Philosopher Pindar: The Complete Odes #4/71

Heracles had by his eloquence won over

the Hyperborean people,*Apollo’s servants.

With honourable intent he begged from them

for the all-welcoming grove of Zeus

a tree to furnish shade for all,

and to be a crown for deeds of prowess.

For by now altars had been dedicated to his father,*

and the gold-charioted moon at mid-month evening

had shone her eye full upon him.

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He had laid down the great games’ holy principle of judgement, and had established the four-year cycle for his festival,

to be held beside the sacred banks of Alpheus;

but the land of Pelops grew no lovely trees

in the dales of the son of Cronus.

Without their protection this enclosure seemed to him

to be at the mercy of the sun’s burning rays.

It was then his spirit moved him to go to the land of Istrus.

There Leto’s daughter,*driver of horses, had welcomed him

from Arcadia’s mountain ridges and its secret twisting places,

when in obedience to Eurystheus’*commands

and under duress from his father

he was ordered to capture the doe with golden horns

which once the nymph Taygeta had dedicated

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to be a sacred offering to Orthosia.

In his pursuit of her he came to see the land

that lies beyond the blasts of the icy North Wind.

There he stood and marvelled at the trees,

and a sweet desire seized him to plant some

around the point in the twelve-lap course where horses turn.

And so today he gladly attends this his festival

with the godlike twins, sons of deep-girdled Leto.

Departing for Olympus he instructed them

to take charge of the admired games,

where men compete in prowess and swift chariots are driven.

And so, I believe, my spirit urges me to tell Theron

and the Emmenidae*that glory has come to them

through the gift of the sons of Tyndareus, expert horsemen,

because of all mortals they honour them

with the most numerous hospitable feasts,

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preserving by their pious intention the rites of the blessed gods.

If water is best,*and gold the most revered of all possessions,

now Theron in his turn, by his deeds of merit,

has travelled from his home to the world’s limits

and lays hold of the pillars of Heracles.

Further than this neither simpletons nor wise should go.

I shall not venture there; I should be a fool to try.

OLYMPIAN 4

For Psaumis of Camarina, winner of the chariot race(?)

OLYMPIAN 5

For Psaumis of Camarina, winner of the mule race