The fifth Pythian celebrates the same victory as the fourth (Pyth. 31, Ol. 78, 3=466 B.C.), and was sung in the festal procession along the street of Apollo at Kyrene. The charioteer, who plays a conspicuous part in the ode, was Karrhotos (Alexibiades), brother of the king's wife. For the legendary portion of the story of the Battiadai, Pindar himself, in these two odes, is our chief authority. Herodotos has given much space in his fourth book (c. 150, foll.) to the early history of the house. The founder of Kyrene was Aristoteles, surnamed Battos, descendant of Euphemos, the Minyan, of Tainaros. From Tainaros the family went to Thera, and in the seventeenth generation fulfilled an ancient oracle by the occupation of Kyrene, which had been settled five hundred years before by the Trojan Antenoridai. Kyrene was founded Ol. 37 (632 B.C.), and the throne was filled by eight kings in succession, an Arkesilas succeeding a Battos to the end. The rule of the Battiadai seems to have been harsh; revolts were frequent; and the Arkesilas of this poem was the last of the kings, and fell in a popular tumult. This ode seems to be the one ordered by the king; the preceding ode was a propitiatory present from a banished nobleman, Damophilos. In the fifth Pythian the theme is stated in the very beginning. Wealth wedded to Honor and blessed by Fortune hath a wide sway (v. 1, foll.). The word ὄλβος is repeated with a marked persistency. So we read v. 14: πολὺς ὄλβος ἀμφινέμεται, v. 55: ὄλβος ἔμπαν τὰ καὶ τὰ νέμων, v. 102: σφὸν ὄλβον. As variants, we have μάκαιραν ἑστίαν (v. 11), μάκαρ (v. 20), μακάριος (v. 46), μάκαρ (v. 94). But Honor is not less loved. We have σὺν εὐδοξίᾳ (v. 8), γέρας (vv. 18, 31, 124), λόγων φερτάτων μναμῇον (v. 48), μεγάλαν ἀρετάν (v. 98). There is a συγγενὴς ὀφθαλμός (v. 17), an ὄμμα φαεννότατον (v. 56). But above Wealth and Honor is the blessing of God. The power is given of God (v. 13). The glory must be ascribed to God (v. 25). The men who came to Thera came not without the gods (v. 76). God makes of potency performance (v. 117). The higher powers aid at every turn — Kastor of the golden chariot (v. 9); Apollo, god of the festal lay (v. 23); Apollo, leader of the colony (v. 60); and, to crown all, Zeus himself (v. 122). This iteration makes the dominant thought plain enough, and there seems to be no propriety in classing the poem “among the most difficult of the Pindaric odes.” After an introduction, then, which has for its theme the power of prosperity paired with honor under the blessing of Fortune, as illustrated by Arkesilas' possession of ancestral dignity and his attainment of the Pythian prize (vv. 1-22), the poet is about to pass to the story of Battos, founder of Kyrene, in whose career are prefigured the fortunes of his race. But Pindar pauses perforce to pay a tribute to Karrhotos, the charioteer, before he tells the legend of Battos, just as in O. 8 he pauses perforce after the legend of Aiakos to praise Melesias, the trainer. Such details were doubtless nominated in the bond. This time the honor is paid to one who stands near the king, and it needs no apology. The trainer has but one sixth of O. 8, the charioteer has one fourth of P. 5. The transition is managed here with much greater art than in O. 8, which shows the jar of the times. Karrhotos represents the new blessing of the Pythian victory as Battos represents the old blessing of Apollo's leadership. The story of Battos is briefly told, as is the story of Aiakos in O. 8. True, he put lions to flight (v. 58), but it was Apollo's doing, and Battos is as faint in the light of Apollo as Aiakos in the light of his divine partners. He was fortunate while he lived, and honored after his death (vv. 94, 95), but we are not allowed to forget the thought of the opening, v. 25: παντὶ μὲν θεὸν αἴτιον ὑπερτιθέμεν, a thought which is reinforced by the close also. The rhythms are logaoedic in the main, but the strophe has a long Paionian introduction of sixteen bars (I. II.). Compare the structure of O. 2,1 and see Introductory Essay, p. lxxiv. The introduction proper (Arkesilas) occupies one triad, one is given to Karrhotos, one to Battos, the fourth returns to Arkesilas.
