Pindar Pythian 8 Aristomenes of Aigina, Wrestling, 446BC
Translated by Steven Willett
Athenian wrestling frieze 5th century BC
Note: Pythian 8 is one of my three or four favorites among the odes for its strong rhythmic movement to the climax, startling metaphors, intense language and realistic depiction of wrestling. The final triad ll 81~100 is powerful in its stark depiction of what a victory or defeat means to a wrestler. All famous athletes who gloat over their accomplishments should read it carefully.
To make reading easier, here is an explanatory list of names keyed by line: Peace (Hesychia), daughter of Justice (1); Porphyrion, king of Giants (12); Xenarkes son, Aristomenes (19); Aiakidai, sons of Aeacus, the son of Zeus by Aegina (23); Theognetos, Olympic victor in wrestling (36); Kleitomachos, unknown (37); the Meidylidai, a clan to which Aristomenes belonged (38); Oikles son, Amphiaraos both a seer and fighter (cf. Ol 6.16~17) with the snake on his shield symbolizing skill in prophesy; the second war on Thebes was led by Alcman, son of Amphiaraos (39, 46); Adrastus, king of Argos (49); Abas, 12th king of Argos (55); "for you both," the Aigneten Delphinia; Apollo's sister Artemis is included in the plural (66).
Kindly Peace, O daughter Str. 1
of Justice, you maker of greatest cities,
holding the supreme keys
of both counsels and war,
accept the honor of Pythian victory for Aristomenes.
For you know how to give leniency and likewise
to receive it at the exact season; (7)
but when someone drives Ant. 1
implacable wrath into his heart,
you roughly go to encounter the might
of enemies and cast their
insolence into the bilge. Porphyrion didn't know your power
when he unduly provoked you. Gain is dearest,
if one bears it from the home of a willing giver. (14)
But force overthrows the vain-boaster in time. Ep. 1
The hundred-headed Cilician Typhos didn't escape it,
nor indeed the king of Giants; they were conquered by thunderbolt
and arrows of Apollo; with gracious mind he
welcomed the son of Xenarkes from Kirrha, crowned
with Parnassian wreath and a Doric victory festival. (20)
Not far from the Graces fell Str. 2
an island with the justcity virtues
renowned among the Aiakidai
that it has achieved, and holds consummate
fame from the beginning: for it's sung rearing in many
victorious contests and in swift
battles supreme heroes; (27)
and it's conspicuous for men. Ant. 2
But I'm without leisure to dedicate
the whole long winding story
by lyre and gentle voice,
lest satiety comes to grate us. But running at my feet
let your debt, my boy, of the latest glories
fly on the wings of my art. (34)
For seeking the trail of your maternal uncles in wrestling Ep 2
you do not disgrace Theognetos at Olympia
or Kleitomachos' strong-limned victory at the Isthmus,
but exalting the clan of the Meidulidai you earn the words
which Oikeles' son once spoke in prophic riddles as he beheld
the sons standing in spear-pointed battle at Thebes, (40)
when from Argos came Str. 3
the Epigonoi on their second journey.
Thus he spoke as they were fighting:
“By nature the noble resolve is conspicuous
from fathers to their sons. I clearly see
Alkman wielding the dappled serpent from his blazing shield
first at the gate of Kadmos. (47)
But he who suffered in a former misfortune Ant 3
is now upheld by news
of a better omen,
hero Adrastos; but in his own household
he will fare the opposite. For he alone from the Danaan army
gathering the bones of his son, by the gods' favor
will return with his people unharmed (54)
to the spacious streets of Abas.” Such then Ep 3
proclaimed Amphiaraos. And I too feel delighted
to cast Alkman with wreaths, and sprinkle him with song,
since as my neighbor and guardian of my possessions,
he met me going to the earth's famous navel,
and proved his hold of prophesy with inherited skills. (60)
And you, Far-shooter, who govern Str. 4
the famous all-welcoming temple
in the vales of Pytho,
it was there the greatest of joys
you granted, and earlier at home bestowed the alluring gift
of the Pentathlon with festivities for you both;
O lord, I pray that with a willing mind you (67)
look in accord with harmonious favor Ant. 4
on every step I take.
With the sweet-singng festive band
Justice has taken her stand; the gods' bounteous
favor I ask, Xenarkes, on your family's fortunes.
For if someone has gained success witout long labor,
he seems for many a wise man among fools (74)
to arm his life with right-councelling art; Ep. 4
such things do not rest among men; a divinity bestows them
to one man, but crushing another beneath hands.
