιμαίνειν ἐθέλει·

tongue indeed wishes to shepherd these;

ἐκ θεοῦ δʼ ἀνὴρ σοφαῖς ἀνθεῖ πραπίδεσσιν ὁμοίως.

but it is from a god that a man flourishes in wise minds likewise.

ἴσθι νῦν, Ἀρχεστράτου

Know now, son of Archestratus,

παῖ, τεᾶς, Ἁγησίδαμε, πυγμαχίας ἕνεκεν

Hagesidamus, that for the sake of your boxing,

κόσμον ἐπὶ στεφάνῳ χρυσέας ἐλαίας

as an ornament upon your crown of golden olive

ἁδυμελῆ κελαδήσω,

I shall sing a sweet-sounding strain,

Ζεφυρίων, Λοκρῶν γενεὰν ἀλέγων.

showing regard for the race of the Western Locrians.

ἔνθα συγκωμάξατʼ· ἐγγυάσομαι

Join the revelry there; I will guarantee

ὔμμιν, ὦ Μοῖσαι, φυγόξενον στρατὸν

to you, O Muses, that you will arrive at a host that does not shun strangers,

μηδʼ ἀπείρατον καλῶν,

nor is inexperienced in noble things,

ἀκρόσοφον δὲ καὶ αἰχματὰν ἀφίξεσθαι.³ τὸ γὰρ

but is highly wise and warlike. For

ἐμφυὲς οὔτʼ αἴθων ἀλώπηξ

neither the fiery fox

οὔτʼ ἐρίβρομοι λέοντες διαλλάξαντο⁴ ἦθος.

nor roaring lions change their inborn nature.

Syntax notes4 items

11.1ἔστιν ... ὅτε
The combination ἔστιν ... ὅτε functions as an impersonal temporal expression meaning 'there is a time when' or 'sometimes.' Here, it takes 'need (χρῆσις)' as its subject, emphasizing that there are times when winds and waters are most needed for humans.
11.6τέλλεται
The third-person singular verb τέλλεται is used with the plural subject μελιγάρυες ὕμνοι. This is an instance of the 'Schema Pindaricum' (Pindaric schema), where a plural subject is accompanied by a singular verb, or it can be explained as attraction to the following singular predicate nouns (ἀρχὰ and ὅρκιον).
11.19ἀφίξεσθαι
The infinitive ἀφίξεσθαι (to arrive) is understood to have the omitted accusative pronoun referring to the Muses (such as ὑμᾶς, corresponding to ὔμμιν) as its subject, meaning 'that you (the Muses) will arrive at a host (accusative στρατόν) that is...' Alternatively, στρατόν itself could be taken as the subject of the infinitive ('that the host will arrive...'), but the former is more natural given the context of inviting the Muses to join the revelry (συγκωμάξατʼ).
11.21διαλλάξαντο
The aorist middle διαλλάξαντο (changed) functions not as a past action, but as a 'gnomic aorist' expressing an eternal truth or general rule, and is thus translated as a present state ('do not change').

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0033.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:11.1-11.21