Blog Post 5 - Victory Odes

Victory odes, or epinikia, commemorated the victories of competitors in the PanHellenic athletic games. Though the poems were commissioned for the purpose of celebrating the glory of the victors, it is clear that the prestige of the poets themselves was just as—if not more so—relevant to this genre. Without their own personal fame, poets like Bacchylides and Pindar would have been incapable of conferring fame to the subjects of their poems. As poets of great skill and recognition, however, they managed to preserve the legacies of not only the successful athletes, but also of themselves and the Greek culture as a whole. Various features of victory odes reflect the significance of this poetic power of immortalization, and can be observed in the work of both Bacchylides and Pindar.

Victors or their families paid poets to write victory odes, suggesting the apparently great value placed on the veneration of one’s personal glory. The for-profit nature of these poems is reflected in the poets’ careful treatment of their subjects; they had to offer adequate praise in order to please their customers (who, by mere ability to participate in the competitions and commission poems, were evidently of the noble class), but to refrain from doing so in an excessive manner to ensure that the odes would be well-received by the general public. This concept of due praise is treated as a theme within many victory odes, and is demonstrated by characteristics of the odes themselves. For instance, all victory odes begin by identifying the victor for whom the poem was commissioned, sharing his familial background, where he is from, and his specific accomplishment. This is seen in the opening of Bacchylides’ Ode 13 when he says, “For Pytheas son of Lampon, // from Aigina, victor in pankration,” and in Pindar’s Olympian 1, which starts, “For Hieron son of Deinomenes, from Syracuse, // victor in the horse race.” This identification displays the evident expectation that the athlete and his relations will be directly praised in exchange for their commission fee, even if the poem later divulges into different themes.

As was particularly expressed by Pindar, though, this guarantee of praise did not mean the poet had to abandon his honesty and offer a hyperbolic account of the victor’s glory. True poetic skill required not only the ability to bestow incredible fame and honor to one’s subject, but also the restraint to limit the exaltation to a truly deserved level. In Olympian 13, Pindar expresses this thought when he says, “But I must not, while whirling javelins // on their straight course, impart such power to them // that in great numbers they fly past their mark.” Here he acknowledges that, as an esteemed poet, he could provide his subject with as much glory as he desires, but his job is rather to hit the target dead on, giving only a genuine account of the victor’s achievement.

Praise of the gods and invocation of the Muses are other characteristics of victory odes that further demonstrate the necessity to give adequate credit and honor where they are due—not only in regard to the athlete’s success, but also in relation to the poet’s own power to confer legacies. The poet acknowledges the gods for their various contributions, be they the victor’s triumph or the poet’s skill, and recognizes that the Muses provide him with the ability to write odes. Praise to the gods is exemplified in Pindar’s Pythian 8 when he says, “But when the gleam that Zeus dispenses comes, // then brilliant light rests over men, and life is kindly,” suggesting that Zeus is responsible for all that is positive in human life. Bacchylides’ Ode 3 demonstrates credit to the Muses when he refers to his hymn as “…the violet-crowned // Muses’ sweet gift and ornament.” Thus, it is clear that victory odes did not merely celebrate human achievement, but also offered recognition to the divinities that made those successes possible. In particular, this shows that poetic skill is not simply something that can be learned, but instead must be divinely inspired—once again underscoring the weight of the poet’s power.
              Through their fame, poets like Pindar and Bacchylides were able to immortalize both the subjects of their victory odes and, even more so, their own legacies, as well as preserve various aspects of the Greek cultural identity. Since most victory odes featured narratives of Greek myths that paralleled the athlete’s circumstances, these poems portrayed different customs, values, and traditions of Greek culture. For instance, in Ode 3, Bacchylides calls upon the story of Croesus, a king who was generous with his fortune, to invite a comparison between Croesus and the victor Hieron, and to provide an explicit moral lesson. Narratives such as these offer glimpses into different Greek myths that can inform a modern reader about the society as a whole. Thus, this genre demonstrates that victory odes were not merely a form of self-expression, but a means of immortalizing both human legacy and the identity of a society.

Sources: Greek Lyric

Victory

Victory odes, or epinikia, were written and sung in honor of victor at the games who were wealthy enough to afford the commission of a poet. They praised not only the individual’s skill in the games but also their piety and nobility. Most importantly, these poems sought to immortalize both the subject and the author. Two major authors of victory odes were Bacchylides and Pindar. We have a greater understanding of the victory ode from them.

