Three Aeginetan Odes of Pindar: A Commentary on Nemean V, Nemean III, & Pythian VIII 9004113819, 9789004113817

Table of contents :
BP000001
THREE AEGINETAN ODES OF PINDAR: A COMMENTARY ON NEMEANV, NEMEAN III, & PYTHIAN VIII
CONTENTS
PREFACE
BP000002
INTRODUCTION
The Occasional Nature of Pindar's Odes
The Occasional and the Conventional
The Occasional and Aesthetic Appraisal
The Occasional and the Panhellenic Dimension
Modem Historicism
Unity
Unity and the Occasional
Method
Pindar's Style
ᴨᴼtKtλia
Implicitness
Implicitness in the Macro-Structure
Implicitness in Intersentential Relations
Implicitness within the Sentence
The Fictional Mimesis of Ex Tempore Speech
Relative Clauses and 'Relative Connection'
Linear Development: Manipulation of Expectancy and
Creation of Suspense
Variations of Mood
Variations of Tempo
Word Order
'Inconcinnitas'
Metre
Pindar's Style: Towards a Synthesis
BP000003
DIFFERENT READINGS
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NEMEAN V
Date and Historical Setting
Interpretation
Proem
Myth
Closure
The Relevance of the Historical Setting
Structural Analysis
Metrical Analysis
Commentary
BP000005
NEMEAN III
Date
Interpretation
Proem
First Myth: Heracles
Aeacid Myths
The Final Triad
The Relevance of the Heracles Myth
The Role of Chiron
Structural Analysis
Metrical Analysis
Commentary
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PYTHIAN VIII
Date
Interpretation
The First Triad
Method
Historical Setting
The First Triad (Resumed)
The Second Triad
Myth
The Fourth Triad
The Final Triad
Summary & Conclusion
Epilogue
Structural Analysis
Metrical Analysis
Commentary
BP000007
APPENDIX
Nemean V
NEMEAN III
Pythian VIII
BP000008
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BP000009
INDICES
Index of Greek Words Discussed
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General Index
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SUPPLEMENTS TO MNEMOSYNE

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THREE AEGINETAN ODES OF PINDAR

MNEMOSYNE BIBLIOTHECA CLASSICA BATA VA COLLEGERUNT H. PINKSTER , H. W. PLEKET CJ. RUIJGH, D.M. SCHENKEVELD, P.H. SCHRIJVERS BIBLIOTHECAE FASCICULOS EDENDOS CURAVIT C.J. RUIJGH, KLASSIEK SEMINARIUM, OUDE TURFMARKT 129, AMSTERDAM

SUPPLEMENTUM CENTESIMUM NONAGESIMUM SEPTIMUM

IIJA LEONARD PFEIJFFER

THREE AEGINETAN ODES OF PINDAR

THREE AEGINETAN ODES OF PINDAR A COMMENTARY ON NEMEANV, NEMEAN III, & PYTHIAN VIII

BY

ILJA LEONARD PFEIJFFER

BRILL LEIDEN · BOSTON · KOLN 1999

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Die Deutsche Bibliothek - CIP-Einheitsaufnahme [Mnemosyne / Supplementum] Mnemosyne : bibliotheca classica Batava. Supplementum. - Leiden ; Boston ; Killn : Brill Friiher Schriftenreihe Teilw. u.d.T.: Mnemosyne / Supplements Reihe Supplementum zu: Mnemosyne

197. Pfeijffer, llja Leonard: Three Aiginetan odes of Pindar. - 1999

Pfeijffer, Ilja Leonard: Three Aeginetan odes of Pindar : a commentary on Nemean V, Nemean III, & Pythian VIII / by Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer. -- Leiden ; Boston ; Kiiln : Brill, 1999 (Mnemosyne : Supplcmentum ; 197) ISBN 90-04-1 1381-9

ISSN ISBN

OI 69-8958 90 04 11381 9

© Copyright1999 by Koninkli;keBrill .Nv, Leiden, The Netherlands

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een dove Etcav, KlCat, Apollod. 3 .13. 5; cf. A.R. 4. 790-8. d ta OE6pytc0evta 0vT]tfill0eAEtVaUtT]VC'UV0l 27 The weighty amount of titles given to Zeus in 34/5 (opctveq>fic... I Zeuc a0avatcov ~actAEUC,together with €~oupavou) adds to the value of the reward too. 28 Cf. Hubbard, PindaricMind, p. 106 n. 104. 29 See also Walsh, Varieties of Enchantment,pp. 41 /2.

76

NEMEAN V

the lies are like song in their verbal sophistication. Thus we have the whole scale: truth, tactful reticence that hides the truth from view but does not violate it, and malicious falsehood. And these are all connected with praise and blame: the Muses' true song is a song of praise for Peleus, like Pindar's selectively true song praises the victor; Hippolyta's lies slander Peleus. The way in which slanderous lies are embedded in a true song of praise which is in turn embedded in Pindar's own song of praise being 'economical with the actuality' is in itself a poetical tour deforce. The drift of Pindar's fictional argument, presenting the frame story of the Muses' song as a guarantee for the propriety of the Peleus and Hippolyta episode as a subject for the present ode after the poet has inadvertently brought us to the brink of a disreputable story, adds an additional layer of paradoxical complexity. Put in the terms of the nexus of truth and lies and of praise and blame, what this fictional strategy boils down to is that a story of blame about Peleus is hidden from view without violating the truth about it; that it is made up for by a story in which Hippolyta slanders Peleus with malicious lies; and that the fittingness of this story is stressed by making it the subject of the Muses' true song of praise for Peleus. On top of all this, the song of praise of the chorus of the Muses is not formally closed off, so that it merges with the song of praise for the victor of Pindar's chorus. This kind of verbal complexity~which, as far as I am aware, is not supposed to occur in Greek poetry before the Hellenistic era~heightens the audience's intellectual appreciation for the poet's art. In effect, we get a startling demonstration of the devious ways of poetry and of Pindar's own verbal sophistication. The power of poetry to manipulate truth, described in passages like 0.1.28-32 and elsewhere, is employed here in order to create a lefonpar !'exampleof this very principle. This is suggestive of the quality of Pindar's ode, which is relevant in the light of the superiority of poetry over other forms of victory immortalization as thematized in the opening lines, and which contributes to the encomiastic aims of the ode to the extent that the victors immortalization depends on the quality of the poet's product (cf. N4.6-8, etc.).

3 7-41 Epilogue:Poseidonat the Isthmian Games The relative pronoun in 37 introduces the reference to Poseidon's voyages to the Isthmus as a casual association, inadvertently evoked by the preceding reference to the god. This is an example of the fictional imitation of spontaneous text production (see Introduction, pp. 34- 7). On the level of the poet's real compositional concerns, the

INTERPRETATION

77

reference to Poseidon has been carefully placed at the very end of the narrative in order to allow a smooth transition back to athletics, i.e., to his encomiastic program in its narrowest sense, via a brief description of athletic competition on the Isthmus. 30 The association of Poseidon with athletics has a deeper significance. In the first triad the idea of Aegina's fame spreading far and wide is closely connected with the Aeginetan ships sailing the seas of the world. Line 9 juxtaposes Aegina's 'excellent men,' of whom the victor Pytheas is an example, and its naval supremacy. In line 4 Pytheas is implicitly associated with Poseidon by means of eupuc0EVTJC, which is a fixed epithet for Poseidon in Homer. Here the god of the seas is in turn associated with athletics. In line 51 below we have imagery derived from sailing in a passage dealing with Themistius' victories. The association of athletics with seamanship is a recurring theme in this ode. Lines 38/9 describe two consecutive stages of the Isthmian Games: line 38 describes the welcoming (OEKOV'tat) of the patron deity, Poseidon, on the opening day of the festival, a ceremony that included a sacrifice to the god 31 ; 'and they compete with the bold strength of their limbs' (39) is a brief description of athletic competition in general, although the combination of strength and courage pre-eminently evokes associations with combat sports, the disciplines in which the present victor and his family specialized. The euvtti,v 0uciav K'tacf}a0µwocI EC'taot' The immobility of the statues is stressed. They 'will stand still (idle) always on the same base.' M.tv-6m,'resting,' 4 is used with connotations of idleness; cf. µ11t, apEtEpeivOEotepµa 1tportovapxn:m "CO appev roe Otc e1t-ca'tl:'.'t£A£cµevotc · aµa OEKCXl ii -cpixroctc'tl)Cf\~11capxnm, Ka0a1tep o KCXl -ea q>ma µD ..Aov-carnepµa q>Epetvav0etv 1tp&wv 'AAKµairov(j)T\ClV Kpo-crov1a-c11c, Arist.HA 58Fl 1-3 (Alcmaeon ft.Al5 Diels). For av0oc f\~11c,cf. /l.13.484, Hes. Tiz.988 (v.s.),ft.132, h.Merc.375 (v.s.), Sem.29.6, Tyrtfi.el.10.28 W., Sol.25.1 W.; in Pindar: P.4.158. Cf. also f\~ac I Kap1tovav0i,cav-c', P.9.109/ 10 (cf. also 1tpoceuav0eµov o'O't£q>uavI Aaxvm VtVµeAav YEVHOV Eq>epov,0.1.67 /8; euav0e' aAtKtaV, J.7.34; 1tatc KCXAOV &v0oc exrov, Thgn.994; npiv cqiroi:v1l1t0Kpo-caq>OtctV to'UAOUC I av011cm JtUKacm "Cl:'. yevuc euav0ei: Aaxv111,Od.11.319/20). See further Onians, pp. 232/3, Frankel, Wegeund Formen,43-5; Gerber on 0.1.67 (p. 110); Taillardat, Imagesd'Aristophane,§§ 43-6. See now also D.L. Cairns, "'Arowc, "Av0oc, and the Death of Archemorus in Bacchylides' Ninth Ode', Papersefthe LeedsInternationalLatin Seminar10, 1998, 57-73.

ANTISTROPHE

A

7-8 The sons of Aeacus, son of Zeus, are Pele us, T elamon and Phocus. Peleus and Telamon are the sons of Aeacus by Endais (line 12), daughter of Cheiron, son of Cron us. 23 Phocus is Aeacus' son by the Nereid Psamathea (line 13).24 By mentioning--apart from Zeusboth Cronus and the Nereids in line 7, Pindar emphatically includes Phocus as well as Peleus and Telamon in the notion AiaKiOac They are the subject of the verbs in the next sentence (0frcav-co, 1O; c-cav-cec,ni-cvav, 11), which is made explicit in line 12.

7. b:..:icala1t0 Here, as in line 2, two different prepositions are chosen in order to avoid the predictability of a symmetrical expression. See introduction, pp. 51/2. Cf. also £K't£IluAoUKata1t' aKpacTmvapou, P.4.174. 25

23 Cf. 'L.ad h.l., Lad /l.16.14, Hyginus, Fab.14.8 (45.20 ff.). According to other sources, Endai:s was the daughter of Sciron, cf. Apollod.3.12.6; Plut. 7hes. I 0, Paus.2.29.9, Lad EAndr.687. 24 Cf. Hes.7h.1003-5, Apollod.3.12.6, Lad EAndr.687. The children of Phocus settled in Phocis and gave their name to the country (cf. Paus.2.29.2, 10.1.1, 10.30.4). 25 See also M. Martinez Valladares, 'Estudio sobre la estructura de !as preposiciones EK/arc6en literatura arcaica y clasica', Emerita 38, 1970, 53-94; B. Moreux, 'Sens non marque et sens marque: AITO et EK en prose attique', BSL 74.1, 1979, 267-9.

COMMENTARY:

6-8

109

7. -ijpcooc aixµatac Cf. ouptKtu1tcov AiaKtbav, N7.10. The stength of the Aeacids was 'OA.uµmocAiaKt'fltCt, I vouv almost proverbial: aAiciiv µkv yap ebCOKEV ''Aµu8aovimc,1tA.out0v'foop' 26'Atpeiritct,Hesjr.203 M/W, cf. N6.46-9. 1. xpocrov NT1P11'ico&ov xpucmc is often used by Pindar as an epithet for minor (i.e. nonOlympian27) goddesses (xpucmt 1tatb£C £\l~OUA.o\l0eµt'tOC, 0.13.8; XPUCEcoac. ..NiKac, 1.2.26; XPUcfov...Mo'icav, 1.8.5). It never qualifies living beings of the male sex (cf. av' 11t1totcxpucfotc, 0.8.5 l; O.l.41, fr.30.2). 28

8.Aian&xc In every surviving ode for an Aeginetan victor Aeacus or the Aeacids are mentioned: 0.8.30, 50, P.8.23, 98/9, N3.28, 64, 4.11, 71, 5.8, 53, 6.17, 46, 7.10, 84, 8.13, 1.5.20, 35, 6.19, 8.13, 22, 9.1, jr.242. 29 In uµµE t', 6) xpucapµatot AiaKtbat, I te8µt6v µot q>aµt CCl(j)£C'tCX'tOV eµµev I tav' E7tlC't£t?(OV'tCl vacov patveµev EUA.oyimc,/.6.1921, Pindar presents the praise of the Aeacids in an Aeginetan ode as a duty. P.8 is the only surviving ode for an Aeginetan victor in which the main narrative section does not deal with the Aeacids. 8. t-yepatpev

By being victorious, Pytheas provides the Aeacids, his ancestors, and his mother-city with a yepac. • The idea efa victorybeingan honourto one's ancestors:Quality runs in the family. Great deeds of ancestors are manifestations of the quality of the family and result in a favourable expectancy with regard to the qualities of their descendants. A victor, through of his victory, gives positive proof the quality of his family and ancestors. 30 Pytheas, as a member of the Aeginetan elite, is presented as a lineal descendant of the Aeacids. By giving proof of his own quality he also gives additional proof of the quality of his ancestors, and therefore contributes to their fame. Thus Pytheas' prize is also a prize, a yepac, for the Aeacids.

