Diagoras' Victory and the Founding Myths of Rhodes — Pindar, Olympian Odes 7.1–7.95, Greek & English

φιάλαν ὡς εἴ τις¹ ἀφνειᾶς ἀπὸ χειρὸς ἑλὼν

As when someone taking a goblet from a wealthy hand,

ἔνδον ἀμπέλου καχλάζοισαν δρόσῳ

bubbling inside with the dew of the vine,

δωρήσεται

shall present it,

νεανίᾳ γαμβρῷ προπίνων οἴκοθεν οἴκαδε, πάγχρυσον κορυφὰν κτεάνων,

pledging a young bridegroom from home to home, the all-golden crown of his possessions,

συμποσίου τε χάριν κᾶδός τε τιμάσαις νέον, ἐν δὲ φίλων

both for the sake of the feast and to honor his new son-in-law, and in the presence of friends

παρεόντων θῆκέ νιν ζαλωτὸν ὁμόφρονος εὐνᾶς·

who are present, makes him envied for his harmonious marriage;

καὶ ἐγὼ νέκταρ χυτόν, Μοισᾶν δόσιν, ἀεθλοφόροις

so I too, sending liquid nectar, the gift of the Muses, to prize-winning

ἀνδράσιν πέμπων, γλυκὺν καρπὸν φρενός,

men, the sweet fruit of my mind,

ἱλάσκομαι,

offer it as a propitiatory gift,

Οὐλυμπίᾳ Πυθοῖ τε νικώντεσσιν· ὁ δʼ ὄλβιος, ὃν φᾶμαι κατέχοντʼ ἀγαθαί.

to the victors at Olympia and Pytho; and blessed is he whom good rumors encompass.

ἄλλοτε δʼ ἄλλον ἐποπτεύει Χάρις ζωθάλμιος ἁδυμελεῖ

Now upon one, now upon another does life-giving Grace look with her sweet-sounding

θαμὰ μὲν φόρμιγγι παμφώνοισί τʼ ἐν ἔντεσιν αὐλῶν.

lyre and the loud-voiced instruments of flutes, often.

καί νυν ὑπʼ ἀμφοτέρων σὺν Διαγόρᾳ κατέβαν τὰν ποντίαν

And now, accompanied by both, I have come down with Diagoras, singing of the ocean

ὑμνέων παῖδʼ Ἀφροδίτας Ἀελίοιό τε νύμφαν, Ῥόδον,

daughter of Aphrodite and bride of the Sun, Rhodes,

εὐθυμάχαν ὄφρα πελώριον ἄνδρα παρʼ Ἀλφεῷ στεφανωσάμενον

so that I may praise the giant, straight-fighting man who has been crowned by the Alpheus,

αἰνέσω πυγμᾶς ἄποινα

as a reward for his boxing,

καὶ παρὰ Κασταλίᾳ, πατέρα τε Δαμάγητον ἁδόντα Δίκᾳ,

and by Castalia, and his father Damagetus who is pleasing to Justice,

Ἀσίας εὐρυχόρου τρίπολιν νᾶσον πέλας

who dwell near the three-citied island of broad Asia,

ἐμβόλῳ ναίοντας Ἀργείᾳ σὺν αἰχμᾷ.

with Argive spears near the ship’s prow.

ἐθελήσω τοῖσιν ἐξ ἀρχᾶς ἀπὸ Τλαπολέμου

I shall wish to set right for them, proclaiming from the beginning from Tlepolemus,

ξυνὸν ἀγγέλλων διορθῶσαι² λόγον,

their common story,

Ἡρακλέος

for the race

εὐρυσθενεῖ γέννᾳ. τὸ μὲν γὰρ πατρόθεν ἐκ Διὸς εὔχονται· τὸ δʼ Ἀμυντορίδαι

of wide-ruling strength. For on the father’s side they boast from Zeus, and on the mother’s side from Amyntor,

ματρόθεν Ἀστυδαμείας. ἀμφὶ δʼ ἀνθρώπων φρασὶν ἀμπλακίαι

through Astydameia. But around the minds of men unnumbered errors

ἀναρίθμητοι κρέμανται· τοῦτο δʼ ἀμάχανον εὑρεῖν,

hang; and this is impossible to find:

ὅ τι νῦν ἐν καὶ τελευτᾷ φέρτατον ἀνδρὶ τυχεῖν.

what is best for a man to obtain now and in the end.

