§1.1ἄριστον μὲν ὕδωρ, ὁ δὲ χρυσὸς αἰθόμενον πῦρ
Water is best, and gold, like a blazing fire in the night, stands out conspicuous beyond lordly wealth.
§1.2ἅτε διαπρέπει νυκτὶ μεγάνορος ἔξοχα πλούτου· §1.3εἰ δʼ ἄεθλα γαρύεν §1.4ἔλδεαι, φίλον ἦτορ, §1.5μηκέθʼ ἁλίου σκόπει §1.6ἄλλο θαλπνότερον ἐν ἁμέρᾳ φαεννὸν ἄστρον ἐρήμας διʼ αἰθέρος, §1.7μηδʼ Ὀλυμπίας ἀγῶνα φέρτερον αὐδάσομεν·
But if you wish to sing of contests, my dear heart, look no further for another star warmer than the sun, shining by day through the empty ether, nor let us praise any contest greater than Olympia.
§1.8ὅθεν ὁ πολύφατος ὕμνος ἀμφιβάλλεται §1.9σοφῶν μητίεσσι, κελαδεῖν §1.10Κρόνου παῖδʼ ἐς ἀφνεὰν ἱκομένους §1.11μάκαιραν Ἱέρωνος ἑστίαν, §1.12θεμιστεῖον ὃς ἀμφέπει σκᾶπτον ἐν πολυμάλῳ §1.13Σικελίᾳ, δρέπων μὲν κορυφὰς ἀρετᾶν ἄπο πασᾶν, §1.14ἀγλαΐζεται δὲ καὶ §1.15μουσικᾶς ἐν ἀώτῳ, §1.16οἷα παίζομεν φίλαν §1.17ἄνδρες ἀμφὶ θαμὰ τράπεζαν.
From there, the famous hymn wraps itself around the minds of the wise, so that they loudly sing of the son of Cronus when they come to the wealthy and blessed hearth of Hieron, who wields the scepter of law in sheep-rich Sicily, plucking the summits of all virtues, and is also splendedly adorned in the choice blossom of music, such as we men often play around his friendly table.
ἀλλὰ Δωρίαν ἀπὸ φόρμιγγα πασσάλου §1.18λάμβανʼ, εἴ τί τοι Πίσας τε καὶ Φερενίκου χάρις §1.19νόον ὑπὸ γλυκυτάταις ἔθηκε φροντίσιν, §1.20ὅτε παρʼ Ἀλφεῷ σύτο, δέμας §1.21ἀκέντητον ἐν δρόμοισι παρέχων, §1.22κράτει δὲ προσέμιξε δεσπόταν, §1.23Συρακόσιον ἱπποχάρμαν βασιλῆα.
But take down the Dorian lyre from its peg, if the grace of Pisa and of Pherenicus has placed your mind under sweetest thoughts, when he sped beside the Alpheus, presenting his body ungoaded in the races, and joined his master with victory, the king of Syracuse who delights in horses.
λάμπει δέ οἱ κλέος §1.24ἐν εὐάνορι Λυδοῦ Πέλοπος ἀποικίᾳ· §1.25τοῦ μεγασθενὴς ἐράσσατο γαιάοχος §1.26Ποσειδᾶν, ἐπεί νιν καθαροῦ λέβητος ἔξελε Κλωθὼ §1.27ἐλέφαντι φαίδιμον ὦμον κεκαδμένον.
His glory shines in the fine-peopled colony of Lydian Pelops, whom the mighty earth-shaker Poseidon loved, after Clotho took him out of the pure cauldron, adorned with a bright shoulder of ivory.
§1.28ἦ θαυματὰ πολλά, καί πού τι καὶ βροτῶν φάτις ὑπὲρ τὸν ἀλαθῆ λόγον §1.29δεδαιδαλμένοι ψεύδεσι ποικίλοις ἐξαπατῶντι μῦθοι
Indeed, wonders are many, and sometimes the talk of mortals, going beyond the true account, stories embellished with varied lies, deceive.
§1.30Χάρις δʼ, ἅπερ ἅπαντα τεύχει τὰ μείλιχα θνατοῖς, §1.31ἐπιφέροισα τιμὰν καὶ ἄπιστον ἐμήσατο πιστὸν §1.32ἔμμεναι τὸ πολλάκις·
And Grace, who fashions all sweet things for mortals, by bringing honor, makes even the incredible seem credible many a time.
§1.35ἔστι δʼ ἀνδρὶ φάμεν ἐοικὸς ἀμφὶ δαιμόνων καλά· μείων γὰρ αἰτία.
It is seemly for a man to speak good things about the gods; for the blame is less.
