This ode seems to have been written immediately on Psaumis’ victory, to be sung the same night beneath the moon by the company of friends who escorted the winner to return thanks at the altar of Zeus.

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Hurler of thunderbolts unfaltering, the most high Zeus, for that thy chosen hour recurrent hath sent me with a song set to the music of the subtle lute for a witness to the greatest of all games—­and when friends have good hap the good are glad forthwith at the sweet tidings—­now therefore, O son of Kronos, unto whom AEtna belongeth, the wind-beaten burden that crusheth fierce Typhon’s hundred heads, receive thou this band of triumph for an Olympian victory won by the Graces’ aid, a most enduring light of far-prevailing valorous deeds.

For the sake of Psaumis’ mule-chariot it draweth nigh to thee—­Psaumis, who, crowned with Pisan olive, hasteth to raise up glory for Kamarina.  May God be gracious to our prayers for what shall be!  For I praise him as a man most zealous in the rearing of horses, and delighting in ever-open hospitality, and bent on peace and on the welfare of his city, with guileless soul.

With no lie will I tinge my tale:  trial is the test of men; this it was that delivered the son of Klymenos from the Lemnian women’s slight.  He, when he had won the foot-race in bronze armour[1], spake thus to Hypsipyle as he went to receive his crown:  ’For fleetness such am I:  hands have I and a heart to match.  So also on young men grow oftentimes grey hairs even before the natural season of man’s life[2].’

[Footnote 1:  See introduction to Pythian ix.]

[Footnote 2:  We may suppose that Psaumis probably had grey hair.]

V.

For Psaumis of Kamarina,

Winner in the mule-chariot-race.

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This ode is for the same victory as the foregoing one, but was to be sung after Psaumis’ return home, at Kamarina, and probably at, or in procession to, a temple of either Pallas, Zeus, or the tutelary nymph Kamarina, all of whom are invoked.  The city is called ‘new-peopled’ ([Greek:  neoikos]) because it had been destroyed by Gelo, and was only restored B.C. 461, nine years before this victory, the first which had been won by any citizen since its restoration.

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Of lofty deeds and crowns Olympian this sweet delight, O daughter[1] of Ocean, with glad heart receive, the gift of Psaumis and his untiring car.  He to make great thy city, Kamarina, with its fostered folk, hath honoured six twin altars in great feasts of the gods with sacrifices of oxen and five-day contests of games, with chariots of horses and of mules and with the steed of single frontlet[2].

To thee hath the victor consecrated the proud token[3] of his fame, and hath glorified by the herald’s voice his father Akron and this new-peopled town.