Strophe 1
ὁ πλοῦτος εὐρυσθενής: On the union of πλοῦτος and ἀρετά, see O. 2.58: ὁ μὰν πλοῦτος ἀρεταῖς δεδαιδαλμένος ι φέρει τῶν τε καὶ τῶν ι καιρόν.κεκραμένον: Blended with=wedded to. See O. 1.22. καθαρᾷ: As ἀρετά is “honor,” so καθαρά is used of it as καθαρόν is used of φέγγος. P. 9.97: Χαρίτων κελαδεννᾶν ι μή με λίποι καθαρὸν φέγγος, fr. XI. 3: καθαρὸν ἁμέρας σέλας. The poet strikes the keynote of the ode: “Wealth with Honor” as a gift of God, who appears here as πότμος.
παραδόντος . . . ἀνάγῃ: There is a festal, bridal notion in both words. For ἀνάγειν, see Il. 3. 48; Od. 3. 272; 4, 534.
θεόμορε: This string is harped on. So v. 13: θεόσδοτον, v. 25: παντὶ μὲν θεὸν αἴτιον ὑπερτιθέμεν, v. 60: ἀρχαγέτας Ἀπόλλων, v. 76: οὐ θεῶν ἄτερ, v. 117: θεός τέ ϝοι . . . τελεῖ δύνασιν.
νιν: “Wealth blent with Honor;” but νιν may be πλοῦτον and σὺν εὐδοξίᾳ a variant of ἀρετᾷ. κλυτᾶς | αἰῶνος ἀκρᾶν βαθμίδων ἄπο: Life is represented as a flight of steps. ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς τοῦ βίου, says the Schol. The κλυτὰ αἰών is the lofty position to which Arkesilas is born. Kastor plays the part of πότμος, and the king goes after the wealth that he is to bring home as a πολύφιλον ἑπέταν. For αἰών fem. see P. 4.186.
χρυσαρμάτου Κάστορος: The Dioskuroi, whose worship was brought from Thera to Kyrene, had a temple on the famous ἱππόκροτος σκυρωτὰ ὁδός (v. 92). Castor gaudet equis, but the Dioskuroi were, and, in a sense, are still, sailor gods. The wealth of Kyrene was due to its commerce in silphium, its fame to its chariots (P. 4.18; 9, 4), and Kastor represents both commerce and chariots. This sailor element suggests the next figure.
εὐδίαν: The special function of the Dioskuroi was to calm storms. Compare “the ship of Alexandria whose sign was Castor and Pollux” (Acts 28, 11), and
χειμέριον ὄμβρον: Cf. v. 120: φθινοπωρὶς ἀνέμων χειμερία . . . πνοά. This is the storm of state in which Damophilos was banished. See introd. to P. 4.“ Dicam et Alciden puerosque Ledae,
hunc equis, illum superare pugnis
nobilem: quorum simul alba nautis
stella refulsit,
defluit saxis agitatus umor,
concidunt venti, fugiuntque nubes,
et minax, quod sic voluere, ponto
unda recumbit.
”
καταιθύσσει: καταιθύσσειν is used of Iason's hair that streamed down his back (P. 4.83), and is well suited to the meteoric Kastor, called by the sailors of to-day St. Elmo's fire. μάκαιραν ἑστίαν: Cf. O. 1.11.
Antistrophe 1
σοφοί: “The noble.” From P.'s point of view wisdom is hereditary, the privilege of a noble caste. P. 2.88: χὤταν πόλιν οἱ σοφοὶ τηρέωντι. Compare O. 7.91, foll., where Diagoras' straight course, despite his prosperity, is attributed to the hereditary balance of his soul.ἐρχόμενον: “Walking.” The first figure echoes still. ἐν δίκᾳ: O. 2.83.
ἔχει συγγενής: I follow the MSS., though it is hard to frame a clear translation. ὀφθαλμός is used as O. 2.11; 6, 16, metaphorically. συγγενὴς ὀφθαλμός is really = συγγενὴς πότμος (I. 1, 39). It is the blessing that comes from exalted birth. “Born fortune hath this (τὸ βασιλέα εἶναι) as its meed most fit for reverence when wedded to a soul like thine.” Compare O. 8.11: σὸν γέρας, “a privilege like thine.” One cannot be born to higher fortune than to have thy rank and thy nature. Hermann's ἐπεὶ συγγενές is easier. “Since this born meed of reverence wedded to a soul like thine is a light of life.” To be born a king, and to be of kingly mould, is a real ὀφθαλμός, a true ὄλβος. J. H. H. Schmidt (Synon. 1, 376) maintains that ὀφθαλμός is clearly differentiated from ὄμμα. “ὀφθαλμός is not the eye as a jewel, but the eye as a guiding star.” So O. 2.11; 6, 16 (cited above). Here he makes συγγενὴς ὀφθαλμός to mean “native insight.”
