Epharmostus' Victory and the Myth of Opus — Pindar, Olympian Odes 9.1–9.112, Greek & English

τὸ μὲν Ἀρχιλόχου μέλος

The song of Archilochus indeed,

φωνᾶεν Ὀλυμπίᾳ, καλλίνικος ὁ τριπλόος κεχλαδώς,¹

resounding at Olympia, the triple victory song swelling,

ἄρκεσε Κρόνιον παρʼ ὄχθον ἁγεμονεῦσαι

sufficed to lead the way near the hill of Cronus

κωμάζοντι φίλοις Ἐφαρμόστῳ σὺν ἑταίροις·

for Epharmostus as he went in revel with his dear companions;

ἀλλὰ νῦν ἑκαταβόλων Μοισᾶν ἀπὸ τόξων

but now, from the far-shooting bows of the Muses,

Δία τε φοινικοστερόπαν σεμνόν τʼ ἐπίνειμαι

shoot at Zeus of the red lightning and the holy

ἀκρωτήριον Ἄλιδος

promontory of Elis,

τοιοῖσδε βέλεσσιν,

with such arrows,

τὸ δή ποτε Λυδὸς ἥρως Πέλοψ

which once the Lydian hero Pelops

ἐξάρατο κάλλιστον ἕδνον Ἱπποδαμείας·

won as the fairest dowry of Hippodameia;

πτερόεντα δʼ ἵει γλυκὺν

and send a sweet winged

Πυθώναδʼ ὀϊστόν· οὔτοι χαμαιπετέων λόγων ἐφάψεαι

arrow to Pytho; indeed, you will not touch words falling to the ground,

ἀνδρὸς ἀμφὶ παλαίσμασιν φόρμιγγʼ ἐλελίζων

when you vibrate the lyre for the wrestling-matches of a man

κλεινᾶς ἐξ Ὀπόεντος· αἰνήσαις ἓ καὶ υἱόν,²

from famous Opus; praise both her and her son,

ἃν Θέμις θυγάτηρ τέ οἱ σώτειρα λέλογχεν

whom saving Themis and her daughter have obtained as their share,

μεγαλόδοξος Εὐνομία, θάλλει δʼ ἀρεταῖσιν

glorious Eunomia, have obtained as their allotment; and she flourishes with virtues

σόν τε, Κασταλία, πάρα

beside your stream, Castalia,

Ἀλφεοῦ τε ῥέεθρον·

and beside the stream of Alpheus;

ὅθεν στεφάνων ἄωτοι κλυτὰν

whence the choicest of crowns raise up the famous

Λοκρῶν ἐπαείροντι ματέρʼ ἀγλαόδενδρον.

mother of the Locrians, famous with its beautiful trees.

ἐγὼ δέ τοι φίλαν πόλιν

And I, indeed, for the dear city,

μαλεραῖς ἐπιφλέγων ἀοιδαῖς,

kindling it with blazing songs,

καὶ ἀγάνορος ἵππου

and swifter than a proud horse

θᾶσσον καὶ ναὸς ὑποπτέρου παντᾷ

and a winged ship, everywhere

ἀγγελίαν πέμψω ταύταν,

will send this message,

εἰ σύν τινι μοιριδίῳ παλάμᾳ

if indeed with some fated hand

ἐξαίρετον Χαρίτων νέμομαι κᾶπον·

I cultivate the choice garden of the Graces;

κεῖναι γὰρ ὤπασαν τὰ τέρπνʼ· ἀγαθοὶ δὲ καὶ σοφοὶ κατὰ δαίμονʼ ἄνδρες

for they grant pleasant things; and men become brave and wise by divine dispensation.

ἐγένοντʼ· ἐπεὶ ἀντία

Since otherwise,

πῶς ἂν τριόδοντος Ἡρακλέης σκύταλον τίναξε χερσίν,

how could Heracles have brandished the club in his hands against the trident,

ἁνίκʼ ἀμφὶ Πύλον σταθεὶς ἤρειδε Ποσειδᾶν

when Poseidon, standing around Pylos, pressed him hard,

ἤρειδεν δέ νιν ἀργυρέῳ τόξῳ πολεμίζων

and Phoebus pressed him, fighting with silver bow,

Φοῖβος, οὐδʼ Ἀΐδας ἀκινήταν ἔχε ῥάβδον,

nor did Hades keep his staff unmoved,

βρότεα σώμαθʼ ᾇ κατάγει κοίλαν πρὸς ἀγυιὰν

with which he leads mortal bodies down to the hollow street of the dying?

θνᾳσκόντων; ἀπό μοι λόγον

Fling away from me

τοῦτον, στόμα, ῥῖψον·

this word, O mouth!

ἐπεὶ τό γε λοιδορῆσαι θεοὺς

Since to insult the gods

ἐχθρὰ σοφία, καὶ τὸ καυχᾶσθαι παρὰ καιρὸν

is a hateful wisdom, and to boast out of season

μανίαισιν ὑποκρέκει.

accords with madness.

