ΕΥΔΟΞΑ ΑΓΝΩΣΤΑ ΚΑΤΑΓΕΛΑΣΤΑ
Pindar, Pythian 10.46-50
“Nothing unbelievable surprises me,
provided the gods make it happen.
Keep your oar still–quickly drive the anchor
into the earth from the prow,
A weapon against the uneven jetty:
The finest hymns of praise
Rush from one story to another
Like a bee.”
ἐμοὶ δὲ θαυμάσαι
θεῶν τελεσάντων οὐδέν ποτε φαίνεται
ἔμμεν ἄπιστον.
κώπαν σχάσον, ταχὺ δ᾿ ἄγκυραν ἔρεισον χθονί
πρῴραθε, χοιράδος ἄλκαρ πέτρας.
ἐγκωμίων γὰρ ἄωτος ὕμνων
ἐπ᾿ ἄλλοτ᾿ ἄλλον ὥτε μέλισσα θύνει λόγον.
Pindar, Fragments from Uncertain Places, 199
“Where the plans of the old
And the spears of young men are the best,
Along with the choruses and the Mouse and Aglaia…”
ἔνθα βουλαὶ γερόντων
καὶ νέων ἀνδρῶν ἀριστεύοισιν αἰχμαί,
καὶ χοροὶ καὶ Μοῖσα καὶ ᾿Αγλαΐα
This is quoted by Plutarchin the Life of Lycurgus (21.3) where he says
“For he has composed this about the Spartans, “where the spear of the young flourishes along with the clear-voiced Muse, and wide-wayed justice”
Pindar also says, “where the councils of the old and the spears of the young are the best along with the choruses and the Muse and Aglaia…”
For these lines demonstrate that they are the most musical and the most bellicose people at the same time.”
ὁ μὲν γὰρ οὕτως πεποίηκε περὶ τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων·
῎Ενθ’ αἰχμά τε νέων θάλλει καὶ μοῦσα λίγεια
καὶ δίκα εὐρυάγυια— —
Πίνδαρος δέ φησιν·
῎Ενθα βουλαὶ γερόντων
καὶ νέων ἀνδρῶν ἀριστεύοντι αἰχμαὶ
καὶ χοροὶ καὶ Μοῦσα καὶ ἀγλαΐα.
Μουσικωτάτους γὰρ ἅμα καὶ πολεμικωτάτους ἀποφαίνουσιν αὐτούς
Image from:
Jordan, Borimir. “The Honors for Themistocles after Salamis.” The American Journal of Philology, vol. 109, no. 4, 1988, pp. 547–571. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/295081.
Pindar, Fragments from Uncertain Places, 199
“Where the plans of the old
And the spears of young men are the best,
Along with the choruses and the Mouse and Aglaia…”
ἔνθα βουλαὶ γερόντων
καὶ νέων ἀνδρῶν ἀριστεύοισιν αἰχμαί,
καὶ χοροὶ καὶ Μοῖσα καὶ ᾿Αγλαΐα
This is quoted by Plutarchin the Life of Lycurgus (21.3) where he says
“For he has composed this about the Spartans, “where the spear of the young flourishes along with the clear-voiced Muse, and wide-wayed justice”
Pindar also says, “where the councils of the old and the spears of the young are the best along with the choruses and the Muse and Aglaia…”
For these lines demonstrate that they are the most musical and the most bellicose people at the same time.”
ὁ μὲν γὰρ οὕτως πεποίηκε περὶ τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων·
῎Ενθ’ αἰχμά τε νέων θάλλει καὶ μοῦσα λίγεια
καὶ δίκα εὐρυάγυια— —
Πίνδαρος δέ φησιν·
῎Ενθα βουλαὶ γερόντων
καὶ νέων ἀνδρῶν ἀριστεύοντι αἰχμαὶ
καὶ χοροὶ καὶ Μοῦσα καὶ ἀγλαΐα.
