Pindar, Hymns, fr.29

The opening lines of Pindar’s first hymn.

Ἰσμηνὸν ἢ χρυσαλάκατον Μελίαν
ἢ Κάδμον ἤ Σπαρτῶν ἱερὸν γένος ἀνδρῶν
ἢ τὰν κυανάμπυκα Θήβαν
ἢ τὸ πάντολμον σθένος Ἡρακλέος
ἢ τὰν Διωνύσου πολυγαθέα τιμὰν
ἢ γάμον λευκωλένου Ἁρμονίας
ὑμνήσομεν;

Will it be Ismenus, or golden-spindled Melia, or Cadmus, or the holy race of Sown Men, or Thebe with the purple snood, or Heracles’ all-daring strength, or Dionysus’ joyous honour, or the marriage of white-armed Harmonia, that I shall sing?

Pindar, Dirges, fr.134

εὐδαιμόνων δραπέτας οὐκ ἔστιν ὄλβος.

Blessed men’s bliss is not a runaway.

Pindar, fr.110

γλυκὺ δὲ πόλεμος ἀπείροισιν, ἐμπείρων δέ τις
ταρβεῖ προσιόντα νιν καρδίᾳ περισσῶς.

A sweet thing is war to the inexperienced, but one who has experience feels a deep fear in his heart when it approaches.

Pindar, Paean 1

In the course of classical web browsing I came across this interesting post on a fragment of Pindar. Here’s the text and Nicholas’ translation, which I’ve taken the liberty of borrowing as I don’t think I can improve upon it.

πρὶν ὀδυνηρὰ γήραος σχεδὸν μολεῖν,
πρίν τις εὐθυμίᾳ σκιαζέτω
νόημ’ ἄκοτον ἐπὶ μέτρα, ἰδών
δύναμιν οἰκόθετον

Just before reaching the pains of old age,
let a man gladly shelter
a peaceful mind for the sake of moderation, having seen
power stored in his home.

The rest of Nestor’s Cup is well worth exploring as well.