Prayer to the Graces and News to the Underworld — Pindar, Olympian Odes 14.1–14.24, Greek & English

Καφισίων ὑδάτων

You who have been allotted the waters of Cephisus,

λαχοῖσαι,¹ αἵτε ναίετε καλλίπωλον ἕδραν,

you who dwell in the home of beautiful horses,

ὦ λιπαρᾶς ἀοίδιμοι βασίλειαι

O song-renowned queens

Χάριτες Ὀρχομενοῦ, παλαιγόνων Μινυᾶν ἐπίσκοποι,

of fertile Orchomenus, Graces, guardians of the ancient Minyans,

κλῦτʼ, ἐπεὶ εὔχομαι. σὺν γὰρ ὔμμιν τὰ τερπνὰ καὶ

hear me, for I pray. For with you, all delightful and

τὰ γλυκέʼ ἄνεται πάντα βροτοῖς,

sweet things are accomplished for mortals,

εἰ σοφός, εἰ καλός, εἴ τις ἀγλαὸς ἀνήρ.²

whether a man is wise, or beautiful, or illustrious.

οὐδὲ γὰρ θεοὶ σεμνᾶν Χαρίτων ἄτερ

For not even the gods arrange dances

κοιρανέοισιν χοροὺς οὔτε δαῖτας· ἀλλὰ πάντων ταμίαι

or banquets without the holy Graces; but as dispensers of all

ἔργων ἐν οὐρανῷ, χρυσότοξον θέμεναι³ παρὰ

deeds in heaven, having placed their thrones beside

Πύθιον Ἀπόλλωνα θρόνους,

Pythian Apollo of the golden bow,

ἀέναον σέβοντι πατρὸς Ὀλυμπίοιο τιμάν.

they worship the everlasting honor of the Olympian Father.

ὦ πότνιʼ Ἀγλαΐα

O revered Aglaia

φιλησίμολπέ τʼ Εὐφροσύνα, θεῶν κρατίστου

and song-loving Euphrosyne, daughters of the mightiest of gods,

παῖδες, ἐπακοοῖτε νῦν, Θαλία τε

hear me now, and you too, Thalia,

ἐρασίμολπε, ἰδοῖσα τόνδε κῶμον ἐπʼ εὐμενεῖ τύχᾳ

lover of song, having looked upon this revel-procession stepping lightly with favorable fortune.

κοῦφα βιβῶντα· Λυδῷ γὰρ Ἀσώπιχον τρόπῳ

For in the Lydian mode, singing of Asopichus

ἔν τε μελέταις ἀείδων ἔμολον,

in careful song, I have come;

οὕνεκʼ Ὀλυμπιόνικος ἁ Μινυεία

because the Minyan land is victorious at Olympia

σεῦ ἕκατι. μελανοτειχέα νῦν δόμον

thanks to you. Go now to the dark-walled house

Φερσεφόνας ἔλθʼ, Ἀχοῖ, πατρὶ κλυτὰν φέροισʼ ἀγγελίαν,

of Persephone, Echo, carrying to his father the glorious message,

Κλεόδαμον ὄφρʼ ἰδοῖσʼ, υἱὸν εἴπῃς ὅτι⁴ οἱ νέαν

so that when you see Cleodamus, you may tell him that his son,

κόλποις παρʼ εὐδόξοις Πίσας

by the famous valleys of Pisa,

ἐστεφάνωσε κυδίμων ἀέθλων πτεροῖσι χαίταν.

has crowned his young hair with the wings of glorious contests.

Syntax notes4 items

14.1Καφισίων ὑδάτων λαχοῖσαι
Genitive of source or partition. The participle λαχοῖσαι, from the verb λαγχάνω ('to obtain by lot' or 'be allotted'), governs the genitive case (Καφισίων ὑδάτων) to denote the domain allotted to the Graces.
14.7εἴ τις ἀγλαὸς ἀνήρ
Ellipsis of the copula verb ἐστί in the conditional clauses. It stands in parallel with εἰ σοφός and εἰ καλός, showing the conditions under which mortals achieve all things that are delightful and sweet through the Graces.
14.10θέμεναι
Aorist middle participle, feminine nominative plural (epic/Doric poetic form equivalent to standard θέμεναι / θειμέναι), agreeing with the subject ταμίαι. It functions here either as an adverbial infinitive of result or with a participle-like meaning, modifying the main verb σέβοντι ('they worship').
14.22υἱὸν εἴπῃς ὅτι
Prolepsis (anticipation). The noun υἱόν ('son'), which logically functions as the subject of the subordinate clause introduced by ὅτι ('that his son has crowned...'), is anticipated in the accusative case as if it were the direct object of the governing verb εἴπῃς ('you may tell').

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-21)

2026-09-21 AI review — note 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0033.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:14.1-14.24