μὴ νῦν λαλάγει τὰ τοιαῦτʼ· ἔα πόλεμον μάχαν τε πᾶσαν

Babble not now of such things; leave all war and battle

χωρὶς ἀθανάτων· φέροις δὲ Πρωτογενείας

apart from the immortals. But bring your tongue to the city of Protogeneia,

ἄστει γλῶσσαν, ἵνʼ αἰολοβρόντα Διὸς αἴσᾳ

where, by the decree of Zeus of the flashing thunderbolt,

Πύρρα Δευκαλίων τε Παρνασοῦ καταβάντε

Pyrrha and Deucalion, having descended from Parnassus,

δόμον ἔθεντο πρῶτον, ἄτερ δʼ εὐνᾶς ὁμόδαμον

established their home first, and without union created a united people,

κτισσάσθαν λίθινον γόνον·

stone offspring;

λαοὶ δʼ ὀνύμασθεν.

and they were named “laoi.”

ἔγειρʼ ἐπέων σφιν οἶμον λιγύν,

Arouse for them a clear path of song,

αἴνει δὲ παλαιὸν μὲν οἶνον, ἄνθεα δʼ ὕμνων

and praise old wine, but the flowers of newer

νεωτέρων. λέγοντι μὰν

songs. Indeed they say

χθόνα μὲν κατακλύσαι μέλαιναν

that the dark earth was flooded

ὕδατος σθένος, ἀλλὰ

by the power of water, but

Ζηνὸς τέχναις ἀνάπωτιν ἐξαίφνας

by the arts of Zeus, an ebb suddenly

ἄντλον ἑλεῖν. κείνων ἔσαν

drained the flood. From them came

χαλκάσπιδες ὑμέτεροι πρόγονοι

your bronze-shielded ancestors

ἀρχᾶθεν Ἰαπετιονίδος φύτλας

from the beginning, of the race of Iapetus’ daughter,

κοῦροι κορᾶν καὶ φερτάτων Κρονιδᾶν, ἐγχώριοι βασιλῆες αἰεί,

sons of daughters and of the mightiest sons of Cronus, native kings always,

πρὶν Ὀλύμπιος ἁγεμὼν

before the Olympian ruler

θύγατρʼ ἀπὸ γᾶς Ἐπειῶν Ὀπόεντος ἀναρπάσαις, ἕκαλος

having snatched the daughter of Opus from the land of the Epeians, quietly

μίχθη Μαιναλίαισιν ἐν δειραῖς, καὶ ἔνεικεν

united with her in the Maenalian ridges, and brought her

Λοκρῷ, μὴ καθέλοι μιν αἰὼν πότμον ἐφάψαις

to Locrus, lest life should destroy him, bringing on a destiny bereft of offspring. But the wife held the greatest seed,

ὀρφανὸν γενεᾶς. ἔχεν δὲ σπέρμα μέγιστον

and the hero was glad when he saw his adopted son,

ἄλοχος, εὐφράνθη τε ἰδὼν ἥρως θετὸν υἱόν,

and he called him by his mother’s father’s name

μάτρωος δʼ ἐκάλεσσέ νιν

to be his namesake,

ἰσώνυμον ἔμμεν,

a man outstanding in beauty and

ὑπέρφατον ἄνδρα μορφᾷ τε καὶ

in deeds.

ἔργοισι. πόλιν δʼ ὤπασεν λαόν τε διαιτᾶν.

And he gave him the city and the people to rule.

ἀφίκοντο δέ οἱ ξένοι,

And strangers came to him,

ἔκ τʼ Ἄργεος ἔκ τε Θηβᾶν, οἱ δʼ Ἀρκάδες, οἱ δὲ καὶ Πισᾶται·

from Argos and from Thebes, others from Arcadia, and some from Pisa;

υἱὸν δʼ Ἄκτορος ἐξόχως τίμασεν ἐποίκων

and among the settlers he especially honored Menoetius, the son of Actor

Αἰγίνας τε Μενοίτιον· τοῦ παῖς ἅμʼ Ἀτρείδαις

and of Aegina; whose son, going with the Atreidae

Τεύθραντος πεδίον μολὼν ἔστα σὺν Ἀχιλλεῖ

to the plain of Teuthras, stood beside Achilles

μόνος, ὅτʼ ἀλκᾶντας Δαναοὺς τρέψαις ἁλίαισιν

alone, when Telephus, having turned the valiant Danaans, fell upon their marine

πρύμναις Τήλεφος ἔμβαλεν·

sterns;

ὥστʼ ἔμφρονι δεῖξαι

so as to show to an intelligent mind

μαθεῖν Πατρόκλου βιατὰν νόον.

to learn the mighty spirit of Patroclus.

ἐξ οὗ Θέτιος γόνος οὐλίῳ νιν ἐν Ἄρει

From then on, the son of Thetis exhorted him in destructive war

παραγορεῖτο μή ποτε

never

σφετέρας ἄτερθε ταξιοῦσθαι

to be marshaled apart from his own

δαμασιμβρότου αἰχμᾶς.

man-subduing spear.

