Even as when men are holding high festival, so mingle we a second bowl of the Muses’ songs in honour of the athlete-house of Lampon. At Nemea was the first, when at thy hands, O Zeus, we won the flower of crowns, and now, a second time, at the hands of the lord of the Isthmus and the fifty Nereids, on the victory of the youngest son, Phylacidas. Heaven grant that we may make ready a third bowl for Zeus Sétér of Olympia, and thus pour over Aegina a libation of honied strains of song. For, if a man, rejoicing in expense and in toil, achieveth distinctions on a divine foundation, and if heaven help by sowing for him the seed of fair fame, honoured of God he casteth his anchor at fortune’s farthest shore. The son of Cleonicus prayeth that he may light on feelings such as these, ere he meeteth death or grey old age. And I myself implore Cléthé enthroned on high, to listen, with her sister Fates, to the loud entreaties of the man I love.
And, as for you, ye sons of Aeacus with your golden chariots, I deem it my clearest law, to shower praises on you, whene’er I set foot on this isle. For countless roads are cleft for your noble deeds, roads with their hundred feet of continuous breadth, extending even beyond the springs of the Nile, and through the land beyond the North wind. Nor is there any city so rude in speech, so strange in tongue, that it knoweth not the fame of the hero Péleus, that happy husband of a deity, nor of Aias, nor of Telamon, his sire. Him the son of Aleméné, because of Laomedon’s wrong; led in ships unto war that rejoiceth in armour, even unto Troy, that weary quest of heroes, as an eager ally along with the men of Tiryns. And he took Pergamos, and with help of Telamon, slew the tribes of Meropes, and that herdsman, huge as a mountain, Aleyoneus, whom he found at Phlegrae, when the loudly twanging bow-string was not left untouched by the hands of Heracles. But, when he came to call the son of Aeacus to that famous voyage. he found them feasting, and, as in lion’s skin he stood, Amphitryon’s When Hésioné, daughter of Laomedén, king of Troy, was about to be sacrificed to a marine monster sent by Poseidén, Heracles slew the monster, but Laomedén refused the promised reward. Thereupon Heracles sailed with Telamon against Troy, slew Laomedén and all his sons,
warrior-son was summoned to pour out the first libation of nectar,—summoned by good Telamon, who lifted up to him the wine-bowl rough with ( gold; and he, the while, outstretching unto heaven his hands invincible, spake out on this wise :— “If ever, O father. Zeus, thou hast heard my prayer with willing heart, now, even now, with strong entreaty, I pray thee to bring to perfection for Telamon a brave son, to be my fated guest-friend. I pray thee to make him as hardy in frame as this hide that is wrapped around me, hide of the beast whom, as the very first of my labours, I slew that day in Nemea; and may he have courage to match.” He ceased, and, thereupon, the god sent him a mighty eagle, king of birds, and sweet delight thrilled his heart, and prophet-like he spake and said :— “Lo! Thou shalt have the son, for whom thou askest, Telamon ; and, after the name of the bird that hath appeared, thou shalt call him the mighty Aias,' dread foeman in the war-toils of the people.” Thus having said, forthwith he sate him down. But, as for me, it would take too long to tell of all their deeds of prowess ; for, O my Muse, it is for
[. . .] have come to marshal the triumph-march. In Argive fashion, shall the tale be told, I ween, even in briefest words. Three victories in the pancratium [. . .] Phylacidas and Pytheas and Euthymenés, [. . .] from the Isthmus, and others again from leafy Nemea, were carried off by those glorious boys and by their eme. And oh! the goodly boon of praises which they raised to the light! Aye! and with brightest dew of song they refresh the clan of the Psalychidae ; they have firmly founded the house of Themistius, and they dwell here in a city which is loved of heaven. And Lampon himself, spending pains on all his work,” holdeth in honour that saying of Hesiod,” quoting and commending it to his sons besides, and thus bringing a general fame to his own city, while he is loved for his good deeds to strangers also, in heart pursuing the true mean, and holding to that mean in act beside ; and his tongue departeth not from his thoughts. You might say that, amid the athletes, he was a very stone of Naxos among all others, the metal-mastering whetstone. I shall give him to drink of the pure water of Dircé, which the deep-zoned daughters of golden-robed Memory made to gush forth beside the noble gates of the walls of Cadmus.
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