Mother of contests crowned with wreaths of gold, Olympia, queen of truth! where, by the test of sacrifices, diviners inquire the will of Zeus of the flashing thunderbolt, asking if he hath any message to give concerning men, who in their very heart are seeking to win great praise for prowess and a breathing-space from toils. For the prayers of men find in their fulfilment a recompense for reverent adoration. O thou precinct of Pisa, with thy fair trees beside the Alpheüs ! give welcome to this chorus of triumph, and this crowning of the victor. Great in sooth is his glory for ever, whoe’er is attended by this bright reward. Some blessings are wont to come to one man, some to another; and, with the favour of the gods, there are many paths of prosperity. But fate hath allotted thee and thine, Timosthenés, to Zeus, as the god of thy race, Zeus who made thee the observed of all at Nemea, and made thy brother, Alcimedon, an Olympian victor beside the
hill of Cronus. Comely was he to look upon, and verily he did not belie his beauty of form, when, by his victory in the wrestling-match, he caused Aegina with her long oars to be proclaimed as his fatherland, that land where the saving goddess, Themis, whose throne is beside the seat of Zeus, the god of hospitality, is honoured more than among all other men. For, when there is a heavy weight in the balance, and it swayeth many ways, it is hard to wrestle with, so as to reach a decision with righteous mind in fitting wise. But it may be deemed an ordinance of the immortals that set up this seagirt land to be as a pillar divine for visitants from every clime ; and may the time to come never weary of fulfilling this. ’Tis a land which obeyeth the rule of the Dorian folk from the time of Aeacus, whom the son of Léto and widely-ruling Poseidén, when about to build a diadem of towers for Ilium, summoned to help them in building the wall. For it was fated that, amid the onsets of wars, when cities are ruined by battles, those towers should breathe forth vast volumes of smoke. Scarce was the wall builded when grey-eyed serpents three essayed to leap into the tower, and two of them fell down, and anon in amazement gave up their lives, while the third leapt
up with a cry; and Apollo, pondering on the adverse omen, said straightway: ‘Pergamos is taken, O hero, hard by the work of thy hands; so saith a vision sent to me, a vision of Zeus, the loudly thundering son of Cronus; not without thy sons; but the capture will begin with the first generation, and (will end) with the fourth.”! Thus spake the god full clearly, and hastened on his way to Xanthus, and to the Amazons with their noble steeds, and to the Ister. And the wielder of the trident drove his swift chariot toward the sea-washed Isthmus, to bring Aeacus hither to his home in his golden car, and to view the feast-famed ridge of Corinth. But nothing shall be equally pleasant among all men; and, if I myself have, for Melésias, rushed up in song to the height of glory won by the training of beardless youths, let not envy cast a rough stone at me; for I could tell of his winning such another victory himself (among boys) at Nemea, and of his later contests among men, even in the pancratium.
To teach, as ye know, is easier for him that himself hath knowledge, while it is foolish not to learn betimes. Flighty are the words of them that have made no trial ; but he, beyond all others, could speak of those brave deeds, telling what manner of training will aid a man that is eager to win from contests in the sacred games the fame that is most yearned for. For himself it is a boon indeed that a thirtieth victory hath been won for him by Alcimedon, who, by heaven-sent good-fortune, but with no slackness in his own prowess, thrust off from himself on the bodies of four boys a most hateful return amid jibes of contempt, while they slink to their homes unseen; and hath inspired his father’s sire with strength that wrestles with old age. Ye know that the grave is forgotten by him who hath won befitting fame. But meet it is for me to awaken Memory, and to tell of the fruit of the victorious hands of the race of Blepsias, who have now been wreathed with the sixth garland won from crowned contests. Even the dead have share in rites duly paid in their honour, and the noble grace of their kinsmen on earth is not buried in the dust. But the victor'’s father, Iphién, having listened to the Teller of glad tidings, the daughter of Hermes, will haply
tell his own brother Callimachus of the bright glory at Olympia, which Zeus hath given to their race. May it be his pleasure to grant blessings heaped upon blessings, and to keep afar all painful maladies. I pray that, for the share of glory allotted them, he may not cause Nemesis to be divided in counsel ; but may he grant a painless life, and thus give increase to themselves and to their city.
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