Eileithyia, assessor of the deep-thinking Fates, child of all-powerful Hera, hear me, creator of children!
Without you, we see neither the light of day nor the black night, nor do we obtain your sister, lovely-limbed Hebe.
We do not all draw breath for equal things; different things hold different men back, yoked to their destiny.
But with your help, also the son of Thearion, distinguished by his prowess, Sogenes, is sung of as glorious among the pentathletes.
§7.9πόλιν γὰρ φιλόμολπον οἰκεῖ δορικτύπων §7.10Αἰακιδᾶν· μάλα δʼ ἐθέλοντι σύμπειρον ἀγωνίᾳ θυμὸν ἀμφέπειν.
For he dwells in the song-loving city of the spear-clashing Aeacidae; and they very much wish to foster a spirit experienced in contests.
§7.11εἰ δὲ τύχῃ τις ἔρδων, μελίφρονʼ αἰτίαν §7.12ῥοαῖσι Μοισᾶν ἐνέβαλε· ταὶ μεγάλαι γὰρ ἀλκαὶ §7.13σκότον πολὺν ὕμνων ἔχοντι δεόμεναι· §7.14ἔργοις δὲ καλοῖς ἔσοπτρον ἴσαμεν ἑνὶ σὺν τρόπῳ, §7.15εἰ Μναμοσύνας ἕκατι λιπαράμπυκος §7.16εὕρηται ἄποινα μόχθων κλυταῖς ἐπέων ἀοιδαῖς.
If someone succeeds in his deeds, he casts a sweet-minded cause into the streams of the Muses; for great deeds of valor suffer from deep darkness if they lack songs; but we know a mirror for noble deeds in only one way, if, by grace of Mnemosyne of the shining headband, a recompense for labors is found in glorious songs of verses.
§7.17σοφοὶ δὲ μέλλοντα τριταῖον ἄνεμον §7.18ἔμαθον, οὐδʼ ὑπὸ κέρδει βλάβεν· §7.19ἀφνεὸς πενιχρός τε θανάτου πέρας §7.20ἅμα νέονται.
Wise men learn of the wind that will blow on the third day, and are not harmed by greed; the rich man and the poor man together go to the boundary of death.
ἐγὼ δὲ πλέονʼ ἔλπομαι §7.21λόγον Ὀδυσσέος ἢ πάθαν διὰ τὸν ἁδυεπῆ γενέσθʼ Ὅμηρον· §7.22ἐπεὶ ψεύδεσί οἱ ποτανᾷ τε μαχανᾷ §7.23σεμνὸν ἔπεστί τι· σοφία δὲ κλέπτει παράγοισα μύθοις· τυφλὸν δʼ ἔχει §7.24ἦτορ ὅμιλος ἀνδρῶν ὁ πλεῖστος.
But I expect that the fame of Odysseus has become greater than his actual suffering because of sweet-speaking Homer; since upon his falsehoods and winged artistry there is a certain majesty; and wisdom deceives, leading us astray with myths; and the greatest crowd of men has a blind heart.
εἰ γὰρ ἦν §7.25ἓ τὰν ἀλάθειαν ἰδέμεν, οὔ κεν ὅπλων χολωθεὶς §7.26ὁ καρτερὸς Αἴας ἔπαξε διὰ φρενῶν §7.27λευρὸν ξίφος· ὃν κράτιστον Ἀχιλέος ἄτερ μάχᾳ §7.28ξανθῷ Μενέλᾳ δάμαρτα κομίσαι θοαῖς §7.29ἐν ναυσὶ πόρευσαν εὐθυπνόου Ζεφύροιο πομπαὶ §7.30πρὸς Ἴλου πόλιν.
For if it had been possible for them to see the truth, the mighty Ajax, angered about the armor, would not have driven through his breast the smooth sword—him who, next to Achilles, was the strongest in battle, to win back his wife for fair-haired Menelaus, whom the escorts of the straight-blowing West Wind carried in swift ships to the city of Ilus.
