There, in the number of the bleft enroll'd, STROPHE V. Achilles, whofe refiftless might Yet in my well-ftor'd breaft remain With copious argument my moral strain, Not they who, with loquacious learning ftor'd, Like crows and chattering jays, with clamorous cries Purfue the bird of Jove, that fails along the fkies. ANTIS TROPHE V. Come on! thy brighteft fhafts prepare, On On Agrigentum fix thine eye, And taught the laws of juftice to revere, So fam'd for bounteous deeds, and love of human kind. Yet hath obftreperous envy fought to drown The goodly musick of his sweet renown ; While, by fome frantic fpirits borne along To mad attempts of violence and wrong, She turn'd against him faction's raging flood, And ftrove with evil deeds to conquer good. But who can number every fandy grain Wash'd by Sicilia's hoarfe-refounding main? Or who can Theron's generous works exprefs, And tell how many hearts his bounteous virtues blefs! THE THE THIRD OLYMPICK ODE. This Ode is likewife inscribed to Theron King of Agrigentum, upon the Occafion of another Victory obtained by him in the Chariot-Race at Olympia; the Date of which is unknown. A R G U M E N T. THE Scholiaft acquaints us, that as Theron was celebrating the Theoxenia (a festival inftituted by Castor and Pollux in honour of all the gods) he received the news of a victory obtained by his chariot in the Olymick Games: from this circumftance the Poet takes occafion to addrefs this Ode to those two deities and their sister Helena, in whofe temple, the fame Scholiaft informs us, fome people with greatest probability conjectured, it was fung, at a folemn facrifice there offered by Theron to those deities, and to Hercules alfo, as may be inferred from a paffage in the third Strophe of the Tranflation. But there is another, and a more poetical propriety in Pindar's invoking these divinities, that is fuggefted in the Ode itself: for, after mentioning the occafion of his compofing it, namely, the Olympick victory of Theron, and saying that a triumphal song was a tribute due to that perfon upon whom the Hellanodick, or Judge of the Games, beftowed the facred Olive, ac cording cording to the inftitution of their first founder Hercules, he proceeds to relate the fabulous, but legendary story, of that Hero's having brought that plant originally from Scythia, the country of the Hyperboreans, to Olympia; having planted it there near the temple of Jupiter, and ordered that the victors in those games fhould, for the future, be crowned with the branches of this facred tree. To this he adds, that Hercules, upon his being removed to heaven, appointed the twin-brothers, Caftor and Pollux, to celebrate the Olympick Games, and execute the office of beftowing the Olive-crown upon those who obtained the victory; and now, continues Pindar, he comes a propitious gueft to this facrifice of Theron, in company with the two fons of Leda, who, to reward the piety and zeal of Theron and his family, have given them fuccefs and glory; to the utmoft limits of which he infinuates that Theron is arrived, and fo concludes with affirming, that it would be in vain for any man, wife or unwife, to attempt to furpass him. ΤΟ то THERON KING OF AGRIGENTUM. STROPHE I. WHILE to the fame of Agragas I fing, For Theron wake th' Olympick string, And with Aonian garlands grace His fteeds unweary'd in the race, O may the hofpitable twins of Jove, And bright-hair'd Helena, the fong approve! For this the Mufe beftow'd her aid, As in new measures I effay d To harmonize the tuneful words, And set to Dorian airs my founding chords. ANTIS TROPHE I. And lo! the conquering fteeds, whofe toffing heads Olympia's verdant wreath bespreads, The Mufe-imparted tribute claim, Due, Theron, to thy glorious name; And bid me temper in their master's praise The flute, the warbling lyre, and melting lays. Lo! Pifa too the fong requires ! Elean Pifa, that inspires The glowing Bard with eager care His heaven-directed prefent to prepare: 2 EPODE |