oe

0' foop' Dobree : !tap, Excerpta: OEltEp Suda. In Homer also for Aphrodite (ll.3.64, Od.8.337, and cf. S.OT 188). 28 See further: Duchemin, REG 65, 1952, 46-58; Poel£et prophel£,pp. 193-228; Lorimer, GreekPoetryand lift, pp. 14-33; Gerber ad 0.1.1, pp. I 0/ I. 29 But not exclusively in odes for Aeginetan victors: P.3.87, for Hiero of Syracuse, 0.13.109; for Xenophon of Corinth. 30 See also Gundert, Dichterbenif,p. 15: "So ist jeder Sieg eine Ehre fur Heroen, Heimat, Yater, Anverwandte, denn ihre eigene Areta wird darin mit sichtbar". 26

27

110

NEMEAN

V

• The idea efa victorybeingan honourto one'shometown: Often this idea is formulated in terms of the victor 'crowning' his home-town, as, e.g., in EUapµmoc 'Ieprov EV&t Kpmerov I 'tT\Aauyfrtv aveoricEV 'Op-ruyiav cmpavotc, P.2.5/6. His victory 'adorns' the city (N2. 7 /8). The expression v11cr1cacEC'tEcpavrocE -rriv n:6Atv runs like a leitmotiv through the epinician texts of the Hellenistic and Roman eras. The herald at the Games proclaims the name of the victor, together with his father's name and the name of his city (which is thematized in passages like 0.5.8/9, 1.3.11-3, 0.8.20). Thus the victor makes his city 'known' by means of his victory (P.9.73/5). The victor's crowns contribute to the fame of his city (0.9.19/20, 0.4.11/2), for he makes it the object of praise (N3.68), and 'enlarges' it (0.5.3/ 4), providing nµa for it (1.1.64-7). He 'brings his city to light' (0.5.14), and 'mingles it with flourishing fortune' (P.9. 71 /2). In Pindar's rhetoric the link between a victory at the Great Games and the good of the community is obvious and unquestionable. As a contrast it may be observed that Xenophanes did question this relationship ifr.2 w., esp. OU'tEyap d 7t\JK'tTJC aya0oc Aaoi:ctµE'tEtTJ I out' d 7CEV'ta0AElV OU'tE n:aAmcµocuvriv,I OUOE µi::vd mxutfttt 1toc>mv, t6m:p EC'tt1tp6ttµov, I pcoµric I 'tOUVEKEV av OriµaAAOV EVE\)Voµiritn:6AtC occ' avc>pmvepy' EVaymvt 7tEAEt, EtTJ,15-9; cf. also Tyrtft.12 W.).31 • Literature:On the idea of victory being an honour to one's home town in epinician epigrams, see L. Robert, 'Les epigrammes satiriques de Lucillius sur les athletes', L'Epigrammegrecque,Fondation Hardt 14, pp. 181-295, esp. pp. 195-7; L. Robert, 'Sur des inscriptions d'Ephese. Fetes, athletes, empereurs, epigrammes', Rev. Phil. 41, 1967, pp. 7-84. On this idea in Pindar see especially, Thummer, Isthmische,I, pp. 54-64; S. Sai:d& M. Trede-Boulmer, 'L'eloge de la cite du vainqueur clans les epinicies de Pindare', Ktema9, 1984, 161-170. 8. µa'tp07tOAtV This noun can be interpreted in three different ways, each of which is functional in the context. First, µa-rp6n:oAtcmeans 'mother-city', i.e., Pytheas' home-town (cf. S.Ant.1121-3; OC 707). Second, it seems likely that µmp6n:oAtv, following so closely after AiaKiOac, evokes associations with Aeacus' mother, the nymph Aegina, after whom the island Oenona (line 16) was renamed, cf. Ai'.ytvacpiAaµii-rEp, P.8.98 (cf. Zriv6c, 7, n:mepoc, 10). Third, µmp6n:oAtc can be used to refer to the 'mother-state' as related to her colonies (c( KE'ivocvopvtc EKtEAEmacEtµayaAiiv n:oAirovI µmp6n:oAtv 011PavyEvec0m, P.4.19/20; cf. also Hdt. 7 .51.2, etc.). It is historically correct to call Aegina a µatp6n:oAtc, for it had colonies on Crete and in Italy (N4.46, 31

On this matter: Donlan, AristocraticIdeal, pp. 65, 100.

COMMENTARY:

8

111

Strab. 7 .376), but that seems irrelevant here. However, some sort of 'colonization' is alluded to in lines 15/6. In fact, it may be regarded as a compliment, or as a euphemism, to associate Peleus' exile to Phthia and Telamon's exile to Salamis with Aeginetan colonization.

cpwxv ~evrovapoupav Praise of hospitality is a toposin Pindar's odes. But there is a tendency to praise Aegina as a polis for its hospitality ('te0µocOEnc a0ava.'trov 1ml.'ta.vo' aA.tepKfoxropav I 1taV'tOOCX1totctV U7tEC'tCXCe l;tvotc I Ktova omµoviav I -----o o' £7tO.V'tEA.A.rov xp6voc I 'tOU'to1tpa.ccrovµ11Ka.µotI dropte'i ... I ...dropioa A.arot.aµtrnoµtvav ii; AiaKou, 0.8.26-30; 'to.v1to1..ul;tvav viicov Atytvav, N.3.2/3; Ml;at'tO o' AiaKtOiivI 11\'mupyovitooc,oiKat l;evapKEl Kotvov I q>Eyyoc, N.4.11-3; [1;e'iv6cdµt, N.7.61]; ou 0tµw ouoe oiKav I l;dvrov u1tep~aivov'tec, 1.9.5/6; 1t681oveA.a~ecvau1tpu'tav1v I foiµova mi 'tO.V01oµil;1ovov ape't[a.v, Pae.6.131; only exception 1.6. 70, where Lampon as a private person is praised for it), whereas in odes for non-Aeginetan victors private persons or families are praised for their hospitality (0.3.40, 0.4.14/5, 0.13.2/3, P.3.70/1, P.5.5617, P.10.64, 1.2.39/ 40); also in N.9.1-3 it is really Chromius who is praised for his hospitality (oA.~lOV ECXpoµiou oroµ', 3), not Aetna at large. Cf. also ibI ofr1totva 1tayl;E[ivoux0ov6c], B.13.94/5; l;Eviav 'tE [qi11..6.-] IyA.aovyEpafpro,I'to.vEµoi,Aa.µ1trov, c[u ..., ibid.224-6. In comparison to passages where Aegina is called 7tOA.u1;tva (N.3.2), or a l;lvtov ac'tu (N.4.23), qiiA.avl;tvrov apoupav is a remarkably far-reaching formulation. In archaic Greek usage cpu..oc is a more objective notion than is implied by a rendering 'dear.' A qiiA.oc is 'one of us,' not necessarily a friend or a beloved one. What is cpiA.ovto one, belongs to one or can be reckoned as part of one's oiKoc or inner circle. See also my notes on N.3. 7 and P.8.13/ 4 (pp. 253, 491 ). Thus the phrase cpiA.avl;tvrovapoupav is paradoxical to a certain extent. Aegina is not so much a 'land dear to strangers' but a 'land belonging to strangers,' i.e., a land that is so hospitable that strangers may get the impression that it is theirs. !;Evia is of paramount importance for a society depending primarily on naval activity. 32 It is essential for maritime trade as a guarantee for the safety of ships and crew in foreign harbours. 33 !;Evia is (like, e.g., xa.pic, q>tA.iaand aioroc) fundamentally at home in recipro8.

12 For Aegina's naval supremacy cf. Hdt.2.178, 4.152, Ephor.FrGrHist.70 F 176, Arist.Pol.1291b I 7ff., Paus.8.5.8, CorpusParoemiog.Gr. I 268, r..ad 0.8.296; see also Winterscheidt, 51 If.; H. Michell, The Economusqf Ancient Greece,Cambridge 195 72, 236; T J. Figueira, Aegina, Salem 1981, 166-70, 230lf.; H.-J.Gehrke, Jenseits von Athen und Sparta. Das Dritte Griechenlandund seineStaatenwelt,Munchen 1986, l 72-4; Amit, Greatand Small Poleis,9-16.

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V

cal relationships. 34 Conciousness of their dependence on ~Evia abroad prompted the Aeginetans emphatically to adhere to the principle with respect to foreign visitors in their own harbours. The reciprocity of ~Evia makes it understandable that the Aeginetan elite emphatically pride themselves on its hospitality. 35 ~Evia is one of the major themes in this ode. See interpretation, pp. 62-88. apoupa primarily means 'arable land' (e.g. ev CXEPffit o' OU't c:1vµeAatVat 1mp1tovE◊COKUV apoupm, .N.11.39; Kap1toq:,opotcapoupmctv, .N.6.9), but, although the specific agrarian sense is nowhere excluded, one gets the impression that already in Homer the word is used less specifically to refer to 'earth, ground, land' as the place where humans live (cf., e.g., de oKEYEA0T\tI ◊EtEAOC O\j/EOucov,CKtUCT\l o' ep{pco1cov apoupav, /l.21.231/2; 'HeAtoCo· avopOUCE ...I oupavov EC1tOAUXUAKOV, '{y' a0ava'tOtCt q>UElVOt 1 Kat 0VT\'t0tCtppo'tOtctV £1tt sEiocopov apoupav' Od.3.1-3). Cf. also the phrase nmpk &poupa (Od.1.407, 10.29, 20.193); &poupav ...nmp{av, 0.2.14; 1tmpcotav apoupav, /.1.35 (cf. Pae.6.106);OtKEtatCapoupmc, 0.12.19; ClAAOOa1ta'i:c apoupmc, P.4.255. 0

9-13 Of old theyprayedthat it (Aegina)wouldbe noblein men and renownedin ships, when theystoodby the altarefthefather (Zeus)Helleniosand togetherspreadout theirhands to the sky, thefamous sons efEndais and Phocus,the mightyprince, childefa goddess,whomPsamatheiaborewherethe sea-wavesare breaking. 9-10. -cav1tO't' e-lSav()pov -ce1eaiva-ucidu-cavI8iccav-co Peleus, T elamon, and Phocus 'prayed that Aegina would be noble in men and renowned in ships.' The suggeston is that their prayer has been fulfilled. See interpretation, pp. 63, 65, 85. Aegina is famous for its shipping: cf. KAEtva OE Kat vauctKAU'tOC Ai'.ytva, 1.9.1; ovo] µaKAU'ta y' EVECCt ,iroptEl µ[E]OEotca [1to]V'trotI vacoc, Pae.6.123-5; vaunpu'tavtv I oaiµova, 130/ 1; OoAtXTJPE'tµov Ai'.yivav mi'tpav, 0.8.20. It has even been credited the very invention of ships (Hesjr.205.6/7 M.-W.). The island had poor natural resources and was therefore almost completely dependent on trade by ship. 36 33 Cf. "Pindar's emphasis ... upon the good conduct of the Aeginetans towards strangers is moreover independent testimony to the large-scale trade of the island in the first part of the fifth century", Amit, Greatand Small Poleis, 10. 34 Cf. D.L. Cairns, Aidos, Oxford 1993, pp. 158/9, 184/5, index s.v. 'guestfriendship.' 35 For a more detailed discussion see Figueira, Aegina,pp. 324-32. 36 Cf. Hdt.2.178, 4.152, Ephor.FrGrHist.70 F 176, Arist.Pol.1291 b] 7ff., Paus.8.5.8, CorpusParoemiog.Gr. I 268, I..ad 0.8.29b; the Chronicle of Eusebius, translated by Jerome, sums up: mare optinuerantAeginetaeann. XX usque ad transitum

COMMENTARY:

8-11

113

For the so-called 'relative connection' see introduction, pp. 37-4 l. serves as a signal to the audience that a shift is made from the present occasion to the past. 37 Because the audience, on hearing 'tav, cannot anticipate whether the relative pronoun will merely introduce a relative clause providing background information or whether it will turn out to be the hinge between two large passages, as it is here, it is preferable to put a comma at the end of line 8. For eiScxv6poc cf. lomov i::ccec0mc'teq>avotd v(tv) i'.mtotci:e KAU'tavI Kat cuv euq,rovotc0alimc 6voµarniv. l...otl3e ..., I t0elricmc mui:a. v6oot n0eµev euav8p6v 'te xropav, P.1.36-40; euavoop, 0.1.24, 6.80, l 0.99, N.2.17, I 0.36. Of the aorist 8a:cac8a1., a rare and poetic verb, no present is found. Cf. oi. 8' &pa 0eccaµevot nai8oov "(EVOC occov EA.£ut't0I &pcevava 1t'tOA.te0pov, A.R.l.824. The L. ad loc. (p.71.6 Wendel) quotes two more parallels: 0eccaµevoc yeve'T]vKleo8aiou l('l)◊aliµoto, Hesft.231 M/W; 7t0A.A.a 8, £'U1tAOKaµou 1t0At"!1C (]./\,()(EV1t£AU"(£Cct I 0eccaµevot 'Y/\,'l)K£pov v6cwv ~-~~-, Archilft.8 W.