ἀλλὰ κοινὸν γὰρ ἔρχεται §7.31κῦμʼ Ἀΐδα, πέσε δʼ ἀδόκητον ἐν καὶ δοκέοντα· τιμὰ δὲ γίνεται §7.32ὧν θεὸς ἁβρὸν αὔξει λόγον τεθνακότων §7.33βοαθόων, τοὶ παρὰ μέγαν ὀμφαλὸν εὐρυκόλπου §7.34μόλον χθονός·
But the common wave of Hades comes upon all, and falls on the unexpecting and the expecting alike; but honor belongs to those dead helpers of whom a god increases the splendid fame, who came to the great navel of the wide-bosomed earth.
ἐν Πυθίοισι δὲ δαπέδοις §7.35κεῖται, Πριάμου πόλιν Νεοπτόλεμος ἐπεὶ πράθεν, §7.36τᾷ καὶ Δαναοὶ πόνησαν· ὁ δʼ ἀποπλέων §7.37Σκύρου μὲν ἅμαρτε, πλαγχθέντες δʼ εἰς Ἐφύραν ἵκοντο· §7.38Μολοσσίᾳ δʼ ἐμβασίλευεν ὀλίγον §7.39χρόνον·
And in Pythian grounds he lies, Neoptolemus, after he sacked the city of Priam, for which also the Danaans labored; but sailing away, he missed Scyros, and they, being driven off course, came to Ephyra; and he ruled over Molossia for a short time; yet his race always held this honor.
ἀτὰρ γένος αἰεὶ φέρεν §7.40τοῦτό οἱ γέρας. ᾤχετο δὲ πρὸς θεόν, §7.41κτέανʼ ἄγων Τρωΐαθεν ἀκροθινίων· §7.42ἵνα κρεῶν νιν ὑπὲρ μάχας ἔλασεν ἀντιτυχόντʼ ἀνὴρ μαχαίρᾳ.
And he went to the god, bringing treasures of first-fruits from Troy; where, over a dispute about meat, a man struck him, as he met him, with a knife.
§7.43βάρυνθεν δὲ περισσὰ Δελφοὶ ξεναγέται.
And the Delphian hosts were exceedingly grieved.
§7.44ἀλλὰ τὸ μόρσιμον ἀπέδωκεν· ἐχρῆν δέ τινʼ ἔνδον ἄλσει παλαιτάτῳ §7.45Αἰακιδᾶν κρεόντων τὸ λοιπὸν ἔμμεναι §7.46θεοῦ παρʼ εὐτειχέα δόμον, ἡρωΐαις δὲ πομπαῖς §7.47θεμισκόπον οἰκεῖν ἐόντα πολυθύτοις.
But he paid back what was fated; and it was necessary that someone of the ruling Aeacidae should remain forever within that most ancient grove, beside the well-walled house of the god, and dwell there as a guardian of justice over the hero-processions with many sacrifices.
§7.48εὐώνυμον ἐς δίκαν τρία ἔπεα διαρκέσει· §7.49οὐ ψεῦδις ὁ μάρτυς ἔργμασιν ἐπιστατεῖ, §7.50Αἴγινα, τεῶν Διός τʼ ἐκγόνων.
Three words will suffice for fair-famed justice; no false witness presides over the deeds of your offspring, Aegina, and of Zeus.
θρασύ μοι τόδʼ εἰπεῖν §7.51φαενναῖς ἀρεταῖς ὁδὸν κυρίαν λόγων §7.52οἴκοθεν· ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἀνάπαυσις ἐν παντὶ γλυκεῖα ἔργῳ· κόρον δʼ ἔχει §7.53καὶ μέλι καὶ τὰ τέρπνʼ ἄνθεʼ Ἀφροδίσια.
I have courage to speak this: from my own home, a sovereign path of words leads to your shining virtues; but rest is sweet in every work; and satiety comes even of honey and the delightful flowers of Aphrodite.
