ounds thereof
in a clear space, and the plain encompassing it he ordained for rest
and feasting, and paid honour to the river Alpheos together with the
twelve greatest gods. And he named it by the name of the Hill of
Kronos; for theretofore it was without name, when Oinomaos was king,
and it was sprinkled with much snow[6].

And at this first-born rite the Fates stood hard at hand, and he who
alone proveth sure truth, even Time. He travelling onward hath told us
the clear tale of how the founder set apart the choicest of the spoil
for an offering from the war, and sacrificed, and how he ordained the
fifth-year feast with the victories of that first Olympiad.

Who then won to their lot the new-appointed crown by hands or feet
or chariot, setting before them the prize of glory in the games, and
winning it by their act? In the foot-race down the straight course of
the stadion was Likymnios' son Oionos first, from Nidea had he led his
host: in the wrestling was Tegea glorified by Echemos: Doryklos won
the prize of boxing, a dweller in the city of Tiryns, and with the
four-horse chariot, Samos of Mantinea, Halirrhothios' son: with the
javelin Phrastor hit the mark: in distance Enikeus beyond all others
hurled the stone with a circling sweep, and all the warrior company
thundered a great applause.

Then on the evening the lovely shining of the fair-faced moon beamed
forth, and all the precinct sounded with songs of festal glee, after
the manner which is to this day for triumph.

So following the first beginning of old time, we likewise in a song
named of proud victory will celebrate the thunder and the flaming
bolt of loud-pealing Zeus, the fiery lightning that goeth with all
victory[7].

And soft tones to the music of the flute shall meet and mingle with my
verse, which beside famous Dirke hath come to light after long time.

But even as a son by his lawful wife is welcome to a father who hath
now travelled to the other side of youth, and maketh his soul warm
with love--for wealth that must fall to a strange owner from without
is most hateful to a dying man--so also, Agesidamos, when a man who
hath done honourable deeds goeth unsung to the house of Hades, this
man hath spent vain breath, and won but brief gladness for his toil.

On thee the pleasant lyre and the sweet pipe shed their grace, and the
Pierian daughters of Zeus foster thy wide-spread fame.

I with them, setting myself thereunto fervently, have embraced