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The Odes
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Arguably the greatest Greek lyric poet, Pindar was a controversial figure in fifth-century Greece - a conservative Boiotian aristocrat who studied in Athens and a writer on physical prowess whose interest in the Games was largely philosophical. Pindar's Epinician Odes - choral songs extolling victories in the Games at Olympia, Delphi, Nemea and Korinth - cover the whole
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Paperback, Penguin Classics, 256 pages
Published
September 30th 1982
by Penguin Books
(first published -498)
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Well, tell me a better Ode composer than Pindar!
I loved this translation. I loved Pindar. I always admired him when I went through his works for the first time during my MA. However, now, looking back at him makes me admire him even more! Splendid with verse and ideas behind them.
I loved this translation. I loved Pindar. I always admired him when I went through his works for the first time during my MA. However, now, looking back at him makes me admire him even more! Splendid with verse and ideas behind them.
I became interested in Pindar mainly because he is cited as an influence on Plato by various scholars. He is also a source for Greek mythology. It seemed to be an appropriate time to read him given that I am studying the latter right now and had already gone through Plato a number of times in the past.
That Pindar was an influence on Plato seems entirely plausible. It seems that Pindar had been influenced by Pythagoreanism. The odes indicate that it was the belief in an afterlife and a divine ...more
That Pindar was an influence on Plato seems entirely plausible. It seems that Pindar had been influenced by Pythagoreanism. The odes indicate that it was the belief in an afterlife and a divine ...more
May 06, 2017
Cymru Roberts
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
greek-drama,
poetry
Five, ten, fifteen stars I give the Odes of this most melifluous of Greek poets save Homer, Pindar, mouthpiece of the Muses.
I started reading this book maybe in 2012 or '13, and it took me till now to finish it, mostly because after reciting one Ode, especially one as overflowing with amazement as Nemea 11, or Isthmia 3 & 4, I had to set the slim volume of copious counsel down and let it simmer, let the violet-shade of the Graces linger a little.
For background on the episodes of Greek lore ...more
I started reading this book maybe in 2012 or '13, and it took me till now to finish it, mostly because after reciting one Ode, especially one as overflowing with amazement as Nemea 11, or Isthmia 3 & 4, I had to set the slim volume of copious counsel down and let it simmer, let the violet-shade of the Graces linger a little.
For background on the episodes of Greek lore ...more
Disappointing...
Oh dear... Pindar is tough. I used two translations to try to get through this, but apparently Pindar is tough on translators too. Not only were their poetics different, but the meaning was often wildly different (that is, when I understood the meaning).
Pindar of Thebes wrote numerous books, about 18 of which were known to have existed, and all but four are now lost. Those four consist of his poems in honor of the winner of various events at ancient olympic games. The poems are rife with ...more
Pindar of Thebes wrote numerous books, about 18 of which were known to have existed, and all but four are now lost. Those four consist of his poems in honor of the winner of various events at ancient olympic games. The poems are rife with ...more
Lisbon Book-Fair 2017.
These were... sort of tough to get through. You better know your greek mythology to make any sense out of them, if not, be ready to read the footnotes every 15 seconds.
reviewed here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Apr 02, 2017
Shyam
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
primary-greek-literature
ἄριστον μὲν ὕδωρ
[Water is best]
__________
The ancient brilliance sleeps,
and mortals are unaware of all that does not reach
poetrys finest flower, yoked to the splendid streams of verse.
He is bathed in the brightness of the violet-haired Muses . . .
__________
. . . stream of nectar,
gift of the Muses and sweet fruit of my mind.
__________
Pindar not only praises various victors in the Panhellenic festivals in his Odes, but he manages to infuse them with some truly poetically beautiful turns of ...more
Athletes as heroes favored by the Gods.
3.5 stars. Pindars odes have a heroic quality that celebrate athletes, politicians, and gods on several levels: in terms of genetics, the family unit, regional history, and national pride. Here we find not only the beginnings of lyric poetry (if not the earliest extant Greek examples, then certainly the most extensive and complete), but also the roots of athletics as part hero-worship and part nationalism. Pindar celebrates the athlete as mythic warrior, always connected to the past deeds of
...more
I read Pindar in Italian translation, hoping that the musical qualities of the language would better capture the subtle cadences of the Greek than modern English-- I'm not sure I succeeded. At the end of the day, however, Pindar in translation is hardly the equal of Pindar in the Greek. One hears, hidden beneath the layers of translation, a majestic voice with an almost Miltonic power struggling to make itself heard.
Made it part of the way through one ode. Total waste of time. Zero stars.
As a Latin and Greek Major as an Undergrad, I love reading the classics as much as I can. Pindar has some great lines and beautiful turns of phrase.
Sep 19, 2018
Queralt
added it
the muses made me read this
Difficult reading, but interesting subject, his Odes for the victors at Olympic Games.