§7.54φυᾷ δʼ ἕκαστος διαφέρομεν βιοτὰν λαχόντες, §7.55ὁ μὲν τά, τὰ δʼ ἄλλοι· τυχεῖν δʼ ἕνʼ ἀδύνατον §7.56εὐδαιμονίαν ἅπασαν ἀνελόμενον· οὐκ ἔχω §7.57εἰπεῖν, τίνι τοῦτο Μοῖρα τέλος ἔμπεδον §7.58ὤρεξε.
By nature we each differ, having received our life, one man having this, others having other things; but for one man to achieve all happiness, carrying it off, is impossible; I cannot say to whom Fate has stretched out this secure end.
Θεαρίων, τὶν δʼ ἐοικότα καιρὸν ὄλβου §7.59δίδωσι, τόλμαν τε καλῶν ἀρομένῳ §7.60σύνεσιν οὐκ ἀποβλάπτει φρενῶν.
But to you, Thearion, she gives a fitting measure of wealth, and does not damage the understanding of your mind when you take up courage for noble deeds.
§7.61ξεῖνός εἰμι· σκοτεινὸν ἀπέχων ψόγον, §7.62ὕδατος ὥτε ῥοὰς φίλον ἐς ἄνδρʼ ἄγων §7.63κλέος ἐτήτυμον αἰνέσω· ποτίφορος δʼ ἀγαθοῖσι μισθὸς οὗτος.
I am a guest-friend; keeping dark blame away, bringing, as it were, streams of water to a friend, I will praise his true glory; and this reward is appropriate for the good.
§7.64ἐὼν δʼ ἐγγὺς Ἀχαιὸς οὐ μέμψεταί μʼ ἀνὴρ §7.65Ἰονίας ὑπὲρ ἁλὸς οἰκέων· προξενίᾳ πέποιθʼ· ἔν τε δαμόταις §7.66ὄμματι δέρκομαι λαμπρόν, οὐχ ὑπερβαλών, §7.67βίαια πάντʼ ἐκ ποδὸς ἐρύσαις, ὁ δὲ λοιπὸς εὔφρων §7.68ποτὶ χρόνος ἕρποι.
And no Achaean man dwelling near, dwelling beyond the Ionian sea, will blame me; I trust in my public guest-friendship; and among my fellow citizens I look with a bright eye, not exceeding measure, having dragged away all violent things from my foot, and may the remaining time crawl on in kindness.
μαθὼν δέ τις ἀνερεῖ, §7.69εἰ πὰρ μέλος ἔρχομαι ψάγιον ὄαρον ἐννέπων.
Let anyone learn and speak out, if I go out of tune, speaking a crooked word.
§7.70Εὐξενίδα πάτραθε Σώγενες, ἀπομνύω §7.71μὴ τέρμα προβὰς ἄκονθʼ ὥτε χαλκοπάρᾳον ὄρσαι §7.72θοὰν γλῶσσαν, ὃς ἐξέπεμψεν παλαισμάτων §7.73αὐχένα καὶ σθένος ἀδίαντον, αἴθωνι πρὶν ἁλίῳ γυῖον ἐμπεσεῖν.
O Sogenes of the house of Euxenidas, I swear that I have not overstepped the boundary and launched my swift tongue like a bronze-cheeked javelin, which dismisses neck and strength unmoistened from the wrestling, before the limb falls in the burning sun.
§7.74εἰ πόνος ἦν, τὸ τερπνὸν πλέον πεδέρχεται.
If there was labor, delight follows even greater.
Leave me be; if, lifted somewhat too high, I cried out aloud, I am not harsh to pay down the favor to the victor.
§7.77εἴρειν στεφάνους ἐλαφρόν· ἀναβάλεο· Μοῖσά τοι §7.78κολλᾷ χρυσὸν ἔν τε λευκὸν ἐλέφανθʼ ἁμᾷ §7.79καὶ λείριον ἄνθεμον ποντίας ὑφελοῖσʼ ἐέρσας.