μιγνύμενον: Cf. v. 2.
εὖχος . . . ἑλών: Compare O. 10 (11), 69: εὖχος ἔργῳ καθελών.
Epode 1
Ἀπολλώνιον ἄθυρμα: So I. 3 (4), 57 ἀθύρειν is used of the joy of poesy.Κυράναν: So Bergk for Κυράνα. K. depends on ἀμφί. Cf. P. 9.114: Ἴρασα πρὸς πόλιν. κᾶπον Ἀφροδίτας: As P. calls Libya (P. 9.57) Διὸς κᾶπος, and Syracuse (P. 2.2) τέμενος Ἄρεος. Kyrene, a luxurious place, was famed for its roses, flowers sacred to Aphrodite. ἀειδόμενον: With σε. This gives the necessary contrast, whereas with κᾶπον it would only be a picturesque detail. “While thy praises are sung, do not forget what thou owest to God, what thou owest to Karrhotos.” According to Bergk, the inf. gives the contents of the song, and ἀειδόμενον is=ὅτι ἀείδεται. “Forget not that there is a song that resounds about Kyrene: Ascribe everything to God.” Cf. P. 2.23. This message is supposed to have been delivered to Kyrene by an oracle.
ὑπερτιθέμεν: The sense is “to give the glory of everything to God.” The figure is that of setting up God, as the author, over the achievement, which is the pedestal.
Κάρρωτον: Arkesilas' wife's brother, who was the charioteer.
Ἐπιμαθέος: “After-thought,” the opposite of Προμηθέος (Fore-thought). Compare O. 7.44: Προμαθέος Αἰδώς. ἄγων: The figure of a procession, as v. 3: ἀνάγῃ. No lingering bride delayed his steps.
θυγατέρα: See O. 8.1.
θεμισκρεόντων: The word, which occurs only here, seems to refer to the oracular institution of the kingship. P. 4.53: τὸν μὲν . . . Φοῖβος ἀμνάσει θέμισσιν . . . πολεῖς ἀγαγὲν Νείλοιο πρὸς πῖον τέμενος Κρονίδα.
ὕδατι Κασταλίας ξενωθείς: With reference to the usual lustration in the waters of Kastalia, and not merely a periphrasis for Pytho. Cf. P. 4.299: Θήβᾳ ξενωθείς.
Strophe 2
ἀκηράτοις ἁνίαις: Dative of circumstance. The reins which were passed round the body (see fig. p. 170) often got broken or tangled. Compare So. El. 746: σὺν δ᾽ ἑλίσσεται τμητοῖς ἱμάσι (τ. ἱ.=ἡνίαις), and“ αὐτὸς δ᾽ ὁ τλήμων ἡνίαισιν ἐμπλακεὶς
δεσμὸν δυσεξήνυστον ἕλκεται δεθείς.
”
ποδαρκέων δώδεκα δρόμων τέμενος: “Through the sacred space of the twelve swiftfooted courses.” τέμενος is acc. of extent to the verbal idea in ἀκηράτοις. Bergk considers ποδαρκέων to be a participle=τρέχων. Böckh writes ποταρκέων=προσαρκέων, “holding out,” ποτί=πρός being elided as O. 7.90: ποτ᾽ ἀστῶν. On the number twelve, see O. 2.55; 3, 33; 6, 75. The hippodrome was sacred soil, hence the propriety of τέμενος.
ἐντέων σθένος: Compare O. 6.22: σθένος ἡμιόνων. “No part of the strong equipage.” ἔντεα embraces the whole outfit. κρέμαται: The change of subject is nothing to P. Cf. O. 3.22.
ὁπόσα ... δαίδαλα: The chariots of Kyrene were famous (Antiphanes ap. Athen. 3, 100 f.). The ὁπόσα gives the positive side of οὐδέν above, and δαίδαλα can only be referred to the chariots and their equipment (ἔντεα) which were hung up as ἀναθήματα at Delphi, a usage for which, however, we have no very safe warrant.
ἄγων ... ἄμειψεν: “Brought across.”
ἐν = ἐς: See P. 2.11.
τοῦ: Sc. Ἀπόλλωνος (Bergk). The MSS. τό, “therefore” (“wherefore”).
ἀνδριάντι: Why the especial mention of this Cretan statue? Böckh thinks of a connection between the Cretans and the Battiadai. But the peculiar sanctity of the effigy is enough to account for the mention.
