Pindar · Olympian Odes §11.1-11.21

Praise for Hagesidamus and the Virtues of the Locrians

Passage 12 of 15 · Greek

Summary

The poet declares that praise is necessary for those who succeed after great toil, offering Hagesidamus a sweet-sounding song to ornament his golden olive crown. He guarantees to the Muses that the victor's people, the Locrians, possess an innate and unchangeable nature of wisdom and courage.

§11.1ἔστιν ἀνθρώποις ἀνέμων ὅτε πλείστα §11.2χρῆσις, ἔστιν δʼ οὐρανίων ὑδάτων, §11.3ὀμβρίων παίδων νεφέλας.

There is a time when the need for winds is greatest for men, and there is a time for heavenly waters, the rainy children of the cloud.

§11.4εἰ δὲ σὺν πόνῳ τις εὖ πράσσοι, μελιγάρυες ὕμνοι §11.5ὑστέρων ἀρχὰ λόγων §11.6τέλλεται καὶ πιστὸν ὅρκιον μεγάλαις ἀρεταῖς.

But if one fares well with toil, honey-voiced hymns become the beginning of future words and a faithful pledge for great virtues.

§11.7ἀφθόνητος δʼ αἶνος Ὀλυμπιονίκαις §11.8οὗτος ἄγκειται.

And this praise, free from envy, is laid up for Olympian victors.

τὰ μὲν ἁμετέρα §11.9γλῶσσα ποιμαίνειν ἐθέλει· §11.10ἐκ θεοῦ δʼ ἀνὴρ σοφαῖς ἀνθεῖ πραπίδεσσιν ὁμοίως.

My tongue indeed wishes to shepherd these; but it is from a god that a man flourishes in wise minds likewise.

§11.11ἴσθι νῦν, Ἀρχεστράτου §11.12παῖ, τεᾶς, Ἁγησίδαμε, πυγμαχίας ἕνεκεν §11.13κόσμον ἐπὶ στεφάνῳ χρυσέας ἐλαίας §11.14ἁδυμελῆ κελαδήσω, §11.15Ζεφυρίων, Λοκρῶν γενεὰν ἀλέγων.

Know now, son of Archestratus, Hagesidamus, that for the sake of your boxing, as an ornament upon your crown of golden olive I shall sing a sweet-sounding strain, showing regard for the race of the Western Locrians.

§11.16ἔνθα συγκωμάξατʼ· ἐγγυάσομαι §11.17ὔμμιν, ὦ Μοῖσαι, φυγόξενον στρατὸν §11.18μηδʼ ἀπείρατον καλῶν, §11.19ἀκρόσοφον δὲ καὶ αἰχματὰν ἀφίξεσθαι.

Join the revelry there; I will guarantee to you, O Muses, that you will arrive at a host that does not shun strangers, nor is inexperienced in noble things, but is highly wise and warlike.

τὸ γὰρ §11.20ἐμφυὲς οὔτʼ αἴθων ἀλώπηξ §11.21οὔτʼ ἐρίβρομοι λέοντες διαλλάξαντο ἦθος.

For neither the fiery fox nor roaring lions change their inborn nature.

Notes

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.
11.5τέλλεται — 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).
11.17ἀφίξεσθαι — 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').

Cite this passage

Pindar, Olympian Odes §11.1-11.21. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0033.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:11.1-11.21

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