καὶ γὰρ Ἀλκμήνας κασίγνητον νόθον

For indeed, the founder of this land, once in Tiryns,

σκάπτῳ θένων

striking with a staff

σκληρᾶς ἐλαίας ἔκτανʼ ἐν Τίρυνθι Λικύμνιον ἐλθόντʼ ἐκ θαλάμων Μιδέας

of hard olive, slew in Tiryns, Licymnius, as he came from the chambers of Midea,

τᾶσδέ ποτε χθονὸς οἰκιστὴρ χολωθείς. αἱ δὲ φρενῶν ταραχαὶ

the founder of this land once in anger. But disturbances of the mind

παρέπλαγξαν³ καὶ σοφόν. μαντεύσατο δʼ ἐς θεὸν ἐλθών.

lead astray even the wise. And he went to seek counsel of the god.

τῷ μὲν ὁ Χρυσοκόμας εὐώδεος ἐξ ἀδύτου ναῶν πλόον

To him the Golden-Haired god from his fragrant sanctuary spoke of a voyage

εἶπε Λερναίας ἀπʼ ἀκτᾶς εὐθὺν ἐς ἀμφιθάλασσον νομόν,

straight from the shores of Lerna to the sea-girt land,

ἔνθα ποτὲ βρέχε θεῶν βασιλεὺς ὁ μέγας χρυσέαις νιφάδεσσι πόλιν,

where once the great king of gods rained on the city with golden snowfalls,

ἁνίχʼ Ἁφαίστου τέχναισιν

when by the arts of Hephaestus,

χαλκελάτῳ πελέκει πατέρος Αθαναία κορυφὰν κατʼ ἄκραν

with a bronze-beaten axe, Athena from the topmost head of her father

ἀνορούσαισʼ ἀλάλαξεν ὑπερμάκει βοᾷ·

leaped forth and shouted with an exceeding loud cry;

Οὐρανὸς δʼ ἔφριξέ νιν καὶ Γαῖα μάτηρ.

and Heaven shuddered at her, and Mother Earth.

τότε καὶ φαυσίμβροτος δαίμων Ὑπεριονίδας

Then also the light-bringing god, the son of Hyperion,

μέλλον ἔντειλεν φυλάξασθαι χρέος

commanded to guard the duty that was to come

παισὶν φίλοις,

to his dear children,

ὡς ἂν θεᾷ πρῶτοι κτίσαιεν βωμὸν ἐναργέα, καὶ σεμνὰν θυσίαν θέμενοι

so that they might be the first to build for the goddess a manifest altar, and laying a solemn sacrifice,

πατρί τε θυμὸν ἰάναιεν κόρᾳ τʼ ἐγχειβρόμῳ. ἐν δʼ ἀρετὰν

might gladden the heart of the father and of the daughter who clashes her spear. And inside men,

ἔβαλεν καὶ χάρματʼ ἀνθρώποισι Προμαθέος Αἰδώς·

Reverence, the daughter of Prometheus, casts virtue and joys;

ἐπὶ μὰν βαίνει τε καὶ λάθας ἀτέκμαρτα νέφος,

yet indeed there comes also an unpredictable cloud of forgetfulness,

καὶ παρέλκει πραγμάτων ὀρθὰν ὁδὸν

and draws the straight path of actions

ἔξω φρενῶν.

outside the mind.

καὶ τοὶ γὰρ αἰθοίσας ἔχοντες σπέρμʼ ἀνέβαν φλογὸς οὔ· τεῦξαν δʼ ἀπύροις ἱεροῖς

For they indeed, though having the seed of burning flame, did not go up with it; but with fireless sacrifices they established

ἄλσος ἐν ἀκροπόλει· κείνοις ὁ μὲν ξανθὰν ἀγαγὼν νεφέλαν

a grove on the acropolis. For them he, bringing a yellow cloud,

πολὺν ὗσε χρυσόν· αὐτὰ δέ σφισιν ὤπασε τέχναν

rained much gold; and the Blue-eyed goddess herself granted them all skill,

πᾶσαν ἐπιχθονίων Γλαυκῶπις ἀριστοπόνοις χερσὶ κρατεῖν.

to surpass all mortals with the finest-working hands.

