THE EIGHTH PYTHIAN ODE.
TO ARISTOMENES OF ÆGINA, ON HIS VICTORY WITH THE CÆSTUS, GAINED IN THE THIRTY-FIFTH PYTHIAD.
ARGUMENT.
Pindar begins this ode with a beautiful invocation to Tranquillity; then expatiates on the might of Apollo, by whose favour Aristomenes, the son of Xenarces, gained his Pythian conquest.—Then follow the praises of Ægina, the mother of heroes, especially from the descendants of Æacus.—He then resumes the commendation of Aristomenes, applying to him the saying of Amphiaraus, that innate valour is hereditary, and interweaves that seer's prediction respecting the Epigoni, descendants of Adrastus and the Argive chiefs, who should besiege Thebes.—To these he subjoins the expression of his affection for Alcmæon, and the esteem with which he regards him.—Returning to the victory, he supplicates Apollo to crown him with success in future, reminding him that he is indebted to the favour of the gods for his past glory, the several instances of which he proceeds to enumerate.—Expatiates on the felicity of those who conquer in the games, which is sufficient to counterbalance the miseries of short-lived mortality.—And concludes with an address to Ægina.
Bland Quiet! who preserv'st the state [1]
In tranquil peace serene and great,
Daughter of Justice, whose high sway
Council and war alike obey, [2]
- ↑ This metaphor, denoting the well-ordered tranquillity which distinguishes Ægina, is highly poetical, and is in many other passages applied by Pindar to the same state, the origin of which he traces to Æacus. (See particularly [[../../Olympic Odes/8|Ol., viii.]], 28; [[../../Nemean Odes/4|Nem., iv.]], 19; [[../../Isthmian Odes/5|Isth., v.]], 24, &c.)
- ↑ In v. 4, how scriptural is the expression— Εχοισα κλαϊδας Ὑπερτατας, to denote the height of power! (Matt., xvi., 19) Και δωσω σοι τας