I write this just cause I did a sort of whistle stop tour of the epinicion odes this morning, having previously read Pythians I, II, IX and Olympian I in the Greek and done essay work on Olympian I. I ended up finding lots of reasons to find Pindar highly imprssive although at first the painful process of actually translating him had made me feel less favorable. It's particularly in the poems with longer sections of mythological narrative like Olympian I, Pythian IV and IX that it's clear Pindar
...more
A good edition of the ancient Greek text with a good critical apparatus, indexes, and an introduction by C.M.Bowra.
I personally love the way Pindar writes poetry. Excellent form: structure, metrics, figurative devices, tone, rhythm, ... He knows how to express beauty through words, aesthetically structuring them with the metrical form and the use of stylistic figures. To me, Pindar excells for HOW he says what he says not using many words... An amazing poet.
I personally love the way Pindar writes poetry. Excellent form: structure, metrics, figurative devices, tone, rhythm, ... He knows how to express beauty through words, aesthetically structuring them with the metrical form and the use of stylistic figures. To me, Pindar excells for HOW he says what he says not using many words... An amazing poet.
I enjoyed these vibrant poems that bring to life the ancient Greek world, even though they were reputed to be obscure and difficult.
In terms of entertainment or enjoyment this book was a total burden, short as it is. Read like the least decipherable parts of the Iliad (name after name after endless unpronounceable name) without any gore to hold my attention. These are supposed to be the odes Pindar wrote for the victorious at various games (Olympia, Pythia, Nemea, and Isthmia). Without referring to the books notes and Wikipedia this would have been incomprehensible. Having said that, true Greekheads (which I am not at this
...more
A challenging read. Often very dry. Perhaps I do not have the sort of education needed to fully grasp and appreciate these poems. After several attempts at reading this book, I listened to it on audiotape (different translation but idk by whom) instead, often while I washed dishes as a kind of meditation. Again, very boring at times. Even so, there were lines that stood out and spoke to me from across that chasm of two and a half millennia.
From Nemean XI:
From Zeus comes no clear sing/ Even so,/ ...more
From Nemean XI:
From Zeus comes no clear sing/ Even so,/ ...more
Anyone who translates Pindar into verses this well crafted is a genius.
Excellent .
Pindar was one of the greatest poets of the ancient Greek world. Deserves 5++ stars!
"Muse! be thou mine oracle, and I shall be thine interpreter."
Pindars Victory Odes - 5th century BC
This is a nice Greek/German translation by Eugen Dönt, comfortable to read and easy to understand.
Inevitably, the beauty of the metric-rhymes has been lost in translation.
Only the fortunate reader who can read the original Greek will appreciate.
Pindar composed these Victory Odes by request, and to celebrate the winning athletes in the years of the Olympian Games, which were later also organized in Pythia, Isthmia, and Nemea.
To avoid making these poems ...more
This is a nice Greek/German translation by Eugen Dönt, comfortable to read and easy to understand.
Inevitably, the beauty of the metric-rhymes has been lost in translation.
Only the fortunate reader who can read the original Greek will appreciate.
Pindar composed these Victory Odes by request, and to celebrate the winning athletes in the years of the Olympian Games, which were later also organized in Pythia, Isthmia, and Nemea.
To avoid making these poems ...more
I'm finally done with this book. It took me several years to pick it up again and now that I did it still put up a fight.
Pindar's victory poems were my favorite in this compilation, even if they could get a bit tiring if read one after another, that being because they can be very similar in structure and even themes. You've got to know your Greek myths well in order to get most of what Pindar writes, for there can be up to two or more heroic stories per poem.
At first I wasn't so thrilled about ...more
Pindar's victory poems were my favorite in this compilation, even if they could get a bit tiring if read one after another, that being because they can be very similar in structure and even themes. You've got to know your Greek myths well in order to get most of what Pindar writes, for there can be up to two or more heroic stories per poem.
At first I wasn't so thrilled about ...more
Pindar, whose name is used in Marx as a euphemism for one who sings the praises of tyrannies, wrote some of the greatest poetry of the ancient world. Extolling athletes and connecting them to incidents in myth, each ode weaves a web of mystery and beauty that will make you want to wear a laurel wreath and dilute your wine; indeed, the odes are so pleasing, you won't notice your gag reflex upon reading the conservative maxims interspersed throughout.
I think these are made to be heard but not read. Perhaps it was just the translation. When I was in the mood for them I enjoyed them, other times it was a struggle to keep going. I'm glad I have read them though, you really do notice how political they are in some cases and that brings them closer to us in modern times. I much preferred London mayor Boris Johnson reading an Olympic ode in the Greek at the 2012 London games.
Worth it for the following:
"Even so we go abroad in our manhood's height,
pondering many designs; for our limbs are shackled to shame-
less hope, and the streams of forethought lie afar.
We should seek out some measure in things gained;
too bitter are the pangs of madness after loves that arc past
attainment."
"Even so we go abroad in our manhood's height,
pondering many designs; for our limbs are shackled to shame-
less hope, and the streams of forethought lie afar.
We should seek out some measure in things gained;
too bitter are the pangs of madness after loves that arc past
attainment."
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