To weave crowns is light; delay; the Muse welds gold and white ivory together, and the lily-like flower she takes from beneath the sea's dew.
But remembering Zeus in connection with Nemea, stir up a loud-voiced sound of hymns softly.
βασιλῆα δὲ θεῶν πρέπει §7.83δάπεδον ἂν τόδε γαρυέμεν ἁμέρᾳ §7.84ὀπί· λέγοντι γὰρ Αἰακόν νιν ὑπὸ ματροδόκοις γοναῖς φυτεῦσαι, §7.85ἐμᾷ μὲν πολίαρχον εὐωνύμῳ πάτρᾳ, §7.86Ἡράκλεες, σέο δὲ προπράονʼ ἔμεν ξεῖνον ἀδελφεόν τʼ.
And it is fitting to sing of the king of gods upon this soil with a gentle voice; for they say he begot Aeacus by mother-receiving birth, as a ruler of my famous fatherland, and, Heracles, to be a kind host and brother to you.
εἰ δὲ γεύεται §7.87ἀνδρὸς ἀνήρ τι, φαῖμέν κε γείτονʼ ἔμμεναι §7.88νόῳ φιλήσαντʼ ἀτενέϊ γείτονι χάρμα πάντων §7.89ἐπάξιον· εἰ δʼ αὐτὸ καὶ θεὸς ἀνέχοι, §7.90ἐν τίν κʼ ἐθέλοι, Γίγαντας ὃς ἐδάμασας, εὐτυχῶς §7.91ναίειν πατρὶ Σωγένης ἀταλὸν ἀμφέπων §7.92θυμὸν προγόνων ἐϋκτήμονα ζαθέαν ἀγυιάν· §7.93ἐπεὶ τετραόροισιν ὥθʼ ἁρμάτων ζυγοῖς §7.94ἐν τεμένεσσι δόμον ἔχει τεοῖς, ἀμφοτέρας ἰὼν χειρός.
But if a man tastes of any help from another man, we would say that a neighbor who loves with a steadfast mind is a joy worth everything to a neighbor; and if a god also should allow this, Sogenes would wish to dwell happily, under your protection, O you who subdued the Giants, to dwell happily, cherishing a tender mind, near his father, on the well-possessed, sacred street of his ancestors; since, like the yokes of four-horse chariots, he has his house within your sacred precincts, going on both hands.
ὦ μάκαρ, §7.95τὶν δʼ ἐπέοικεν Ἥρας πόσιν τε πειθέμεν §7.96κόραν τε Γλαυκώπιδα· δύνασαι δὲ βροτοῖσιν ἀλκὰν §7.97ἀμαχανιᾶν δυσβάτων θαμὰ διδόμεν.
O blessed one, it is fitting for you to persuade both the husband of Hera and the grey-eyed maiden; and you are able often to grant mortals defense against difficult helplessness.
§7.98εἰ γάρ σφισιν ἐμπεδοσθενέα βίοτον ἁρμόσαις §7.99ἥβᾳ λιπαρῷ τε γήραϊ διαπλέκοις §7.100εὐδαίμονʼ ἐόντα, παίδων δὲ παῖδες ἔχοιεν αἰεὶ §7.101γέρας τό περ νῦν καὶ ἄρειον ὄπιθεν.
For if you would fit to them a life of steadfast strength, and weave it through youth and sleek old age in happiness, and may their children's children always hold this honor which they now have, and even better hereafter.
§7.102τὸ δʼ ἐμὸν οὔ ποτε φάσει κέαρ §7.103ἀτρόποισι Νεοπτόλεμον ἑλκύσαι §7.104ἔπεσι· ταὐτὰ δὲ τρὶς τετράκι τʼ ἀμπολεῖν §7.105ἀπορία τελέθει, τέκνοισιν ἅτε μαψυλάκας,
Διὸς Κόρινθος.
But my heart will never say that I dragged Neoptolemus with relentless words; but to plow up the same things three or four times is a failure of resource, like a babbler telling children "Corinth of Zeus".