Both Pindar and Bacchylides were commissioned to write about Hieron, the tyrant of Syracuse. His commission of two of the greatest epinikian authors hints at his wealth and status, which was part of the purpose. Furthermore, both authors not only mention his victory at the Olympic games (Bacchylides Ode 5, Pindar Olympian 1) but also delve deeper, discussing more personal things. Pindar discusses the lineage of Hieron, ‘correcting’ the myth behind his ancestor, Tantalus with a more honorable story. Bacchylides writes a parallel story about Heracles, which draws Hieron up to legendary status while also introducing a maxim about the fortune of man.

Most importantly, both authors, though more evident in Pindar, attempt to assert fame on the victors in their odes through their words. This is most evident in Pindar’s Pythian 1, where he states,

“The vaunting glory that trails after mortals alone lays bare the lives of the departed to chroniclers and poets alike” (Lines 93-4)

Here Pindar points out that poets and historians help to immortalize them. One can point at their success in the fact that we read and analyze these poems to this day.

Victory Odes

Victory odes as a genre were the final step in a progression away from lyric poetry. While the beginning of this style was marked by personal experiences and emotions, it developed first into political and ethical commentary and then into overly-exaggerated praises for those who won physical contests. This is the victory ode genre. With dramatic language full of flair, authors like Pindar and Bacchylides compare their contemporary champions of foot-racing contests or disc throwing to the heroes of old myth.
"To them he
proclaimed with pride that in the city of
Peirene were the kingship
and rich estate and palace of his father,
who once, because he yearned
to harness Pegasos, the snaky Gorgon's son,
endured long pain indeed beside the springs
until the Maiden Pallas brought to him
a golden bridle: dream then suddenly
was waking truth...
With him the hero later slew the Amazons,
from the chill hollows of the empty air
striking the host of women armed with bows,
and brought the fire-breathing Chimaira and Solymoi
to death." - Pindar, Olympian 13
Written in a ring structure, as you can see by the descendant of Bellephron claiming his ancestry, which leads the author to go into this old myth about Pegasus, these poems are filled to the brim with myths, gods, heroes, and monsters, far more so than any of the earlier genres of lyric poetry (except perhaps for epic narrative). The authors desire to show the excellence of the victors they are extolling by comparing them to these heroes for several reasons. First of all, it is far more interesting to read then mere constant praise. Second, it gives the argument more credence in the mind of many Greeks. And third, it would stroke the ego of the victor, which would increase the author's status and the amount of money he or she received. (Pindar also claims that he writes so much about heroes in order to lessen the great envy of the populace.) This idea of being paid by winners to write poetry about them is a new one, and forces the authors to tread carefully around the concept of prostituting their art form, which they strongly defend against. The question of whether each victor deserves the full amount of praise he or she receives, or whether it is simply based on how much they paid the poet, is one they try to ignore. They also often give moral advice as part of their story, such as:
"For mortals, not to be born is best,
nor to gaze upon the sun's
bright light. And yet no good
can come of such lamentation:
a man should speak of what he really means
to accomplish." -Bacchylides, Ode 5
The only way in which these authors talk about themselves, unlike earlier lyric poetry, is to describe themselves writing poetry, or being close to the muses, or being able to carry each victor's name through time with their amazing stanzas, for instance:
"May your lot be to walk on high throughout the time you
have;
may mine be to keep company with those who win
on each occasion, foremost in poetic skill
among Greeks everywhere." -Pindar, Olympian
They're not incredibly humble. They instead realize the depth of their power to preserve someone's fame for eternity, and attempt to remind people of that as often as possible.

Blog Post #5

For the past weeks we have thoroughly read and analyzed between lines of the victory odes – epinikion – by reading Bacchylides and Pindar’s complex yet skillfully written poems. Also, as I am paraphrasing the words and notes that were discussed in class, we have come to a conclusion that victory odes usually contain a form of choral lyric. Moreover, it “was composed and performed” at the celebration of a victory in the Pan-hellic games such as Olympian, Phythian, Nemean, and Isthmian. Both Bachhylides and Pindar incorporates identical form of introduction to each odes such as beginning with victor’s name, “son of” someone, their origin, and one of events in the Pan-hellic games that they have participated. Furthermore, throughout strophes, antistrophe, and epodes, the victors continuously praise and calls upon the God’s muses. The examples of this are the followings: 

Ode 2: “for Argeios son of Pantheidas, from Keos, victor in boys’ boxing at the Isthmain games”

Ode 3: “for Hieron son of Deinomenes, from Syracuse, victor in the chariot race at the Olympic games”

Ode 6: “for Lachon son of Aristomenes, from Keos, victor in the stade race at the Olympian games”

It is valid that victory odes are form of a typical genre in Bacchylides and Pindar; however, poets carefully touches on the topic of immortality and how political and class values were within Greek culture. Meanwhile Bacchylides stresses more on victor’s triumph in games, it seems like Pindar is able to handle diverse theme and topics such as immorality.  