1t0t£

10-11. n:cxp jxoµovn:a'tepoc'EUaviou IC'tCXV't£C Zeus Hellenios had a sanctuary on the Aeginetan mountain. In Pae.6.123-6, Aegina is called the 'shining star of Zeus Hellenios'. The myth connected with its foundation is as follows: Aeacus was known as the most pious man of his time (Plut. 7hes. I 0.3, Apollod.3.12.6, etc.). When, once upon a time, the whole of Greece suffered from drought and infertility (for opinions on the cause, see Apollod.loc.cit., D.S.4.61.l /2), the Greeks sent envoys to Aeacus to request that he would intercede with Zeus to save the crops and the people. 38 Complying with their petition, Aeacus ascended the Aeginetan mountain, called on the common god, and prayed him to take pity on afflicted Greece. Even while he prayed continuous showers of rain burst out and flooded the whole land. In gratitude for this timely answer to his prayers Aeacus built the sanctuary Xerxis, 17 (p. l07 Holm.). See also Winterscheidt, 5lff.; H. Michell, The Economicsef Ancient Greece,Cambridge 19572, 236; TJ. Figueira, Aegina, Salem 1981, 166-70, 230ff.; H.:J. Gehrke, Jenseits uon Athen und Sparta. Das Dritte Griechenlandund seine Staatenwelt,Miinchen 1986, 172-4. 37 There are, according to Des Places, Pronom,pp. 48-50, 44 instances of a myth introduced by a relative pronoun. In about a quarter of this cases the relative is accompanied by note (0.3.13, 6.12/3, P.1.16, 4.10, 20, 8.39, 9.5, 15, 10.31, .N.4.25, /.1.13 [Pae.9.41, note suppl. Grenfell-Hunt]; "La particule note concourt a creer une atmosphere de legende", Des Places, p. 48). But the instances of a relative pronoun accompanied by note without a myth following are numerous enough (e.g. 0.3.29, 9.9, 10.104, P.3.74, 4.46 ["t6v note n' introduit qu' une incidente", Des Places, p.48], 53, 107, 152, 161, 6.21). 38 According to Pausanias (2.29.6) the portal of Aeacus' heroon, mentioned in line 53 (see comm. ad Loe.),was decorated with a relief of the envoys. In 0uetcu ya.p ayA.aac-imEpnaveU.aooc, /iv tE ~EA.cp&v I i!0[v]oc eul;m:o Atµou 0[, Pae.6.62-5, the Atµ6c is taken to have reference to this occasion by Radt, Z,weiterund sechsterPaian, pp. 132/3. According to Radt the festival of the Theoxeniai had its origin in the same mythical occasion.

114

NEMEAN V

of Zeus Hellanios on the mountain where he prayed (J:,.adh.l [III 91/2 Dr.], "L.ad .N.8.19a [III 142 Dr.] Isoc.9.14/5 [19ld/e), Paus.1.44.9, 2.29.7 /8, 2.30.3/4, Clem.AI.Strom. 6.3.28 [p.753), Apollod.3.12.6, D.S.4.61.1, etc.).39 The Altar of Zeus Hellenius is accessible via the Northern slope of the highest mountain of Aegina (now called Ilpoq,{itTJC'HAiac, or simply "Opoc), at the end of a small dirt road, left from the 'main road' from 'Avitcmo to A\'.ytva. When I went looking for it in August 1993, by moped, I found (after some trouble) a stretch of ground, levelled by means of rock blasting, thus acquiring a rectangular shape. The site is indeed remarkable. Although I was not yet on the highest point of the island by far, I had a view on the Western as well as the Eastern shore and I could see Corinth and the Megaris as well as Attica from this point. From there an impressive staircase, about 7 m. wide, mounts up to the mountain. Nowadays, the staircase ends at the stretch of level ground where the ruined little chapel of the Ta~uxpxm is situated, just above the rectangular construction. In antiquity it must have lead upwards to a spot where there was once a large building with an interior supported by three rows of columns. This building may have been some kind of hostel. A little higher up the remains of a small stoa are preserved; further back are two water reservoirs. The altar itself was situated on the summit of the mountain. Some fragments have indeed been found. A little lower down, on level ground on the north side of the hill, part of a bronze hydria was found (dedicated to HEAAANIOIMI)which is now in the museum of Aegina. 1ta'tT)pis a common epithet of Zeus. There are some passages in Pindar where it is nothing more than a title, and in these cases the name ZdJC is always explicitly mentioned (0.7.87, P.4.23, N8.35, 9.31, 10.29). 40 These passages are however outnumbered by those where the literal meaning 'father' is relevant in the immediate context. In these cases the name Zruc is sometimes mentioned (0.2.27, P.3.98, N9.53, 10.55, 1.6.42), but-since the context gives additional information about the identity of the father by mentioning his offspring-the patronymic (Nl0.76, Pae.15.5, ft.140a.64) or a qualification like ~apuyoounoc or µEytctoc ~ine 33 below, 0.6.81, 10.45, 14.12, 1.8.22, Pae.6.56) is sufficient. 41

39 In antiquity a cloud settling on the mountain was regarded as a sign of rain (Thphr.Sign.1.24). 4 ° Fr.93 and 5 7.2 must be left out of consideration because of the lack of context. 41 ltCHTJPmay also qualify other deities, but never as a further unspecified title; the genealogical denotation is then always relevant (Apollo, Pae.9.45, in a context where he is mentioned as the father of Tenerus by Melia; Helios, 0. 7. 70, mentioned as a1ctivwv 1ta-tl]p; Xp6voc o navtwv 1ta-tl]p, 0.2.17; Cron us, 0.2. 76, n6ctc 'Pfoc [77], Zeus mentioned in 79).

COMMENTARY:

II-12

115

ec

11. 1tiniavt' a.i8epaxeipa.caµo; aµa, emphatically placed at the end of the clause, underscores the solidarity of Peleus, Telamon and Phocus. There is a strong constrast between the picture presented here and Peleus and Telamon murdering their half-brother Phocus, alluded to in the following lines. For Pindar's care for the emotive effects of variation of moods see introduction, pp. 45- 7. Just like the breach of the solidarity is explicitly reprobated in the following lines, the solidarity of the three brothers is commended, both implicitly by contrast and because of the suggestion that the prayer undertaken in solidarity has been fulfilled (see preceding note and interpretation, pp. 65, 85). For the gesture, cf. 6 o' ava.tdvmc oupav&t XEtpac aµaxouc I auoacE 'tOtoU'tOV fooc ·...c1ZEU7tCX't£P, 1.6.41 /2; cf. Kat yap 7tCXV't£C av0pomot avmdvoµEv 'tac XEtpacde 'tOVoupavov cuxac 7tOtoUµEVOt, Arist.Mu. 400a 16/ 7.42 For the verb cf. 1tiwac de eµE XEtpac, Od.11.392; fr.162, etc. aµix (or aµcit) is regarded as the Doric form of aµa (see Herodian. 1.489.16-9 Lentz). Pindar uses both aµa and aµii, no doubt for metrical convenience. 't£ makes for a close connection. Here the two sentences connected with 't' have reference to the same action in reality: when one is praying, stretching out one's hands in the air is the action that is to be expected. The second idea, in other words, is a more concrete representation of the first idea. See also my note on 'tE in 14 below. 12. 'Evoo{6occipt)'Vmt£C 'l>iot 1C0.1. Pia. 4>co1CO'U 1Cp£OV'tOC Peleus and Telamon are the sons of Aeacus and Endais. Their halfbrother Phocus is the son of Aeacus and Psamatheia. Only here the subject of the preceding verbs (0frcavw, c'taV'tEC,1thvav) is made explicit. Postponement of the subject of a not-uncommon procedure in Pindar, aiming at 'syntactical suspense' (cf. introduction, pp. 50/ l ). Here we have a relatively striking example, since, in spite of the fact that the Aeacids have been mentioned before (8), the audience have no clue whatsoever about the identity of the subject of the three verbs until it is explicitly mentioned. 43 The postponement of the subject here has the advantage that it enables Pindar to juxtapose Peleus and T elamon on the one hand and Phocus on the other at the very end of his sentence, a juxtaposition that is suggestive of the story that is alluded to in the next lines.

42 See also G. Neumann, Gestenund Gebdrdenin dcrgriechischen Kunst, Berlin 1965, 78ff.; F.T. van Straten, Babesch49, 1974, 161. 43 Contrast, e.g., P.8.48-51, where Adrastus is mentioned as the subject of the sentence only at the very end, but where the setting of the story, in combination with oOE (48), 'the other,' helps the audience to make a correct guess about the identity of the subject before it is explicitly mentioned. See my notes, pp. 535/6.

116

NEMEAN

V

44

a hapax. It seems plausible that it has the same meaning as apiyvonoc, 'easily recognizable', 'plain to see.' 45 Here, however, connotations like 'easily known', 'well known', 'famous' seem to predominate. The periphrasis j3ia c. gen. pers., reminiscent of epic diction (/l.3.105, 5.781, 22.323, etc.), is not uncommon in Pindar in heroic/mythical contexts: Oivoµaou Piav, 0.1.88; Kacrnpoc Piav, P.11.61; MEµvovocPiav, /.8.54; also without a proper name: a◊EA.cpou Piav, .N.10.73 (Castor). Kp£OJV (Kpt::iwv) is used in the Iliad as a title, mostly of kings and chiefs, especially of Agamemnon (/l.1.130, etc.). Pindar uses it of Aeacus in P.8.99, of Zeus in .N.3.10 (see my note, pp. 260-2), and of the Aeacids in .N.7.45.

aptyvonec is probably

EPODE

A

o

13. 'ta.UVEUµEVT\l npocxpfuvtm t7ll naArtt · ()Etyap auto'ic U7tW7ttacµfuv tE, 01.µfi dctv accpa.AEtCtrot naAaiovn, Kat cuµnAOKWV,Philostrat. Imagines 2.6.3. The medio-passive perfect of the compound na.pa.Ktvc>uvEuwis more common in this sense (Ar.Ran.99, Clem.AI.Protr.7.74.2, D.H.9.30.1, D.H.Lys.13, Is.13, Comp.23,Pomp.2.16, Eus.PE 14.5.14, Eust. Il. II 413.7, 0d. I 349.32, Joh.Chrysostomos, In Joannem 59.140, In acta 60.305, In

ev

120

NEMEAN

V

Dan.proph.56.238,Lucian..A/ex.32,Origenes Cets.6.44, Philo Jud.Rer.di.21, Somn.2.37, Pl.lg.752b5, Plut.Caes.9.3, Synesius Dion 3, 14).

15-16 Pindar alludes to Phocus' violent death. There are many versions of this story. 50 But there seems to be a consensusin the tradition that both Phocus' half-brothers, Peleus and Telamon, were held responsible for his death and were subsequently compelled to leave Aegina. T elamon fled to Salamis, Peleus to Phthia. 15. 6fi The particle OTJin questions is a signal indicating that the speaker supposes his addresse to be aware of the fact that the question is, given the circumstances, a very evident or logical question to ask. .N.l 0. 76 is an illustrative exemple: Idas fatally wounds Castor and Polydeuces, effected by the sudden death of his beloved brother, calls nev0erov;".N.l 0. 76/7' upon Zeus: "Ila1ep Kpovirov,'tlCOTJAUctCI ECCE'tat 'Father, you must understand that these circumstances give rise to one pressing question: What release shall there be from these sorrows?' It is a logical question to ask and OTJexplicitly marks it as such. In 1ic OTJ 7tO'ta.1VlOV I £A.axeC'tEx~c is the momentary aspect, the moment when a man rises above others in achievement without being aware of any special merit to which this is the visible manifestation of EUOaiµcov;when achievement may be due .... "Otc~wc being otc~wcis achieved, it is the result of being Eui:ux~c." 64 See my note in Mnemosyne44, 1991, 410-2.

128

NEMEAN

V

oA~oc. Zeus is 6 oA~roicpep-m-toc(N 10.13). 65 Heroes have oA~oc-not necessarily a more permanent version than mortals-when they are allowed to share in the gods' good lifes. Tantalus had oA~oc when the gods attended his dinners (0.1.56). Ixion once had a yAuK"uv ~iotov among the gods, which was µaKpoc oA~oc (P.2.26). Peleus and Cadmus acquired oA~oc 1>1teptatoc, because the Muses came to sing at their wedding when they married a goddess; and the gods were at their feasts giving them presents (P.3.89). Heracles has KaAAictoc oA~oc, for he lives among the gods, he is honoured as their friend, he has the most beautiful wife, he lives in golden houses and he is Hera's son in law (I.4.58).

19. xeip&vPuxv xnp&v ~iav £1tmvftcm is an apt description of performing a victory ode for a pancratiast. ~ia is the physical strength essential to compete in the Games successfully (cf., e.g., EVt' ae0Aoiciv aptet£'U(J)V enen~Ev~iav, N 11.14), especially in disciplines like the pancration. For the phrase cf. np6c0£ xnp&v ~iav I E[iRoµEv· ta 'eniovta a[iµro]v KptvE'i, B.17 .45/6 (cf. also aUa Vtv aixµocp6pm µu0mci tE µEiAixioic Kat ~im xnp&v Katcxov, B.11.89-91 ). Pindar often refers to the victor's discipline by mentioning the part of the body, hand or foot, which is characteristic for that discipline. Cf. tic 011 notaiviov EACXXE cteq>avovxdpECCt1tocivtE KCXl apµan; 0.10.62; cuv 7tOOffiV xnp&v t£ VtKiicmc0evn, N.10.48; JCEpct VtKacavt', I.5.9; QCa,y JC€pctv11noo&v ap€tiit Kpatficmc I ta µeytct' M0Arov EATltt6Aµm tE Kat c0evn, P.10.23/4; aivero Kat Ilu0fov ...l XEPctoe~iov, v6roi avtinaAov, I.5.59-61; 1ta'io' epatov (o') 'Apx€ctpatou I atvrica, tOVdoov Kpatfovta XEpoca.AKiit, 0.10.100. Cf. also OEup' ayE Kat c6, ~EtVEnatEp, ndpricm M0Arov, I El ttva 7t0U0£0UT1KaC'EOtKEOEc' tOµEvae0AOuc. I OUµi::vyap µE'isov KAEOC avepoc, oq,pa KEY~tctv, I 110 'tt 1toccivt€ PE~TltKat JC€pctv efimv, Od.8.145-8.

19. c1.00.pfa;av ...1t6kµov In war and at the Games a man can prove his prowess and distinguish himself. Cf. vfoic £Vae0Aotc I £Vµaxmc tE 7tOAEµouI nµc.oµEvoc, 0.2.43-5; VEOtan µi:v apfiyn 0pacoc I nv&v7tOAEµrov, o0£v cpaµt Kat d tav andpova M~av dipE'iv, P.2.63/4, etc. For the relevance of war as a theme for this ode see interpretation, pp. 66-88.

65 Alternatively O 8' QA,~(l)lavcoµa avaBi::ic0m C£Aivcov,J.2.13-6; "Ic0µwv av VCX1t0C I tcopicov x6µm I 1t£µ1t£V EAaxi::vci::Aivcov,J.8.64. For the adjective in connection with Aegina see my note on .N.3.3 (pp. 246/7).