§1.36υἱὲ Ταντάλου, σὲ δʼ, ἀντία προτέρων, φθέγξομαι, §1.37ὁπότʼ ἐκάλεσε πατὴρ τὸν εὐνομώτατον §1.38ἐς ἔρανον φίλαν τε Σίπυλον, §1.39ἀμοιβαῖα θεοῖσι δεῖπνα παρέχων, §1.40τότʼ Ἀγλαοτρίαιναν ἁρπάσαι §1.41δαμέντα φρένας ἱμέρῳ χρυσέαισί τʼ ἀνʼ ἵπποις §1.42ὕπατον εὐρυτίμου ποτὶ δῶμα Διὸς μεταβᾶσαι, §1.43ἔνθα δευτέρῳ χρόνῳ §1.44ἦλθε καὶ Γανυμήδης §1.45Ζηνὶ τωὔτʼ ἐπὶ χρέος.
Son of Tantalus, I shall speak of you, contrary to the men of old, how, when your father invited the gods to that most orderly feast and to his beloved Sipylus, offering mutual dinners to the gods, then he of the splendid trident seized you, his mind subdued by desire, and on golden horses carried you away to the highest palace of wide-honored Zeus, where, in a later time, Ganymede also came for the same service to Zeus.
§1.46ὡς δʼ ἄφαντος ἔπελες, οὐδὲ ματρὶ πολλὰ μαιόμενοι φῶτες ἄγαγον, §1.47ἔννεπε κρυφᾶ τις αὐτίκα φθονερῶν γειτόνων, §1.48ὕδατος ὅτι σε πυρὶ ζέοισαν εἰς ἀκμὰν §1.49μαχαίρᾳ τάμον κάτα μέλη, §1.50τραπέζαισί τʼ, ἀμφὶ δεύτατα, κρεῶν §1.51σέθεν διεδάσαντο καὶ φάγον.
But when you had vanished, and the searching men did not bring you back to your mother, immediately some envious neighbor spoke secretly, that they had cut your limbs with a knife into the boiling depth of water over the fire, and around the tables, at the final course, they divided and ate your flesh.
§1.52ἐμοὶ δʼ ἄπορα γαστρίμαργον μακάρων τινʼ εἰπεῖν. ἀφίσταμαι.
But for me, it is impossible to call any of the blessed gods a glutton; I stand aloof.
§1.53ἀκέρδεια λέλογχεν θαμινὰ κακαγόρους.
Loss often falls to the lot of slanderers.
§1.54εἰ δὲ δή τινʼ ἄνδρα θνατὸν Ὀλύμπου σκοποὶ §1.55ἐτίμασαν, ἦν Τάνταλος οὗτος· ἀλλὰ γὰρ καταπέψαι §1.56μέγαν ὄλβον οὐκ ἐδυνάσθη, κόρῳ δʼ ἕλεν §1.57ἄταν ὑπέροπλον, ἅν οἱ πατὴρ ὑπερκρέμασε καρτερὸν αὐτῷ λίθον, §1.58τὸν αἰεὶ μενοινῶν κεφαλᾶς βαλεῖν εὐφροσύνας ἀλᾶται.
If ever the guardians of Olympus honored any mortal man, that man was Tantalus; but he was unable to digest his great prosperity, and through insolence he drew a monstrous ruin, which the Father hung over him as a mighty stone, which he, ever longing to cast from his head, wanders away from joy.
§1.59ἔχει δʼ ἀπάλαμον βίον τοῦτον ἐμπεδόμοχθον, §1.60μετὰ τριῶν τέταρτον πόνον, ἀθανάτων ὅτι κλέψαις §1.61ἁλίκεσσι συμπόταις §1.62νέκταρ ἀμβροσίαν τε §1.63δῶκεν, οἷσιν ἄφθιτον §1.64θῆκαν.
He has this helpless life of constant toil, a fourth labor after three others, because he stole from the immortals and gave to his companions, his drinking partners, nectar and ambrosia, with which they had made him incorruptible.
εἰ δὲ θεὸν ἀνήρ τις ἔλπεταί τι λαθέμεν ἔρδων, ἁμαρτάνει.
If any man hopes to do anything escaping the notice of a god, he is mistaken.
Therefore the immortals sent his son back again to the swift-fated race of men.
§1.67πρὸς εὐάνθεμον δʼ ὅτε φυὰν §1.68λάχναι νιν μέλαν γένειον ἔρεφον. §1.69ἑτοῖμον ἀνεφρόντισεν γάμον §1.70Πισάτα παρὰ πατρὸς εὔδοξον Ἱπποδάμειαν §1.71σχεθέμεν.
And when, towards the flowery bloom of his growth, down covered his dark chin, he turned his thoughts to a ready marriage, to win from her father of Pisa the glorious Hippodameia.
ἐγγὺς ἐλθὼν πολιᾶς ἁλὸς οἶος ἐν ὄρφνᾳ §1.72ἄπυεν βαρύκτυπον §1.73Εὐτρίαιναν· ὁ δʼ αὐτῷ §1.74πὰρ ποδὶ σχεδὸν φάνη.
Going near the gray sea alone in the darkness, he called upon the heavy-sounding Lord of the Trident; and he appeared to him, close at hand at his feet.
