Blog Post 5: What's in a Victory Ode?

                Victory Odes, or epinikias, are a type of poetry commissioned by relatives of victors or the victors themselves in any of the Ancient Greek games. While the length and topics vary greatly, the key elements of the most basic victory odes are most concisely exemplified in Bacchylides Ode 2.

Ode 2:

for Argeios son of Pantheidas, from Keos

victor in boys’ boxing at the Isthmian games

Hurry, O giver of glorious gifts, Report,

to holy Keos, bringing

a message whose name is gracious,

that in the battle of bold hands

Argeios has won victory,

and so has brought to mind all those fair deeds

which at the Isthmus’ famous neck,

leaving Euxantios’ holy island,

we brought to light along

with seventy crowns.

The Muse, home-born, summons

the sweet shrill cry of pipes,

doing honor in victory song

to Pantheidas’ beloved son.

The key elements of this ode are its mention of the victor’s name, father, home, what event they won, at which games, and an invocation of the muses/gods/other divine beings to celebrate the victory and spread the news to everyone, thus making the victor famous for posterity. In mentioning the fame of Argeios, this ode also addresses that there have been seventy victories at the Isthmian games by athletes from Keos, further honoring his home. It is evident that these are the most basic elements because this is a comparatively short victory ode, yet still contains these elements. By comparison, Bacchylides’ Ode 13 displays a far more intricate structure.

                Bacchylides’ Ode 13 has the basic key elements of a victory ode by stating that “Pytheas son of Lampon, from Aigina, [was] victor in the pankration…at Nemea” and that “Zeus…[and]…Victory have caused golden fame”. But Ode 13 also follows a ring structure of myth references from the victor’s homeland that have a parallel narrative to that of the victor, and universal morals from the poet about the nature of mankind. The ring structure of myths in Ode 13 starts with the story of a descendant of Perseus (Herakles), whose “crushing hand…wield[ed] against the savage lion’s neck”, thus founding the pankration event. A comparison between Pytheas and Herakles is made, in that Pytheas has won “such honors” in the pankration and “golden fame” from “Zeus…[and]Victory (Nike)”. It is with the gods’ favor that any mortal attains fame and glory; Herakles held such favor and Baccylides insinuates that Pytheas now holds it as well. Next, Bacchylides references the founding myth of Aigina by invoking its namesake: “Aigina of the kindly mind”, to whom “the son of Kronos (Zeus) has given great honor”, further honoring Pytheas and his home. Next. Bacchylides transitions through a reference to Endeis, a nymph of Aigina and relative of Achilles, to the story of Achilles in the Trojan War, specifically Achilles’ battle with Hektor in which he prevented Hektor from “set[ting]…[the ships]…ablaze” and how Achilles’ “foes…cowered out of battle’s reach”. This narrative has a parallel to Pytheas in his pankration fight and implies that Pytheas’ foes will also cower from fighting him in the future. Next, Bacchylides explains how the Trojans “were destined…to make…[the] waters crimson, dying…[at] the…hands of Aiakos’ descendants” and how the goddess of goodness, valor and excellence “does honor to…Aiakos…and…keeps the towns…under safe guard in peace.” This takes us back to the time of Pytheas and is a continued invocation of the idea that Pytheas, his people, and his home are favored and protected by the gods. Thus, the ring of myths is complete and Pytheas has been compared to two great heroes of Greece: Herakles and Achilles. Bacchylides ends the poem with a subtle moral that “justice bids” that “truth…and…the thing which has been nobly done” will always come “into public view” whereas “the ill-disposed…fade away from sight”. His moral discusses two common tropes: life is finite, and the noble will be famous forever but the ignoble will be forgotten.

                The role of poetry in Greek society is best discussed in Pindar’s victory odes, however, it is also important to consider the social context of commissioned poetry when considering its implications. The main themes Pindar mentions are: that the poet has the power to immortalize people who are worthy, the poet will often become famous in their own rite for their poetry, the poet has the responsibility of immortalizing people in a way that they would like to be remembered and that will not incite jealousy of others, and that the best poets have the gift of poetic talents and skill from the muses/gods. Pindar directly discusses these themes in Olympian 1 and 2, and Pythian 1.

                In Olympian 1, Pindar discusses his own fame and power as a poet when he insists “for [him] the Muse fosters in her reserves of force the mightiest arrow”, using the arrow as an image of his poetic skill. Because it is part of Greek culture that athletic and martial skill is an inborn gift of the gods, using this image of martial strength and skill puts him on par with those whom he immortalizes. In addition, it implies that the Muse gives him “the mightiest” skill, above all other poets, that will fly further, withstanding the test of time. In Olympian 2, this image is repeated with an additional meaning, where Pindar asserts “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. That man is wise who knows many things by nature; but let those whose skills are learned, like boisterous crows, fling futile, indiscriminate chatter against the divine bird of Zeus.” Here, his poems are defined by their complexity and natural talent, as compared to those who learn to be poets but are not given the gift by the gods, thus their poetry has no depth or intricate meaning and is an insult to Zeus. This further exemplifies the idea that famous poets have divine gifts from the gods to immortalize people in song.

                Early in Olympian 1, Pindar discusses the role of money and nobility in greatness. At the end of his victory ode for Hieron, Pinder states his moral: “in different matters different men show greatness, but the utmost peak belongs to kings. Extend your gaze no further.” Pindar is taking the stance that kings and noblemen are greater than regular men. Because the nature of the victory ode is to write about great victors, who must be noble because they have the wealth to devote their lives to being athletes and warriors, and that victory odes come at significant cost, it stands to reason that the men who are worthy of victory odes are also wealthy and noble. Along this same vein, only those for whom victory odes (and other poems) were written could be made immortal through the written word, so only those who were wealthy and noble were worthy of being remembered for posterity. Because of the nobility of the poets’ clients, poets had to make their work as such that the nobles would look favorably upon the way they would be remembered forever through the poem. Hieron, for instance, was the ruling tyrant at the time this poem was commissioned, thus it was advantageous for Pindar to praise him highly and state that he (a king) was among the greatest of all men.

                Finally, in Pythian 1, Pindar explains how to write a victory ode that will best please not only the victor and their family, but also the general public. He explains: “If in your speech you keep due measure, drawing many strands together in brief compass…for…citizens are prone to secret heavy-heartedness above all when they hear other’s blessings. But…pass over nothing that is noble…good fortune is the first of prizes; good report takes second place; but he who lights on both…has received the loftiest of crowns.” Pindar makes four assertions. First, that poetry should consist of multiple topics touched upon briefly. Second, that the reason for the first is overly lengthy descriptions of fame and fortune will make the base, who cannot afford victory odes, jealous of the noble, who can. Third, that nothing noble that relates to the victor should be left out, in an effort to please the victor and praise him adequately. Finally, that the poet will always take second place to their clients in terms of fortune, but in fame, it is ultimately the responsibility and privilege of the poet to immortalize their clients that, when done well, will grant them the highest fame. Of the first through third assertions, Pindar highlights the social order and how poets have to walk the line between the noble and the base, attempting to make their poems accessible to everyone but also a fair and glorious praise of the victors who have earned and paid for glory. The final assertion also explains the social order, but of the relationship between poet and client and the idea of fame versus fortune. While the poet will always acknowledge that their client is greater, the client will only be remembered for their singular mention in the poet’s work (times however many works they commission), where the poet will be remembered for every client and their skill time and time again. Thus, the victor pays his present fortune for his lasting fame, but also pays for the poet’s lasting fame and gives the poet his present fortune as payment.