ἔργα δὲ ζωοῖσιν ἑρπόντεσσί θʼ ὁμοῖα κέλευθοι φέρον·

And works like living and moving things their pathways bore;

ἦν δὲ κλέος βαθύ. δαέντι⁴ δὲ καὶ σοφία μείζων ἄδολος τελέθει.

and their fame was deep. But to the learned, even wisdom without guile becomes greater.

φαντὶ δʼ ἀνθρώπων παλαιαὶ

And the ancient sayings of men

ῥήσιες, οὔπω, ὅτε χθόνα δατέοντο Ζεύς τε καὶ ἀθάνατοι,

tell that, when Zeus and the immortals were dividing the earth,

φανερὰν ἐν πελάγει Ῥόδον ἔμμεν ποντίῳ,

Rhodes was not yet manifest in the sea-depths,

ἁλμυροῖς δʼ ἐν βένθεσιν νᾶσον κεκρύφθαι.

but the island was hidden in the salty depths.

ἀπεόντος δʼ οὔτις ἔνδειξεν λάχος Ἀελίου·

And since Helios was absent, no one pointed out his share;

καί ῥά μιν χώρας ἀκλάρωτον λίπον,

and so they left him without an allotment of land,

ἁγνὸν θεόν.

the holy god.

μνασθέντι δὲ Ζεὺς ἄμπαλον μέλλεν θέμεν. ἀλλά νιν οὐκ εἴασεν· ἐπεὶ πολιᾶς

When he reminded him, Zeus was about to cast the lot again. But he did not allow him; since

εἶπέ τινʼ αὐτὸς ὁρᾶν ἔνδον θαλάσσας αὐξομέναν πεδόθεν

he himself said he saw growing from the bottom within the gray sea

πολύβοσκον γαῖαν ἀνθρώποισι καὶ εὔφρονα μήλοις.

a land rich in nourishment for men and kindly for sheep.

ἐκέλευσεν δʼ αὐτίκα χρυσάμπυκα μὲν Λάχεσιν

And he immediately commanded Lachesis of the golden headband

χεῖρας ἀντεῖναι, θεῶν δʼ ὅρκον μέγαν

to raise her hands, and not to violate the great oath of the gods,

μὴ παρφάμεν,

not to violate,

ἀλλὰ Κρόνου σὺν παιδὶ νεῦσαι, φαεννὸν ἐς αἰθέρα νιν πεμφθεῖσαν ἑᾷ κεφαλᾷ

but to nod assent with the son of Cronus, that she, being sent into the bright air,

ἐξοπίσω γέρας ἔσσεσθαι. τελεύταθεν δὲ λόγων κορυφαὶ

should be his privilege thereafter. And the summits of his words ended

ἐν ἀλαθείᾳ πετοῖσαι. βλάστε μὲν ἐξ ἁλὸς ὑγρᾶς

by falling into truth. There sprouted from the wet sea

νᾶσος, ἔχει τέ νιν ὀξειᾶν ὁ γενέθλιος ἀκτίνων πατήρ,

an island, and the father who is the begetter of sharp rays holds it,

πῦρ πνεόντων ἀρχὸς ἵππων· ἔνθα Ῥόδῳ ποτὲ μιχθεὶς τέκεν

the ruler of fire-breathing horses. There, once mingling with Rhodes, he begot

ἑπτὰ σοφώτατα νοήματʼ ἐπὶ προτέρων ἀνδρῶν παραδεξαμένους

seven sons, who inherited the wisest minds among the men of old;

παῖδας, ὧν εἷς μὲν Κάμειρον

sons, of whom one begot Cameirus,

πρεσβύτατόν τε Ἰάλυσον ἔτεκεν Λίνδον τʼ· ἀπάτερθε δʼ ἔχον,

and the eldest Ialysus, and Lindus; and they held apart,

διὰ γαῖαν τρίχα δασσάμενοι πατρωίαν,

having divided their father’s land into three,

ἀστέων μοῖραν, κέκληνται δέ σφιν ἕδραι.

a share of cities, and their dwellings are named after them.

