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Pindar · Nemean Odes §2.1-2.25

Victory of Timodemus and Praise of Acharnae

Passage 2 of 11 · Greek

Summary

The poet celebrates the Nemean victory of Timodemus of Acharnae, comparing his future path of success to Orion following the Pleiades, while praising his clan's athletic achievements and calling on the citizens to rejoice.

§2.1ὅθεν περ καὶ Ὁμηρίδαι §2.2ῥαπτῶν ἐπέων τὰ πόλλʼ ἀοιδοὶ §2.3ἄρχονται, Διὸς ἐκ προοιμίου· καὶ ὅδʼ ἀνὴρ §2.4καταβολὰν ἱερῶν ἀγώνων νικαφορίας δέδεκται πρῶτον Νεμεαίου §2.5ἐν πολυυμνήτῳ Διὸς ἄλσει.
From where indeed the Homeridae, singers of stitched verses, for the most part begin, namely from a prelude of Zeus; so too this man has received a first foundation of victory in the sacred games in the Nemean grove of Zeus, rich in song.
§2.6ὀφείλει δʼ ἔτι, πατρίαν §2.7εἴπερ καθʼ ὁδόν νιν εὐθυπομπὸς §2.8αἰὼν ταῖς μεγάλαις δέδωκε κόσμον Ἀθάναις, §2.9θαμὰ μὲν Ἰσθμιάδων δρέπεσθαι κάλλιστον ἄωτον, ἐν Πυθίοισί τε νικᾶν §2.10Τιμονόου παῖδʼ·
And still it is due, if indeed along his father's path a straight-guiding life has given him as an ornament to great Athens, that he should often gather the fairest bloom of the Isthmian games, and win in the Pythian games, this son of Timonous.
ἔστι δʼ ἐοικὸς §2.11ὀρειᾶν γε Πελειάδων §2.12μὴ τηλόθεν Ὠαρίωνα νεῖσθαι.
For it is natural that Orion should go not far behind the mountainous Pleiades.
§2.13καὶ μὰν ἁ Σαλαμίς γε θρέψαι φῶτα μαχατὰν §2.14δυνατός.
And indeed Salamis is capable of rearing a warrior man.
ἐν Τρωΐᾳ μὲν Ἕκτωρ Αἴαντος ἄκουσεν· ὦ Τιμόδημε, σὲ δʼ ἀλκὰ §2.15παγκρατίου τλάθυμος ἀέξει.
At Troy, Hector heard of Ajax; and, O Timodemus, you too the courageous strength of the pankration exalts.
§2.16Ἀχάρναι δὲ παλαίφατοι §2.17εὐάνορες· ὅσσα δʼ ἀμφʼ ἀέθλοις, §2.18Τιμοδημίδαι ἐξοχώτατοι προλέγονται.
And Acharnae has been famous of old for brave men; and as for all things concerning contests, the Timodemidae are proclaimed as most outstanding.
§2.19παρὰ μὲν ὑψιμέδοντι Παρνασῷ τέσσαρας ἐξ ἀέθλων νίκας ἐκόμιξαν· §2.20ἀλλὰ Κορινθίων ὑπὸ φωτῶν §2.21ἐν ἐσλοῦ Πέλοπος πτυχαῖς §2.22ὀκτὼ στεφάνοις ἔμιχθεν ἤδη· §2.23ἑπτὰ δʼ ἐν Νεμέᾳ τὰ δʼ οἴκοι μάσσονʼ ἀριθμοῦ §2.24Διὸς ἀγῶνι.
Beside high-ruling Parnassus, they carried off four victories from the contests; and by the Corinthian men, in the valleys of noble Pelops, they have already been joined with eight crowns; and seven at Nemea; while those at home, in the contest of Zeus, are beyond number.
τόν, ὦ πολῖται, κωμάξατε Τιμοδήμῳ σὺν εὐκλέϊ νόστῳ· §2.25ἁδυμελεῖ δʼ ἐξάρχετε φωνᾷ.
Him, O citizens, celebrate in revelry along with the glorious return of Timodemus; and lead the way with sweet-sounding voice.

Notes

  1. 2.3ὅθεν — Relative adverb referring to Zeus in the preceding lines. It introduces the comparison between the Homeric rhapsodes starting their songs from Zeus, and Timodemus beginning his path of victory from Zeus's grove at Nemea.
  2. 2.6ὀφείλει — Functions as an impersonal verb meaning "it is due/destined," taking an accusative-and-infinitive construction with Τιμονόου παῖδα as the subject and δρέπεσθαι and νικᾶν as the infinitives.
  3. 2.13δυνατός — Although the subject ἁ Σαλαμίς is feminine, the adjective is masculine. This is an instance of gender incongruence (constructio ad sensum), treating the place name as masculine or agreeing with a conceptual masculine notion of the land/warrior-producer.
  4. 2.24τόν — Accusative functioning as a personal pronoun, referring contextually to Zeus (Διός) as the object of celebration ("celebrate him"). Timodemus (Timodemoi) is in the dative, indicating the person accompanied by the celebration.

Cite this passage

Pindar, Nemean Odes §2.1-2.25. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0033.tlg003.humanitext-grc2:2.1-2.25

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