Pindar and Anacreon/Pindar/Olympic Odes/11
THE ELEVENTH OLYMPIC ODE. [1]
TO THE SAME AGESIDAMUS, A SUPPLEMENTARY ODE, KNOWN BY THE GREEK TITLE Τοκος, OR INTEREST.
ARGUMENT.
The poet addresses this short ode to Agesidamus, as a kind of amends for his delay in sending him the preceding,—It contains the praises of the Locri and of Agesidamus: the latter on account of his victory with the cæstus; the other for wisdom, hospitality, and fortitude.
As men, o'er ocean's paths who sail,
Implore from Heaven a favouring gale,
And others joy when, at their call,
Showers, the clouds' humid daughters, fall;
Thus too when some laborious deed 5
Is crown'd with victory's well-earn'd meed,
The hero's virtues soft-toned hymns proclaim,
Sure pledge that after times shall celebrate his name.
Praises like these unenvied yield
The conquests of Olympia's field; 10
And such my tongue aspired to gain.
But human wishes all are vain,
Unless the god his aid bestow,
From whom success and genius flow.
Son of Archestratus! I raise 15
In thy triumphant cæstus' praise
The hymn whose melody around
The golden olive's wreath shall sound;
While the melodious numbers grace
The western Locrians' honour'd race. 15 20
Thither, ye muses, lead the festal train,
If to that land your hallow'd footsteps stray,
Ye find no rude, inhospitable swain,
Who drives the stranger from his door away.
But one, in wisdom's ample treasures bless'd, 25
Whose veins with all his father's valour glow;
For time but steels the rugged lion's breast,
Nor can the tawny fox his wiles forego. 22
- ↑ The Greek title of this ode was Τοκος, or Interest, as it was sent to Agesidamus with the preceding, in order to compensate for the poet's tardiness in sending him the preceding.