But even this catastrophe, says the poet, was designed by Fate to add new glories to the house of Æacus. The murdered Neoptolemus received heroic honours in Delphi; his spirit thenceforth abode in the sanctuary, and presided as arbiter over the Pythian contests:—
"It was decreed
That in Apollo's ancient shrine
Our hero of the Æacid line
Should hold his bed divine.
So 'mid the blaze of many an altar-flame,
'Mid the high pomp and choral glee,
When the great Pythian combat came,
Should his high soul the righteous umpire be." [1]—(S.)
The famous myth of the nuptials of Peleus and Thetis appears frequently in these Odes:—
"High was that nuptial banquet, where, in pride,
Sat on their orbed thrones the Lords of Heaven.
The Lords of Heaven and Lords of Sea.
And gifts of power and sovereignty
By each great guest to his high race were given." [2]—(S.)
Apollo and the Muses appeared to sing the "hymenæal" chant:—
"The nuptial strain the beauteous Muses sang,
What time, amid the goddess-choir,
With golden quill Apollo struck the seven-stringed lyre." [3]
—(S.)
In the Third Nemean, Telamon, brother of Peleus, appears as the friend of the Theban Iolaus:—
