"With strong prevention let thy hand control "The brazen lance of Pifa's furious king; "And to the honours of th' Elean goal "Me with unrival'd speed in triumph bring. "Transfix'd by his unerring fpear, "Already thirteen youths have dy'd, "Yet he perfifts with cruel pride, "Hippodamîa's nuptials to defer.

STROPHE VI.

"In the paths of dangerous fame
"Trembling cowards never tread:
"Yet fince all of mortal frame
"Must be number'd with the dead,
"Who in dark inglorious shade
"Would his useless life confume,
661 And, with deedlefs years decay'd,
"Sink unhonour'd to the tomb ?
"I that fhameful lot difdain;

"I this doubtful lift will prove ;
"May my vows from thee obtain
"Conqueft, and the prize of love!"

ANTIS TROPHE VI.
Thus he pray'd, and mov'd the God;
Who, his bold attempt to grace,
On the favour'd youth bestow'd
Steeds unwearied in the race;

Steeds,

Steeds, with winged fpeed endued,
Harnefs'd to a golden carr.
So was Pifa's king fubdued;
Pelops fo obtain'd the fair;
From whofe womb a noble brood,
Six illuftrious brothers came,
All with virtuous minds endow'd,
Leaders all of mighty fame.

E PODE VI.

Now in the folemn fervice of the dead,

Rank'd with immortal Gods, great Pelops shares;

While to his altar, on the watery bed

Of Alpheus rais'd, from every clime repairs
The wondering stranger, to behold'

The glories of th' Olympick plain;

Where, the refplendent wreath to gain, (Contend the fwift, the active, and the bold.

Calm his ftream of life fhall flow,
Shelter'd by his high renown.
That alone is blifs fupreme,
Which, unknowing to decay,
Still with ever-fhining beam
Gladdens each fucceeding day.
Then for happy Hiero weave
Garlands of Eolian strains;
Him these honours to receive
The Olympick law ordains.

ANTIS TROPHE VII.

No more worthy of her lay

Can the Mufe a mortal find;

Greater in imperial fway,

Richer in a virtuous mind;

Heaven, O king, with tender care
Waits thy wishes to fulfil.

Then ere long will I

prepare,

Plac'd on Chronium's funny hill,
Thee in sweeter verse to praise,
Following thy victorious steeds;
If to profper all thy ways

Still thy Guardian God proceeds.

E.P O DE VII.

Fate hath in various ftations rank'd mankind:
In royal power the long gradations end.
By that horizon prudently confin'd,

Let not thy hopes to farther views extend.
Long may'st thou wear the regal crown!
And may thy Bard his with receive,

With thee, and such as thee to live,
Around his native Greece for wisdom known!

THE

THE SECOND OLYMPICK ODE.

This Ode is infcribed to Theron King of Agrigentum, who came off Conqueror in the Race of Chariots drawn by four Horses, in the Seventy-feventh Olympiad.

THE Poet, in answer to the question, What God, what Hero, and what Mortal he should fing (with which words this Ode immediately begins) having named Jupiter and Hercules, not only as the first of gods and heroes, but as they were peculiarly related to his fubject; the one being the Protector, and the other the Founder of the Olympick Games; falls directly into the praifes of Theron: by this method artfully infinuating, that Theron held the fame rank among all mortals, as the two former did among the gods and heroes. In enumerating the many excellencies of Theron, the Poet having made mention of the nobility of his family (a topick feldom or never omitted by Pindar) takes occafion to lay before him the various accidents and viciffitudes of human life, by inftances drawn from the hiftory of his own ancestors, the founders of Agrigentum; who, it seems, underwent many difficulties, before they could build, and settle themselves in that city; where afterwards, indeed, they made a very confiderable figure, and were rewarded for their past

fufferings

fufferings with wealth and honour; according to which method of proceeding, the Poet (alluding to fome misfortunes that had befallen Theron) befeeches Jupiter to deal with their posterity, by recompenfing their former afflictions with a series of peace and happiness for the future; in the enjoyment of which they would foon lofe the memory of whatever they had fuffered in times paft: the conftant effect of prosperity being to make men forget their past adversity; which is 'the only reparation that can be made to them for the miseries they have undergone. The truth of this position he makes appear from the history of the same family; by the farther inftances of Semele, Ino, and Therfander; and laftly, of Theron himself, whofe former cares and troubles, he infinuates, are repaid by his prefent happiness and victory in the Olympick Games: for his fuccefs in which, the Poet however intimates, that Theron was no lefs indebted to his riches than to his virtue, since he was enabled by the one, as well as difpofed by the other, to undergo the trouble and expence that was neceffary to qualify him for a candidate for the Olympick crown in particular, and, in general, for the performance of any great and worthy action for the words are general. From whence he takes occafion to tell him, that the man who poffeffes these treasures, viz. Riches and Virtue, that is, the means and the inclination of doing good and great actions, has the farther satisfaction of knowing, that he fhall be rewarded for it hereafter; and go

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