38. ev8aµtv E'OcppoVEC D.,a1, C'l>V 1Ca.Mµoto'3oo1, 8£ov6£1COV'tat The welcoming (Mxov'tat) of the patron deity, Poseidon, on the opening day of the festival, a ceremony that included a sacrifice to pp. 76-8. the god. 157 See further interpretation, (only here in Pindar) is a 'band, troop' of men, used in the An i'.A.TJ militairy sense of 'company' of soldiers. Cf. CKu0ecov 'tWVvoµaBcov lATJavBp&v C'tactacaca '\)1t£~11A0£ fr 'tllV MriBtKllV,Hdt.1.73; xma tAac, Hdt.1.202; µia B' EKKAtciac avBp&v tATJI 'tOVU1tarniBwv Kocµovq>EpE'tCO, SAj.1407 /8; oi ()£1tapl]Aauvov 't£tayµevot Ka't' tAac Kat Ka'ta 'tadac CJ.A.MC A.oycov ocSouc(j)TjVat,Hdt.1.95; OUtpE7tEtat E7tttl)V \j/EVOeao86v, Hdt. l.117; cf. 2.20 (see Becker, pp. 101-138; cf. also the usage of ot'.µri in epic, e.g. Od.8.73, 22.347; oiµoc aotcSf\c,h.Merc.451, Becker, 68-70). On the concept of o\'.µribeing some sort of narrative 'fil d'Ariane' see further Svenbro, La paro/,eet /,emarbre,p. 45, n. 76. Various (contrasting) views on Pindar's road metaphors have been put forward: Bernard, Pindars Denken in Bilder, 13-5; Hubbard, PindaricMind, 1-60; Kurke, Trajfiicin Praise, 15-61; Simpson, TAPM 100, 1969, 437-73; further references are to be found therein. For mete with the infinitive cf. lines 1, 36 above with my notes, pp. 100, 161.

50. µrr1ren pt"(Et After briefly dealing with the victor's Athenian trainer Menander in 48-9, Pindar turns to Themistius: 'But if you come to sing of Themistius, shrink no longer. Give your voice' (50-1 ). By means of µTJKEn ptyEt Pindar explicitly characterizes his treatment of the Athenian trainer Menander in 48-9, in retrospect, as cold; there he did 'shrink back.' 197 That Pindar did perform the action of ptyEtv be-

196 Becker, p. 71: "Der Dbergang von einem Programmpunkt zum andern ist der Ort, wo das Bild vom Wege des Liedes besonders reich ausgestaltet wird." 197 Thus also Wilamowitz, p. 170. Bury (p. 97) too interprets µT)KE'tl pt"(El correctly ("'Be reserved no longer" implies that there were reasons for reserve in reference to somebody else.'), but he does not draw the obvious conclusion that this applies to the preceding section of the poem, where Menander is mentioned.

182

NEMEAN V

fore is implied by enand by the use of the presentimperative. 198 See further interpretation, pp. 81-4, 86. It has often been argued that enin most cases is merely a rhetorical reinforcement of µ{i, 199 in other words, that E'tt does not necessarily imply that the action negated by µTJKE'ttactually was performed before. This idea may have originated in a number of instances where the verb negated by µTJKE'ttis accompanied by a comparative (µTJKE0'aA.iou CK07tEtI aAA.O0a.A.7tVO't£pov ...ac'tpov, 0.1.5-6; µTJKE'tt7tCX7tC7t£U0EtV ape't1Cuc 'AxiAAEucof the Iliad. The implicit references to the Iliad guide the audience to associate the 1tp6t£pot, the 'poets of old,' with Homer. Thus Pindar's claim, to be in agreement with 'poets of old,' has the effect of emphasizing the similarities between his story about the young Achilles and the story about Achilles the man as it is told in the Iliad: it helps to draw the parallel between the boy and the man. In other words, Pindar says: 'When Achilles was six years old, he killed beasts and outran deer, as we all know from Homer', while in fact the only thing we know from Homer is that Achilles, as a man, killed a lot (of enemies rather than animals) and that, as a man, he was famous for his running speed (outrunning his enemies rather than deer). By treating this factual discrepancy as a trifle, or even as non-existent, Pindar makes his point precisely. Thus the qualities eminent in the boy are presented as identical to the ones the man possesses, and thus qualities in general are considered to be a constant factor, unvarying with a man's age, which is the point of the Achilles story and a main theme in the ode as a whole. This point is elaborated upon in the gnomic passage in lines 70-5. 53-64 Achilles(PartII): Chiron& Achillesas a man At 53, the focus of the story shifts from Achilles to his tutor Chiron. Some of Chiron's accomplishments as an educator are mentioned: 'Profoundly wise Chiron nursed Jason inside his stone dwelling, and next Asclepius, whom he taught the soft-handed use of herbs' (53-5). "The two heroes mentioned in 54£ form a priamel-like introduction to the continuation of the Achilles-myth, sketching in the glorious paedeutic tradition which lies behind the specific training of Achilles" (Carey, Eranos78, 1980, 159). The mention of Jason and Asclepius is given relevance in the light of lines 14-8. Jason is a hero who is preeminently known for his great expedition after the Golden Fleece. 34

34

Thus also Hubbard, PindaricMind, 43.

214

NEMEAN III

Thus his story also mirrors Aristoclidas' 'expedition' to Nemea. Both expeditions have in common that they are dangerous and that their reward was invaluable. Chiron's superior qualities as an educator are compellingly illustrated by the fact that he is said to be responsible for the characteristic for which Asclepius is most renowned and which was associated with Asclepius more than with anyone else. Moreover, Aristoclidas had earlier won at the Asclepian Games in Epidaurus (84). If we have rightly deduced from the medical terminology used in 17/8 that Aristoclidas was wounded, the mentioning of the divine healer gets a third, additional layer of relevance. 'Then again he arranged a wedding for Nereus' daughter with splendid breasts'. The daughter of Nereus meant here is Thetis, who married Peleus. The epithet ay1.a6Kot.1tovemphasizes her physical beauty, which is functional in a nuptual context. vuµq>eurois surprizing, as Chiron did not 'betroth' Thetis in the technical sense, not being related to her. Moreover, epic tradition has recorded Hera as the arranger of the marriage of Thetis to Peleus. 35 The wedding was celebrated on Mount Pelion, at Chiron's cave. 36 One might imagine Chiron to have played the role of host during the wedding festivities. 37 In later tradition, Chiron is known to have advised Peleus how to subdue Thetis. 38 Be that as it may, just as Peleus and Telamon above, Chiron is given credit that is hardly justified in tradition. Another striking effect of mentioning the 'betrothal' here is that it sheds a new light on the reference to the same event earlier in this ode (35/6), where the subjection of Thetis is wholly ascribed to Peleus himself, without any hint at the fact that Chiron played a role in this event (see below). Then Pindar returns to Achilles, also raised by Chiron (57 /8). This brings us back to the point where the narrative started in line 43. Chiron educated Achilles, teaching him everything a man of his position and with his destiny needs to know, increasing his physical and mental strength ('making his 0uµ6c grow with respect to all proper things', 58). Chiron's education of Achilles is presented as

35

/l.24 .59-61. For the wedding on Mount Pelion, see N.5.22 (with my note, p. 137), P.3.8496, E.L4 701-7, ll.16.143-51, 18.82-5, 24.534-7, E.L4 1036-79; Apollod.3.13.5; Cypriaquoted by Lad /l.16.140, etc. 37 This seems to be confirmed by l.8.41, where Zeus, having decided to bestow Peleus with the honour of marrying Thetis (38-40), gives the order to inform Chiron (i6vnov o' tc aq,0nov avi:pov eu0uc Xiprovoc aui:itc' ciyyeA.iat).er. 1tavi:ac EC yaµov µatc[apac tcaA.iccatc] 1aye,:' EiCN11[pJrioc EAOOV [µeAa0provJ I 1tap0evov a~pav 1 ECo6µov :Xipprovoc, Alcft.42.6-9 V. 38 Apollod.3.13.5, Ov.Mel.11.229-40. 36

INTERPRETATION

215

having been intended (oEn£t(78) is striking. All this adds to the impression of the song being something very special and extraordinary, a unique and newly invented cocktail of delicious ingredients. The image of the cocktail of song recapitulates Ot'Jllllin line 6; Aristoclidas' victory 'thirsts for' a song, and at the end of this ode the thirst has been quenched by a very exclusive drink. It must be borne in mind that whenever Pindar emphasizes the aesthetic qualities of his products, he is serving an encomiastic purpose. The quality of his odes is the main guarantee for the victor's fame to live on for ever. c'nve 1t£p (80) indicates that, apparently, there had been some delay in the delivery of the ode. One could imagine that some time, more than strictly necessary, has elapsed between the day of Aristoclidas' victory and the performance of this ode, or between the moment that Pindar was commisioned to write this ode and the execution of this task. 50 We cannot determine for what reason the delivery had been delayed, nor for how long, but apparently it took longer than usual, for Pindar apologizes for the delay by explicitly recognizing his shortcoming and by means of the following eagle-passage. 80-84 17zeImageefthe Eagle. 17zeVictor'sPreviousSuccesses 'The eagle is swift among winged creatures, (the eagle) who suddenly seizes, with a long sweep from afar, his bloody prey with his talons. The chattering jackdaws live low. For you, if the brightthroned Clio is willing, because of your victorious spirit, from Nemea and from Epidaurus and Megara the light is shining' (80-84). The poet makes statements about birds, which have, on a literal level, nothing to do with the context in which they are made. Pindar 48 Pindar calls his song a 'mixed drink' also in the opening lines of I.6, without, however, specifying the ingredients. 49 Ordinary water (instead of dew) is a normal ingredient, cf. e.g. ti\c OEvuKtoc yri').,al3ooc Kat µat Kal uocop ltlVEtCO,Hp.Nat.Mul.47.8, etc. so Thus it is taken by the scholia (cocµrn't ltOA,'UV XP0VOV ti\c Vl1CJlC "(Eypaµµevou tOU ltOtT]µatoc, 138a, III 61 Dr.; QA,(O( O'lfE{tµEv OtOuµac xapttaC Id KatE~av ... aycov, P.3. 72/3, SC. to Sicily. For the verb see further my note on P.8. 78 (pp. 654-9). For the verbal repetition in line 42 below see interpretation, pp. 210, 226. • Aspect:The choice of the imperfect is to be explained in terms of the structure of the narrative. The story about Heracles is related in 109 See also Carey, Eranos 78, 1980, 153-162; Hubbard, PindaricMind, 133-62; Kurke, Trafficin Praise,49/50. 110 Or: 'on a wind of wails, row a conducting sweep of oars on your head'. It will be clear ttat lament is compared to sea-faring. The words belonging to the vehicle are Kat' oupov I t\peccet' ... 1toµmµov ... I 1tituA-ov.Within the terminology of the vehicle, the wind is 'escorting' the sweep of oars, or the sweep of oars is 'conducting' the ship. 111 Cf. Lad loc.(334, II 134 Dr.): 'tOOeICa'tE~avt Elj!O.UC' 'Acppoohac. I ouo' ENX0' At1tU'tOVEV7t0.V'tlXPOV(J)l KA..E7t'tOtCO. 0rn'io y6vov, 0.6.35/6; EA.06vwcyap EUVpevecis a weapon (cf. e.g . .N.7.25-7,.fr.163, Jl.4.460/1, ll.5.40 [cf. 6.10, 8.95, 8.258, 11.447, 22.283], Jl.13.370-3 [cf. 398], Jl.13.570, Jl.15.650, Od.22.83, etc.; on the semantics of the verb nciyvuµt, see also my note on .N.5.29, p. 148), the

m Schroeder: µi~av MSS. See Braswell ad Loe.

364

NEMEAN

III

expression ev q>padna~m0'-especially the verb m'ryvuµi-may evoke associations with the battlefield. These general associations with a battlefield are functional in this context, and the fact that ev q>padna~m0' evokes them may account for the choice of the expression here, -instead of the choice of more common expressions like iiv0£'t00uµii'n. On the other hand, the expression remains somewhat problematic, since the more specific association of fixing a weapon in someone's q>pevecis inappropriate because of the q>pevecbeing Achilles' own.

