The Extant Odes of Pindar

Ernest Myers

Description

First published in 1874, “The Extant Odes of Pindar” contains a complete collection of all known odes written by Ancient Greek lyric poet Pindar. Pindar numbers amongst the nine canonical lyric poets of ancient Greece. Relatively well-preserved, his odes convey the values and beliefs of Ancient Greece at the beginning of the classical period. Contents include: “For Hieron of Syracuse, Winner in the Horse Race”, “For Theron Of Akragas, Winner in the Chariot-race”, “For Theron Of Akragas, Winner in the Chariot-race”, “For Psaumis of Kamarina, Winner in the Mule-chariot-race”, “For Psaumis of Kamarina, Winner in the Mule-chariot-race”, “For Ageias of Syracuse, Winner in the Muile-chariot-race”, etc. Ernest James Myers (1844–1921) was a Classicist, author, and poet. Other notable works by this author include: “The Judgement of Prometheus” (1886), “Gathered Poems” (1904), and “Lord Althorp: a Biography” (1890). Macha Press is republishing this classic biography now in a new edition complete with the extract 'Classical Games' by Francis Storr.

Informations

• Publié par: Read Books Ltd.
• Date de parution: 14 août 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781528790970
• Langue: English

Extrait

THE EXTANT ODES OF PINDAR
By
ERNEST MYERS
WITH THE EXTRACT Classical Games By Francis Storr

First published in 1874



Copyright © 2020 Macha Press
This edition is published by Macha Press, an imprint of Read & Co.
This book is copyright and may not be reproduced or copied in any way without the express permission of the publisher in writing.
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Read & Co. is part of Read Books Ltd. For more information visit www.readandcobooks.co.uk


Son of the lightning, fair and fiery star,
Strong-winged imperial pindar, voice divine,
Let these deep draughts of thy enchanted wine
Lift me with thee in soarings high and far
Prouder than pegasean, or the car
Wherein apollo rapt the huntress maid.
So let me range mine hour, too soon to fade
Into strange presence of the things that are.
Yet know that even amid this jarring noise
Of hates, loves, creeds, together heaped and hurled,
Some echo faint of grace and grandeur stirs
From thy sweet hellas, home of noble joys.
First fruit and best of all our western world;
Whate'er we hold of beauty, half is hers.