Immortality

Ode 13, Epode 2

Since then, beside the altar of Zeus who rules

            supreme,

the flowers of glory-laden Victory have

       caused golden fame

to flourish in the sight of many

       for a few men throughout

their lifetimes; and when death’s

       dark cloud conceals them, there remains

renown undying for a thing well done

       as their unfailing portion.

           

First, I would like to draw your attention to Ode 13 by Bacchylides which specifically shows the ability for poetry to confer immortality through prestige way. Based on the previous annotation and blog post of Ode 13, this epode 2 is constructively divided into two different ideas: fame and death. While fame is depicted infinite as “to flourish in the sight of many for a few men throughout their lifetimes,” death is seen finite because “when death’s dark cloud conceals them, there remains renown … for a thing well done.” This particular section from Ode 13 considers the traditional Greek idea that the gods appreciate the victors from the athletic game and even if the person who challenged to be in the game dies, he would live on glory eternally.

Similar to the ode from Bacchylides, Pindar’s Nemean 5 consists similar content as well. Pindar wrote this poem for the family named Lampon (father of Pytheas) and it also “celebrates a victory in the pankration.” Although Pindar “commissioned Bacchylides to produce a second epinician (victory ode),” Pindar’s work has allusion to other poems, makes the poem extremely diverse alternating different themes constantly, and tries to speak to everyone. Also, Pindar is aware of that he is a renown poet among others during that period of time and “show-off” his skills in the poem as well. For instance,

Nemean 5, Strophe 2

But if prosperity or strength of hand or iron war

   is se as theme for praise, prepare the ground,

and from this spot I’ll leap

   great lengths: impulsive nimbleness is in my knees,

and eagles wing their way beyond the sea.

In this certain excerpt from strophe 2, Pindar shows his skill of writing poem stressing physically such as “impulsive nimbleness in … knees” and further uses imagery like “eagles wing … way beyond the sea.” Moreover, his skill can be seen in Olympian 1 that the Muse gave Pindar “the mightiest” skill of the writing among all the poets.  

Blog Post #5

As hymnology is for praising God, Pindar’s victory odes are for praising victors.  He mentions the victor’s name, father, hometown, and event in the beginning of Ode, and expands the honor of victory by referring to Olympian Gods; it makes him as a special and dominant being rather than a normal man.

“for Xenophon son of Thessalos, from Corinth, victor in the stade race and the pentathlon.” (Olympian 13)

Here, he remarks victor’s name, Xenophone, and his father’s name, Thessalos. He also mentions his hometown, Corinth, and the event, stade game. He begins with this information to emphasize his honorable name and his family.

“O golden Lyre, possession of Apollo and the violet-haired

Muses that speaks on their behalf, to whom the dance step harkens

as initiator of festivity,

and whose signals the singers obey

whenever you strike up the preludes that

lead off the chorus with your throbbing notes-

you even quench the warlike thunderbolt

of ever-flowing fire; and as the eagle sleeps

on Zeus’s scepter, his swift wings

relaxed and folded on each side” (Pythian 1)

In Pythian 1, Pindar calls Muses, Apollo, Zeus, and Ares to amplify the glorious honor of the victor. Muses and Apollo opens a party with beautiful song. This song “even quenches the warlike thunderbolts”, and “eagle sleeps on Zeus’s scepter”. Pindar says that the Olympian Gods will celebrate the victor’s honorable victory, and praise him with a glorious song. His description of the song is very vivid and seems like audience can hear the songs of Muses.

Furthermore, Pindar honors victors with epic stories of famous Olympian God. For example, he says, “Long is the tale of Perseus with the Gorgon Medousa” (Nemean 10). He refers to the epic stories to give parallelism between the victor’s triumphs and epic hero’s victory.

Reference

1. Greek Lyric

Blog Post #5

While annotating Bacchylides’ work for previous blog post, I was able to find some specific characteristics of the victory ode. In addition to that, now I have the opportunity to take a further step in understanding victory ode by examining the victory ode as a genre and considering the ability for poetry to confer immortality through prestige.