Activities like 'knowing, thinking, planning, etc.' are not seldom located233in a person's pevrov'tOU 'AxtAAEWC OEK'tEOV 'tOVA6yov, '{y' eaurnu '"CCXC Ota 'tOJV 1tE1tT1YUtaC 1tapacxot 'tUlCq>peciv,tva oOtavori0fit 'talC q>peciv,U7tTJpE'tT\t xnprov. EVto'tEyap em0uµouµev n Karnp0rocm, Kat ac0evouµev U'll'tOrrotficat µ11U7tTJpE'tOUµevot 'tUlCxepciv. 0 OE'AxtAAEUC E'tp6potc)Ai0t6rrecct in the construction. Moreover, q>pad is interpreted as having reference to the q>pevecof the Achilles. However, I do not believe that 'fixing his hand in his q>pevec'could mean 'accomplishing with his hands what he figured out in his q>pevec'.A third scholion, L. l 08 (III 5 7 Dr., only found in V), rrayiroc234 Aoyicmw Kat Kpivot· av'tt wu eic rrepac ayot, appears to be a paraphrase of ev q>pad rrasm0' only, not taking xei:pac as its object. Modern critics, on the other hand, who accept the text as it stands, are almost unanimous in their interpretation of this line: "tEq>pEVOC EUKAEa.C OlC'tOUC 1.EV'ttc;£7tttot I 'AKpaya.vn mvucmc I a.u6acoµm ev6pKlOVMyov a.Aa.8t'iv6oot, 0.2.83-92, the ballistic imagery is maintained throughout the entire passage (cf. my CPh 89, 1994, 311-3). The ~EAT]in line 83 are the means Pindar has at his disposal to accomplish his aims, the words (as appears from the attributive qualification in line 85). The question 'at whom shall I shoot?' (i.e., 'about whom shall I sing?') in lines 89/90 is answered in the sequel. 256 0.2.83/4 are comparaµev ap'tlE7tTJC IyAfuccaµot wsd,µm' EXEl7tEptKElVOJV I KEAO.OECa.t, ble to 7tOAAfJ. I.5.46-8, where the emphasis is also on the plentiful availability of means for the poet to accomplish his aims. Cf. further: eµol. µev cbv I Mo'ica. a.hat 'tpEq>Et,0.1. l l l /2 (with Gerber ad loc.);oi µev Ka.p'ttpromwv ~EAOC (j)OO'tEC, o'i wuca.µ1tUKOJV I ECOtq>povMotciiv E~mvov 7tUAa.t,6) E>pa.cu~O'UAE,

255 Simpson, TAPh.A I 00, 1969, p. 4 71, connects the ballistic metaphor with the ideal of speaking Ka.exKa.tp6v. Cf. also Hubbard, PindaricMind, p. 153: "the bowand jevelin-metaphors parallel the poet's precision and sense of quantitative measure with the athlete's." 256 Both qualifications in line 90, EKµaA-0aK&.c V 'Aptc'tOWt6atn:pen:et

~oa is the

'sound' referred to in the preceding line, i.e., to the victory ode being presently sung by a chorus of youths. cuv ... 1tpfan is 257

257 The scholiast ad h.l. (117a, III 58 Dr.) mentions an alternative readin$13oiit (i!v tlCt ClE -ypaUpECtv µi:Aarxiµotc I 1tpE1touca;A. Ch.l 0-2; Aaµnpa oi::ltUVCEATJVOC ev 6q,0aAµ6c, itpEltEt, A. Th.389/90; µfrcot CUKEl,I itpEC~tCtOVactpcov, V'UKtOC ZdJC1tpE1tCOV Ot' ai0epoc, E.Hel.216, etc. Cf. also 6 oi::xpucoc ai06µi:vov itup I /hi: OtaitpEltEtVUKtlµi:y&vopocE~oxa ltAOUto'U,0.1.1 /2; ta oi::KUl avop&etv eµitpfan, P.8.28, SC. Aegina (see my note, pp. 507 /8); q,uiit to yi:vva'iov enmpenn I eKnatepcov nmd Ailµa, P.8.44/5 (see my note, pp. 531/2), etc. For npfaco in this sense, used metaphorically, referring to sound cf. otµm ~o'T]vaµnKtov ev n6An npennv, A.Ag.321. It is used metaphorically of smell in oµo'ioc atµoc OJCltEp f,Ktaq>ou itpfan, A.Ag.1311. For npfaco, 'to be fitting,' cf. 0vma 0vmo'icrnpfan, I.5.16; to'ic o' oA~iotc yi: Kat to v1Kiic0m npfai:t, A.Ag.941, etc. For impersonal npfan, 'it is

Slater s.v., LSJ s.v., Mezger, Bury, Fennell. Contrast cases like: EVIi' apE'tUVI E~UAEV Kat xapµm:' av0pro1totct7tpoµa0foc ailiroc, 0.7.43/4. 260 Thus Fraenkel on AAg.242. 258

259

COMMENTARY:

67

377

fitting', cf. 0.2.46, P.4.147, P.5.43, 104, N.7.82, fi.70a.l l-3, fi.94b.33, sense is construed with ev in: 'tt t 1t0Vffit, x06va 1tOA'\J00)pOv, Xaphrov vrµoµm P.8. 74. Cf. also d C'\JV nvt µ01p1o{rot1taAwt 1tpocffiq1ee MYyO>t 263 'Who has added this island to the word of glory.' The £UKA£11c 'A,6yocrefers to the praise Aristoclidas is getting as a result of his victory, specifically to the ode that is presently being sung. He has 'added' Aegina to this praise, since it shares in his glory. For the community as a whole being presented as profiting directly from a victory won by one of its members, see my note on N5.8 (p. 110). The formulation here involves an inversion of what we would expect. Instead of 'he has added glory to Aegina' we get 'he has added Aegina to glory.' Contrast: e\'.11viv eucprovmvm:epuyecctv aep0ev't' acav, ecn OE tilv otoa 1taA.m61:mov,2.31.6). Cf. JG 4.748.16 from Troezen (iv B.C.). See also Farnell, Cults, IV p. 217. 272 Hdt.6.57.2, X.Resp.Lac.15.5; Mantinea: Th.5.47.9. , 273 Figueira, Aegina,p. 317. For Thasos see]. Pouilloux, Etudes Thasiennes: Recherches sur l'histoireet l.escultesde Thasos, Paris I 954-8, III pp. 238-4 I. For Naupactus: G. Busolt & H. Swoboda, Griechische Staatskunde,2 vols., Munich 1920, 1926, p. 1531.

382

NEMEAN III

family are on record on the list of theoroi."Cf. alsoj.K. Davies, Wealthand the Power ef Wealth in ClassicalAthens, New York 1981; Kurke, Trqffic in Praise,pp. 163-94.

70-76 Trial bringsto light thefull realisation(efthosethings)by meansefwhich one may be superior,amongyoungbqysa bqy, amongmen a man, thirdlyamongelders,-each portionas we, mortalrace,haveit. Mortal life also drivesfour qualitiesadmiredin a man and tellsus togive thoughtto what lies infront. Thesehe lacksnot. 70-71.

ev6e 11:e{pai'tEA.OC I6uxq,a{v£'tat Jw'ttc ~oX(l)'t£poc'Y£V1l'tat

'Test brings to light the full realization of those things (qualities) which make a man more outstanding.' • The conceptef neipa: A man achieves Kt.foc by displaying certain qualities that are highly valued by his fellow citizens, i.e., apecai. A man possesses apE-cai from his birth. They cannot be 'learned' (see lines 40-2 above with my notes). Possessing apE-cai, however, is not sufficient in itself for achieving Kt.foc. They have to 'come to light.' One must bring one's qualities to light by submitting oneself to a test. Competing in the Games is one way to do this, the way Aristoclidas has chosen, fighting a war is another, as Peleus (34), Telamon (36-9), and Achilles (59-63) have done. Men who can be expected to possess apE-cai-on the basis of their having sprouted from a family that proved to possess them on earlier occasions-go and compete at the Games in order to submit themselves to the test and to prove by being victorious that they do indeed possess the qualities they have been expected to possess. This idea is expressed in E>mv8pi8mct 8' ovKEpaov PEPATJµEVOV' ov t' rPaA' CXVT]p I i&t ayot,'COlctV 'CE1tEptq>pEctV UCltE'COC ah11, Ot t' EA.aq>ovKEpaov µEyav oupECt DTJtCOCCXV'CEC I Da1t'CO'UCtV' ltCXCtV De 1tapl]ta K1J(t)V, Daq>otvocatE'COC, atµatt q>otva, /l.16.156-9. In ~toe DEcot I lt'CTJVOC A.approc I foaptaµT]CEt croµa-coc µEya paKoc, A.Pr. I 021-3, the adjective

qualifies the eagle that will get 'blood-stained' by eating Prometheus' µEya cf\µa · DpaKrovE1ttv&-cafoq,otvoc I cµEpfoMoc, liver. Cf. also rv0' Eq>otv6ccame to be a fixed epithet of savage animals also in passages where their blood-thirst is not immediately relevant. Cf. A.Eov-crov I 6 foq,otvoc \'.A.a,E.Alc.580/ 1 (lyr.); 1tf\µa foq,otv6v, h.Ap.304, of the dragon Python, described in the preceding lines as a satpEq>EaµEyOC D' Eltt v&ta Daq>otvovI I a\'.0rovocµEyaA.otoltODTJVEKEC, A.uyKocrxn, h.Pan (19) 23/4, the 'shabby garment' of a lynx. It is used metaphorically as a qualification of fire-brand in Daq>otvovfo),,6v, A. Ch.607 /8 (lyr.). In i/)ou Daq,otvov µac0ATJta Myovov, Sfi.129, the adjective qualifies the thong of a whip, which is evidently 'blood-stained' rather than 'tawny.' The metrically alternative form Daq>otvE6cclearly atµatt means 'bloody, blood-stained' in: Etµa D' rx' aµq>' roµotct Daq>OtVEOV q,ro-c&v,Jl.18.538, a line also occurring in Hes.Sc.159. The 'simplex' adjective q>otv6cis quite rare. It occurs once in Homer, in /l.16.156-9, cited above, where it clearly means 'bloody, blood-stained.' Cf. also AEt1tEDe

416

NEMEAN III

0uµov I cpotvovU7t07tVetO'IJC', h.Ap.361/2, where the 0uµ6c is 'bloody' be-

cause it has been struck by an arrow. The more common adjective with cpovoc, viz. cpoivtoc, has the same meaning, cf., e.g., cpoivtov atµa, Od.18.97; i'.cteµav IAtaV'tOCahav cpoivtov,'tUVO'lflat I ev V'IJK'tlmµrov 1tept ©t cpacyavcotµoµcpav EXet,/.4.35a-6a; 'tlC, ovnv' 0ecmfaeta ~eAcpteetm: 7tf'tpa I appT]'t' appft'tcoV'teAecav'ta cpotviatet xepdv; S.OT 463-6; proleptic: T]VtK' O'tpUVO'IJCCX VtVIT]UOch'en' ex0poic xeipa cpotviav 'tpE7tetv, s.4;·. 771/2, etc.

a

Here Pindar plays with the epic usage of the adjective, giving it an original, new application. Whereas in epic the adjective qualifies the predator, stained by the blood of its prey, Pindar transfers it to the prey itself, which is 'bloody' because of the raptor having seized him. For aypa, 'prey, quarry,' cf., e.g., 7tOAAOtC µEv EVCXAO'IJ, I 6peiou OE7tOAAOtC aypac UKpo0tviotc I ayAfiicac (sc. 'tTJV'Aypo'tepav iiµa 0eov Kat 8!K't'IJVVav), .ft.(dub.)357; aU' O'tl:'.OTJVT]OC el;ecp0no T)la 7t!XV'taI Kat OTJaypT]VecpfaecKOV UAT]'tl:'.UOV'tl:'.C UVCXYKTJl, I icxuc opvt0ac 'te, cpiAaco n xeipac lKOt'tO,I yvaµntotC ayKtC'tpOtCtV,E'tetpe OEyac'tepa Atµ6c, Od.12.329-32; o'i o', we 't' aiyumot yaµ0oovuxec &111:uAoxei:Aat I el; 6pecoveA06v'tec en' 6pvi0ecct 06pcoctv· I 'tat µev enaAµevot, ouoe 't' ev neoicot vecpea 7t'tOOCCO'IJCat i'.ev'tat, I o'iOe 'te 'tUCOAeKO'IJCtV 'ttC UAKTJ I yiyve'tat OUOEcpuyft.xaipouct Oe 't' avepec aypT]t, Od.22.302-6343 ; pT]tOicocaypT]VK'IJOpTJ 0eoc ronace 1t0Uftv, Hes.7h.442; A.Eu.148, S.Aj.64,

407, 880, etc. The noun does obviously not mean 'way of catching' here, as it is taken, surprisingly, by LSJ s.v.; I do not see how 'way of catching' could be the object of EAa~ev and µe'taµm6µevoc. 344 For 1tO'UC referring to &pa oi ein6vn f,7t£7tta't0 oel;toc opvtc, I KlpKOC, a bird's 'talons,' cf. roe 'A1t6AACOVOC 'taxuc ayyeAOc-ev OEn6oecctv I 'ttAAe7tfAetav i:xcov, Od.15.525-7. For alva, 'quickly, suddenly,' cf., e.g., P.4.133 (with Braswell's interesting note on P.4.34, pp. 112/3), /l.4.70, etc., Od.15.193, etc., Thgn.663, 985, 1001, Mimnfi.2.2 W., Semfi.7.101 W., Solfi.2.3, 13.18, 62 W., Tyrt.12.21 W., A.Supp.481, etc.

82. 1Cpay£'tat6£ 'ICOA.Otoi 'ta1t£\VCX VEµoV'ta.t 'The chattering jackdaws live low.' M marks the sentence as a next independent step in the sequence. The hearer, when interpreting the function of this sentence in the light of what has preceded, easily comes to the conclusion that a contrast is involved. The contrast, however, is implicit in as much as the explicit characterizations of the eagle and of the jackdaws are not exactly contrasting. The eagle's speed is emphasized as well as its superiority, as portrayed by 343 "Aypridoes not refer abstractly to 'hunting, the chase' in both Odysseepassages, as it is taken by LSJ s.v. In 12.330 is paraphrazed by icxuc opvt8ac 1:e.In 22.306 the avepec are not as good sports as the British so as to enjoy the chase more than the quarry. 344 In the parallel LSJ adduce (Hdt.2. 70) this (metaphorical) interpretation of the noun is defensible.

COMMENTARY:

81-82

417

the way he seizes his prey, while the jackdaws are said to range low. Both Kpayfam and 'tam:iv& are suggestive of their general inferiority, and perhaps also the fact that they are being ref erred to in the plural. This gives relief to the superiority of the eagle. Moreover, the characterization of the jackdaws living low in retrospect activates the association of the eagle soaring hight up in the sky, thus, retrospectively, giving more pregnancy to 'trtAo0£ in line 81. • Semantics: The adjective 'tC EyevrnEVoAiyonxp6vcot,OU'CCO !Cat'Ca7tElVOC 07ttc(O1Ca'Ca -caxocECEat,

Hdt.7.14; CU8' ou8faco 'Ca7tElVOC, ouB' €t1CElC 1Ca1Cotc, I npoc 'COtC napouct 8' a.AA.a1tpocAa~EtV0eAnc, A.Pr.320/ 1; ot8a µev yap uµ'iv Mucouc AU7tT]pOUC ov-cac, ouc voµit;,co&v cuv 'CT\lnapOUCT]lBuvaµet -cannvouc uµ'iv napexnv,

X.An.2.5.13; cf. also Isoc.4.95, 5.64, D.4.23, etc. With the connotation 'dejected,' cf., e.g., Ot µev 'tplUlCOV'Ca 7tUVU 811'Ca7tElVOt !CatEpT]µOt CUVE1Ca0riv'COEnon cuve8picoi, X.HG 2.4.23; cf. also Th.2.61, etc. With the connotation 'low, mean, abject,' cf., e.g., a.AA.aµ11vKat -coµeyaAOnpenfr -ceKat EAEU0epiovKat 'CO'Ca7tElVOV 'CEKat aveAeu0epov lC'CA, X.Mem.3.10.5; cf. also Pl.lg.79ld, Isoc.2.34, etc.

