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34

THE THIRD OLYMPICK ODE.
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This Ode is likewise inscribed to Theron King of Agrigentum, upon the Occasion of another Victory obtained by him in the Chariot-Race at Olympia; the Date of which is unknown.

ARGUMENT

The Scholiast acquaints us, that as Theron was celebrating the Theoxenia, (a Festival instituted by Castor and Pollux in Honour of all the Gods) he received the News of a Victory obtained by his Chariot in the Olympick Games: From this Circumstance the Poet takes Occasion to address this Ode to those two Deities and their Sister Helena, in whose Temple, the same Scholiast informs us, some People with greatest Probability conjectured, it was sung, at a solemn Sacrifice there offered by Theron to those Deities, and to Hercules also, as may be inferred from a Passage in the third Strophe of the Translation. But there is another, and a more poetical Propriety in Pindar's invoking these Divinities, that is suggested in the Ode itself: for, after mentioning the Occasion of his composing it, namely, the Olympick Victory of Theron, and saying that a triumphal

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Song was a Tribute due to that Person, upon whom the Hellanodick, or Judge of the Games, bestowed the sacred Olive, according to the Institution of their first Founder Hercules, he proceeds to relate the fabulous, but legendary Story, of that Hero's having brought that Plant originally from Scythia, the Country of the Hyperboreans, to Olympia; having planted it there near the Temple of Jupiter, and ordered that the Victors in those Games should, for the future, be crowned with the Branches of this sacred Tree. To this he adds, that Hercules, upon his being removed to Heaven, appointed the Twin-Brothers, Castor and Pollux, to celebrate the Olympick Games, and execute the Office of bestowing the Olive-Crown upon those who obtained the Victory; and now, continues Pindar, he comes a propitious Guest to this Sacrifice of Theron, in Company with the two Sons of Leda, who, to reward the Piety and Zeal of Theron and his Family, have given them Success and Glory; to the utmost Limits of which he insinuates that Theron is arrived, and so concludes with affirming, that it would be in vain for any Man, wise or unwise, to attempt to surpass him.

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To Theron King of Agrigentum.

STROPHE I.

While to the Fame of Agragas I sing,
For Theron wake th'Olympick String,
And with Aonian Garlands grace
His Steeds unweary'd in the Race,
O may the hospitable Twins of Jove,
And bright-hair'd Helena the Song approve!
For this the Muse bestow'd her Aid,
As in new Measures I essay'd
To harmonize the tuneful Words,
And set to Dorian Airs my sounding Chords.

ANTISTROPHE I.

And lo! the conqu'ring Steeds, whose tossing Heads
Olympia's verdant Wreath bespreads,
The Muse-imparted Tribute claim,
Due, Theron, to thy glorious Name;
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And bid me temper in their Master's Praise
The Flute, the warbling Lyre, and melting Lays,
Lo! Pisa too the Song requires!
Elean Pisa, that inspires
The glowing Bard with eager Care
His Heav'n-directed Present to prepare:

EPODE I.

The Present offer'd to his virtuous Fame,
On whose ennobled Brows,
The righteous Umpire of the sacred Game,
Th'Ætolian Judge bestows
The darksome Olive, studious to fulfill
The mighty Founder's Will.
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Who this fair Ensign of Olympick Toil
From distant Scythia's fruitful Soil,
And Hyperborean Ister's woody Shore,
With fair Entreaties gain'd, to Grecian Elis bore.

STROPHE II.

The blameless Servants of the Delphick God
With Joy the valued Gift bestow'd;
Mov'd by the friendly Chief to grant,
On Terms of Peace, the sacred Plant;
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Destin'd at once to shade Jove's honour'd Shrine
And crown Heroick Worth with Wreaths Divine.
For now full-orb'd the wand'ring Moon
In plenitude of Brightness shone,
And on the spacious Eye of Night
Pour'd all the Radiance of her golden Light:

ANTISTROPHE II.

Now on Jove's Altars blaz'd the hallow'd Flames,
And now were fix'd the mighty Games,
Again, when e'er the circling Sun
Four times his annual Course had run,
Their Period to renew, and shine again
On Alpheus' craggy Shores and Pisa's Plain:
But subject all the Region lay
To the fierce Sun's insulting Ray,
While upon Pelops' burning Vale
No Shade arose his Fury to repell.

EPODE II.

Then traversing the Hills, whose jutting Base
Indents Arcadia's Meads,
To where the Virgin Goddess of the Chace
Impells her foaming Steeds,
To Scythian Ister he directs his Way,
Doom'd by his Father to obey
The rigid Pleasures of Mycenæ's King,
And thence the rapid Hind to bring,
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Whom, sacred Present for the Orthian Maid,
With Horns of branching Gold, Taÿgeta array'd.

STROPHE III.

There as the longsome Chace the Chief pursu'd,
The spacious Scythian I lains he view'd;
A Land beyond the chilling Blast,
And Northern Caves of Boreas cast:
There too the Groves of Olive he survey'd,
And gaz'd with Rapture on the pleasing Shade,
Thence by the wond'ring Hero borne
The Goals of Elis to adorn.
And now to Theron's sacred Feast
With Leda's Twins he comes, propitious Guest!

ANTISTROPHE III.

To Leda's Twins (when Heav'n's divine Abodes
He fought, and mingled with the Gods)
He gave th'illustrious Games to hold,
And crown the Swife, the Strong, and Bold.
Then, Muse, to Theron and his House proclaim
The joyous Tidings of Success and Fame,
By Leda's Twins bestow'd to grace,
Emmenides, thy pious Race,
Who mindful of Heav'n's high Behests
With strictest Zeal observe their Holy Feasts.
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EPODE III.

As Water's vital Streams all Things surpass,
As Gold's all-worship'd Ore
Holds amid Fortune's Stores the highest Class;
So to that distant Shore,
To where the Pillars of Alcides rise,
Fame's utmost Boundaries,
Theron pursuing his successful Way,
Hath deck'd with Glory's brightest Ray
His Lineal Virtues.—Farther to attain,
Wise, and Unwise, with me despair: th'Attempt werevain.
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