One is the race of men, one of gods; yet from one mother we both draw our breath.
διείργει δὲ πᾶσα κεκριμένα §6.3δύναμις, ὡς τὸ μὲν οὐδέν, ὁ δὲ χάλκεος ἀσφαλὲς αἰὲν ἕδος §6.4μένει οὐρανός.
But a completely divided power keeps us apart, so that the one is nothing, while the bronze heaven remains as an ever-secure seat.
ἀλλά τι προσφέρομεν ἔμπαν ἢ μέγαν §6.5νόον ἤτοι φύσιν ἀθανάτοις, §6.6καίπερ ἐφαμερίαν οὐκ εἰδότες οὐδὲ μετὰ νύκτας ἄμμε πότμος §6.7οἵαν τινʼ ἔγραψε δραμεῖν ποτὶ στάθμαν.
Yet we still bear some resemblance to the immortals, either in great mind or in nature, although we do not know, by day or by night, what course destiny has written for us to run.
§6.8τεκμαίρει καί νυν Ἀλκιμίδας τὸ συγγενὲς ἰδεῖν §6.9ἄγχι καρποφόροις ἀρούραισιν, αἵτʼ ἀμειβόμεναι §6.10τόκα μὲν ὦν βίον ἀνδράσιν ἐπηετανὸν πεδίων ἔδοσαν, §6.11τόκα δʼ αὖτʼ ἀναπαυσάμεναι σθένος ἔμαρψαν.
And now Alcimidas gives proof of this kinship for all to see, close to the fruit-bearing fields, which in alternation now give abundant sustenance from the plains to men, and now again rest to gather back their strength.
ἦλθέ τοι §6.12Νεμέας ἐξ ἐρατῶν ἀέθλων §6.13παῖς ἐναγώνιος, ὃς ταύταν μεθέπων Διόθεν αἶσαν νῦν πέφανται §6.14οὐκ ἄμμορος ἀμφὶ πάλᾳ κυναγέτας, §6.15ἴχνεσιν ἐν Πραξιδάμαντος ἑὸν πόδα νέμων §6.16πατροπάτορος ὁμαιμίου.
Indeed, from the lovely games of Nemea has returned the competing boy, who, pursuing this destiny from Zeus, has now shown himself to be no unsuccessful hunter in wrestling, placing his foot in the footsteps of Praxidamas, his grandfather of the same blood.
§6.17κεῖνος γὰρ Ὀλυμπιόνικος ἐὼν Αἰακίδαις §6.18ἔρνεα πρῶτος ἔνεικεν ἀπʼ Ἀλφεοῦ, §6.19καὶ πεντάκις Ἰσθμοῖ στεφανωσάμενος, §6.20νεμέᾳ δὲ τρίς, §6.21ἔπαυσε λάθαν §6.22Σωκλείδα, ὃς ὑπέρτατος §6.23Ἁγησιμάχῳ υἱέων γένετο.
For he, being an Olympic victor, was the first to bring home to the Aeacidae the crowns from Alpheus; and after being crowned five times at the Isthmus, and three times at Nemea, he ended the oblivion of Socleidas, who was the greatest of the sons of Hagesimachus.
Since three prize-winners of his house reached the peak of excellence, having tasted of labors.
σὺν θεοῦ δὲ τύχᾳ §6.26ἕτερον οὔ τινα οἶκον ἀπεφάνατο πυγμαχία πλεόνων §6.27ταμίαν στεφάνων μυχῷ Ἑλλάδος ἁπάσας.
And by the fortune of God, boxing has revealed no other household as the steward of more crowns in the innermost part of all Greece.
ἔλπομαι §6.28μέγα εἰπὼν σκοποῦ ἄντα τυχεῖν §6.29ὥτʼ ἀπὸ τόξου ἱείς· εὔθυνʼ ἐπὶ τοῦτον, ἄγε, Μοῖσα, οὖρον ἐπέων §6.30εὐκλέα.
I hope, while speaking great things, to strike right opposite the target, like one letting fly from a bow; guide straight toward this man, come, Muse, a glorious gale of words.
παροιχομένων γὰρ ἀνέρων §6.31ἀοιδαὶ καὶ λόγοι τὰ καλά σφιν ἔργʼ ἐκόμισαν, §6.32Βασσίδαισιν ἅ τʼ οὐ σπανίζει· παλαίφατος γενεά, §6.33ἴδια ναυστολέοντες ἐπικώμια, Πιερίδων ἀρόταις §6.34δυνατοὶ παρέχειν πολὺν ὕμνον ἀγερώχων ἑργμάτων §6.35ἕνεκεν.
