Then he said unto him:  ’Lo now, O Poseidon, if the kind gifts of the Cyprian goddess are anywise pleasant in thine eyes, restrain Oinomaos’ bronze spear, and send me unto Elis upon a chariot exceeding swift, and give the victory to my hands.  Thirteen lovers already hath Oinomaos slain, and still delayeth to give his daughter in marriage.  Now a great peril alloweth not of a coward:  and forasmuch as men must die, wherefore should one sit vainly in the dark through a dull and nameless age, and without lot in noble deeds?  Not so, but I will dare this strife:  do thou give the issue I desire.’

Thus spake he, nor were his words in vain:  for the god made him a glorious gift of a golden car and winged untiring steeds:  so he overcame Oinomaos and won the maiden for his bride.

And he begat six sons, chieftains, whose thoughts were ever of brave deeds:  and now hath he part in honour of blood-offerings in his grave beside Alpheos’ stream, and hath a frequented tomb, whereto many strangers resort:  and from afar off he beholdeth the glory of the Olympian games in the courses called of Pelops, where is striving of swift feet and of strong bodies brave to labour; but he that overcometh hath for the sake of those games a sweet tranquillity throughout his life for evermore.

Now the good that cometh of to-day is ever sovereign unto every man.  My part it is to crown Hieron with an equestrian strain in Aeolian mood:  and sure am I that no host among men that now are shall I ever glorify in sounding labyrinths of song more learned in the learning of honour and withal with more might to work thereto.  A god hath guard over thy hopes, O Hieron, and taketh care for them with a peculiar care:  and if he fail thee not, I trust that I shall again proclaim in song a sweeter glory yet, and find thereto in words a ready way, when to the fair-shining hill of Kronos I am come.  Her strongest-winged dart my Muse hath yet in store.

Of many kinds is the greatness of men; but the highest is to be achieved by kings.  Look not thou for more than this.  May it be thine to walk loftily all thy life, and mine to be the friend of winners in the games, winning honour for my art among Hellenes everywhere.

[Footnote 1:  The Olympic games were sacred to Zeus.]

[Footnote 2:  The horse that won this race for Hieron.]

[Footnote 3:  Peloponnesos.]

[Footnote 4:  I. e. immediately on his birth, for among the Fates Klotho was peculiarly concerned with the beginning of man’s life.  Pindar refuses to accept the legend which made Pelops’ ivory shoulder a substitute for his fleshly one eaten at Tantalos’ table by the gods; for thus the gods would have been guilty of an infamous act.]

[Footnote 5:  Goddess of Grace or Beauty.  Often there are three Charites or Graces.  Pindar means here that men are prone to believe an untrue tale for the sake of the beauty of the form in which it is presented, but that such tales will not stand the test of time.]