           

Ode 3:

for Hieron son of Deinomenes, from Syracuse,

victor in the chariot race of the Olympic games

In praise of Demeter, queen of fruitful Sicily,

and of the Maiden, violet-crowned,

sing, Kleio, giver of sweet gifts, and sing as well

of Hieron’s horses that ran swiftly at Olympia.

            As the structure of the introduction of Bacchylides’ Ode 3 shows, there are few factors that must be included in the introduction part of the victory ode. The necessary components are the victor’s name, father, hometown, his accomplishments, and the invocation of the Gods or the Muses. In this specific work, a tyrant of Syracuse named Hieron, the son of Deinomenes, has won the chariot race in the Olympic games. The mention of Kleio, which is the known as one of the Muses, satisfied the criteria of invocating figures that are greater than humans.

Ode 13:

For Pytheas son of Lampon

From Aigina, victor in the pankration

Since then, beside the altar of Zeus who rules

supreme,

the flowers of glory-laden Victory have

caused golden fame

to flourish in the sight of many

for a few men throughout

their lifetimes; and when death’s

dark cloud conceals them, there remains

renown undying for a thing well done

as their unfailing portion.

            Compared to the work of him above, the introduction of Bacchylides’ Ode 13 seems extremely similar. In fact, all of essential elements of a victory ode are included. The son of Lampon, Pytheas is the victor in pankration event at the Nemean games. The victor’s hometown is stated as Aigina and on epode 2, the mentioning of Zeus is included as the invocation of the Gods.

            While discovering the detailed components of the victory ode’s introductory structure, I could also catch the ability for poetry to confer immortality through prestige. In Bacchylides’ Ode 13, he writes, “and when death’s dark cloud conceals them, there remains renown undying for a thing well done as their unfailing portion.” Bacchylides explains that only the victor among many men could enjoy the golden fame through his achievement. And as the quote explains, even after the death of such victor, the reputation and respect of him will be everlasting. Therefore, the immortality of the victor’s name and his trophy can be achieved through the outstanding accomplishments.

            In Isthmian 6 of Pindar, not only the introductory structure contains all necessary parts, but also the analysis of immortality achieved through prestige could be found. The specific ode is written for the victor in the pankration event at the Nemean games. His name is Phylakidas, the son of Lampon from Aigina. The Muses and Zeus are both mentioned in this piece as the invocation of higher authority. In addition to that, when Pindar writes, “Brining the city glory in which all can share. For good deeds done to strangers he is warmly loved; his will is moderate in pursuit and moderate in possession; his tongue does not outstrip his mind”, he most likely compares Phylakidas’ behaviors to those of higher authority’s because in most of these victory odes, such respect and honor are always drawn only towards either the Muses or the Gods. Pindar giving such special explanations for humans can be explained by the particular human being achieving great accomplishments as the victor of pankration event.

Blog post #5

Victory odes are the type of Greek poetry that praises and emphasize the victors of specific types of Olympic Games relating to the Gods and well known Heroes of the time. The poems are written so that it is remembered and because humans are mortal and must be aware of death at any time as Bacchylides argued “a man should speak of what he really means to accomplish” through victory odes it would become immortal of victor’s achievement.

Most victory odes begins with the victor’s name, his family, place of born and the event. For instance, Bacchylides both Ode2 and Ode 3 starts “for Argeoios son of Pantheidas, from Keos, victor in boys’ boxing at the Isthmian games” and “for Hieron son of Deinomenes, from Syracuse, victor in the chariot race at the Olympic games.” Also, poets never forget to mention muses, Gods and other well-known heroes to enlarge its honor and to spread the story to people. For example in Ode 13 of Bacchylides, he has compared Pytheas to “crushing is the hand that Perseus’ descendant wields against the savage lion’s neck with stratagems of every kind.” Because Pytheas is a victor in the pankration that is derived from Perseus’ heroic moment and by comparing its achievement greatly develops honor for Pytheas. In addition, Bacchylides claimed in Ode 5 to Hieron that “you will know how to judge the violet-crowned Muses’ sweet gift and ornament” referring his own poet as a gift from the Muses to emphasize that the victor is graced with honor, also saying that “make Zeus the son of Kronos your theme of song……bearing for Hieron the leaves of happiness.”

