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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
ISTHMIAN ODES: 7. STREPSIADES OF THEBES, by PINDAR Poet's Biography First Line: The muses weave a brightness for his head Last Line: From thine own pythian games a garland fresh and fair! | |||
THE Muses weave a brightness for his head, And with his uncle, who has borne his name, He shares their violet coronal, although Bronze-bucklered Ares laid the warrior dead. For Honour watcheth o'er a brave man's fame; And well may all the heroes know Who in this cloud of war undaunted stand And overthrow their foes, from their dear land Warding the storm of blood, that it is they, Living or dead, who for their native state Sow glory's seed. And foremost in the fray, Son of Diodotus, thou found'st thy fate, With Hector, Meleager, and the seer Amphiaraus, by the hostile spear. There didst thou breathe thy rosy youth away Where warriors bold the battle's brunt upbore In hope forlorn, and speechless grief was mine. But lo! the Holder of the Earth to-day A calm hath sent me, and the storm is o'er. Now will I raise the song, and twine My hair with wreaths: O may the Immortals spare For any grudge to vex this peaceful air! Whate'er the sweetness of the passing hours I shall abide content, and free from care Pass to grey age and life's allotted end. Death takes us all, whatever fate be ours, And if a man should gaze on things afar Too puny is he to ascend The brazen heavens, as once Bellerophon By Pegasus, the winging horse, was thrown, When he would fain have soared to Heaven's own Gates, And joined the conclave of Almighty Zeus. For lawless joys a bitter ending waits. But unto us O may'st thou not refuse To grant, Apollo of the golden hair, From thine own Pythian Games a garland fresh and fair! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest... |
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