Advance with good measure; at Megara you hold the prize
and in Marathon's plain, and Hera's local contest
with three victories, O Aristomenes, you prevailed by effort; (80)
and from above you fell on four Str. 5
bodies planning hostile intent,
for whom no homecoming happy as yours
was decreed in the Pythian festival,
nor returning to their mothers did sweet laughter
stir joy around them; but aloof from enemies down alleys
they slouched, bitten by misfortune. (87)
But he who's obtained a new success Ant. 5
in his great opulence
takes flight by hope
on the wings of manhood, having
an aspiration greater than wealth. In short time the delight
of mortals will flourish; thus it also falls to earth,
shaken by a direful purpose. (94)
Creatures of a day! What's someone? What's no one? A shadow's dream Ep. 5
is man. But whenever Zeus-given radiance comes,
a brilliant light rests upon men and a gentle lifetime.
Dear mother Aigina, on its voyage of freedom
preserve this city along with Zeus and king Aiakos,
Peleus and noble Telamon and Achilles. (100)
As the wise old adage has it: "You never get a second chance to make a first impression." As this applies to America's current military debacle in Iraq (if not Afghanstan, too): "You never get a second, third, and/or fourth chance to squander thousands of your own casualites, hundreds of billions of your own dollars (borrowed at that) all to cause tens of thousands of deaths and raging chaos among the target population of your alleged benevolence." Something like that. How many chances to demonstrate abject ignornance and rank incompetence does America think the world -- or even its own cowed and bullied electorate -- will grant?
Short answer: no more.
President George W. Bush has shot America's wad. That became evident shortly after the American military jumped headfirst into the Iraqi sand trap, leaving General Tommy Franks and his entourage barely enough time to "declare victory and get out" while they personally still had retirements to enjoy, careers to pursue, or books to sell about something worth reading -- all before the chickens came home to loot (which they did almost immediately.)
Everyone else who came afterwards got to sit in the shit storm.
As a victim/veteran of the Nixon-Kissinger Fig Leaf Contingent (Vietnam 1970-1972) I can say on the basis of much bitter experience that our marooned and abused military in Iraq now fights and dies for only one transparent thing: namely, to buy time for George W. Bush and the Republican Party to somehow find a way to spin "retreat" into "victory" in time to save their own sorry asses and cushy, corrupt sinecures. All this talk about what "we" want for the Iraqi people and their "army" will evaporate instantly the minute we get the last of our guys and girls out of that sand trap. We never cared a single additional tax dollar for the Iraqi people before this shameful attack on them and we won't care a thing about them after we've come to our senses and left. George W. Bush has shot our wad. We've already done more than we should have and far more than we can afford.
When I came "home" from Vietnam in January of 1972 I wanted so much to tell everyone about what I had seen and done. No one wanted to hear about it. No one wanted me and my friends around. Some puss-gut chickenhawk "conservative" would always come to the airport to call us "losers" as we tried to sneak back into our own country as unobtrusively as possible. Everyone thought the war had ended in 1968 when Richard Nixon said he had a plan to end it. Only those who knew it hadn't really ended cared enough to keep on protesting till first Nixon and then the war finally went away -- seven years later. The American people as a whole, though, just wanted the unpleasantness, inflation, and wage-and-price controls to go away quietly without requiring that they get involved. They just wanted to forget. So they did. They want to do that same forgetting now. They will.
Iraq will have an "army" if (1) any "Iraq" remains as an actual national entity, and/or (2) if any "Iraqi" people want or can afford one. These issues, though, involve the people who live in that sad place. They don't involve us. We've already proven conclusively that we don't know our asses from a hole in the desert. Who on earth any longer thinks that "we" have anything worthwhile to contribute in Iraq? We've done enough harm. We need to stop.
The surviving members of the New Fig Leaf Contingent will start coming home next year -- as Pat says. They will have purchased with their lives and limbs a few more months for America's "leadership" to dither, "Vietnamize," or "Iraqify" a few thousand more dead and maimed Iraqis. Our traumatized soldiers will want so much to tell us what they have seen and done. We won't want to hear it, though. We will not want any visible and wounded reminders of "losing." We will not want them.
I know all this because it happened to me. It happened to many of my friends. I know what our New Fig Leaf Contingent will suffer and remember all the remaining days of their lives. I hold George W. Bush and his crony cabal of clueless cretins responsible. Damn their eyes.