Greek Lyric by Andrew M. Miller

Author:Andrew M. Miller [Miller, Andrew M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-62466-397-0
Publisher: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.
Published: 1996-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

Xenophon’s family, the Oligaithidai, were phenomenally successful in athletic competition, amassing numerous victories not only in all four of the major Panhellenic contests but also in a wide range of local games. The double victory at Olympia that provided the occasion for this ode (won by Xenophon in 464) was in itself an unprecedented achievement. In addition, Xenophon’s hometown of Corinth was one of the most prosperous and powerful Greek city-states, with an illustrious legendary past. In order to deal with this abundance of poetic material, Pindar methodically shifts the focus of his attention back and forth between Xenophon’s family and its achievements (1–3, 24–46, 93–115) and the many claims to fame of Corinth as a whole (4–23, 47–92). The story that he chooses to tell about one particular Corinthian hero, Bellerophon, is probably intended to have exemplary force: if man’s vaulting aspirations and ambitions (represented by Pegasos) can be mastered and kept under tight control through the exercise of moderation or “due measure” (represented by the golden bridle) and then directed toward the proper objects, remarkable exploits become possible—as is evidenced not only by Bellerophon himself but by Xenophon and the Oligaithidai as well.

6–7 Good Order, Justice, Peace the three Horai (cf. 17); see Glossary.

14 descendants of Aletes the people of Corinth, of which Aletes, a descendant of Herakles, was a legendary king.

18–22 Pindar here attributes three inventions to the Corinthians: the dithyramb (a kind of choral song dedicated to Dionysos); the bit and bridle; and the temple pediment, whose name in Greek (aetoma, from aetos “eagle”) derives from its resemblance in shape to a pair of outstretched wings. The reference to the bit and bridle as an embodiment of “due measure” (metron in Greek) invites the paradigmatic interpretation of Bellerophon’s taming of Pegasos (63–92) sketched in the introductory note.

29 from Pisa’s plains i.e., from Olympia (see Glossary).

30 The stade race (stadion) was the length of the standard stadium (approximately two hundred meters), hence its name. On the pentathlon see note on Xenophanes 2. 2.

35–36 beside the streams of Alpheos i.e., at Olympia (see Glossary).

38 in rocky Athens i.e., at the festival known as the Great Panathenaia.

40 Hellotia an athletic festival held in Corinth, dedicated to Athena Hellotis. Poseidon’s games established between two seas the Isthmian games, held on the Isthmus of Corinth, between the Corinthian and Saronic gulfs.

41–42 Ptoiodoros, Terpsias, Eritimos members of Xenophon’s family. Ptoiodoros was apparently the father of Thessalos; precisely how the other two were related to Xenophon is not known.

44 the pastures of the lion Nemea (see Glossary).

47–48 To justify discontinuing the catalogue of the family’s athletic triumphs the poet invokes the principle of “due measure” (metron) already alluded to in line 20. To carry on with praise at the present moment would be to fall into reprehensible excess—particularly since the poet has a responsibility not just to Xenophon and his family but to the Corinthian community at large (cf. sailing as a private citizen on a public mission, 49).

52 Sisyphos See Glossary, and cf.

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