THE THIRTEENTH

OLYMPIC

OD E.

TO XENOPHON of CORINTH, on his Victory in the Stadic Course, and Pentathlon, at OLYMPIA.

ARGUMENT.

The Poet begins his Ode, by complimenting the family of XENOPHON, on their fucceffes in the OLYMPIC Games, and their hofpitality; and then celebrates their country, CORINTH, for it's good government, and for the quick genius of it's inhabitants, in the invention of many useful and ornamental Arts. He then implores JUPITER to con tinue his bleffings on them, and to remain propitious to XENOPHON; whofe exploits he enumerates, together with thofe of THESSALUS and PTŒODORUS, his father and grandfather. He then launches out again in praife of CORINTH and her Citizens, and relates the story of BELLEROPHON. He then, checking himself for digreffing fo far, returns to his Hero, relates his various fuccefs in the inferior Games of GREECE, and concludes with a Prayer to JUPITER.

STROPHE

STROPHE I.

HILST I rehearse the illuftrious Houfe's

WHILST

Praise,

Thrice Victor in OLYMPIA's fportive war,

To friends and strangers open; let my lays
The fame of happy CORINTH bear afar:

Which as a gate to NEPTUNE'S ISTHMUS ftands, 5
Proud of her blooming youth and manly bands;
There, fair EUNOMIA, with her fifter train

Bleft PEACE and JUSTICE, hold their steady reign; Who wealth and fmiling eafe on mortals fhower,

From THEMIS' genial care drawing their natal,

hour.

10

ANTISTROPHE I.

But bloated infolence and fell difdain

Far from their peaceful feats they drive away.
Now lovely deeds infpire my founding ftrain,
And honeft boldnefs fwells my rifing lay;

When

When native worth the generous bofoms feel, 15

"Tis hard the fhining virtues to conceal.

CORINTH, on thee the blooming hours bestow

The envied wreaths from manly deeds that flow, And teach thy dædal fons with careful heart,

First to explore the way of many a useful art. 20

E PODE I.

Who bade the bullock facred bleed

TO BACCHUS in the DITHYRAMBIC Rite?

Who firft with reins the generous fteed
Directed in his rapid flight?

And bade the sculptur'd bird of Jove

25

The temple's maffy roofs above,

For ever fix'd on either end,

His ornamental wings extend?

While the sweet MUSE her filver founds infpires, And MARS with glorious flame the warriors bofom

fires.

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STROPHE

STROPHE II.

OLYMPIA's honor'd Patron! potent Jove!

Whofe fovereign mandates o'er the world extend,
O with propitious ear my ftrain approve,

And, to fair CORINTH'S virtuous fons a friend,
On XENOPHON let gales propitious breathe, 35

And take with hand benign the victor wreath
He won furpaffing, when on PISA's fhore,
What mortal valor had perform'd before;

The STADIC Courfe re-echo'd his renown,

And with knit limbs he gain'd the PENTATHLÉTIC

Crown,

40

ANTIS TROPHE II.

And twice confpicuous on the trophied Course The ISTHMIAN Parfley graced his Victor brow; Nor NEMEA's Cirque contemn'd the Hero's Force.

And where the facred waves of ALPHEUS flow

VOL. I.

T

His

His father THESSALUS the Olive wore

45

By swiftness gain'd, and fince on PYTHIA's fhore, One fun beheld his might, 'mid wondering eyes Obtain the STADIC, and DIAULIC Prize;

And the fame month, to grace his lovely brow, The third triumphal Wreath did ATTICA be

What wreaths! what honors! too, they bore

From PYTHIA's, and from NEMEA's fhore !

He