1epayetm is a hapax. The etymological link with Kpal;rois evident. This verb refers to the uttering of unpleasant sounds. It refers to the croaking of raven in Sjr.208, Thphr.Sign.53; to the sound of frogs in Ar.Ra.258. When referring to the speech of men it has negative connotations (cf,. e.g., S.Aj.1236). Cf. also osun6µouc Zrivoc a.Kpaye'ic Kuvac I ypunac t, 'in the long run', cf. P.3.96, 4.291 (with Braswell ad loc.),.ft.33b, A.Eu.1000. 23 Bowra, Pindar,p. 157.

434

PYTHIAN VIII

what had in a negative way been confirmed by the fate of Athens. Athenian policy could be seen as an unbridled pursuit of profit, not in the least towards Aegina which was forced to pay a higher tribute than any other ally. The profit was not 'fetched from the house of a willing giver.' Now, as was made clear by the defeat at Coronea, the Athenian empire seemed about to crumble. The accumulation of wealth turned out not to be 8iv,, ciyav I icxuv OtK£tOlV 7tO.pECcpo.A.EV KaA.rovI xnpoc EA.KOlV 07tlCCOl makes clear that the 0uµoc awA.µoc M,v, N 11.29-32, where KEVEOcppEVEC a?ixm are unjustified, and therefore harmful; they are opposed to a 0uµoc ci,oA.µoc, which is equally ineffective. The opposition makes clear that ailxm are potentially constructive, in that they may lead to courage, if only they are based on reality. The verb auxiro, as Barrett rightly argues (on E.Hipp.922-5, pp. 343/4), "denotes a mental attitude, and means first 'feel confident,' then sometimes 'feel a proud confidence, pride oneself; the meaning 'boast' commonly alleged by lexica and editors is unknown to early Greek." (p. 343). See also Fraenkel on AAg.1497 (pp. 707 /8). For CcpcxAA{O, cf. esp. opyi\t yap ocnc EU0Eroc xaptsEtat, I KIXKO)C 'tEA.E'\J'tat · 7tA.EtC'tlX yap ccpaA.A.Et ppowuc, Eft.31 N.; cf. also K0.1.KpECcov'&.vop&v xnp6vrov I eccpaAE-rixvo.Ko.to.µapljlmc', /.4.34/5, illustrated by the case of Ajax; 'AxtAA.fo... oc "'EKwpo.ccpciAE,O.2.8 l, etc. The aorist is 'gnomic' (see Sicking, Glotta69, 1991, 36/7).

16-20 Typhos the Cilicianwith hundredheadsdid not escapethis, nor did the king if the Giants. Thry werekilled by the thunderboltand by the bow if Apollo, who with benevolentmind received from Cirrha the son if Xenarces,crownedwith Pamassiangrassand a Dorian revel. 16. T-ucpc'oc Ku..i;£KEXPll 'tEAEuti\em µUXT\l,A.7h.615-7.

COMMENTARY:

533

43-45

ing shield.' Amphiaraus sees his son excelling in battle (cf. next note); he recognizes his own martial abilities in his son. Thus this observation illustrates the preceding statement about the power of inherited excellence. Information about Alcmaeon's coat of arms may at first sight seem trivial. However, the mere fact that it is mentioned, and that almost a complete line is devoted to it, gives rise to the suspicion that the detail is meant to have more relevance than that it gives us a vivid picture of the battlefield. The scholia give three different interpretations of the relevance of the snake: (1) It is a man tic symbol; 92 cf. ouo oe yAauK&1tecau1:ov (sc. Iamos) I omµ6vmv ~ouAatctv t0pe\jfavw Optc The phrase defines that Apollo is addressed in his capacity as the god of Delphi, where the victory was won. It emphasizes the importance of the venue. This adds to Apollo's glory, a rhetorical move that is common enough in prayers. Moreover, it is appropriate to the encomiastic purpose of the ode in quite a direct way, because highlighting the importance of the festival where the victor has won adds also to his glory (0. l. l- 7 is one of the most elaborate examples). 1tav&>1eoc stresses the Panhellenic character of Delphi, as well as its popularity. 135 Cf. ~toe ... 7tCXV0oK(l)t I aACEt, 0.3.1 7/8. Religious venues and festivals derive their prestige to a large extent from the number of visitors. Cf. 'HpaKAETJC ... 7ta'tpt I EOp'taV't£ K'tlCTJl 7tA£tC'tOµ~pO'tOV 't£0µ6v 't£ µeytc'tOvae0Arov, 0.6.68/9. It is a great advantage for an athlete to have won at a popular Panhellenic festival, for his victory has been witnessed by a large number of envoys from all over Greece, which will contribute to the spreading of his glory. Cf. 1t0Au~£V(t)'ta'trot1tapa. ~roµon· 'tO8e KAEOC I 'tTJA00£v8eoopKE'tUV'0Auµma8cov ev 8p6µotc I IlEA01toc,0.1.93-5. For 6w.veµro in the sense of 'having and holding as one's portion,' i.e., A~uac 7tEOiovIC'\JV 'possessing, governing,' cf. ev0ev 6' uµµt Aa1:0i6ac E7tOpEv 0eiov nµa'ic oaAia 't£ I EpaciµoA1t£, iootca 'tOVOEKroµov E1t' £Uµ£V£t 'tUXat I Koucpaf3if3&v'ta, 0.14 .13- 7, where the request for the Graces' assistance is paralleled by the first strophe. So the poet's prayer for Apollo to 'look' can be understood as a request for his favour. The phrase 0c&v omv in 71 below resumes the idea of divine favours formulated in visual terms. However, the combination with Kma nv' apµoviav is far from unproblematic. Syntactically the phrase is unparalleled. The adverbial phrase Ka'ta nv' apµoviav could perhaps be regarded as a syntactical equivalent of an adverb, 158 so as to parallel passages like cp0ov£pa o' (J.,AAOC avrip f3Afamv, N4.39 (cf. also Alcm.1.75 P., Anacr.72.1 P., A.Sept.498, Ar.Ran.562, X.Mem.3.10.4, Smp.4.58, etc.). However this may be, the

o

o

155 For "the prayer as a rhetorical structure is in essence an argument that builds from propitiation of the divinity, through the establishment of a prior claim upon him, to the lodging of a request which that claim justifies," cf. Miller, GRBS 30, 1989, 471/2. 116 Thus Wilamowitz, Reden aus der Kriegszeit,Berlin 1915, VIL-Die Hannonie der Sphiiren,p. 136; Pindaros,pp. 442/3; A. Corlu, Recherchessur les mots relatifsa l'idee de priere,Paris 1966, pp. 100, IOI, 337; Gildersleeve, p. 331; Mezger, p. 406, Sandys, p. 265, Schroeder, p. 73, Burton, Fythian Odes, p. 185; Bowra, Pindar, p. 400; Taillardat, REG 99, 1986, 228/9. 157 Verdenius, MnemorJne36, 1983, 367. 158 Thus Verdenius, MnemorJne 36, 1983, 367 /8, quoting phrases like Ka0' ficuxiav, Kma Kpchoc, Kma q>UClV.Thus also 'laKm~ ad loc. (pp. 304/5).

COMMENTARY:

68

559

qualification seems to specify the way in which Apollo is requested to look, so the desired attitude on his part. If the request for his 'looking' is interpreted as a request for his favour, the desired attitude naturally merges with the object of the request. 'Apollo, favour us according to an attitude of a certain harmony' implies that 'a certain harmony' is the desired result of the god's favouring. Thus Kata nv' apµoviav specifies what the favour asked for consists in; the following line, aµcp' EKClC'tOV, vfoµm, specifies what it pertains to. 159 (4) What does it mean that the poet prays for Apollo 'to look according to, i.e., to favour with respect to a certain apµovia'? apµovux is a musical terminustechnicus,denoting aesthetically pleasing melodic progression of high and low notes, i.e., 'harmony' in our sense of the word, with the difference that in Greek this is a diachronic, not a synchronic concept. This is the sense in the two other Pindaric occurrences of the noun: e~ucpmvE, yAuKE'ia, Kat 'Cob' au'CtKa, cp6pµty~, I Au8im cuv apµovim µ£AOC,N4.44/5; aotav K[at a]pµoviav auA[o'ic e]nccppac[ato,fi. l 40b.2. Cf also EKOtaq>Epoµi:vcov 1tp61:Epov'tOUosfoc Kat papfoc, E7t£tta UC'tEpov oµOA.OY11CEpoµEvcov YEE'tl 'tOUosfoc Kat papfoc apµovia av ElT\.T] yap apµovia cuµq,coviaEC'tlV, cuµq,covia0£oµoA.Oyia'tlC... ffiC7tEp YEKato pu0µoc EK'tOU1:axfoc UC'tEpov0£ oµoAOY11CllXA't' a.'JJ..ov u1tep8el3aU.COV un£p0£ PaAArov signifies the 6aiµrov's favouring human, uno xdprov his disfavouring. The image is drawn from wrestling, the sport in which the victor has excelled himself. The 6aiµrov's influence upon human affairs is described in terms of his wrestling with humans. aAAOt' aAAov U7t£p0£PaAArov is a postposed participle clasue with 6aiµrov 6e napicxn. aAAov 6' uno xdprov is a preposed participle clause to be connected with the following µetprot Kmapaivn. A point above the line is to be printed after PaAArov,a comma after xnp&v. See next note. The particle 6' coordinates the two sentences. 190 PaAArovis to be supplied with aXAov6' uno xdprov, which results in a remarkable zeugma. There is, at first sight, an element of illogicity in U7tEp0E pa:Urov as a symbol for divine favour: "if God did that to the victor, the victor would hardly thank him, for to be thrown up into the air in

188

"An echo of Od.1.267 may well be intended," Miller, GRBS 30, 1989, 466. Thus Giannini ad loc. (in Gentili et al., Pitiche,p. 581). 19° Contrast Kirkwood ad loc., p. 212.

189

COMMENTARY:

75-77

573

wrestling means a very bad fall" (Farnell, ad lac., II, p. 198). For some scholars this is a reason to suggest that the image is not from wrestling, 191others insist that we are not to take the image too literally.192An attractive possibility, at first sight, is to take um:p0£ PaAAmv to mean 'throwing the victor above the prostrate victim,' i.e., 'putting him on top.' 193The picture, then, is a wrestling match between two combatants, one winner and one loser, referred to by aAAov... aAAov8', the oaiµmv steering the match between the two as an outsider. This is problematic. The oaiµmv's actions described in line 7 7 suggest that he is doing the wrestling himself, rather than steering it as an outsider. 194As I argue below (pp. 653-65), the oaiµmv is the subject of Ka-capaivn (78): he 'enters the list', which pleads strongly in favour of taking him to be actively involved in the actual wrestling. Also, this goes better with the fact that aAAo't' aAAov, 'now one, now another' (viz. those favoured by the oaiµmv), is followed by an additional aAAov 8', 'yet another', viz. someone who is disfavoured by the oaiµmv. Thus, line 77 describes a series of wrestling matches between the oaiµmv and an unspecified number of successive human opponents. In other words, the X,EtpEcare his. 195 All in all, the most natural interpretation of aAAO't'aAAovu1tcp8c PaAAcovis 'tossing on high now one, now another.' In other words, the oaiµmv's favouring persons is expressed in terms of him tossing people in the air like a wrestler tosses on high his opponent. This leaves us with the at first sight strange implication that the process of raising an opponent in the air normally is the prelude to giving him a mighty fall. On closer consideration, however, this association may be functional. The idea of bliss not being unlimited, of every ascension inevitably being followed by a downfall, is very much present in 191 Some scholars have suggested that the metaphor is drawn from ball-play (Dissen, Christ, Fennel, Farnell, Gildersleeve; AP 10.80 is quoted as a parallel for the idea). The personal reference of /f),.),ov ... /!/),,},ovmakes this very unlikely ('throwing men' evokes associations with combat sports; in order to initiate a cognitive progress on the part of the hearer that runs along the lines of 'the 8aiµcov throws men, as if he is throwing balls', an additional signal would certainly be rexi:ipcov is easier to understand in the context of wrestling quired). Moreover, than with balls. 192 "The poet may be allowed a hazy idea idea of the art of wrestling, and in any case his words are not to be judged by a strict standard of technical correctness," Burton, Fythian Odes,p. 187. Cf. Kirkwood ad lac., p. 213. 193 Thus Taillardat, REG 99, 1986, 233; Lloyd-Jones, PracBritAc68, 1982, 161; Miller, GRBS 30, 1989, 466 with n. 10; Giannini ad lac. (in Gentili et al., p. 581). Cf. LSJ s.v. [3aUco (A.ii.6). 194 Cf. Farnell ad lac., p. 198. 195 Miller's "beneath the hands [sc. of his opponent]", has the disadvantage of assuming a different owner of the hands than the subject of the sentence. If that were meant, one would wish an additional signal for that.

u1to

574

PYTHIAN VIII

the following discourse. CJ.AAOV o' imo XElPffiV, I µitprot Ka.taPa.ivEt (77/8) states that the oa.iµrov enters the arena in order to draw the line, by disfavouring one. By 'casting down men below his hands,' the oa.iµrov terminates his favouring them. The idea is elaborated upon further by the final triad; the idea of success easily turning into failure is expressed explicitly in £V o' 6')..,iyrotppot&v I to tEprcvov a.u~Eta.t· OU"t(l) 0£ Ka.tTCltVEl xa.µa.i (92/3), where 1Cttv£txa.µa.i may be said to echo the fall implied in urc£p0£PaAA,(l)v. In other words, urc£p0£ signifies success; the combination with PaAArov,evoking the picture of being thrown up into the air, like a wrestler, in anticipation of a mighty fall, adds the idea of success and divine favours being limited. The oa.iµrov may turn the table on us just like that. The very assertion that it is in the 8a.iµrov's power to favour humans is pregnant with the idea that he is able to bring them down just as easily. This procedure of illustrating the instability of divine favour by means of semantic ambiguity, has much resemblance with the following passage: Ei OE'tlC0Al3ocf.Vav0pcimotct,UVE'\l Kaµa'tO'\lI OUcpatVE'tal· fr 0£ 'tEA.E'\l'tUCEl VlV T]'tOlcciµEpovI oaiµrov. 'tO0£ µ6pc1µovOUitapcpUK'tOV. CJ.A.A' EC'tatw6voc IOil1:oc, l3aA.rov I eµ1ta11.1v yvwµac '1:0µev OWCEt, 't()o' O\Jlt(J), P.12.280 Kai nv' UEA.1t'flat 32. Pindar exploits the ambiguity inherent in the verb EK'tEAEU'taro: it means both 'bring to fulfillment' and 'bring to an end.' The preceding context leads one to interpret that the oa{µrov will bring happiness to fulfillment; 'to oe µ6petµov ou itapcpuK'tOV comments upon the idea that the oaiµrov will annihilate happiness (thus, in retrospect, leading the hearer to re-assess the interpretation that is the most natural as a sequel to EiOE'ttc 011.l3oc tv a.v0pw1to1et, avEu Kaµciwu Iou cpaivE--cm). The very assertion that it is in the oaiµrov's power to bring about 0A.l3ocis pregnant with the idea that he is able to annihilate it just as easily. For more details, see Mnemosyne44, 1991, 410-2.

