THE EIGHTH ISTHMIAN ODE.
TO CLEANDER OF ÆGINA, VICTOR IN THE PANCRATIUM.
ARGUMENT.
The poet in this ode exhorts the youths liberated from the calamities of the Persian war to apply their minds to the framing of hymns in honour of the victor.—It becomes a Theban to sing the praises of an Æginetan, on account of their common origin.—Thence he digresses to fables of the Æacidæ and the nuptials of Peleus and Thetis; which leads him to panegyrize Achilles.—Returns to the praise of the victor, and his uncle Nicocles, with which he concludes the ode.
To celebrate Cleander's praise,
Oh youths! the hymn of triumph raise,
That ever forms the glorious meed
To crown the blooming hero's deed.
To Telesarchus' splendid halls5
Some friend his victor offspring calls
The pomp and revel to convey:
Potent upon the Isthmian plain,
The wreath of conquest to obtain,
And Nemea's guerdon bear away.10
For him, though bitter grief control
The wonted ardour of my soul,
To me is given th' unequal task
The golden muses' aid to ask. 12
Now from our mighty sorrows free,15
No want of chaplets may we find,
Around the victor's head to bind,
Nor feed again our misery.