εἴην εὑρησιεπὴς ἀναγεῖσθαι

May I be inventive in words, to go forward

πρόσφορος ἐν Μοισᾶν δίφρῳ·

fittingly in the chariot of the Muses;

τόλμα δὲ καὶ ἀμφιλαφὴς δύναμις

and may courage and abundant power

ἕσποιτο. προξενίᾳ δʼ ἀρετᾷ τʼ ἦλθον

attend me. And because of guest-friendship and virtue I came

τιμάορος Ἰσθμίαισι Λαμπρομάχου μίτραις, ὅτʼ ἀμφότεροι κράτησαν

to honor the Isthmian headbands of Lampromachus, when both conquered

μίαν ἔργον ἀνʼ ἁμέραν.

in one day’s work.

ἄλλαι δὲ δύʼ ἐν Κορίνθου πύλαις ἐγένοντʼ ἔπειτα χάρμαι,

And two other victories afterward occurred at the gates of Corinth,

ταὶ δὲ καὶ Νεμέας Ἐφαρμόστῳ κατὰ κόλπον·

and others in the valley of Nemea for Epharmostus;

Ἄργει τʼ ἔσχεθε κῦδος ἀνδρῶν, παῖς δʼ ἐν Ἀθάναις,

and in Argos he won glory among men, and as a boy in Athens,

οἷον δʼ ἐν Μαραθῶνι συλαθεὶς ἀγενείων³

and what a fight he sustained at Marathon, when, excluded from the class of the youth,

μένεν ἀγῶνα πρεσβυτέρων ἀμφʼ ἀργυρίδεσσιν·

he faced the contest of older men for the silver cups!

φῶτας δʼ ὀξυρεπεῖ δόλῳ

And having subdued the men with swift-tilting artifice

ἀπτῶτι δαμάσσαις

without falling,

διήρχετο κύκλον ὅσσᾳ βοᾷ,

he went through the ring with what a shout,

ὡραῖος ἐὼν καὶ καλὸς κάλλιστά τε ῥέξαις.

being in his youth and beautiful, and having achieved the fairest deeds.

τὰ δὲ Παρρασίῳ στρατῷ

And to the Parrhasian host

θαυμαστὸς ἐὼν φάνη Ζηνὸς ἀμφὶ πανάγυριν Λυκαίου,

he appeared wondrous, around the assembly of Lycaean Zeus,

καὶ ψυχρᾶν ὁπότʼ εὐδιανὸν φάρμακον αὐρᾶν

and when he carried the warm remedy against cold winds

Πελλάνᾳ φέρε· σύνδικος δʼ αὐτῷ Ἰολάου

from Pellene; and as a witness for him, the tomb of Iolaus

τύμβος εἰναλία τʼ Ἐλευσὶς ἀγλαΐαισιν.

and marine Eleusis bear witness in splendors.

100

τὸ δὲ φυᾷ κράτιστον ἅπαν· πολλοὶ δὲ διδακταῖς

That which is by nature is always best; but many by taught

ἀνθρώπων ἀρεταῖς κλέος

virtues of men have striven

ὤρουσαν ἀρέσθαι.

to win glory.

ἄνευ δὲ θεοῦ σεσιγαμένον

But without God, every deed kept in silence

οὐ σκαιότερον χρῆμʼ ἕκαστον. ἐντὶ γὰρ ἄλλαι

is none the worse. For there are other

105

ὁδῶν ὁδοὶ περαίτεραι,

paths of paths that go further,

μία δʼ οὐχ ἅπαντας ἄμμε θρέψει

and a single pursuit will not sustain all of us;

μελέτα· σοφίαι μὲν

skills indeed

αἰπειναί· τοῦτο δὲ προσφέρων ἆθλον,

are steep; but while offering this prize,

ὄρθιον ὤρυσαι θαρσέων,

shout out loud with courage,

110

τόνδʼ ἀνέρα δαιμονίᾳ γεγάμεν

that this man was born by divine favor

εὔχειρα, δεξιόγυιον, ὁρῶντʼ ἀλκάν,

strong-handed, nimble-limbed, with valor in his eyes,

Αἰάντειόν τʼ ἐν δαιτὶ Ἰλιάδα νικῶν ἐπεστεφάνωσε βωμόν.

who, conquering, crowned the altar of Ajax, son of Oileus, at his feast.

Syntax notes3 items

9.2καλλίνικος ὁ τριπλόος κεχλαδώς
Refers to the traditional victory song of Archilochus (characterized by a triple refrain). The participle κεχλαδώς means 'swelling' or 'overflowing' and, together with the articular adjective ὁ τριπλόος, stands in apposition to or modifies the song (μέλος).
9.14αἰνήσαις ἓ καὶ υἱόν
The pronoun ἓ is the third-person singular accusative, referring here to the personified city of Opus (feminine), while υἱόν (son) refers to the victor Epharmostus. It exhorts the singer to praise 'her (the city) and her son.'
9.89συλαθεὶς ἀγενείων
The genitive ἀγενείων (of the beardless youth) is a genitive of separation/deprivation dependent on the passive participle συλαθεὶς (deprived of). It indicates that Epharmostus, excluded from the youth category, was forced to compete in the adult class (πρεσβυτέρων).

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

2026-09-21 AI review — translation 1

urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0033.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:9.1-9.112