e the sword
of thy speech on an anvil whereof cometh no lie. Even a word falling
lightly is of import in that it proceedeth from thee. Of many things
art thou steward: many witnesses are there to thy deeds of either
kind.

But abiding in the fair flower of this spirit, if thou art fain to be
continually of good report, be not too careful for the cost: loose
free like a mariner thy sail unto the wind.

Friend, be not deceived by time-serving words of guile. The voice of
the report that liveth after a man, this alone revealeth the lives of
dead men to the singers and to the chroniclers: the loving-kindness
of Craesus fadeth not away; but him who burned men with fire within a
brazen bull, Phalaris that had no pity, men tell of everywhere
with hate, neither will any lute in hall suffer him in the gentle
fellowship of young boys' themes of songs.

To be happy is the chiefest prize; to be glorious the next lot: if a
man have lighted on both and taken them to be his, he hath attained
unto the supreme crown.

[Footnote 1: Typhon.]

[Footnote 2: Reading [Greek: erion].]

[Footnote 3: Plataea.]

[Footnote 4: I. e. it is better to be envied than to be pitied.]

II.

FOR HIERON OF SYRACUSE,

WINNER IN THE CHARIOT-RACE.

* * * * *

The classification of this ode as Pythian is probably a mistake:
perhaps the victory was won at the Theban festival in honour of
Herakles, or of Iolaos.

Anaxilaos, tyrant of Rhegium and Messana, had been deterred by
Hieron's threats from attacking the Epizephyrian Lokrians, and the ode
is partly occupied with congratulations of Hieron on this protective
act. As Anaxilaos died B.C. 476, and Hieron was only placed at the
head of the Syracusan state two years before, this seems to fix the
date somewhere in these two years. As Pindar talks of sending his song
across the sea, we may suppose that it was sung at Syracuse.

There is much obscurity about the significances of this ode. The
poet's motive in telling the story of Ixion's sins has been variously
guessed at. Some think it was meant to deter Hieron from contriving
the death of his brother Polyzelos in battle in order to get
possession of Polyzelos' wife (and if Hieron was to be suspected of
such a thought it would be quite in Pindar's manner to mingle warning
and reproof with praise): some think that it refers to the ingratitude
of Anaxilaos toward Hieron. And most probably the latter part of the