Contents
CLA SSICAL GAMES
By F rancis Storr
INTRODUCTION
PR EFATORY NOTE
OLYMPIAN ODES
I
FOR HIERON OF SYRACUSE, WINNER IN TH E HORSE-RACE
II
FOR THERON OF AKRAGAS, WINNER IN THE CHARIOT-RACE
III
FOR THERON OF AKRAGAS, WINNER IN THE CHARIOT-RACE
IV
FOR PSAUMIS OF KAMARINA, WINNER IN THE MULE- CHARIOT-RACE
V
FOR PSAUMIS OF KAMARINA, WINNER IN THE MULE- CHARIOT-RACE
VI
FOR AGESIAS OF SYRACUSE, WINNER IN THE MULE- CHARIOT-RACE
VII
FOR DIAGORAS OF RHODES, WINNER IN THE BOXING-MATCH
VIII
FOR ALKIMEDON OF AIGINA, WINNER IN THE WRESTLING-M ATCH OF BOYS
IX
FOR EPHARMOSTOS OF OPOUS, WINNER IN THE WRE STLING-MATCH
X
FOR AGESIDAMOS OF EPIZEPHYR IAN LOKRIS, WINNER IN THE BOYS' BOXING-MATCH
XI
FOR AGESIDAMOS OF EPIZEPHYR IAN LOKRIS, WINNER IN THE BOYS' BOXING-MATCH
XII
FOR ERGOTELES OF HIMERA, WINNER IN THE LO NG FOOT-RACE
XIII
FOR XENOPHON OF CORINTH, WINNER IN THE STADION RACE AND IN TH E PENTATHLON
XIV
FOR ASOPICHOS OF ORCHOMENOS, WINNER IN THE BOYS' SHO RT FOOT-RACE
THE PYTHIAN ODES
I
FOR HIERON OF AITNA, WINNER IN THE CHARIOT-RACE
II
FOR HIERON OF SYRACUSE, WINNER IN THE CHARIOT-RACE
III
FOR HIERON OF SYRACUSE, WINNER IN TH E HORSE-RACE
IV
FOR ARKESILAS OF KYRENE, WINNER IN THE CHARIOT-RACE
V
FOR ARKESILAS OF KYRENE, WINNER IN THE CHARIOT-RACE
VI
FOR XENOKRATES OF AKRAGAS, WINNER IN THE CHARIOT-RACE
VII
FOR MEGAKLES OF ATHENS, WINNER IN THE FOUR-HORSE CHARIOT-RACE
VIII
FOR ARISTOMENES OF AIGINA, WINNER IN THE WRE STLING-MATCH
IX
FOR TELESIKRATES OF KYRENE, WINNER OF THE FOOT-RACE IN FULL ARMOUR
X
FOR HIPPOKLEAS OF THESSALY, WINNER IN THE TWO-STADION FOOT- RACE OF BOYS
XI
FOR THRASYDAIOS OF THEBES, WINNER IN THE BOYS' SHO RT FOOT-RACE
XII
FOR MIDAS OF AKRAGAS, WINNER IN THE FLUTE-PL AYING MATCH.
THE NEMEAN ODES
I
FOR CHROMIOS OF AITNA, WINNER IN THE CHARIOT-RACE
II
FOR TIMODEMOS OF ATHENS, WINNER IN TH E PANKRATION
III
FOR ARISTOKLEIDES OF AIGINA, WINNER IN TH E PANKRATION
IV
FOR TIMASARCHOS OF AIGINA, WINNER IN THE BOYS' WRE STLING-MATCH
V
FOR PYTHEAS OF AIGINA, WINNER IN THE BOYS ' PANKRATION
VI
FOR ALKIMIDAS OF AIGINA, WINNER IN THE BOYS' WRE STLING-MATCH
VII
FOR SOGENES OF AIGINA, WINNER IN THE BOYS ' PENTATHLON
VIII
FOR DEINIS OF AIGINA, WINNER IN THE SHO RT FOOT-RACE
IX
FOR CHROMIOS OF AITNA, WINNER IN THE CHARIOT-RACE
X
FOR THEAIOS OF ARGOS, WINNER IN THE WRE STLING-MATCH
XI
FOR ARISTAGORAS OF TENEDOS, ON HIS ELECTION TO THE PRESIDENCY O F THE SENATE
THE ISTHMIAN ODES
I
FOR HERODOTOS OF THEBES, WINNER IN THE CHARIOT-RACE
II
FOR XENOKRATES OF AKRAGAS, WINNER IN THE CHARIOT-RACE
III
FOR MELISSOS OF THEBES, WINNER IN TH E PANKRATION
IV
FOR PHYLAKIDAS OF AIGINA, WINNER IN TH E PANKRATION
V
FOR PHYLAKIDAS OF AIGINA, WINNER IN TH E PANKRATION
VI
FOR STREPSIADES OF THEBES, WINNER IN TH E PANKRATION
VII
FOR KLEANDROS OF AIGINA, WINNER IN TH E PANKRATION
FRAGMENTS
FRAGMENTS
FRAGMENT OF A DITHYRAMB
TO BE SU NG AT ATHENS
FRAGMENTS OF A PRO CESSION-SONG
IN HON OUR OF DELOS
FRAGMENT OF A SONG WITH ACCOMPANIM ENT OF DANCE
FRAGMENTS OF DIRGES I
FRAGMENTS OF DIRGES II
FRAGMENTS O F DIRGES III