κάθεσσαν τόν: For καθέσσαντο (unmetrical), with Hermann. Bergk, καθέσσανθ᾽ ᾧ, ᾧ being = σφετέρῳ = Κρητῶν. μονόδροπον φυτόν: “Grown in one piece.” Of a tree that had an accidental likeness to a human figure, which likeness had afterwards been brought out by Daidaleian art.
Antistrophe 2
τὸν εὐεργέταν: Usu. referred to Karrhotos. L. Schmidt and Mezger make it apply to Apollo, and cite v. 25. The only thing that favors this is the bringing in of Alexibiades, as if some one else had been mentioned. ὑπαντιάσαι: “To requite.” The construction after the analogy of ἀμείψασθαι. The subject σέ is implied as ἐμέ (ἡμᾶς) is implied P. 1.29.Ἀλεξιβιάδα: The patronymic gives weight and honor. σὲ δέ: See O. 1.36. φλέγοντι: “Illume.” Compare O. 9.24: φίλαν πόλιν ι μαλεραῖς ἐπιφλέγων ἀοιδαῖς. Χάριτες: See O. 7.11.
μακάριος, ὃς ἔχεις , κτἑ.: He might have had the κάματος without the λόγοι. This furnishes the transition.
πεδά=μετά (Aiol.-Dor.). Cf.O. 12.12.
μναμῇον (Aeolic) for μνημεῖον (Bergk). The MSS. μναμήιον, Christ μναμήι᾽. τεσσαράκοντα: The number seems high. Il. 23. 287 there are but five competitors, So. El. 708 but ten.
πετόντεσσιν (Aeolic) = καταπεσοῦσι (Schol.).
ἀταρβεῖ φρενί: Cf. P. 9.33: ἀταρβεῖ ... κεφαλᾷ. Karrhotos owed the victory to his coolness. So did Antilochos in the Iliad (23, 515): κέρδεσιν οὔ τι τάχει γε παραφθάμενος Μενέλαον.
ἦλθες ... πεδίον: See P. 4.51. ἀγλαῶν: So Moschopulos for ἀγαθῶν. Mommsen reads ἀγαθέων = ἠγαθέων, “divine.”
Epode 2
πόνων ... ἔσεται: In another mood Pindar says, O. 10 (11), 24: ἄπονον δ᾽ ἔλαβον χάρμα παῦροί τινες.ἔμπαν τὰ καὶ τὰ ϝέμων: “Despite its chequered course.” So I. 4 (5), 52: Ζεὺς τά τε καὶ τὰ νέμει, and I. 3 (4), 51: τῶν τε γὰρ καὶ τῶν διδοῖ. Success and defeat, good and bad, glory and toil.
πύργος ἄστεος ... ξένοισι: Compare P. 3.71: πραῢς ἀστοῖς, οὐ φθονέων ἀγαθοῖς, ξείνοις δὲ θαυμαστὸς πατήρ. Significant omission here of the ἀγαθοί. The conspiracy was among the upper classes. ὄμμα: See note on v. 17. φαεννότατον: See P. 3.75.
λέοντες ... φύγον: P., according to his wont (cf. P. 3.83: τὰ καλὰ τρέψαντες ἔξω), turns the old tale about. Kyrene was infested by lions, like the rest of Africa (“leonum arida nutrix”), until the arrival of Battos. According to Pausanias, 10, 15, 7, Battos, the stammerer, was frightened by the sight of a lion into loud and clear utterance; P. makes this utterance frighten the lion and his kind into flight. περὶ δείματι: περί here takes the peculiar construction which is more frequently noticed with ἀμφί, “compassed by fear,” hence “from fear.” So Aisch. Pers. 696: περὶ τάρβει, Choëph. 35: περὶ φόβῳ, Hymn. Cer. 429: περὶ χάρματι.
ἔδωκε ... φόβῳ: So N. 1.66: δώσειν μόρῳ, O. 2.90: θανάτῳ πόρεν, O. 10 (11), 102: ἔπορε μόχθῳ.
ταμίᾳ Κυράνας: ταμίας is a high word. See P. 1.88. ἀτελὴς ... μαντεύμασιν = ψευδόμαντις. “One that effects naught by his prophecies.”
Strophe 3
βαρειᾶν νόσων , κτἑ.: Apollo's various functions are enumerated, beginning with the physical and proceeding to the musical and the political, which had a natural nexus to the Greek. The development is perfectly normal.ἀκέσματα:) The Kyrenaians, next to the Krotoniates, were the best physicians of Greece, Hdt. 3, 131. The medical side is turned out v. 91: ἀλεξιμβρότοις πομπαῖς. Compare P. 4.270. Silphium also had rare virtues.