Another role that victory odes hold is establishing the idea of mortality of human being. In Ode 5 Bacchylides compared human life to the leaves that are falling from the tree as “there he observed the souls of wretched mortals by Kokytos’ streams, like leaves tossed by the wind up and down.” The reason why he took an idea that human beings are mortal essentially is to emphasize the importance of the victory odes and accomplishment that one should achieve. For example, in Ode 5 he says that because “for no mortal on earth is born to be in all ways fortunate,” “a man should speak of what he really means to accomplish,” as “Victory have caused golden fame to flourish in the sight of many for a few men throughout their lifetimes.” He indicates that people should be aware of death at any time and if one wants immortality it is done by their accomplishment written out in poems as he claimes that “when death’s dark cloud conceals them, there remains renown undying for a thing well done as their unfailing portion.”

Victory odes

Victory odes were commissioned in order to memorialize the honor and legacy of an athlete.  Thus they function as memorials to the strength of the athlete, but also the skill of the poet. Both Pindar and Bacchylides acknowledge the ability of their poetical prowess to preserve the reputation of the athlete that they are writing about.

Pindar’s Olympian 2 is an example of a poet praising his own poetic skill as he commemorates an athlete’s victory.  In the opening lines, Pindar establishes Theron, the champion, as the object of his praises for his victory in the “four-horse chariot race” (line 5). Pindar furthers his report on Theron’s greatness by linking him to, “an illustrious line” (7). This is typical of the victory odes that have been examined. The poet links the champion to a mythical story or theme, possibly by lineage, but Pindar also links people to famous heroes who are from their same town. By connecting the champion to a famous figure, story, or moral, the poet confers their legitimacy as a champion by establishing a trustworthy connection that will evoke a positive image for a reader. Then, as is typical of other victory poems, the majority of the middle of the poem is spent recounting the mythical story, to which the champion has been linked. After making mythical allusions, the poet typically returns to praising the champion, as Pindar does in this poem. He writes that,

no city within a hundred years produced

a man who toward his friends is more

beneficent in thought or free of hand

than Theron. ( 93-95)

Pindar praises the generosity of Theron in this passage, and goes on to argue how greedier men mismanage their wealth, unlike Theron. The Pindar praises not only the athletic skill of Theron, but also his diplomatic qualities. In another poem, Pindar writes how he does this in order to avoid making his audience jealous of the champion (Pythian 1, strophe 5). Thus, Pindar commemorates not only the athleticism of Theron, but also establishes his generosity for the cultural memory of the populous. Since victory odes are commissioned in order to preserve the legacy of the champion, it is important that Pindar paint a positive image of the victor, both in the athletic arena, and also in his civil duties.

In this way, by praising Theron, but also showing restraint in his praise, Pindar proves his poetic prowess. Of his own skill, Pindar says,

Many swift arrows lie in store within

the quiver crooked beneath my arm

having a voice that speaks to experts; but to grasp their gist

requires interpreters. (83-5)

 Pindar is praising his own poetic skill. He uses the image of the arrow to describe how accurately he can praise and athlete and how focused his work can be. The fact that the quiver is beneath his arm shows how the skill is exclusively Pindar’s, but also how his ability to write powerful poetry is always at the ready. Then Pindar claims that his work is so great that is appeals to the very educated, but they even they need help to understand all that he says. He also states that he can, “proclaim on oath straightforward truth” (92). In this way, the victory ode serves not only to commemorate the skill of the athlete, but also the skill of the poet. Pindar praises his own ability to accurately capture the skill of Theron.

Bacchylides also simultaneously relates the skill of the victor he is praising and his own poetic skill. In Ode 13, he addressed the victory of Pytheas in the pankration. In order to establish his legitimacy and skill, Bacchylides compares Pytheas to the Trojan war heroes Achilles and Ajax. Bacchlides also writes how Pytheas shows, “forth the strength that gained the upper hand in combat with pankratiasts” (75-6), and how he has achieved, “renown undying for a thing well done” (65). Bacchylides is praising the skill of Pytheas in the ode, and also citing how his legacy will last. The ability of the victory ode to solidify forever the legacy of an athlete is so important. Bacchylides states how Pytheas deeds have earned him “renown undying” (65), just like other great champions. At then end of the ode, after recounting the story of Ajax and Achilles, he writes, “Excellence, visible to all, / does not grow dim in hiding” (176-7), and how everyone ought to, “celebrate […] the glorious victory / of Pytheas” (191-1). Bacchylides further seeks to praise Pytheas victory and commemorate his legacy into the cultural memory of his town. The fact that his victory will not grow dim serves to prove that the victory will endure forever through the poem. Just as important as praising the skill of Pytheas is the notion that the memory of his skill will endure forever.

