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.