πόρεν τε κίθαριν: Compare v. 107 and P. 4.295. The moral effect of the κίθαρις (compare the φόρμιγξ in P. 1) prepares the way for ἀπόλεμον ... εὐνομίαν.
μυχόν τ᾽ ἀμφέπει | μαντῇον: This is the crowning blessing. Kyrene owes her very existence to the oracle of Apollo, P. 4.53.
μαντῇον = μαντεῖον. ᾧ: “Whereby.” Λακεδαίμονι: The most important is put first and afterwards recalled, v. 73: ἀπὸ Σπάρτας. Λ. is geographically central, with Argos and Pylos on either hand. On ἐν with the second dat. see O. 9.94.
Αἰγιμιοῦ: A Dorian, not a Herakleid. See P. 1.64. τὸ δ᾽ ἐμόν: Cf. I. 7 (8), 39: τὸ μὲν ἐμόν. The healing power, the gift of the Muse, the fair state, the settlement of the Peloponnese — all these wonderful things are due to Apollo — but mine it is to sing the glory of Sparta and the Aigeidai, who are bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. By insisting on the ancient ties of kindred, P. gives a warmer tone to his narrative. Compare O. 6.84. γαρύεν: So with Hermann and Bergk for γαρύετ᾽ γαρύεντ᾽ of the MSS.
Antistrophe 3
Θήρανδε: Thera is called Kallista, P. 4.258.ἐμοὶ πατέρες: P. was an Aigeid of the Theban branch. If ἀδελφός may be stretched to mean “cousin,” πατέρες may be stretched to mean “uncles.” According to Herodotos, 4, 149, the Aigeidai colonized Thera, and were preceded by Kadmeians, c. 147. On the Theban origin of the Aigeidai, see I. 6 (7), 15. οὐ θεῶν ἄτερ ἀλλὰ μοῖρά τις ἄγεν: Some editors punctuate after ἄτερ and connect ἄγεν with what follows, but the divorce of ἀλλά from οὐ θεῶν ἄτερ and ἄγεν from ἵκοντο is unnatural. Compare O. 8.45: οὐκ ἄτερ παίδων σέθεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἅμα πρώτοις ἄρξεται. The leading of fate in the imperfect, the special case of Aristoteles-Battos in the aor., v. 87.
ἔρανον: The Karneia was a sacred festival, to which each participant contributed. See O. 1.38.
ἔνθεν: Cf. O. 2.9 on the trajection of the relative. ἀναδεξάμενοι: Pindar identifies himself with the worshipping multitude at Kyrene. Hermann's ἀναδεξαμέναν is unnecessary.
Καρνήιε: The Karneia, the great festival of Apollo Karneios, was transmitted from Sparta to Thera, from Thera to Kyrene.
ἔχοντι: Not an historical present. The old stock of the Antenoridai is still there. If not, they still hold the land, as Aias holds Salamis. N. 4.48: Αἴας Σαλαμῖν᾽ ἔχει πατρῴαν. χαλκοχάρμαι: See P. 2.2.
Τρῶες Ἀντανορίδαι: Lysimachos is cited by the Schol. as authority. A hill between Kyrene and the sea was called λόφος Ἀντηνοριδῶν.
καπνωθεῖσαν ... ϝίδον: In prose the aor. part. is seldom used of actual perception, not unfrequently in poetry of vision. I. 7 (8), 37. Aor. part. with ἰδεῖν, P. 9.105; 10, 26.
Epode 3
ἐλάσιππον: As Trojans the Antenoridai were κέντορες ἵππων (Il. 5. 102） and ἱππόδαμοι (Il. 2. 230, etc.).δέκονται: Not historical present. The Antenoridai are still worshipped by the descendants of the colony under Battos. οἰχνέοντες: Cf. O. 3.40; P. 6.4.
Ἀριστοτέλης: Battos I. See P. 4.63.
εὐθύτομον ... ὁδόν: Bergk reads εὐθύτονον, which is not so good. The road was hewn out of solid rock, the occasional breaks being filled in with small stones carefully fitted together; hence σκυρωτὰν ὁδόν. This road was evidently one of the sights of Kyrene, and the remains still stir the wonder of travellers.
ἀλεξιμβρότοις: See note on v. 64. πεδιάδα: “Level.” All care was taken to prevent ill-omened accidents in the processions.