Bacchylides, like Pindar, ends his ode with a nod to his own poetic prowess, writting,

            May you look

            With favor on my gift – no slight one – to your son.

            If Kleio, giver of all bloom, has truly

            Instilled this in my mind,

            Song of delightful utterance

            Will herald forth his name to all the people. (226-31)

He praises his own prowess when he notes that his poem is not slight. He is remarking what a great gift his poem is, not only because it is beautifully written, but also because it will preserve Pytheas’ name. He describes his poem as a gift, showing how he views his work very highly. Bacchylides invokes a common trope of the victory ode by invoking the Muse, Kleio, and saying that from her his poetic genius has sprung. Bacchylides ends the poem with the idea that the poem will preserve and spread Pytheas’ name. Since it is placed last in the poem, Bacchylides is greatly emphasizing the importance of preserving Pytheas’ memory, and also how his poem is able to do so.

Pindar and Bacchylides both praise champions as well s their own poetic skill in their victory odes. In this way, they preserve the legacy of an athlete, and also advance their own reputation for being a great poet. The victory ode genre is one that places great importance on the idea of preserving a legacy for all time. Both Pindar and Bacchylides reference this desire of the athletes to be forever remembered.

Blog Post 5

“for Xenophon son of Thessalos, from Corinth,

victor in the stade race and the pentathlon”

from Olympian 13 by Pindar

“Now for me the muse fosters in her reserves of force the mightiest arrow:

in different matters different men show greatness, but the utmost peak belongs to kings.”

from Olympian 1 by Pindar

Odes usually include a few basic elements as a structure and then the poets add a few specific traits to their Odes to make them stand out a little. These basic elements include an introduction for the victor, the event they participated in, and a reference to the muses. Olympian 13 has the victor, Xenophon, and an introduction for him. The introduction includes his name, some information about his family, and where he is from. In this case, Xenophon is the son of Thessalos and is from Corinth. Odes usually have the event they won and sometimes go into a little more detail about how glorious his victory was or why he was so good at that event. The poet also calls to the muses for inspiration and for help with immortalizing the victor. An example of this is in Olympian 1 by Pindar where he refers to the “mightiest arrow” shot by the muse. The mightiest arrow here is Pindar, so he is being used through the muse to show greatness in his victor.

The ability of the poet to give immortality to the victor they are writing about is mainly reliant on the skill of that poet to make an ode that will be preserved through time and referenced by others to gain notoriety. If the poet is good, their works will be kept around and seen by many people. Examples of this are most of the poets in this book, Sappho, Pindar, etc. If the poet is popular, their subject is immortalized, since the works they are included in are remembered for a long time. If the poet isn't good enough to be referenced in later works or their works are lost, even though they are good, their subjects will be forgotten much sooner. Another aspect of immortalizing a victor is the poet's ability to portray them as someone who had a glorious victory. If the ode doesn't do a good job that, the victor will not get much attention even if the poet is famous forever.

Blog post 5

Blog post 5

The victory ode is a very interesting genre.  Nowadays when somebody wins something, there is a small article in the a paper about them.  However, back in earlier times, a winner is immortalized and everybody knows about it.   For example, in Bacchylides’ Ode 13, which is about Pytheas’ victory in the Pankration at Nemea, it says that Pytheas’ “might is hymned by many a high vaunting girl…”.  This basically means that choirs are singing about him.  This speaks to the overall importance of champions and winners during this time period.  Not only are their poems written in their honor but people sing about them.   Another interesting aspect of the victory ode is that it can change topics very easily.  In Pindar’s Olympian 1, the poem dedicated to Hieron’s victory at the horserace, it starts out talking about how there are no games “superior to the Olympia’s” and how skillful Hieron is.  However, in later lines it goes into a story about Pelops’ youth and suggests that the widely believed story is one “with lies of cunning pattern”.  The story about Pelops takes up a large portion of the poem.   This suggests that the reason for victory odes isn’t just to honor champions, but also to tell old stories and introduce the author’s opinion to the readers.  Bacchylides’  Ode 13 transitions into a few old stories, including that of Ajax’s defeat of Hektor and Achilles’ defeat of the Dardanians.   I view these transitions to be similar to the pop culture references we see in music and poetry today.   These stories and tales that are embedded into the poetry create the potential for a larger reading audience because there are parts of the poems that speak to different kinds of people who have different interests.  There is something for everyone.   Victory odes were clearly meant to be about winners, but the addition of these other aspects widened the reading audience and helped make the names of poets like Pindar and Bacchylides more widely known, which meant more money in their pockets.