τόθι λύτρον συμφορᾶς οἰκτρᾶς γλυκὺ Τλαπολέμῳ

There, a sweet ransom for his pitiable misfortune is established for Tlepolemus,

ἵσταται Τιρυνθίων ἀρχαγέτᾳ,

the leader of the Tirynthians,

ὥσπερ θεῷ,

as for a god,

μήλων τε κνισσάεσσα πομπὰ καὶ κρίσις ἀμφʼ ἀέθλοις. τῶν ἄνθεσι Διαγόρας

the smoky procession of sheep and the judgment of contests. With their flowers Diagoras

ἐστεφανώσατο δίς, κλεινᾷ τʼ ἐν Ἰσθμῷ τετράκις εὐτυχέων,

has crowned himself twice, and at famous Isthmus four times successful,

Νεμέᾳ τʼ ἄλλαν ἐπʼ ἄλλα, καὶ κρανααῖς ἐν Ἀθάναις.

and at Nemea one after another, and in rocky Athens.

ὅ τʼ ἐν Ἄργει χαλκὸς ἔγνω νιν, τά τʼ ἐν Ἀρκαδίᾳ

And the bronze in Argos knew him, and the works in Arcadia

ἔργα καὶ Θήβαις, ἀγῶνές τʼ ἔννομοι

and in Thebes, and the lawful contests

Βοιωτίων,

of the Boeotians,

Πέλλανά τʼ Αἴγινά τε νικῶνθʼ ἑξάκις. ἐν Μεγάροισίν τʼ οὐχ ἕτερον λιθίνα

and Pellana, and Aegina where he won six times. And in Megara no other story does the stone

ψᾶφος ἔχει λόγον. ἀλλʼ, ὦ Ζεῦ πάτερ, νώτοισιν Ἀταβυρίου

ballot hold. But, O Father Zeus, ruling over the ridges of Atabyrius,

μεδέων, τίμα μὲν ὕμνου τεθμὸν Ὀλυμπιονίκαν,ἄνδρα τε πὺξ ἀρετὰν εὑρόντα, δίδοι τέ οἱ αἰδοίαν χάριν

honor the ordinance of the Olympic-victorious hymn,

καὶ ποτʼ ἀστῶν καὶ ποτὶ ξείνων. ἐπεὶ ὕβριος ἐχθρὰν ὁδὸν

and the man who has found virtue in boxing, and grant him reverent favor both from citizens and from strangers. For he walks straight along a path free from insolence,

+ extra markers: 7.90 (translation introduced markers absent in the source; merged into this section)

εὐθυπορεῖ, σάφα δαεὶς ἅ τέ οἱ πατέρων ὀρθαὶ φρένες ἐξ ἀγαθῶν

having clearly learned what the upright minds of his good ancestors

ἔχρεον. μὴ κρύπτε κοινὸν

prescribed for him. Do not hide the common

σπέρμʼ ἀπὸ Καλλιάνακτος· Ἐρατιδᾶν τοι σὺν χαρίτεσσιν ἔχει

seed from Callianax; for with the graces of the Eratidae

θαλίας καὶ πόλις· ἐν δὲ μιᾷ μοίρᾳ χρόνου

the city also holds festivities. But in a single portion of time,

ἄλλοτʼ ἀλλοῖαι διαιθύσσοισιν αὖραι.

now in one way, now in another do the winds rush.

Syntax notes4 items

7.1φιάλαν ὡς εἴ τις
The extended comparative clause beginning with ὡς εἴ τις ("as if someone...") employs the future indicative δωρήσεται to vividly depict the metaphorical wedding scene, ultimately connecting to the main clause καὶ ἐγὼ ... ἱλάσκομαι ("so I too... offer").
7.21διορθῶσαι
The infinitive διορθῶσαι ("to set right / straighten out") functions as a complementary infinitive dependent on the main verb ἐθελήσω ("I shall wish").
7.31παρέπλαγξαν
The aorist παρέπλαγξαν is a gnomic aorist expressing a timeless general truth ("disturbances of the mind lead astray even the wise") and is translated in the present tense.
7.53δαέντι
The dative singular participle δαέντι ("to the one who has learned") functions as a dative of judgment (dative of the person judging), indicating the perspective from which the value of wisdom is evaluated.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0033.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:7.1-7.95