δίχα κεῖται: Special honor is paid him as κτιστής. So Pelops' tomb is by itself (Schol., Ol. 1, 92). Catull. 7, 6: “Batti veteris sacrum sepulcrum.”
Strophe 4
λαοσεβής: The honors thus received are described O. 7.79, foll.πρὸ δωμάτων: On either side of the road. The monuments are still numbered by thousands; many of them are little temples. λαχόντες ἀίδαν: P.'s ποικιλία for θανόντες.
μεγάλαν ... Ἀρκεσίλᾳ: “They hear, sure, with soul beneath the earth great achievement besprent with soft dew 'neath the outpourings of songs — their happiness a joint glory with their son, and richly due to him, even to Arkesilas.” Another reading is μεγαλᾶν ἀρετᾶν ῥανθεισᾶν. Yet another, ῥανθεῖσιν. The codices have κώμων, for which Beck reads ὕμνων to save the metre.
δρόσῳ μαλθακᾷ: A favorite figure. P. 8.57: ῥαίνω δὲ καὶ ὕμνῳ, I. 5 (6), 21: νᾶσον ῥαινέμεν εὐλογίαις.
ῥανθεῖσαν: The aor. part. is not very common even in poetry after verbs of hearing as actual perception. See v. 84. ὑπὸ χεύμασιν: Plastic. δρόσος μαλθακά forms the χεύματα.
ποί = πώς. Compare O. 1.28: πού. Böckh prefers τοί. χθονίᾳ φρενί: χθονιᾳ = ὑπὸ χθονός. Fennell: “With such faculty as the dead possess.”
σφόν = σφέτερον. Only here in P. ὄλβον: The Scholiast refers this to the κῶμος. Grammatically it is in apposition to the whole preceding clause. τὸ ῥανθῆναι is the ὄλβος, the ἀκοή involved in ἀκούοντι. The honor is common to them and their son (compare P. 6.15), but it is peculiarly due to Arkesilas; hence the neat division of υἱῷ and Ἀρκεσίλᾳ, which should not be run together.
ἐν ἀοιδᾷ: O. 5.19: Λυδίοις ἀπύων ἐν αὐλοῖς.
χρυσάορα: Hung with (the) gold(en φόρμιγξ). Compare P. 1.1. The same epithet is applied to Orpheus, fr. X. 8, 10.
Antistrophe 4
ἔχοντα: With τόν.καλλίνικον λυτήριον: Both adj δαπανᾶν: The inevitable other side, never forgotten by the thrifty Greek. Cf. O. 5.15: πόνος δαπάνα τε.
λεγόμενον ἐρέω: I can only say what all the world says. See P. 3.2: κοινὸν ϝέπος.
κρέσσονα μὲν ἁλικίας: Compare the laudation of Damophilos P. 4.280.
φέρβεται: Used like τρέφει.
ἐν ... Μοίσαισι: Not “in musical arts,” which were colorless. He flits among the Muses (P. 6.49), a winged soul from his mother's lap — not “taught by his mother dear,” but as an inheritance from her nature.
πέφανται: Now. Not to be supplied with the other predicates. σοφός: See note on v. 51.
Epode 4
ὅσαι τ᾽ εἰσὶν ... τετόλμακε: τε sums up. The ἐπιχώρια καλά embrace all the forms of generous rivalry in Kyrene. ἔσοδοι: Cf. P. 6.50.τελεῖ δύνασιν: “Maketh his potency performance.”
ὁμοῖα: So Hartung for MS. ὦ, Moschopulos' ὦ πλεῖστα. May the blessed Kronidai give him like fortune in deeds and counsels.
μὴ ... χρόνον: Punctuate after ἔχειν. Asyndeton presents no difficulty in wishes. φθινοπωρίς: The compound recalls φθινόκαρπος, P. 4.265. Compare v. 10.
κατὰ πνοά: So with Christ for καταπνοά, κ. with δαμαλίζοι. δαμαλίζοι: Bergk reads δνοπαλίζοι. χρόνον = βίον (Schol.). “His lifetime,” as O. 1.115. Not satisfactory. θρόνον (Hecker). χλόαν would keep up the figure (Bergk).
δαίμονα: “Fate.” Here it suits P. to make Zeus the pilot and the δαίμων the oarsman.
τοῦτο ... γέρας: It is not necessary to change to τωὐτό, O. 8.57. The desired victory was gained Ol. 80. ἔπι: “As a crowning mercy.” See O. 2.12; 9, 120.