• Semantics: On the level of the vehicle, pcvJ..co refers to 'throwing, casting' up one's opponent in a wrestling match. For l3ci11.f-...(J) referring to 'throwing, casting' in the context of wrestling, cf., /l.23. 727, in the wrestling match between Ajax e.g., KUOo' el3a11.' E~OltlC(J), and Odysseus. For raising an opponent in the air as the prelude to giving him a mighty fall, cf. 6 o' ap' iopdT]t 'tE Kat ahfit I 1tA.€UpOV 'llltOKA.tVaC TEA.aµwvwvol3p1µovuta IavciEtpEV'll1t0µu&vocepdcac Iroµov,Kat itOOtµripov 'll1t01tf-...t~ac E'tEproCE I Kcil3l3a11.Ev ol3p1µov&vopa Ka'tUx0ov6c, QS.4.228-30, in a wrestling match between Ajax and Diomedes. The technique is unsucoioc 'OOUCCEUC, I KlVT]CEV o' &pa cessful in OEU'tEpoc ati--c'a.vciEtpE1tOA.U1:A.ac --cm0ova.no x0ov6c,ou8' E't' aEtpEV,I EVoey6vu yvciµ1j!EV, /l.23. 729-31. The use of unEp0Ehere, referring to a throw 'high up into the air' (on the level of the vehicle),can be compared to de UljlOC a.vaf3ac--cacm 'tOV a.v'tina11.ov,Lucian.Anacharsis24.26/7. Gardiner, GreekAthletic Sports and Festivals,pp. 383/4, takes this to refer to the technique known in modern wrestling as the flying mare. Cf. his figs. 114, 115, 54.

COMMENTARY:

575

77

On the level of the tenor, uncp0c ~aAACO refers to 'favouring.' Cf. (0coc) oc UVEX£t "CO't£ µ£v 'ta KEtVCOV, 'tO'ta-00' E'tEpotcE◊COKEV µiya KU◊oc, P.2.89. "Various words denoting height are often used in an encomiastic sense," 196 evoking connotations of superiority. Cf., e.g., dmyop110dc KEpOocU'lftC'tov OEKETat, /.1.51; CTEcpavovU'lftcwv 0£0EKTat, P.1.100; auwu µtvrov o' o0E'ioc avrip (se. 'AvTtAoxoc) I npiaw µrv 0avaww KOµtoav 1tmp6c, I EOOKTtCEV TETO)V7tpovKoµi~atc ampl3Et q>pEvi,P.5.49-51, refers to the spectacular circumstance that fourty fellow competitors did not make it to the mark. In q>&tac8' o~uprnEt MA.cotI a1t'tCO'tt 8aµaccmc, 0.9.91 /2 (wrestler), MA.cotrefers to some kind of trickery, if not cheating, which enabled the victor to win without conceding a single point to his opponents. The medical terminology in Kaµmco8ecov8£ 1tAayav I CXKOC uytT]pOVEVJ3a0u1tE8tcot Ncµfot 'tO KaAA.tVtKOV q>EpEt,N3. l 7 /8, and aptC'tOCEUatI Motcav 0uympEC aotfot 0eA.~avVtV opµtyytcuvaopoc, N4. l-5 (both for a pancratiast), suggests that in both cases the victor was wounded (see my note on N3. l 7 /8, pp. 276-7). These and similar passages show that Pindar does not have an aversion to adventitious detail, as it is sometimes claimed. The passages quoted have in common that they commemorate unusual circumstances of the victory, details that add to the glory of the victor's achievement. The obvious conclusion is that Pindar is led by his encomiastic aims. Although we can only speculate, it is not difficult to imagine that a detailed match report that is honest would often imply references to stages in the contest in which the later victor was in an awkward position, references that would challenge the image of the victor's unchallenged superiority. Whereas an impartial narrator is interested in describing excitingly close contests because of his concerns for suspense (the description of the funeral games for Patroclus in Iliad 23 provides many examples), a poet of epiniciais interested only in those details that contribute to his encomiastic aim, which is to add to the victor's glory. Perhaps Pindar is indeed stricter in this than Bacchylides, although the two descriptions of contests that occur there are firmly encomiastic. Our passage here and 0.8.67-9 have in common that the number of opponents is specified. As I will argue below, we have reason to believe that the explicit reference to four opponents is equivalent to proud claims, found elsewhere, of victors having won the tournament without once having been £q>E8poc.This makes lines 81/2 here and 0.8.68 understandable as references to an honourable particularity of the victory at hand. In our passage this complimentary factuality is exploited as an occasion to visualize the victor's superiority (l:'.µ1tE'tEC U'Jf00Ev)and his fierce, aggressive attitude, as it is em-

COMMENTARY:

81-82

581

phasized by the martial terminology (see my notes below). The evocative lines that graphically depict the misery of the defeated contestants, both here and in 0.8, obviously provide an effective contrast to the victor's happiness. One wonders why the epinician poets did not exploit this ready device more often. This is quite a difficult question to answer, perhaps the wrong question to ask. In any case, our modern concepts of sportsmanship are irrelevant to Pindar's age. Burton, Eythian Odes,p. 189, rightly reminds us of the Homeric custom of insulting a fallen warrior. It is clear that in P.8 the description of the misery of the defeated contestants ties in closely with the theme of the final triad as a whole: it compellingly presents misfortune as the shadow of success, thus preparing for the passage about the instability of fate that is to follow.

81-82.

'te-tpact 6' £µ,t£'t£C uv68evIccoµa't£CCt 1Ca1CCX cppOVECOV 'You fell from high above on four bodies, meaning them harm.' After the catalogue of Aristomenes' previous victories (65/6, 78-80) has been completed, attention shifts to his most recent victory (cf. ev Ilu0uxoi, 84). Aristomenes is portrayed as a fierce and aggressive warrior, who was very much superior to his opponents. The victor has beaten four opponents in order to win the title. This number of opponents is found frequently. C( 0.8.68 (cited in VtKaca: Eu0ucppovocui6c, I the preceding note); MaivaAtoc 2EVOKA11C cbt'tT]C µovo:naAav 202 'tECapa croµa0' EA.WV, epigram on the base of a statue in Olympia by Polyclitus (ea. 400 BC, Erbert, Griechische Epigramme, n° 32, pp. 109/10; cf. Paus.6.9.2); 'ttµacovoEtAt1t1tov,oc ev0aoE 'tOUCIX7t0vaccov I 'tECcapac EU0Eiat na'ioac EKAlVEµaxai, Olympia, ea. 300 B.C., Ebert 55.5/6, pp. 166-9. The combat sport tournaments in the games were organized in keeping with a knockout system: only the winner of a fight went on to the next round. If the number of competitors in a round turned out to be odd, one of them got a 'bye'; he was called Eouct◊E evtot 'tOVaA.1tvtcwv, wmfrn 'tov ti&icwv Kat 1tpocrivenmov, 14a, III 243 Dr.). Hesychius has an entry aA.1taA.ai:ov · aya1tfl'tOV, where Is. Vossius read aA.1tvai:ov. Frisk s.v. observes: "at.1t- aus *FaA.1t-gilt als Schwundstufe von *FEA.7t-in EA.1toµm,EA.1tic";Lat.

volup-.

584

PYTHIAN

VIII

For VOC'tOCreferring to the athlete's home-coming cf. avopfoc o' OUKaµ1tAUK(J)V I EVtfapactv 1taiorov and}iiKato yuiotc I VOC'tOV ex0tctov Kat attµotEpav y11,&c.cav Kat £1ttKpuq>ov otµov, 0.8.67-9; t6v, i1no11,'itat, Kroµa~atETtµooriµrot cuv EUKAftv6ctrot, N2.24. The notion of the victor's v6ctoc has been central to a number of studies on Pindar's poetry from a anthropological point of view (sec introduction, pp. 11/2). See in particular Crotty, Song and Action, eh. 4, and Kurke, Trqjficin Praise,eh. 1 & 2; further references arc to be found therein. Both Crotty and Kurkc point at the cyclial nature athlete's journey, out to where the danger is and KAEOC is to be won and back home where one can pick the fruits of one's KAfoc ('the loop of v6ctoc,' Kurke). The Odyssrynaturally is a central text in this connection. They take it to be one of the primary functions of the victory ode to secure the successful return home of the victor from the games and his re-integration into his own society. Although one may be sceptical about the latter claim, Crotty and Kurke arc certainly right in drawing attention to the fact that v6ctoc is charged with epic connotations. In our passage the noun helps to associate athletic competition with war, which has the effect of emphasizing Aristomencs' fierce and aggressive side. The idea of the athletic contest having been brought to a decision underlies the choice of the verb 1ep{8q.For the losers, the Kpictc, the 'adjudging of the prize,' i.e., the 'outcome' of the contest was a home-coming that was not as pleasant as for the victor. For xpivEtv nvi n, 'adjudge' something to someone, cf Ei1;,&v'AXtAA.euc t&v 01t/\,(l)V 'tffiV&v 1tEpt I KptVEtVrµEME xpa.toc aptC'tEtUCnvi, 0'1)1( UV nc aut' rµap'lfEV a.Moc avt' eµou, S.Aj.442-4; in the passive: nµai OE ~pO'tOtCl KEKptµevm,fi.94a.6/7; with the dative understood: evavop&v, EV0e&v yevoc£1( µtac OEnvfoµev I µmpoc aµqi6tepot · OtEtpyEtOEnaca KEKptµevaI ouvaµtc, roe 'tO µEv OUOEV, oOExa.AKEOC acqiaA.EcaiEv EOOC µevet oupav6c, N.6.1-4; cf also i\tot ~pot&v ye xexpttm ne'ipac ou n 0ava.wu, 0.2.31, where the adnominal genitive performs the function of the dative, as in: KptVE'tato' 1lpac;Jl.4.371; 7t'tO)(COV'tUC 5.634. Often of 'fleeing' from fear: a.Kpioec... q>EUyeµevm7tO'taµ6voe·'tOoi:: q>AEynCJ.Kaµmov 7t\Jp I opµevov El;aiq>VT]C, tat oi:: 7t'tO)CCO\JCl Ka0' uorop, /l.21.12-4; cf. ibid.2516, E.Ba.223. After three aorists (eµm,:tec, 81; Kpi0ri, 84; ©pcev, 86), the passage describing the misfortune of the defeated contestants is rounded off by a sentence with the finite verb in the present. These tenses reflect the temporal perspective of the moment of the ode's first performance: the contest was in the past, it was decided in the past, and the homecoming of the victor and of his defeated opponents had taken place in the past; the present 1ttcoccovn conveys the suggestion that the situation of the losers shrinking back in alleys is still existing on the moment of the celebrations for the victor. This emphasizes the contrast.

87. CUµq>opo:t ~£0ayµ£VO\ 'Bitten by their misfortune.' The mss. read 8e8ai:yµevot, which gives good sense (for 8a{~co cf. P.6.33; for the metaphorical sense cf. Od.13.320; /l.17.53), but gives irregular responsion. 207 Bergk's correction 8e8ayµevot is confirmed by the scholiast, who paraphrases t11t tftcrJttriccuµcpopa.i8aJCVoµevot (124b, II 217 Dr.). For the metaphorical usage of this verb cf. o,')-..)..,' tac (sc. 'Acppo8itac) £Kan !CTJPOC 8ax0dc £Am I i.pav µeAteccxvta.Koµm, .fr.123.10/ I; µa.Atcta 8' f\8e cuµcpopa {)eupoµr,votc,P.4.259-62; 'tOVOE KEv'taupoc saµevfic, ayaviit xloapov YEAUCCatC Oq>put,µijnv £UV I eu0uc aµEi~E'tO, P.9.38/9. Bacchylides does have µijnc in the sense of 'plan': 'to't' aµaxoc oaiµrov I dai:avEipat 7tOA.U0aKpUV U(j)UVE I µijnv £1ttq>pov', B.16.23-5. An aµaxoc oaiµrov wove a shrewd plan for Deianira when she heard that Heracles would take home lole. The poet does not specify what the 'shrewd plan' was. The audience are supposed to remeber from Sophocles that it was her plan to win Heracles back for herself by using the alleged love-spell Nessus gave to her. Both the epithet £1ttq>prov and the reported content of the painful message betray the perspective of Deianira in all her ignorance. The audience are led to see through this and to recognize that the arrival of lole was in fact not as painful as Deianira supposed and that her plan was not quite as shrewd, not quite as £1ttq>prov, as she might have wished. The effect is that of tragic irony. For more details on this passage, see my 'Bacchylides' Homer, His Tragedy, & His Pindar'. Cf. also U(j)atVE'tE 7CO'tatviavI µijnv, B.17.51/2; [c]u OE ~apdav Kll'tEXEµijnv, B.17.28/9. . .