§1.75τῷ μὲν εἶπε· φίλια δῶρα Κυπρίας ἄγʼ εἴ τι, Ποσείδαον, ἐς χάριν §1.76τέλλεται, πέδασον ἔγχος Οἰνομάου χάλκεον, §1.77ἐμὲ δʼ ἐπὶ ταχυτάτων πόρευσον ἁρμάτων §1.78ἐς Ἆλιν, κράτει δὲ πέλασον.
Pelops said to him: "If the friendly gifts of Cyprian Aphrodite, Poseidon, lead to favor, block the bronze spear of Oenomaus, and carry me on the swiftest chariots to Elis, and bring me near to victory.
For having destroyed thirteen men who wooed her, he puts off the marriage of his daughter.
ὁ μέγας δὲ κίνδυνος ἄναλκιν οὐ φῶτα λαμβάνει.
Great danger does not take hold of a cowardly man.
§1.82θανεῖν δʼ οἷσιν ἀνάγκα, τί κέ τις ἀνώνυμον §1.83γῆρας ἐν σκότῳ καθήμενος ἕψοι μάταν, §1.84ἁπάντων καλῶν ἄμμορος;
Since we must die, why should anyone sit in darkness nursing an inglorious old age in vain, without a share of all noble things?
ἀλλʼ ἐμοὶ μὲν οὗτος ἄεθλος §1.85ὑποκείσεται· τὺ δὲ πρᾶξιν φίλαν δίδοι. §1.86ὣς ἔννεπεν· οὐδʼ ἀκράντοις ἐφάψατʼ ὦν ἔπεσι.
But for me, this contest shall lie before me; and you, grant a welcome accomplishment." Thus he spoke; and he did not lay hold of unfulfilled words.
τὸν μὲν ἀγάλλων θεὸς §1.87ἔδωκεν δίφρον τε χρύσεον πτεροῖσίν τʼ ἀκάμαντας ἵππους.
The god, glorifying him, gave him a golden chariot and untiring horses with wings.
He overcame the might of Oenomaus and took the maiden as his bride; and she bore him six sons, leaders of the people, eager in virtues.
§1.90νῦν δʼ ἐν αἱμακουρίαις §1.91ἀγλααῖσι μέμικται, §1.92Ἀλφεοῦ πόρῳ κλιθείς, §1.93τύμβον ἀμφίπολον ἔχων πολυξενωτάτῳ παρὰ βωμῷ.
And now he is mixed with splendid blood-offerings, resting beside the ford of Alpheus, having an attended tomb beside the altar that receives many guests.
τὸ δὲ κλέος §1.94τηλόθεν δέδορκε τᾶν Ὀλυμπιάδων ἐν δρόμοις §1.95Πέλοπος, ἵνα ταχυτὰς ποδῶν ἐρίζεται §1.96ἀκμαί τʼ ἰσχύος θρασύπονοι·
And the glory of Pelops shines from afar in the races of the Olympiads, where swiftness of feet contends and the heights of strength, bold in toil.
The victor, for the rest of his life, enjoys honeyed calm because of the contests.
τὸ δʼ αἰεὶ παράμερον ἐσλὸν §1.100ὕπατον ἔρχεται παντὶ βροτῶν.
But the good that comes day by day is ever the supreme one for every mortal.
ἐμὲ δὲ στεφανῶσαι §1.101κεῖνον ἱππίῳ νόμῳ §1.102Αἰοληΐδι μολπᾷ §1.103χρή· πέποιθα δὲ ξένον §1.104μή τινʼ, ἀμφότερα καλῶν τε ἴδριν ἁμᾷ καὶ δύναμιν κυριώτερον, §1.105τῶν γε νῦν κλυταῖσι δαιδαλωσέμεν ὕμνων πτυχαῖς.
For me, to crown him with the equestrian strain in Aeolian song is necessary; and I trust that no host among those now living, both skilled in noble things and more sovereign in power, shall I adorn with the glorious folds of hymns.
§1.106θεὸς ἐπίτροπος ἐὼν τεαῖσι μήδεται §1.107ἔχων τοῦτο κᾶδος, Ἱέρων, §1.108μερίμναισιν· εἰ δὲ μὴ ταχὺ λίποι, §1.109ἔτι γλυκυτέραν κεν ἔλπομαι §1.110σὺν ἅρματι θοῷ κλεΐξειν, ἐπίκουρον εὑρὼν ὁδὸν λόγων §1.111παρʼ εὐδείελον ἐλθὼν Κρόνιον.
A god who is your guardian plans this, having this care, Hieron, for your concerns; and if he does not desert you soon, I hope to celebrate an even sweeter victory with a swift chariot, finding a helping path of words, coming to the sunny hill of Cronus.
ἐμοὶ μὲν ὦν §1.112Μοῖσα καρτερώτατον βέλος ἀλκᾷ τρέφει· §1.113ἐπʼ ἄλλοισι δʼ ἄλλοι μεγάλοι. τὸ δʼ ἔσχατον §1.114κορυφοῦται βασιλεῦσι.
For me, indeed, the Muse nurtures the strongest shaft in strength; different men are great in different ways, but the highest is crowned in kings.
μηκέτι πάπταινε πόρσιον.
Look no further.