The World's Greatest Books [Volumes 1-15, 17-20]

unfold In hall for gentle fellowship arrayed; But Croesus' loving kindness shall not fade. Joy is the chiefest prize

Of life; the next, renown But whoso grasps the twain allies Hath won the highest crown.

The Fourth Pythian Ode

FOR ARKESILAS OF KYRENE, WINNER IN THE CHARIOT RACE

Muse, let the gale of music swell While thou to-day a guest dost dwell With him who in Kyrene reigns, Kyrene, famed for flowing manes Of horses goodly in the race. 'Tis Leto's children's due, And Pytho's too; For she who sits at Pytho old, Apollo's priestess, once foretold How Battos should in Libya rear The city of the charioteer, And so in after time fulfil The Colchian queen, Medea's will. For she to Jason's crew foretold That deep the Libyan soil should hold A root of cities manifold, Peopled by heroes skilled and bold 82

To speed the whirlwind-footed car And win the prize of peaceful war— A race from Argonaut Euphemos sprung, He whom a god approached, what time they hung Against fleet Argo's side Her bronze-flecked bridle. Pride Was in his mien and grace informed his speech. While from the beach He to Euphemos gave a clod of earth, As earnest of the hearth His line should found In the wide Libyan ground. So rhythmic ran Medea's utterance, And in a silent trance

The godlike heroes bowed their heads to hear. Now to Arkesilas, Kyrene's king, Eighth in descent from Battos, will I sing, For lo! his leaf is green And lately have we seen Him take the victor's place Over Amphictyons in the chariot race. The story of his line, That first won glory in the quest Of the all-golden fleece, be mine To tell, how Jason came, unwelcome guest, Wearing one sandal, fateful sign To him that ruled Iolkos' sunny land. So, in time's fulness, there he came, Wielding two spears, a man all glorious— Twofold his vesture; see, his shapely limbs Close-fitting garments of Magnesia house. But over all a pelt of pard, The hissing showers to ward. No shears his glory dims, But rippling ran

His locks adown his back's broad span. Ay, dauntless-souled he strode along

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And took his stand

There in the market-place, amid the thickest throng. At Pelias' call

To seek the fleece he sailed, He and his heroes all, to their high purpose nailed With bolts of adamant. And see! their oars they plant Deep in the surge, obedient to the sign Vouchsafed by Zeus divine;

For favouring thunder peals from heaven as they, Untiring, through the ocean cleave their way. Now, wafted by the south, They reach the Axine mouth, And to Poseidon rear a shrine. To Colchis next they came, Where the keen Cyprian's flame Maddened Medea's heart With longing to depart Again to Hellas, where With Jason she might share The joys of wedlock sweet. Him then with heart discreet She taught the way to win The golden fleece, and meet The toilsome tasks wherein Her father sought the hero to defeat: But, flinging back his saffron cloak, He bent the fiery bulls beneath the yoke, And ploughed Poseidon's field. Medea next revealed The secret of the fleece concealed In darkling wood and dragon-guarded; lo! The path is long to show— My time is out, and others wait my skilclass="underline" A shorter track, Arkesilas, I know— The speckled snake by subtlety he slew, Then, with his hero crew, 84

Bearing the fleece and dark Medea too, To Ocean's deep they hied And wandered far and wide. Where high the Red Sea ran They sojourned, and with women Lemnian, The husband-slaying race, They tarried for a space. There, in a stranger womb Was sown the fateful seed, Whence brightest fortunes bloom For thy renowned breed; And Thera's isle they won, When Leto's son Gave to thy line the Libyan plain, And bade them in Kyrene reign: Kyrene of the golden throne With truthful counsels evermore they own. Arkesilas, physician skilled, be strong To serve thy city, since not long For men is opportunity, And wise is he

Who marks the moment to redress a wrong. They say the sorest in his heart Who, knowing good, therein doth lack a part. In this thy city fair

Demophilos, thy brother, hath no share. Even so is exiled Atlas bent Beneath the ponderous firmament; Yet Zeus in time set free The Titans, and as sailors see The breeze abate, and shift their sails, So in good hour with hopeful gales Demophilos shall homeward hie, Peace and the joy of youthful hearts to know, Beside Apollo's fount to feast, and ply His carven lute, and tell What fair and springing well 85

Of deathless verse, Arkesilas, he made

For thee to flow,

When he of late a guest at Thebae stayed.

The Ninth Pythian Ode

FOR TELESIKRATES OF KYRENE, WINNER OF THE FOOT RACE IN FULL ARMOUR

By the deep-vested Graces' aid I seek to sing a victor's fame; How Telesikrates, arrayed With brazen shield, to Pytho came, And there with victory crowned Kyrene's city for the car renowned. Once on a day from Pelion's windy dells Apollo stole the huntress maid Kyrene, and the gentle spells Of Aphrodite on her laid; For when he spied her struggling sore tWith a dread lion, unafraid, Amazed, he asked of Qieiron hoar: " What man begat, what country bore This girl by terrors undismayed? And were it meet," he asked, " in bridal bower To pluck so fresh, so sweet a flower?" To him replied the Centaur mild, And frankly as he spoke he smiled: " Ah, secret are the keys Persuasion holds of love's own sanctities Even gods account it shame With freedom to proclaim The earliest marriage joy. But, Phoebus, why employ Dissembled speech, and ask Of me the maiden's line? For thee 'twere easy task, Since thou, a god divine, 86