There is one other passage in Pindar where µ11nc is used in a context dealing with poetical skill: µ11''OAuµ1tia:c a:yrova v cmoiwv ical.1tatpoc Mqa µhpav 1mvax11001tE1tOl1CtAµevav, Neµmtov iiyaAµa, N.8.14-6, iiyaAµa is interpreted by the scholiast as tov 1to1iciAOv uµvov. iiyaAµa is also used with reference to an ode in euµotpe µev [i]ocmpo:vwvMotcii~ [C)upaic[odw]v 1.ltltOOlVfl't(J)V C'tpata[y]e, I yvroc111 yAuic[u]owpov iiyaAµa, B.5.1-4. Cf. also a06:vmov Moucav· iiyaAµa, B.10.11; opµaivw tl.1tEµ1t[Etv]I XPUCEOV Mouciiv 'AA.E~avopoot 7ttEp6vI ml. cuµnoc[im]nv iiyaAµ' [ev] dicaoec[ct~], Bft.20b.3-5. In aprnx o' eniµox0oc [µev, ~]EAE'Uta0eica o' op0ii>cI [a~opl.ic]al.dm 8av111Adn[Et 7tOAu]/;;rtAWtOV E'\llCAEta~ii[yaA]µa, B.1.181-4, the concrete representation in which the iiyaAµa consists is unspecified. Boeckh's interpretation of xropaciiyaAµa as referring to the chorus performing this ode implies that iiyaAµa is interpreted metaphorically, as referring to the performers, the chorus of young Aeginetans, who would, with this interpretation, be said to be the 'honour of their country.' This metaphorical usage is paralleled by A.Ag.208, where a teicvov is called I iiyaAµa o6µwv iiyaAµa. Cf. also 'tl yo:p7tatpoc 0aAAOV'tOC E'\JICAElUC 'tElCVOlC µeil;;ovi, ti npoc naiowv natpi; S.Ant. 703/ 4. For our passage here, however, the metaphorical interpretation of iiyaAµa is unlikely. A word is used metaphorically when the denotation of that word does not make sense in the context and when the choice for this word is motivated by the relevance of its connotations. According to the well-known 'cooperative principle' described by H.P. Grice, 30 a recipient is going to test the possibility 29 For Pindar the link between a victory at the Great Games and the good of the community is obvious and unquestionable.See comm. on .N.5.8 i:yepmpEv. 30 H.P. Grice, 'Logic and Conversation', ~nta.x and Semantics,Vol. 3: SpeechActs (P. Cole &J.L. Morgan, edd.), New York 1975, 41-58. In the case of metaphor we are dealing mainly with Grice's 'maxim of relation', i.e. the assumption that

618

APPENDIX

whether a word might be used metaphorically only if the literal interpretation of the word is irrelevant in the context. As it appears from the passages quoted above, the denotation of ayaAµa is a 'concrete representation of a man's glory, honour.' It refers to outward show of a person's status and in epinician contexts it is used preeminently to refer to concrete representations of the honour of a victory, such as a statue or a victory ode. So if this literal interpretation of ayaAµa makes sense here, a metaphorical interpretation of this noun is excluded. (3) It is not immediately clear what the oxymoronxapt£V'tUCEt refuge into the vague realms of myth; av0' ©V µ' 'E'tEOKAT]C, xnpoc ouo, Epyou VEOO'tEpoc, Iyfjc E1;erocev,OU'tEVtKrJcaCMyrot I OU't'de EAEYXOV µ011,oov, I 1t6AtvOEndcac, S. OC 1295-8, Eteocles thrust Polynices from the land and won over Thebes, without defeating him in an argument upon his claim and without trying to get objective proof of the rightness of his claim (of his superiority) by beating Polynices in single combat; m11&vo' EAfYXOV 'tOU'tOµEv ITu0ooo' irov I 7tEU0ou'ta xpric0ev't ', d caq,&c f\yynAa cot, S. OT 603/ 4; KaU'tOCrovvfoc ltO'tEIyAroccavµEv apy6v, xeipa o' dxov Epyanv · I vuv o' de EAEYXOV E1;trovop& l3po'tOlCI 'tT)VyAroccav, oux1 'tapya, nav0' 11youµevriv, S.Ph.96-9, "but now, when I come forth to the proof, ... ", Jebb 53 ; 'tOUOEµrioicµou 'tOUIlaucaviou Ol AaKEOmµ6vt0t 1tpecl3EtcJtEµ'lfUV'tEC 1tapa 'tOUC'A0rivaiouc SUVEltTJl'tlOOV'tO Kal 'tOV0eµtc'tOKAEa,roeTJUptcKOV EK'tOOV ltEpl Ilaucaviav EAEYXCOV, 111;iouv'tE 'tOlCaU'tOtCKOAasec0m au16v' Th. l .135,

'the evidence on which Pausanias was convicted.'

Pindar uses the verb EAEyxroonce: ta µEv {tv} apµact KaAAivucot 7tVatKffiV EA.ucev£~ anµiac. I xaA.KEOtCl 8p6µov K'tA.,0.4.17-22. See further my note on lines 70/ l below (pp. 582/3).

N.3.15-16. 1'rovI •••1c:a.'t'a.lcav • Constitutionefthe text:The mss. unanimously read -rea.v... Ka-t' atcav. This second person pronoun can only refer to the Muse. However, from a pragmatic point of view, addressing her at this satge is rather awkward. She has been addressed for the last time in line l 0, and the emphatic shift of perspective from the Muse to the poet himself in line 11 does not help the hearer in perceiving an address to her here. More importantly, an address to the Muse does not make sense in the present context. If -reav refers to the Muse, the phrase -reav ... Km' atcav must be interpreted as equivalent to expressions like ~toe ai'cm and rendered as 'by your ordinance Aristoclides has not sullied the Myrmidons' folk-moot with disgrace by being weak in the pancration. '55 The expressions tltoc ai'.cm and (cuv) 0Eoovai'.cm are reminiscent of comparable expressions in Homer (e.g. Il.9.608, Od.9.52, 11.61, etc.), which are usually rendered with 'by the will, ordinance of the god(s)'. C£ cpepoicDE TipcowyEvEiacI actEt yA&ccav, lV' aioAO~pevm 8tOCai'.cm I Tiuppa 8EUK0-ceprovl3EA.E' TJ7t"CE't0, 7tl7t"CE 8/: Moc- I ~µoc 8' rie1..10cµt-ctvicctw l3ou1..u-c6v8e, Kat -c6-ct8TJp' u1ti:p atcav 'Axmot q>ep-ctpot ~cav, /l.16.778-80, the Greeks were more successful than they should be on the basis of their strength, they wanted too much; this sentence is the introduction of the scene of Patroclus thrice attempting to sack Troy with his own hands; OUyap "Ctcµ' U7tEpatcav avrip "Atfo 1tpotaljfEl,I µoipav 8' OU nva q>T]µt7tEq>uyµevov eµµEv av8p&v, I O'\JKaKOVou8/: µi:v ec0lov, E7tT]V 'CU 1tp&-cayevri-cm, //.6.487-9. The expression Ka't' atcav has reference to what is done in accordance to one's role in the world. ot>wc avrip ytVE"Cat Cf. 0toc ElTJI U7tT]µrovKEUP·Eu8aiµrov 8/: Kat uµVT]"COC COq>OtC, I& av XEPctVft 1to8&vapt-cat KpmT]CatC1-caµey1c-c,ae0A.rov€ATJl"COAµat "CEKat c0evn, I Kat srorov E"Clvmpov I Km' aicav UtOVtDTjt-cux6v-caC"CEq>avrov flu0irov. I O XUAKEOC oupavoc OU7t0"C, aµl3moc atHWl. I OCatC8/: l3po-covE0voc P.10.22-9; 8tc 8' e[v ayAotepro0ev xaA

effecting a transition from the introductory lines to the praise of the victor (cf. N.3.26/7, with my notes, pp. 302-4): 'Why do I utter this loud praise inopportunely?' In keeping with the familar fictional mimesis of ex tempore speech (see introduction, pp. 35/6), Pindar pretends that his opening lines are a false start, irrelevant to his present purpose. His Koµ1tei:vis 1tapa Katp6v because it does not pertain to his present encomiastic purposes in their narrowest sense, as the lines following the question specify (4-7).109 In a1t6 µot A.6yovI to'ihov, c-c6µa, pt'lfOV· I f1tet 'COye AOtOOpf\cm0eouc I rx0pa I µ11vuv AaAayn cocpia, KUl'COKauxac0m 1tapa Katpov I µavlatCtV U1t0KpEKEt. · q>Epotc 0£ 'CU 'COtaU'C' · fo 1t6Aeµov µaxav 'CE 1tacav I xwpk a0ava'CO>V yA.ioccavK'CA,0.9.35-42, the gnome 'COKauxac0m 1tapa Tipwtoyeveiac I CXC'CEt Kmpov I µavlmetv u1toKpEKEtis part of the motivation of the break off of

the story of Heracles' battle with the gods. The break off is motivated in terms of this story not being 'opportune' in that it is not a morally good story to tell (again, the presentation is fictional; cf N.5.14-8, with my notes, p. 117). It does not concur with Katp6c because it is not pertinent to the aims of the ode. For Kmp6c in break off passages, cf also 0.13.47 /8 (quoted above). In Katpov Ei cp0i:yl;mo, 1COAAOOV 1teipm:a C'IJV'CaVUCatC I EV ppaxei:, µeiwv E1tE'Catµioµoc av0pro1t0>V · a1to yap Kopoc aµpAUVElI aiav11c mxeiac EA1tl0ac· 1 ac-ciov o' CXKOaEScov €7tt0EpK£'tatUK'ttV£CctV I oupavov dcavtcov ouo' oupav60£v Katapaivcov, Hes.Ih.759-61; oupav60£v Kmap&c, /l.11.184 (cf. /l.17.545, Kmap&vm, Hdt.1.84; papu OEC(j)tV IV£1KOC Od.6.281, etc.); tftc UKp01tOAlOC (cf. /l.5.109, 'AxtA£\JCI eµ1t£C£xaµal. Kmapak aq>' &pµ&tcov, N6.50/l Hdt.9. 76, etc.); de 'A{oa o6µov ... Kmepa, P.3.11 (cf. UAM 1tptv EK't£Afml mtePri o6µov "Ai:ooc &co, Thgn.917; cf. ibid.974, 1014, Od.23.252,

Hdt.2.122; SAnt.822, etc.). The sea and coastal areas are lower than the inland: El;tevm EKtftcxoopric[ml.] KmaPftvm ECCµupvriv, Hdt.1.94; E1tl 0&11,accavKampaivovm, Hdt.7.28 (cf. Hdt.1.154, 3.141, 6.43, 7.20, etc.); Ev0aum KatEPll UU'tOC3epl;ric E1tl 'tEoot µfrcrot Kampak EKUA£CC£ Ilocrn'>iiv' EUpupiav, 0.6.58. The verb may be used metaphorically in the sense of 'going, getting down to,' without any literal motion being implied. As in: apx6µ£VOCOEll7t' apxftc ◊td;fit£ -i:fttv provides (i.e., grants, allows), while tossing up high in the air, now one, now another, and casting another beneath his hands, to enter competition with measure.' This interpretation founders on the same grounds as ( 1), since it implies that, due to the oaiµ0>v, one has or should have a restraint in entering further contests. Moreover, oaiµ0>v OE1tapicxa ... µfap0>1 Kmapaivav does not really work as the counterpart of 'ta o' OUKE1t'avopact KEl'tat (76). Finally, the placement of the two-fold participle clause in between the finite verb and the infinitive it governs, is awkward. (3) For µi'tp0>1Kmapaiva, with the oaiµ0>v as subject, three different interpretations have been proposed: (i) Taking Kawpaiva as transitive and causal, with if)..)..,ovas its object: 'bring down, reduces to moderation', cf. av·tt 1:01> Kmapaivnv 1tot£'i, L. ad loc. ( 111a, II 21 7 Dr.). 130 This gives an unparalleled and highly improbable meaning of the verb. (ii) Taking KawPaiva intransitive, in the sense of 'enter128 For the irifinitivuspro imperativoin Pindar cf. ft.106. 7,ft.180.1, NI 1.10, I.4.13; perhaps also P.1.68. See further Hummel, Syntaxe,pp. 280/ l (§ 353). 129 pouA.at 8e 1tpEcPfrtEpmI a1C1v8uvovEµot fooc (ce) 1totl 1tavta Myov I EltatVEtv 1tapexovtt, P.2.65-7, is not to be compared, because the verb has an object: 1tapexco/1tapicxcowith an object and infinitive means 'presenting, offering' for a purpose, as in tOUtttouµov cooµ' U'lltOlctVI 1tUPEXCOttllttElV, Ar.Nub.440/1. 130 Thus Slater s.v.; Boeckh, II 2, p. 317; Fennell aaloc., p. 243; Fraccaroli, p. 139, n. 2; Schroeder ad loc., p. 74; Wilamowitz, Pindaros,p. 442. Sandys connects µhpcot with im6: 'bringeth one below the level of his hands' (cf. Madvig, Adversaria,i.188: 'infra mensuram manuum'). In addition to the problem concerning the verb, this interpretation stretches the meaning of µetpov beyond acceptance (cf. Farnell, ad loc., II, p. 198).

664

APPENDIX

ing the list'. The cSaiµffivis metaphorically described as a wrestler. 131 To this interpretation Miller (GRBS30, 1989, 481 n. 52) objects that it results in the anomalous image of three simultaneous combatants. 132 Similar considerations led Burton to regard the cSaiµffivas "a 133 kind of ghostly E