Prytaneion.]

[Footnote 2: The other Senators.]

[Footnote 3: The Olympic.]

[Footnote 4: Ancestor of Aristagoras and head of his clan.]

[Footnote 5: 'In the loins of his father.']

[Footnote 6: I. e. a Theban alliance.]

THE ISTHMIAN ODES.

I.

FOR HERODOTOS OF THEBES.

WINNER IN THE CHARIOT-RACE.

* * * * *

The date of this ode is unknown. We gather from the first strophe that
Pindar was engaged at the time to write an ode in honour of the Delian
Apollo to be sung at Keos, but that he put this off in order first to
write the present ode in honour of a victory won for his own native
state of Thebes.

* * * * *

O mother, Thebe of the golden shield, thy service will I set even
above the matter that was in my hand. May rocky Delos, whereto I am
vowed, be not therefore wroth with me. Is there aught dearer to the
good than noble parents?

Give place O Apollonian isle: these twain fair offices, by the grace
of God, will I join together in their end, and to Phoibos of the
unshorn hair in island Keos with men of her sea-race will I make my
choral song, and therewithal this other for the sea-prisoning cliffs
of Isthmos.

For six crowns hath Isthmos given from her games to the people of
Kadmos, a fair glory of triumph for my country, for the land wherein
Alkmene bare her dauntless son, before whom trembled aforetime the
fierce hounds of Geryon.

But I for Herodotos' praise am fain to do honour unto his four-horsed
car, and to marry to the strain of Kastoreian or Iolaic song the fame
that he hath earned, handling his reins in his own and no helping
hand.

For these Kastor and Iolaos were of all heroes the mightiest
charioteers, the one to Lakedaimon, the other born to Thebes. And at
the games they entered oftenest for the strife, and with tripods and
caldrons and cups of gold they made fair their houses, attaining unto
victorious crowns: clear shineth their prowess in the foot-race, run
naked or with the heavy clattering shield; and when they hurled the
javelin and the quoit: for then was there no five-fold game[1], but
for each several feat there was a prize. Oft did they bind about their
hair a crowd of crowns, and showed themselves unto the waters of Dirke
or on Eurotas' banks[2], the son of Iphikles a fellow-townsman of
the Spartoi's race, the son of Tyndareus inhabiting the upland
dwelling-place of Therapna[3] among the Achaians.