[This ode was to be sung, probably by a chorus of boys, at the winner’s city, Orchomenos, and most likely in the temple of the three Charites or Graces—Aglaia, Euphrosyne, and Thalia—though sometimes the odes were sung at a banquet or at the door of the victor’s house. The date of the victory is 476 B.C.]
O Ye who haunt the land of goodly steeds that drinketh of Kephisos’ waters, lusty Orchomenos’ queens renowned in song; O Graces, guardians of the Minyai’s ancient race, hearken, for unto you I pray. For by your gift come unto men all pleasant things and sweet, and the wisdom of a man and his beauty, and the splendour of his fame. Yea even gods without the Graces’ aid rule never at feast or dance; but these have charge of all things done in heaven, and beside Pythian
Apollo of the golden bow they have set their thrones, and worship the eternal majesty of the Olympian Father.
O Lady Aglaia, and thou Euphrosyne, lover of song, children of the mightiest of the gods, listen and hear, and thou Thalia, delighting in sweet sounds, and look down upon this triumphal company, moving with high light step under happy fate. In Lydian{*} mood of melody, concerning Asopichos am I come hither to sing, for that through thee, Aglaia, in the Olympic games the Minyai’s home is winner.
{* The Lydian “mood” was sung to the accompaniment of the flute, and was tender, sometimes even plaintive. The Dorian mode was stronger, the Æolian more bright and animated, generally accompanied with the lyre or the flute, sometimes both. The metres of the different odes exhibit great variety.}
Fly, Echo, to Persephone’s dark-walled home, and to his father bear the noble tidings, that seeing him thou mayest speak to him of his son, saying that for his father’s honour in Pisa’s famous valley he hath crowned his boyish hair with garlands from the glorious games.
[2] Philip of Macedonia probably owed much of his success to the education he received at Thebes from his fifteenth till his eighteenth year.
[3] A name borne by many other hills in Greece owing to their resemblance to Helios, “the sun.”
[4] Frazer’s Pausanias, vol. iii. p. 7.
[5] Frazer’s Pausanias, vol. ii. p. 350.