Μουσικωτάτους γὰρ ἅμα καὶ πολεμικωτάτους ἀποφαίνουσιν αὐτούς
Image from:
Jordan, Borimir. “The Honors for Themistocles after Salamis.” The American Journal of Philology, vol. 109, no. 4, 1988, pp. 547–571. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/295081.
Who knows what Pindar poem this may have come from or what the context was–chances are it cannot be taken too seriously considering the on-again-off-again relationship between Sparta and Thebes and the fact that everything Pindar composed has to be understood from the perspective of the goal of the overall poem, to praise someone in particular by praising their country, their family, and their patron gods. (See Elroy Bundy’s Studia Pindarica for the clearest explanation of this.)
Pindar, Fragments from Uncertain Places, 199
“Where the plans of the old
And the spears of young men are the best,
Along with the choruses and the Mouse and Aglaia…”
ἔνθα βουλαὶ γερόντων
καὶ νέων ἀνδρῶν ἀριστεύοισιν αἰχμαί,
καὶ χοροὶ καὶ Μοῖσα καὶ ᾿Αγλαΐα
This is quoted by Plutarchin the Life of Lycurgus (21.3) where he says
“For he has composed this about the Spartans, “where the spear of the young flourishes along with the clear-voiced Muse, and wide-wayed justice”
Pindar also says, “where the councils of the old and the spears of the young are the best along with the choruses and the Muse and Aglaia…”
For these lines demonstrate that they are the most musical and the most bellicose people at the same time.”
ὁ μὲν γὰρ οὕτως πεποίηκε περὶ τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων·
῎Ενθ’ αἰχμά τε νέων θάλλει καὶ μοῦσα λίγεια
καὶ δίκα εὐρυάγυια— —
Πίνδαρος δέ φησιν·
῎Ενθα βουλαὶ γερόντων
καὶ νέων ἀνδρῶν ἀριστεύοντι αἰχμαὶ
καὶ χοροὶ καὶ Μοῦσα καὶ ἀγλαΐα.
Μουσικωτάτους γὰρ ἅμα καὶ πολεμικωτάτους ἀποφαίνουσιν αὐτούς
Image from:
Jordan, Borimir. “The Honors for Themistocles after Salamis.” The American Journal of Philology, vol. 109, no. 4, 1988, pp. 547–571. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/295081.
Who knows what Pindar poem this may have come from or what the context was–chances are it cannot be taken too seriously considering the on-again-off-again relationship between Sparta and Thebes and the fact that everything Pindar composed has to be understood from the perspective of the goal of the overall poem, to praise someone in particular by praising their country, their family, and their patron gods. (See Elroy Bundy’s Studia Pindarica for the clearest explanation of this.)
Greek Anthology, 15.9: Ἐγκώμιον εἰς Θεοδόσιον τὸν βασιλέα (by the Poet Cyrus)
[A praise-poem for the Emperor Theodosius]
“You bear all of *Aiakos’ grandson’s famous deeds
Except for his illicit love; you shoot like Teucer,
But you weren’t born a bastard; you have a gorgeous form
Like Agamemnon, but wine doesn’t make you insane.
I compare your understanding to divine Odysseus in every way,
But you abstain from evil tricks. And you pour out a honeysweet voice,
King, equal to that of the old **Pylian, but before
You witness time wearing out a third generation of men.”
Πάντα μὲν Αἰακίδαο φέρεις ἀριδείκετα ἔργα,
νόσφι λοχαίου ἔρωτος· ὀϊστεύεις δ᾿ ἅτε Τεῦκρος,
ἀλλ᾿ οὔ τοι νόθον ἦμαρ· ἔχεις δ᾿ ἐρικυδέα μορφήν,
τὴν Ἀγαμεμνονέην, ἀλλ᾿ οὐ φρένας οἶνος ὀρίνει·
ἐς πινυτὴν δ᾿ Ὀδυσῆϊ δαΐφρονι πᾶν σε ἐΐσκω,
ἀλλὰ κακῶν ἀπάνευθε δόλων· Πυλίου δὲ γέροντος
ἶσον ἀποστάζεις, βασιλεῦ, μελιηδέα φωνήν,
πρὶν χρόνον ἀθρήσεις τριτάτην ψαύοντα γενέθλην.
