NEMEAN ODES: 3. THE CHILDHOOD OF ACHILLES by PINDAR

BUT golden-haired Achilles, biding still
In Philyra's dwelling-place, made all his play
Of manly deeds, and often as a child
Poising his tiny-headed darts would slay,
Wind-fleet in strife, the lions of the wild,
And mighty boars would kill,
And drag their bodies panting to the son
Of Cronus, Chiron, from six years of age
And ever after; and Athene sage
And Artemis in wonderment looked on,

While, with no help of hound or meshy snare,
He brought down stags by speed of foot alone.
Oft too by men of yore this tale was told:
How Chiron wise beneath his roof of stone
Reared Jason, then Asclepius of old,
Whose hands he taught the care
Of healing salves. He too to Peleus gave
Nereus' bright-bosomed daughter for his wife,
And nurtured their great son, and in the strife
Of manly exploits nursed his spirit brave,

That so, when strong sea-winds should blow him o'er
To Troy, he might abide the battle-cry
Of Lycians, Phrygians, and the oncoming
Dardanian host, and might in conflict sore
With AEthiop spearmen fix his purpose high
Never to let their chief, their prophet king,
Memnon, the kin of Helenus, once more
Return alive to his own natal shore.

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...