For songs and stories have brought down the noble deeds of men who are gone, and of these the Bassidae are not lacking; a family famed of old, sailing with their own victory-songs, they are able to provide the plowmen of the Pierides with abundant song because of their proud deeds.
καὶ γὰρ ἐν ἀγαθέᾳ §6.36χεῖρας ἱμάντι δεθεὶς Πυθῶνι κράτησεν ἀπὸ ταύτας αἷμα πάτρας §6.37χρυσαλακάτου ποτὲ Καλλίας ἁδὼν §6.38ἔρνεσι Λατοῦς, παρὰ Κασταλίᾳ τε Χαρίτων §6.39ἑσπέριος ὁμάδῳ φλέγεν· §6.40πόντου τε γέφυρʼ ἀκάμαντος ἐν ἀμφικτιόνων §6.41ταυροφόνῳ τριετηρίδι Κρ εο ντίδαν §6.42τίμασε Ποσειδάνιον ἂν τέμενος· §6.43βοτάνα τέ νιν §6.44πόθʼ ἁ λέοντος §6.45νικάσαντʼ ἤρεφε δασκίοις §6.46Φλιοῦντος ὑπʼ ὠγυγίοις ὄρεσιν.
For indeed, in sacred Pytho, with his hands bound by leather thongs, Callias won victory, a scion of this same fatherland, having once pleased the children of golden-spindled Leto, and by Castalia at evening he blazed in the noisy company of the Graces; and the Isthmian sanctuary of Poseidon honored Creontidas at the bridge of the unwearied sea, in the triennial festival of the neighbors where bulls are slain; and once the herb of the lion crowned him when he won, with its dark-shading leaves, beneath the ancient mountains of Phlius.
§6.47πλατεῖαι πάντοθεν λογίοισιν ἐντὶ πρόσοδοι §6.48νᾶσον εὐκλέα τάνδε κοσμεῖν· ἐπεί σφιν Αἰακίδαι §6.49ἔπορον ἔξοχον αἶσαν ἀρετὰς ἀποδεικνύμενοι μεγάλας·
Broad avenues of song lie open from every side for the wise to adorn this glorious island; since the Aeacidae have granted them an outstanding share of fame by displaying great virtues.
§6.50πέταται δʼ ἐπί τε χθόνα καὶ διὰ θαλάσσας τηλόθεν §6.51ὄνυμʼ αὐτῶν· καὶ ἐς Αἰθίοπας §6.52Μέμνονος οὐκ ἀπονοστήσαντος ἐπᾶλτο· βαρὺ δέ σφιν νεῖκος Ἀχιλεὺς §6.53ἔμπεσε χαμαὶ καταβὰς ἀφʼ ἁρμάτων, §6.54φαεννᾶς υἱὸν εὖτʼ ἐνάριξεν Ἀόος ἀκμᾷ §6.55ἔγχεος ζακότοιο.
And their name flies far over the earth and across the sea; it leaped even to the Ethiopians, when Memnon did not return home, and a heavy conflict fell upon them when Achilles, stepping down from his chariot to the ground, slew the son of the bright Dawn with the edge of his furious spear.
καὶ ταύταν μὲν παλαιότεροι §6.56ὁδὸν ἀμαξιτὸν εὗρον· ἕπομαι δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ἔχων μελέταν· §6.57τὸ δὲ πὰρ ποδὶ ναὸς ἑλισσόμενον αἰεὶ κυμάτων §6.58λέγεται παντὶ μάλιστα δονεῖν §6.59θυμόν.
And this highway indeed did the men of old discover; and I myself follow it, holding my own care; but the wave that ever rolls beside the ship’s foot is said to shake the heart of every man most of all.
ἑκόντι δʼ ἐγὼ νώτῳ μεθέπων δίδυμον ἄχθος ἄγγελος ἔβαν, §6.60πέμπτον ἐπὶ εἴκοσι τοῦτο γαρύων §6.61εὖχος ἀγώνων ἄπο, τοὺς ἐνέποισιν ἱερούς, §6.62Ἀλκιμίδα, τέ γʼ ἐπαρκέσαι §6.63κλειτᾷ γενεᾷ· δύο μὲν Κρονίου πὰρ τεμένει, §6.64παῖ, σέ τʼ ἐνόσφισε καὶ Πουλυτιμίδαν §6.65κλᾶρος προπετὴς ἄνθεʼ Ὀλυμπιάδος.
Gladly on my back bearing a double burden have I come as a messenger, proclaiming this twenty-fifth victory from the games which they call sacred, Alcimidas, to aid your famous race; though by the sanctuary of Cronus, my boy, a hasty lot deprived both you and Polythymidas of the flowers of the Olympia.