Blog post 5: victory odes

The basic role of a victory ode is to praise and celebrate somebody’s victory in certain competition. A victory ode starts with a phrase stating victor’s name, father’s name, hometown, and the name of the competition in which the victor won.

In Ode 5, Bacchylides praises the strength of the victor Hieron: “…The great earth’s mountain peaks do not hold him back, nor the tireless sea’s rough-tossing waves, but in the limitless expanse he guides his fine sleek plumage long the west wind’s breezes, manifest to men’s sight.” These lines shows how the poet describes and praises the victor which is the fundamental purpose of writing a victory ode.

When someone’s victory is written and praised in a poem, then the memory and the praise last forever, unless the poem is destroyed somehow. That is probably the main reason why a patron asks a poem to write a victory poem.

In Olympian 1, Pindar states, “As for me, to crown that man with music in the Aiolian mode, a tune fit for a horseman, is my duty. I am confident that no host exists who can lay claim to deeper knowledge of noble ends…”

Here, Pindar says that it is his duty to praise the victor, and he seems pretty confident about his ability. It almost sounds like victor is given prestige through this victory ode through the poet’s skill. Although the victor achieved his victory, it is the poet’s power to make the victory last “forever.”

“…in different matters different men show greatness, but the utmost peak belongs to kings. Extend your gaze no further. 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.” Here, we can see that Pindar gives the utmost greatness to kings, showing the political/class values that Greeks had. He says not to ambition too much as he says “Extend your gaze no further.” Pindar gives a lesson to the victor saying that you did well and that is good enough; do not hope for what is not suitable for you.