*Achilles
**Nestor
Pindar, Fragments from Uncertain Places, 199
“Where the plans of the old
And the spears of young men are the best,
Along with the choruses and the Mouse and Aglaia…”
ἔνθα βουλαὶ γερόντων
καὶ νέων ἀνδρῶν ἀριστεύοισιν αἰχμαί,
καὶ χοροὶ καὶ Μοῖσα καὶ ᾿Αγλαΐα
This is quoted by Plutarchin the Life of Lycurgus (21.3) where he says
“For he has composed this about the Spartans, “where the spear of the young flourishes along with the clear-voiced Muse, and wide-wayed justice”
Pindar also says, “where the councils of the old and the spears of the young are the best along with the choruses and the Muse and Aglaia…”
For these lines demonstrate that they are the most musical and the most bellicose people at the same time.”
ὁ μὲν γὰρ οὕτως πεποίηκε περὶ τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων·
῎Ενθ’ αἰχμά τε νέων θάλλει καὶ μοῦσα λίγεια
καὶ δίκα εὐρυάγυια— —
Πίνδαρος δέ φησιν·
῎Ενθα βουλαὶ γερόντων
καὶ νέων ἀνδρῶν ἀριστεύοντι αἰχμαὶ
καὶ χοροὶ καὶ Μοῦσα καὶ ἀγλαΐα.
Μουσικωτάτους γὰρ ἅμα καὶ πολεμικωτάτους ἀποφαίνουσιν αὐτούς
Image from:
Jordan, Borimir. “The Honors for Themistocles after Salamis.” The American Journal of Philology, vol. 109, no. 4, 1988, pp. 547–571. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/295081.
Who knows what Pindar poem this may have come from or what the context was–chances are it cannot be taken too seriously considering the on-again-off-again relationship between Sparta and Thebes and the fact that everything Pindar composed has to be understood from the perspective of the goal of the overall poem, to praise someone in particular by praising their country, their family, and their patron gods. (See Elroy Bundy’s Studia Pindarica for the clearest explanation of this.)
Greek Anthology, 15.9: Ἐγκώμιον εἰς Θεοδόσιον τὸν βασιλέα (by the Poet Cyrus)
[A praise-poem for the Emperor Theodosius]
“You bear all of *Aiakos’ grandson’s famous deeds
Except for his illicit love; you shoot like Teucer,
But you weren’t born a bastard; you have a gorgeous form
Like Agamemnon, but wine doesn’t make you insane.
I compare your understanding to divine Odysseus in every way,
But you abstain from evil tricks. And you pour out a honeysweet voice,
King, equal to that of the old **Pylian, but before
You witness time wearing out a third generation of men.”
Πάντα μὲν Αἰακίδαο φέρεις ἀριδείκετα ἔργα,
νόσφι λοχαίου ἔρωτος· ὀϊστεύεις δ᾿ ἅτε Τεῦκρος,
ἀλλ᾿ οὔ τοι νόθον ἦμαρ· ἔχεις δ᾿ ἐρικυδέα μορφήν,
τὴν Ἀγαμεμνονέην, ἀλλ᾿ οὐ φρένας οἶνος ὀρίνει·
ἐς πινυτὴν δ᾿ Ὀδυσῆϊ δαΐφρονι πᾶν σε ἐΐσκω,
ἀλλὰ κακῶν ἀπάνευθε δόλων· Πυλίου δὲ γέροντος
ἶσον ἀποστάζεις, βασιλεῦ, μελιηδέα φωνήν,
πρὶν χρόνον ἀθρήσεις τριτάτην ψαύοντα γενέθλην.
*Achilles
**Nestor