CLASSICAL GAMES
By Francis Storr
1. Public Games .—The public games of Greece (ἀγῶνες) and Rome ( Ludi ) consisted in athletic contests and spectacles of various kinds, generally connected with and forming part of a religious observance. Probably no institution exercised a greater influence in moulding the national character, and producing that unique type of physical and intellectual beauty which we see reflected in Greek art and literature, than the public contests of Greece. For them each youth was trained in the gymnasium, they were the central mart whither poet, artist and merchant each brought his wares, and the common ground of union for every member of the Hellenic race. It is to Greece, then, that we must look for the earliest form and the fullest development of ancient games. The shows of the Roman circus and amphitheatre were at best a shadow, and in the later days of the empire a travesty, of the Olympia and Pythia, and require only a cur sory notice.
The earliest games of which we have any record are those at the funeral of Patroclus, which form the subject of the twenty-third Iliad. They are noteworthy as showing that Greek games were in their origin clearly connected with religion; either, as here,Greek. a part of the funeral rites, or else instituted in honour of a god, or as a thank-offering for a victory gained or a calamity averted, or in expiation of some crime. Each of the great contests was held near some shrine or sacred place and is associated with some deity or mythical hero. It was not before the 4th century that this honour was paid to a living man (see Plutarch, Lysander , 18). The games of the Iliad and those of the Odyssey at the court of Alcinous are also of interest as showing at what an early date the distinctive forms of Greek athletics—boxing, wrestling, putting the weight, the foot and the chariot race—were determined.
The Olympian games were the earliest, and to the last they remained the most celebrated of the four national festivals. Olympia was a naturally enclosed spot in the rich plain of Elis, bounded on the N. by the rocky heights of Cronion, and on the S. and W. by the Alpheus and its tributary the Cladeus. There was the grove of Altis, in which were ranged the statues of the victorious athletes, and the temple of Olympian Zeus with the chryselephantine statue of the god, the masterpiece of Pheidias. There Heracles (so ran the legend which Pindar has introduced in one of his finest odes), when he had conquered Elis and slain its king Augeas, consecrated a temenos and instituted games in honour of his victory. A later legend, which probably embodies historical fact, tells how, when Greece was torn by dissensions and ravaged by pestilence, Iphitus inquired of the oracle for help, and was bidden restore the games which had fallen into desuetude; and there was in the time of Pausanias, suspended in the temple of Hera at Olympia, a bronze disk whereon were inscribed, with the regulations of the games, the names of Iphitus and Lycurgus. From this we may safely infer that the games were a primitive observance of the Eleians and Pisans, and first acquired their celebrity from the powerful concurrence of Sparta. The sacred armistice, or cessation of all hostilities, during the month in which the games were held, is also credited to Iphitus.
In 776 B.C. the Eleians engraved the name of their countryman Coroebus as victor in the foot race, and thenceforward we have an almost unbroken list of the victors in each succeeding Olympiad or fourth recurrent year. For the next fifty years no names occur but those of Eleians or their next neighbours. After 720 B.C. we find Corinthians and Megareans, and later still Athenians and extra-Peloponnesians. Thus what at first was nothing more than a village feast became a bond of union for all the branches of the Doric race, and grew in time to be the high festival to which every Greek gathered, from the mountain fastnesses of Thessaly to the remotest colonies of Cyrene and Marseilles. It survived even the extinction of Greek liberty, and had nearly completed twelve centuries when it was abolished by the decree of the Christian emperor Theodosius, in the tenth year of his reign. The last Olympian victor was a Romanized Armenian nam ed Varastad.
Let us attempt to call up the scene which Olympia in its palmy days must have presented as the great festival approached. Heralds had proclaimed throughout Greece the “truce of God.” So religiously was this observed that the Spartans chose to risk the liberties of Greece, when the Persians were at the gates of Pylae, rather than march during the holy days. Those white tents which stand out against