beneath the blaze
Of scorching Helios’ arrow-darting rays.
Wherefore he yearned to fare
To Ister’s land, where She of the swift horses,
Queen Leto’s Child, received him graciously
When from the hills and winding watercourses
He came of Arcady,
Sped on Eurystheus’ mission forth to find—
By his sire’s doom, wherefrom is no appeal—
The Orthian Wood-queen’s golden-antlered hind,
Vowed to her by Taÿgete, and signed
With consecration’s seal.
And in that chase he looked upon the land
That sheltered lies behind the North-wind cold,
And saw its olive-trees. There did he stand
And marvelled to behold,
And dearly yearned to enring with those same trees
The goal round which twelve times swift horses strain.
Graciously still to these festivities
He comes: with him be godlike presences,
Even Leda’s scions twain.
These charged he with the Great Games’ ordering
Ere hence he passed to heavenly halls afar,
The struggle of strong men, the sweep and swing
Of the swift-rushing car.
“The Emmenids and Theron Fame hath crowned
This day!” my soul constraineth me to cry,
“Fame given by Tyndareus’ Sons the steed-renowned,
Since unto these of all men most they abound
In hospitality,
“With hearts of reverence rendering due measure
Of service to the Gods for ever blest.”
As water chiefest is, and of all treasure
Gold is held goodliest,
So Glory’s pinnacle doth Theron gain
By his high prowess: yea, his fame hath won
To Heracles’ pillars! Farther to attain
Wise and unwise all fruitlessly should strain,
Nor press I vainly on.
IV
For Psaumis of Camarina, in Sicily, on a victory won in the chariot-race, 452 BC.
Zeus, hurler of thunderbolts tireless-winging,
Most Highest, returneth thy Feast-tide fair
To send me to wed with the lyre subtle-ringing
My song: of the chiefest of all Games singing
To the victor’s triumph my witness I bear.
Yea, the hearts of the good are with joy ever leaping
When friends a harvest of triumph are reaping.
O Kronos’ Son, whose dominion is o’er
Etna, the wind-scourged burden laid
On Typho the demon of heads five-score,
Receive thou this revel-procession arrayed
For a victorv won by the Graces’ aid.
For its chant is a record for ever abiding
Of wide-prevailing achievement’s renown,
On-ushering olive-crowned Psaumis, as riding
His chariot he hasteth, aglow for dividing
His fame with his own Camarina-town.
May our prayers be graciously heard in heaven
As we supplicate blessings yet to be given
Unto him who is strenuous ever to train
The steed, who with wide arms welcomes the guest,
The pure-hearted patriot who strives to attain
Peace—truth do I speak from an unfeigned breast!
Of man is the trial the one proof-test.
By such trial it was that Klymenus’ son5
Silenced the Lemnian women’s taunting
Who mocked at his tresses grey;
For the foot-race in armour of bronze he won.
To Hypsipyle then with no vain vaunting,
As he passed to be crowned, did he say:
“Lo there, my fleetness of foot have ye seen!
And mine hands be as strong, and mine heart as keen.
Ay, and not seldom silver-hoary
Show the tresses of young men, long ere the story
Hath been told of their life’s spring-day.”
O Camarina, bright daughter of Ocean, with glad spirit greet
Him who the crown of Olympian achievement and glory most sweet
Brings for his gifts to thee won by his car-team’s unwearying feet,
Psaumis! O nurse of a nation, to magnify thee hath he raised
Altars, twin altars twice three, where at feasts of the Blessèd Ones blazed
Steers that were slain; and for five days the goals of the race-course they grazed,
Chariots of horses and mules, and swift coursers. To thee consecrated
All his proud glory was, and to his sire and the burg new-created.
Back from Oenomaus’ home and from Pelops’ dear dwelling he brings
Songs unto Pallas Protectress of Cities; her precinct he sings,
Sings of thy river Oanis, the mere that thine highland enrings.
Hallowèd Hipparis sings he that quencheth thy citizens’ thirst,
Floating down fast for rebuilding thee trees in his hill-cradle nursed,
So that from darkness the light of new life on thy commonwealth burst.
Labour and cost for all noble achievement in one must be blended:
Veiled is the issue in risk; but success is for wisdom commended.
Cloud-hidden Saviour, O Zeus who art throned on the Kronian hill-crest,
Honourest Alpheus’ flood and the cave under Ida’s green breast,
Suppliant I come to thee, voicing through Lydian flutes my request:
O let this city with chivalry’s glory be aye magnified!
Thou too, Olympian victor, whose god-nurtured steeds are thy pride,
Unto a peaceful old age mayst thou win with thy sons at thy side.
If as a well-watered garden thy bliss be, and if thou desire not
More, with thy wealth and thine honours content—unto godhead aspire not!
VI
For Agesias, a citizen both of Syracuse and of Stymphalus in Arcadia, on a victory won by his charioteer, Phintis, in the mule-car race, 468 or 472 BC. Sung in Stymphalus, owing to the jealousy of his success shown (l. 74) by those of the opposite faction in Syracuse.
’Neath our song’s forecourt-rooftree pillars golden
Will we uprear; a palace shall it seem.
’Tis meet the forefront shine out far-beholden
Of work that hath such splendour-flashing theme.
The victor at Olympia, who withal
Is treasurer of Zeus’s oracle-altar,
Who is co-founder of the glorious wall
Of Syracuse—shall his song-praises falter?
Share not the joy his fellow-burghers all?
Such sandal—let the son of Sostratus know it—
Gleams on his foot. Deeds without peril brought
To pass on land or sea win from no poet
Honour; but of each high achievement wrought
With hard toil, many the recorders are.
Thy deeds, Agesias, that same praise hath followed
Which justly Adrastus spake and published far
Of Amphiaraus, when the earth had swallowed
Oïkleus’ son and his bright battle-car.
When on the seven great pyres the dead lay burning,
Before Thebes’ gates the son of Talaos cried:
“For one that is not here mine heart is
