To sing the offspring[1] of the Highest and of Kadmeaen mothers am I come.

In Argive Nemea the prophet of the god overlooketh not the branch of palm, what time with the opening of the chamber of the Hours, the nectarous plants perceive the fragrant spring[2].

Then, then are strown over the face of the eternal earth the lovely violet-tufts, then are roses twined in hair, then sound to the flute’s accompaniment voices of song, then sound our choice hymns unto the honour of bright-filleted Semele ...

[Footnote 1:  Dionysos, son of Zeus and of Semele, daughter of Kadmos.]

[Footnote 2:  Bockh has suggested the following ingenious explanation of this passage.  In the temple of Zeus at Nemea grew a sacred palm, and a branch of this was given, together with his crown, to a winner in the Nemean games.  Pindar had been at those games in the winter, and means that he, like the priest of the temple, could foresee from the tokens of the branch that spring was approaching, and with spring the vernal Dionysia at Athens.]

Fragments of A procession-song ([Greek:  prosodion]),

In honour of Delos.

Hail! god-reared daughter of the sea, earth-shoot most dear to bright-haired Leto’s children, wide earth’s immoveable marvel, who of mortals art called Delos, but of the blessed gods in Olympus the dark earth’s far-seen star[1]... ...  For of old time it[2] drifted before the waves and stress of winds from every side; but when she[3] of Koios set foot thereon, as the swift pains of her travailing drew nigh, then verily from roots deep down in earth there sprang upright four pillars with adamantine base, and on their capitals they held up the rock:  there was the goddess delivered, and looked upon her blessed brood........

[Footnote 1:  The old mythical name of Delos was Asteria.]

[Footnote 2:  The island.]

[Footnote 3:  Leto.]

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Fragment of A song with accompaniment of dance ([Greek:  huporchaema]), written on occasion of an Eclipse of the sun, probably that of April 30, B.C. 463.

Wherefore, O Light of the Sun, thou that seest all things and givest bounds unto the sight of mine eyes—­wherefore O star supreme hast thou in the daytime hidden thyself, and made useless unto men the wings of their strength and the paths that wisdom findeth, and hastest along a way of darkness to bring on us some strange thing?

Now in the name of Zeus I pray unto thee, O holy Light, that by thy swift steeds thou turn this marvel in the sight of all men to be for the unimpaired good hap of Thebes.  Yet if the sign which thou showest us be of some war, or destruction of harvest, or an exceeding storm of snow, or ruinous civil strife, or emptying of the sea upon the earth, or freezing of the soil, or summer rains pouring in vehement flood, or whether thou wilt drown the earth and make anew another race of men, then will I suffer it amid the common woe of all....