[Footnote 12:  I. e. one son of Zeus and Alkmene, Herakles, and two sons of Zeus and Leto, Kastor and Polydeukes.]

[Footnote 13:  For the blood of the victims.]

[Footnote 14:  The Symplegades having failed to crush the ship Argo between them were themselves destroyed by the shock of their encounter with each other.  Probably a tradition of icebergs survived in this story.]

[Footnote 15:  Used as a love-charm.]

[Footnote 16:  Aietes.]

[Footnote 17:  Thera.]

[Footnote 18:  In this parable the oak is the state, the boughs its best men, the fire and the alien house destruction and servitude.]

[Footnote 19:  The fountain Kyra in the heart of the city Kyrene.]

V.

For Arkesilas of Kyrene,

Winner in the chariot-race.

* * * * *

This ode celebrates the same victory as the foregoing.  It would seem that the chariot had been consecrated to Apollo and left in the temple at Delphi, but the horses were brought home to Kyrene and led in procession through the sacred street of Apollo, with their charioteer Karrhotos, brother of Arkesilas’ wife.

* * * * *

Wide-reaching is the power of wealth, whensoever a mortal man hath received it at the hands of Fate with pure virtue mingled, and bringeth it to his home, a follower that winneth him many friends.  Arkesilas, thou favourite of the gods, thou verily seekest after it with good report from the first steps of thy glorious life, with aid of Kastor of the golden car, who after the wintry storm hath shed bright calm about thy happy hearth[1].

Now the wise bear better the power that is given of God.  And thou walkest in righteousness amid thy prosperity which is now great; first, for that thou art king of mighty cities, thy inborn virtue hath brought this majestic honour to thy soul, and again thou art now blessed in that from the famous Pythian games thou hast won glory by thy steeds, and hast received this triumphal song of men, Apollo’s joy.

Therefore forget not, while at Kyrene round Aphrodite’s pleasant garden thy praise is sung, to set God above every other as the cause thereof:  also love thou Karrhotos[2] chiefest of thy friends; who hath not brought with him Excuse the daughter of late-considering Afterthought back to the house of the just-ruling sons of Battos; but beside the waters of Kastalia a welcomed guest he crowned thy hair with the crown of the conquering car, for the reins were safe[3] in his hands throughout the twelve swift turns along the sacred course.

Of the strong harness brake he no whit:  but there is hung up[4] all that cunning work of the artificers that he brought with him when he passed over the Krisaian hill to the plain within the valley of the god:  therefore now the chamber of cypress-wood possesseth it, hard by the statue which the bow-bearing Kretans dedicated in the Parnassian shrine, the natural image in one block[5].  Therefore with eager heart it behoveth thee to go forth to meet him who hath done thee this good service.